My Portfolio

MY PORTFOLIO OUTLINE:

1. Introduction

2. Personal Reflection

a) An Expression of Reflective Evaluation

b) Reflection for Professional Development and Change

3. Our Facilitators and Instructors for IREX TEA Program

4. Strategy Sheets

5. Lesson Plans

6. Resources from Facilitators

7. Resources from Mentor Teacher

8. Vote of Thanks

9. Conclusion

Introduction

Every teacher has a vision and mission to be achieved. As a teacher of EFL I too have a moral purpose, an aim or a goal to reach. After becoming a TEA fellow, IREX provided paved for me a rare opportunity to realize my hopes of developing my teaching skills as per my objectives through the internship course to be taken in the USA.To teachers like us our subjects are our students. We focus all our attentions and efforts around needs, experiences and abilities of our students to guide them towards their objectives. So our moral purpose is to strive for the overall development, both physically and mentally of the students through education

Mere teaching and guiding the students are not enough for an education practitioner. Sessions and classes with the most experienced and learned facilitators in George Mason University have deepened my understanding of the importance of accountability of my personal reflections and development in the arena of EFL teaching. This is where the potentiality of Portfolio comes. I n my long years of teaching practice I have never regarded keeping a portfolio as an integral part of teaching and instructing. The internship course has made me realize the remarkable significance of portfolio in the career of every teacher. It acts like a guiding force for our further development.

In my Portfolio, which I had to prepare in a very short period of time, I have arranged my reflections about my field visits and sessions according to my Portfolio outline. There might be many lacking in my organization but I promise to improve my style in the near future.

Personal Reflection

HOWIAMUNIQUEASATEACHER

An Expression of Reflective Evaluation

Teaching is a noble profession is an old and trite expression but still much used in our community. But when someone asks me," Are you still teaching?”I very proudly declare that it is so. Although I have been teachingfor quite a long time I still have a strong notion that I have much to achievein the field of teaching and learning. Practicing teaching without any training and any reflective analyzing is like walking in the darkness to look for a way out. From the early stages of my teaching I have been looking for newer and newer techniques and procedures and of course approach to keep the tempo of learning prevailing among my students. Even after teaching for the last 25 years I feel that I am failing my students somewhere and that I need to to do something about it.

The Drive To Achieve More After completing my graduation and masters in English Literature (which was the only criteriaand qualification to be an English teacher some time ago in Bangladesh) I received many job offers from different organizations and private banks. Ignoring everything Itook the first offer of serving in a High school and joined there. And since then I am in the teaching profession for the last 22 years. During my practice first I had only 40 to 50 students in the class and it was quite easy and comfortable to teachthem according to their needs and objectives. As time passedthe population of the country boomed and the number of the student started increasingalarmingly. The class size remained the same and the number of the teachers also remained the same but the students grew greater and greater in number. This strong desire grew in meto have some sort of training to teach more successfully and appropriately in the English class. English is taught in our countryas a Foreign Language. Because of poor literacy rate in the country our and all consuming poverty our children are never exposed to any situation where they can practice the language. Besides there are many social and cultural issues which hamper the learning process and progress of our general students. All these thoughts gave birth to many uneasy and helpless feelingsinside me. So I took a one year course/training in proper teaching called B ed. The training instructors showed us how to make elaborate lesson plans and how to make assessment questions but nothing about students, their individuality, their needs, their objectives and their mixed abilities. Lots of theories were learned about learning and teaching but nothing about effective and sustainable teaching and learning.

Pre-conceived ViewsThrough my teaching career I have considered myselfmotivated and successful teacher. But afterhaving this rare opportunity of visiting Wakefield High School I have to re-consider my assumptions. During my field experiences through class observations and exchanging ofviews with my mentor teacher I felt a desire within myself for a change in my theories of teaching. After analyzing the teaching techniques and strategies with her I was able to create a world of reflective thoughts.Re-thinking about my methods of teaching provided me insights about my weaknesses.

Ideas Important For Self-development After having observed classes for four days in the school, I had the amazing opportunity to have firsthand experience of all the stages and steps of pedagogical processes of strategies used for successful teaching and learning outcomes. All the steps and the methodology and the relationship of the teacher with the learners provided me many insights about the sustainable ways of teaching.

Reflection for Professional Development and Change

As a TEA fellow Ihad this great opportunity to visit a public school named Wakefield High School. Visiting a school and observingclasses are an important part of the internship program we are taking. In the school my mentor teacher, named Maureen Scotland, is an amazing lady. She is a gentle, very efficient and an experienced lady.

