Personal Introduction

Personal Introduction CEP 810

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Me as a teacher

any factors contributed to my becoming a teacher. I could have ended up working as a Telecom engineer. However, when people seeking my help started praising my ability to explain things clearly, I realized I was made to teach rather than work at a desk or with electronic devices.

My teaching career dates back to the days I was at college. By the time I graduated in 1996, I had 6 years of unofficial teaching experience, after which I started honing my teaching skills by observing and learning from teachers in the many different institutions I joined. Throughout my career in education, I discovered that there was more to teaching than simply explaining the subject matter at hand. I learnt that teachers are essentially role models that students look up to. There were times when I thought of my own children and wondered how I would like their teachers to be. In this respect, I became my own „dream teacher‟.

Here are some of the many qualities that I acquired over time:  Patience: I learnt that students are genuinely different. As a result, some may need more time and leeway than others.  Commitment: It‟s this quality that gives value to teaching.

Students have to feel that the teacher is ready to give his or her best.  Flexibility: Teachers can lose their temper easily if they choose to stick to their opinion without trying to understand their students‟ needs. Flexibility has helped me reach out to students who are the most difficult to handle.

Created by: Jean-Claude Aura

Date: October 5, 2008

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Personal Introduction CEP 810 Me as a learner

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learnt what it is to be an effective teacher when I started putting myself in my students‟ shoes. That is, I try to see things from a student‟s perspective. In my beginning years of teaching, I faced problems with students because I thought my lessons were well planned and I couldn‟t figure out why some students, especially average ones, struggled to do well on tests. After careful study, I realized that summative tests were not the best (and only) way to test students‟ understanding. By the time I discovered what went wrong in my lessons, it was too late. I then incorporated formative tests in my course, and that‟s when a drastic change occurred. Not only did my students do better on tests, but they also developed a positive attitude toward learning and became more cooperative.

From there on, I would always ask myself how students would approach my lessons and what would make them more engaged.  Topic: Before, I would pick any topic that I thought would be interesting. Now, I ask myself whether my students would be stimulated by the topic and get engaged into a class wide discussion.  Vocabulary: Before, I used to bombard my students with words that I believed were important. Now, I try to limit the number of words to a reasonable number, while using semantic maps and clusters so they would remember them more easily. I also relate the new words to the lesson at hand to turn the whole experience into a meaningful yet challenging one.

Created by: Jean-Claude Aura

Date: October 5, 2008

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Personal Introduction CEP 810  Grammar: Before, I used to teach grammar independently. Now, I integrate it into my lessons, again drawing the students‟ attention to the fact that grammar is not boring, and that using correct language is part of language etiquette.  Speaking: Before, I relied on high achievers to get the conversation going. Now, I reassure students that there‟s nothing wrong with making mistakes, and that one learns from one‟s mistakes.

As the saying goes: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Above all, I establish a secure environment where students feel free to speak without being criticized or judged.

Created by: Jean-Claude Aura

Date: October 5, 2008

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