On Teaching Oral Skills Wednesday, December 30, 2009

A semester’s worth of effort has finally been realized after handling my first ever English Speech and Communication class. Sixty students proved to be a challenge as I was wondering at first how is it possible for me to “listen” to all of them. A feedbacking program proved to be working.

I found this very interesting article on Feed backing by Maria Spelleri and tried it. Accordingly, there are four choices teacher can elect for correcting errors of students on utterances they make: Rising intonation question, Recast, Explicit, Meta-language. Giving it a thought, a rising intonation question has been the trademark of a teacher teacher. I call it as such because they are the traditional spoon-feeders, prescriptive in their approach and sometimes intimidating. Correction like “You go to the store YESTERDAY?!” for a student making a mistake over verb tense could bring further anxiety. Recast, aggravatingly, would be more direct putting the correction as “I WENT to the store yesterday.” This could mean that the correct utterance has been supplied. Like a recast, Explcit, could also be unswerving yet explanatory. “ Don’t say "go" for the past- say "went"”. Of the four, Meta-language has been the most popular. It is the most preferred. Teachers here would really serve as facilitators of learning developing students’ thinking skills. Hence, a meta-language correction would go as: “Are you talking about the past or present? What has to change in your sentence if you are talking about the past? And so, what is the past tense of the verb you want?”

Taking this learning to actual classroom of sixty would be a challenge. What I did was that every time I make such a comment on one student, I make sure the rest of the fifty-nine listen. This should give a wise use of time. Spelleri’s experience over Meta-language spelled out differently. She tends to go the “downward spirals” because she gets to compromise by “changing” her question to a less difficult one. My response to that would be to shift to other choices of correcting errors or a worst scenario would be calling on somebody to help. It gets the blood circulating not only for the student involve but with rest of the class.

Thinking of ways of exploring all TEACHING STRATEGIES that we have learned and considering we cannot really single-out the BEST one is but a big pedagogical wonder we teachers need to probe into. Why not use all the FOUR choices? If a class of slow learners really need to be spoon-fed at times; I don’t think that would be short-changing them with the Bloom’s principle. We all had the time and chance to go up the ladder. Remember “Individual Differences”?

My Evening College class of sixty have improved. One student even won an impromptu interview, him, as the interviewer. This made me proud, knowing I have “made” them. What gauge of success is it for us than having been thanked by a student after a semester’s lesson. Telling us that they really have become good speakers. I would tread the same path for I have learned how to become a Speech Class teacher. For as long as we keep on learning and exploring, things would surely be for the better!

On Motivation

“Very Good!”...or if not satisfyingly correct, “Partly, you have an idea there. It’s good you tried”. These are supposed to be the best possible response a teacher could use in getting through steering students’ interest without frustrating them and getting their toes up every time they’re asked. But what really is MOTIVATION? Does it entail being ‘affective’ upon the accomplishment of tasks or the entire instructions? Or shall we put the blame on our lack of putting a dash of morale boosters on our comments?

Motivation has been defined, conceptualized and given attention to by many educational psychologists and practiced by numerous educators trying to solve myths and misgivings in its employment inside and outside the classroom. Factors ranging from anxiety to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs were given equal attention. As a common person, specifically, a single parent, I do a lot of things everyday-from preparing breakfast early in the morning to making sure that my kids “can” go to school. Other side of me would be enjoying a glass of wine at dinnertime, watching BBC,CNN, pursuing Dance classes twice a week, and others. I do a lot of things behind a lot of reasons. What drives me to do such acts may be with a reason that I need to have to DO it.

In the class of fledglings (first year College students), I have come to compare the level of initiative they have over getting through College (their motivation) with mine. Is mine on another plane? Being on their formative stage, their first experiences of college is a ‘make or break’ for teachers to happen. Being extremely nice and always patient with them sometimes doesn’t work. Was it the intrinsic being beaten by the extrinsic? or the realization of the importance of getting a degree not sinking yet into their system? I was always told to incorporate values on my lessons- an occasional personal recount or stories, I know this would sometimes work (as far as my judgment is concerned) but sometimes I have to be brutally frank. Like for instance, a group of “repeaters” in your class would really make your day- they come in 30 minutes late, talk with themselves and pretend joining in grouped activities. When asked about what they think the activity was all about, they would just give you that weak shoulder shrug and that please-forgive-me-for-I-was-late look. Classroom menaces as they are, they sometimes affect the classroom “temperature” and would really test your years of acquired principles in teaching. What reinforcement do I need to employ? I would then ask my self. I opted for the direct, quite negative and started my admonition. The whole class was quiet like they have never seen me become agitated before. I pleaded to these matured delinquents not to influence the freshmen. I was scared they might think coming to class late and not participating as “cool”. They eventually, came to me and apologized after class. I gave them a pat on the back by saying, “ Make good in life. For how long can you stay young and enjoy all these…” They left the room and I felt that it was quite an effective reinforcement. They come to class on time now and participate in whatever activities I give.