Teaching resources/materials

The first sight of the institution and the surrounding left a mixed feeling of wonder and strangeness inside me. I found the people in the office very approachable, nice, friendly and helpful. The overall set up of that school that means the physical outlook of the classroom itself was a great surprise. The room gave out an environment of congeniality. It was airy, lighted and equipped with AC and TV facilities. The whole atmosphere of the class gave out an aura of warm, friendly and favorable atmospheresuitable for teaching and learning. The whole picture was far different from the majority number of institutions in our country, Bangladesh. The next that came as a pleasant surprise was the seating arrangements in the class. The chairs and desks were randomly arranged in such a manner that the students the students are able to face each other in groups of two or three. Besides, there was enough space for the teacher to move about and reach each and every student. It is really very tempting to apply this system of seating arrangement in my school. Moreover the classroom was haphazardly but definitely in an organized manner furnished with shelves and almirahs, full of teaching and learning resources and materials. The interior get up of the classroom design presented a very propitious environment for the process of student-centered learning where students take active participation in the learning process.

Classroom Environment

I still have more classes to observe but during my observing and following of two to three classes for two days I have discovered great differences in the techniques and procedures of teaching and learning styles and methods from those of our schools. The pedagogical strategies and methods are definitely quite different to what are being appliedin the secondary schools of Bangladesh. Like teachers in our country hardly know anything about brainstorming or warming up session. Here in the class I was really impressed bythe way howthe teacher prepared the class which was in a very interesting manner. The classesthat I observed were ESL classes and the courses here planned in such a manner that the teaching prepares the intermediate-level HILT students to develop their skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. I was also much impressed by the lesson plans of Maureen because they were prepared according to the level of the students. We have no such classes or courses in Bangladesh. I would very much like to write in newspapers and magazines ,to draw the attention of the authority concerned, about- the positive outcomes of this teaching and learning policy which enables all the learners of varying levels of understanding to practice critical thinking skills.

Teaching Strategies

My mentor teacher, in the class is truly an inspiration to me. Her patience and enduring qualities impressed me immensely. In a very gentle and coaxing yet firm manner she was able to reach to the students and was successful in making them perform their classroom tasks and activities effectively. This is yet another methodology for me to adopt and apply in my classroom teaching, like being attentive and available to each and every student in the class. Above all I admired Maureen for having an open and approachable expression which encouraged the students to seek her help and guidance whenever needed.

Time management

The punctuality or the time management in the class was excellent. Another important factor to be kept in mind. Again the teaching techniques used by the teacher had a very positive impact on the students. They were encouraged to complete their assignmentsand meet their deadlines. This reflects the motivating attitude of the teacher. There is much to observe and learn from here also. That is, a teacher has to be motivated and sincere to reach the objectives of teaching. I also learned that in ESL classteacher can use any authentic learning source like web-site or newspaper/magazine articles for meaning and vocabulary building practice to determine text features and text structures. This sort of teaching technique is not at all familiar in our context and I am very much eager to follow this procedure in my English class. And at the same time I intend to make efforts to reach to other EFL teachers of my country to share my views and the changesI wish to bring in the arena of teaching and learning. In my two classes of observation I also discovered that the tasks given by the teacher were very interesting and creative. This tells me not to stick to the text book only to teach any particular skill to the students.

Conclusion

Last of all I would like to express that I would to learn more about the teaching techniques and strategies from the schools in America so that can go back in my country and try my utmost to apply and implement them in my school and help others to do so according to our context.

OURFACILITATORS AND INSTRUCTORS FOR IREX TEA PROGRAM

It is a great honor and privilege to acknowledge the unparalleled contributions of the facilitators and instructors we had in George Mason University. Their experience and profound insights acted like glowing beacon in the darkness of our ignorance. I truly admire their endurance and dedicative personality which inspired and motivated us to work with diligence during these 6 weeks. We are extremely fortunate to have mentors and guides like them. We had wonderful informative sessions with them. After going back to my home country I will definitely keep in touch with them for my further development and knowledge in the field of teaching and learning.

TheNames of the Facilitators and the Topics of the Sessions:

1. Dr. Steeley:Structured Reflection for Professional Improvement and Change.

2. Dr. Shahrokhi : Educational Leadership

3. Dr. George Flowers:ESL Methods

4. Dr. James Upperman: Student-centered Teaching Strategies.

5. Dr.Scott Bauer: Action Planning, Presentation Skills, Research and Technology.

6. Dr. Woody:Educational Leadership (Understanding Change)

7. Dr.Rebecca Fox: Reflective Practice in Planning for Instructional Effectiveness in Language Teaching.

8. Dr. David Fraser: Educational Leadership ( Knowledge Building)

9. Dr. Elizabeth Henderson: Cooperative Learning

Some Resources from Dr. Woody:

  • Leading in a Culture of Change
  • Coherence Making

The most powerful coherence is a resultof having worked through the ambiguities and complexities of hard -to-solve problems.

