Reflective period 2017

1. Reflection of the teaching practice
(dimensions of reflective learning)
Tutor: CeciliaZemborain.
Student: Keila Belén Medina.
Prácticas Docentes I

2. Prácticas Docentes I
Dimensions of Reflective Learning:
Reflecting on my teaching practices
Thinking Back
The original aim of this experience was to put into practice our theoretical
knowledge about teaching (more specifically: teaching very young learners) and
to get to understand how it is to work with this special group of learners, regarding
all their needs and the specific skills we need to develop in order to become
experts on teaching very young learners.
This experience also allowed us to spot our strengths and weaknesses as future
teachers, so we can improve and keep working on it.
Regarding the pedagogical perspective, in my personal case, I felt that the
objectives and activities were well prepared but sometimes I could not accomplish
with my purpose because of the lack of accuracy on my use of the materials or
my classroom management skills. This is important, as children need to feel
motivated with the activities we provide and the environment we create in the
classroom.
The first lesson I gave was terrible, but the next ones were better. None of the
lessons were perfect, but I could find that I have made improvements with the
addition of visual aids, storytelling, including songs, and creating a suitable base
with topics of student’s interest as a start point rather than changing the topic
where the purpose is not clear enough for students.

3. When the activities resulted motivating and stimulating for children, I could find
that they were very significant for them. For example, with the addition of stories
in the activities, children got more interested on learning the topic I presented with
that activity.
On the other hand, I could find that even if they liked (e.g.: the story of the second
lesson), they didn’t remember much of it as I did not use visual aids and
storytelling in a proper way before presenting the story’s video. But, in the case
of the third lesson, children were all very engaged on the storytelling because of
the proper use of visual aids and gestures I made while telling the story.
I can also say that, as I have tried to include as much MI as possible, all of the
learners had the chance to explore and work different skills through different
activities and from different points of view. This helped them (and me) to work
their weaknesses and strengths.
During the practicum, I had to develop different attributes. For example, I had to
work a lot on my voice level and on my personality as I tend to be shy and
insecure when facing a new experience. The knowledges I needed to develop
were a lot! I needed to revise storytelling, classroom management advices, the
use of transitions and chants, taking into account what children can do alone and
what they can do with help (ZPD and scaffolding), praising methods, the suitable
L2 level and avoiding the use of L1 when it is not necessary. I also had to improve
my ways to face questions children make when they do not understand a word in
L2 (clarifying, translating, revising, asking more questions, giving examples,
relating known language with new language but not in L1).
All of this experience made me realize how different it is understanding the theory
in contrast with putting those knowledges in action. There are a lot of things to
bear in mind while planning a lesson, but the main challenge is to pay attention
and to manage to put in action all the strategies, the methods, principles, advices
(and more) while giving a lesson. I have learnt that contingencies are as important
as the lesson planning, and that it is essential to solve the problems that may
present during the lesson.
Even if all of that results to be difficult and challenging, we (teachers) must work
on those aspects when it comes to teaching: we are responsible. This practicum
allowed me to get an idea of the big work that it is to teach, covering all the
children’s special needs (and not only as a teacher but as an adult too).
Thinking Forward
If I had the chance to develop this practicum again, I would start designing
suitable activities from the beginning. That is, I would bear in mind all the
knowledges to put into practice I have mentioned before, but from the very
beginning. I would also try to speak louder, to be firmer when it comes to
managing the classroom, and to show more confidence, all from the first lesson.