MOTIVATION can sometimes put us in deceit. It may not come from us teachers but it is something that may come from a long, sometimes sudden twist of maturity. I cannot compare my motivation to work everyday with my students on their attitude towards school. I continue on giving hopes to them. For as long as I can reply to a wrong answer, impinging a false hope may not harm… For always there would come a time that they would realize it for themselves. I hope not to fall on the usual cliché that “learning” is truly a painful one.

On Single-Parenting Saturday, December 26, 2009

“Why didn’t you wake me up early?” is a regular rouser for your nerves- much stronger than the instant black coffee you sip at 6 in the morning. That awkward grumble comes from the croak of your 14-year old son as he rushes downstairs only to pause for 15 minutes more or so before munching on his oatmeal breakfast. Before he is seated, his 11-year old brother Miguel has already docked on the four-seater round table. Always the first bird- half-pecking, half-dozing still as the two both dally blowing and stirring their choco-oatmeals to get tepid.

A typical start of your weekday, you continually remind them, “Hey! Keep moving, its already 6:30…then 6:45…” Woo! Papa, you’re lying, its still 6:20”, your loquacious and lately seemingly boorish youngest would always rebut. Sean gets ready for the bathroom –he’s the first on the list and always the longest to use it, while his brother would sneak back into one of the empty rooms to sleep again.

Bang! You hear Sean pound on the door- a cue for his brother to keep moving. He’s never lenient to such nature but he himself does everything in his own time. As you punch in the last key on your laptop before printing your day’s Biology class quiz, you peek into your wallet hoping that you could spare the two boys’ allowances. You remember seeing a five hundred bill yesterday in the evening. “We paid the laundry,” Sean voices out as he throws his fresh socks near the front door, signaling that he’s ready to go. “The beer, don’t you forget! I bought you beer last night”, Miguel would add and you are suddenly pounced by a cure for your morning’s amnesia. When the youngest leaves the door you remind him again to make good in school and perform the class activities. Without turning his back he gives off a weak “Yes”-wishing that this time it would be for real.

The first work you carry out for the day is just a 5-minute walk from your house. Your early class usually starts 5 minutes late as usual. Waiting for the students, you decide to browse your mails and even check last week’s quizzes. Thinking of ways to motivate your students has always been a challenge, you have exhausted a handful of good ones you learned from your graduate school till you realize it would still be best to be situationally pragmatic.

“Good morning, Sir!” is the welcoming sound you hear from a posse of late-comers. You start hoping they will have the zest to push that sloppy start till noon. From class to class, subject to another subject you metamorphose from being a patient facilitator to an eager “teacher” when nobody in your Biology class understands the function of the cell. The bell rings for noon. You are reminded of the gustatory urge to have beef soup for lunch only to end up with the usual vegetable. The place is teeming with business people as usual, the cooling unit destroyed. While lining up you remember the activity material you have left in your faculty cubicle, you know you barely have the time to go back and get it. The next university is a 20-minute ride, lucky if the jeep you're riding runs right away.

You decide on modifying that day’s Foreign Language class promising to bring your material next time. When its 4:30, you transform into giving yourself that much needed treat- your dance class. Getting home at 8:00 in the evening, you see your two angels lying on the couch. “You’re late?” Sean would welcome you as you greet them “Good evening”. “What’s for dinner?” Miguel would then follow. “Let’s just buy from Rina Grace.” You answer. “Did you cook rice already?” “Yes, Miguel did.” “What about you, Kuya?” “Are you forgetting your responsibility? You ask. “No… I prepared the laundry”. “But you came home late”. “Can we have vegetables? We had meat for lunch already.” Sean suggests. As you hand in the money you tell the “Kuya” not to forget your beer. Asking them how school was, the usual reply of OK resounds at your dinner table. You never miss to tell them what happened to your day too. Checking them whether they have done their school homework already, you expect the same answers. Sean lounges still in the living room while Miguel sneaks upstairs to watch TV. You remind him to brush teeth and Sean to do the dishes quick. You prepare for bed and tell Sean to hurry so he could put off all the lights. In another thirty minutes everything is done.

As you tuck yourself to bed, everything is still and quiet, only the soft whirring sound of the electric fan can be heard.

“Good night Papa, Good night Miguel. Love you.” Your eldest never misses his day-ender lines. As you snug deeper in the “futon” looking for a comfortable position you thank God for another day has passed and that your kids are growing up fast. But a part of you denies, wanting them to stay as is and be with you forever.

As you toss yourself much further, you give in to a much-needed rest for a good lead of whatever may come the next day.