What do you feel when you think about "living on the edge of chaos"?

I feel that I should move ahead and plunge into different ideas of different people of the changing community. I feel like asking people ,concerned, to sit together, share and express. I wish to encourage them to talk and that might reveal their Tacit Knowledge.

How might "living on the edge of chaos" effect your approach to disturb a situation and then create appropriate coherence?

Such a situation might create an urge inside me to make a move and create opportunities to gather the opinions and views of the working community. Such gatherings might help to sort out the practical and logical ideas from numerous spoken thoughts. Sorting out the probably significant suggestions may then help to create appropriate coherence.

What leadership characteristics do you have to develop your capacity to create conditions for coherence making?

What I feel in this area that I am a little Authoritative in nature, somewhat Affiliative and Co-ercive to great extent in nature.

  • Along with useful and informative seminars we had excellent experience, visiting places of National and Historical importance during our program. Our facilitators were gracious enough to spare their valuable time to guide us during the tours. The places we visited were:

1. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

2. Baltimore and Annapolis (Maryland)

3. Old Town Alexandria.

4. Smithsonian National Galleries East and West.

Strategy Sheets

Portfolio Strategy Sheet--1

  1. Name of method or strategy

Task-based Learning

  1. When is this method or strategy useful?
  • In a heterogeneous class with a large number of students, having different styles of learning
  • In an EFL class where students have little opportunity to use English outside their class room.
  1. Why or how is this method or strategy useful?
  • By building interactive communication and learning atmosphere among the students.
  • By enabling the students with mixed abilities to proceed gradually towards the objectives of learning.
  • By keeping the students engaged in active learning.
  1. What are the steps involved in using this strategy or method?
  • First of all the students try to comprehend and understand the task, given to them.
  • They then interact and get involved in group discussion and exchange ideas.
  • They help each other out to perform the task.
  1. When would this method or strategy be useful in your setting?
  • In an EFL class of students with different learning abilities.
  • In a class where the students have little scope/opportunity to practice English in their daily real activities.
  • In a class of students who come from different socio-economic background and have low level of proficiency in English language skills.
  1. What would you like other teachers in your school to know about this method or strategy?

I would definitely share my acquired knowledge and experience about Task-based teaching strategy, which I gathered from visiting American school, with my colleagues back home in my school. I would practically expose the advantages and positive outcomes of this strategy. Through appropriate and befitting planning of lesson, first of all, I would take an English class using the strategy and ask the students about their opinions for feedback and I am quite aware that I will face certain problems at the beginning. But I will overcome it gradually. I know the students have different levels of weaknesses and inhibitions about participating in group work for task-based activities. Then I will ask my colleagues to come and observe my class and the strategy that I use in the class. This will surely inspire and motivate them to follow my teaching technique. Besides when they see the positive outcomes of the strategy they will definitely be with me.

Strategy # 2

  1. Name of method or strategy:

Cooperative Learning

  1. When is this method or strategy useful?
  • To turn diversity among teachers and students into a positive force for promoting academic achievement and cross cultural understanding.
  • For helping students develop the personal skills needed for succeeding in a multicultural world.
  • To help students attain content standards
  1. Why or how is this method or strategy useful?

Becausethis approach involves small, heterogeneous groups, particularlya team of four or five membersto work towards a group task. It helps students develop a feeling of caring and sharing and mutual understanding to help each other out in learning. It also builds confidence in each student to develop a sense of individual accountability.

  1. What are the steps involved in using this strategy or method?

The students are engaged in cooperative tasks that deal with the development of social skills through language skills.

They are given such tasks which help them in group processing activitieswhich enhance their interpersonal skills that influence their effectiveness in working together.

  1. When would this method or strategy be useful in your setting?

This strategy would definitely be very useful in my setting because my class consists of more than 125 students. I can promote the learning of my students by giving them such tasks which will involve group performance. Besides this strategy will be useful in a class of students who come from different classes of the society with different socio-economic background.

  1. What would you like other teachers in your school to know about this method or strategy?

I am quite sure that the teachers in my school will be ready to follow this approach to teaching when they see the advantages of the techniques of this teaching strategy. Through systematic and appropriate lesson planning and steps I can easily motivate my colleagues to follow this strategy of teaching which I knowwill work wonders in my large class.