4. I would also make more use of L2 (asking questions about a story, or about an
image, about a work the students are doing alone as painting or making a collage/
creating things) to exploit all the potential of the activities regarding the use of
language and keeping children’s knowledges of English language as fresh as
possible.
Anyway, this experience might influence my future goals as now I know what to
expect and all the things that I need to improve in order to become a good
teacher. Those goals will be searching and looking deeper into student’s needs,
interests, weaknesses, strengths, creating an environment where learning
English is fun and motivating for students. I will try to make them understand that
learning is wonderful, and that learning a new language is not “just another
lesson”.
Alongside with my future goals as a teacher, this experience might influence my
pedagogical decisions as I will remember what I did wrong (and what I did right)
during this first chance to make decisions that influence children’s learning. I will
remember the importance of the observation stage before the planning stage, the
benefits of monitoring while teaching and looking for students to learn while
having fun. As I have seen what it means to make children part of their learning
process, I will work on everything that needs to be improved (for me), so I can
accomplish with that main purpose of students to construct their knowledge rather
than telling them what to think and how.
Thinking Inward
I perceive how meaningful this experience was for me, because I have found my
own weaknesses and strengths as a prospective teacher. I have also worked with
very young learners, which scared me a lot in the beginning but now I know that
even if it is difficult and challenging, there is nothing to be afraid about. Children
are pure and innocent.
They are very active, so I could get an example to relate them with the things I
have learnt on Didáctica Especial para el Nivel Inicial: children need short
activities, with different perspectives and modes, with the MI’s integration,
enhancing creativity and thinking critically, to mention a few… Understanding was
meaningful for me, as having the experience is never the same as knowing the
theory without an experimental background.
There are some aspects of my development that made me feel unsatisfied. For
example: the lack of self-confidence I had. I would have loved to make it better,
but I recognize that this was my first time in front of a big group of young learners
and that I am human, so this is something from my personality that I have to
change.
My main point is that, even if there are a lot of things for me to improve, I also
know that I have been working to improve through the four lessons. I know that
as long as I keep working on it, I can make it better.

5. As I have already mentioned the impact this experience had on my intellectual, I
would like to add that in my personal development I felt an impact too. I used to
find it difficult to be firm with children, and to feel uncertainty on how to face them
when they are behaving bad. Now I know that if- as a teacher- I don’t get firm,
they will turn the classroom into a mess (an environment where we cannot
teach/learn). As an adult, this is important too, because this showed me some
reasons of why it is so essential to establish limits and to show (but also receive)
respect. Being the example is the key, because if we do not respect each other
as adults, parents, teachers (etc.), children won’t respect each other.
My feelings during this experience were positive as I felt supported and guided. I
also felt challenged, but this was an expected feeling even before starting the
practicum. At first, I was very scared, but later I felt happy because I could
improve and enjoy a little bit more the lessons.
What is more, now I feel nostalgic because as I attended the practicum for 2
months, I miss the children. They made me feel loved, and I really appreciated
the confidence they developed to ask me things and to interact with me as
another teacher. In this respect, I felt amazed with the power children have to
make me happy with a smile or a comment.
Thinking Outward
Taking as an example one problem that I had during my teaching practices, I can
spot (from my point of view) that I got to feel unsure about how to stop children
when they start screaming or when they present a bad behaviour. What makes
me feel unsure about telling them off is that I don’t know how to react, what to
say, or how to show them that I am angry/unsatisfied with their behaviour in a
proper way. I have tried to include puppets, elements to make noise, or clapping,
to make them be quiet and then ask them to stop screaming or explaining what
is wrong. But this was not so effective.
Other point of view was the one from the teacher in charge of the group. She
recommended me to leave aside the fear to be firm and to show that I am very
unsatisfied with certain behaviours. She gave me the advice of calling their
attention talking very serious and telling children how bad it is to scream when
there are more students in other classrooms trying to work or sleep.
I think that the group’s teacher is right as I need to change my mind on that I am
too strict with students if I just tell them clearly the reason why screaming and
behaving unproperly is not good.
Trying to include puppets and the noises to catch student’s attention is not a bad
idea if I combine that method with a firmer attitude, showing confidence while
explaining them such an important thing.
Conclusion

6. To sum up, this experience was fruitful for me as I have learnt through practice,
failing and succeeding in a real context, enabling me to spot the things I need to
change and the ones that need to be perfectioned.
As I mentioned before, this could not be possible without all the support and
special organization of the planning and the previous knowledges I have gained
in other subjects.
In further experiences, I will bear in mind all the knowledges I have gained this
time, the skills that need more attention and to be improved, and the weaknesses
that I need to overcome.
Being aware of my strengths helped and motivated me to keep moving forward,
as working with very young learners was challenging but amazing and helpful to
fully understand what I am studying, and what it takes to become a good teacher.