Hello again
Hello everybody! After various problems on the site, I am back again! Now I have to get used to the new site and start my entries again. So, what do I have to reveal since my last entry? Well, apart from the class trip and the usual stresses and strains of family life (more of this later) I am very excited about the conference this weekend in Birmingham. One of my chosen workshops is on my newly found passion-Task Based Learning. I’m so surprised at the conversion; my enthusiasm was somewhat lukewarm when I first researched it for my assignment (which incidentally is currently awaiting ’second marking’) but I chose this teaching approach because it was so far removed from my usual method. Now, however, I am so enthralled by the progress I have made in incorporating it into my teaching, that I am eager to learn even more. I can’t say I’ve mastered the whole procedure-my time management is still a problem, and as my students are only E1/E2, the end stage is still in the early stages, if you will forgive the pun! Nevertheless, I have already used one of the ideas from my newly acquired literaure to help with planning my next scheme of work!! Are you all impressed? You should be! Negotiating course content sounds so professional, doesn’t it? Well, let’s face it, I am almost halfway though this course now, and I am beginning to realise that this qualification will indeed afford me the equivalent status of Qualified Teacher in FE!! Hmm, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here-there is the small matter of seven more assignments, five more nerve-racking observations, completion of portfolio, final professional research project, and two more terms of input. No worries!!!!!!!!!
OK, back to the TBL. After my class trip to a local Victorian House Museum, which was very enjoyable, we spent the next week planning and writing letters of thank you, and making a classroom display of photos, headings and personal recollections of the day. This was an excellent opportunity for TBL, and I was so excited when I sat back and actually listened to the students during the task. I was genuinely surprised at the amount of language generated by the collaborative planning. I sall endeavour to find out how to post photos on here, as the final result was a wall display produced exclusively by the students. There were ,of course, disagreements: type of display, siting of the display, which photos to select, arrangement etc. Nonetheless, even the disagreements enabled the learners to show what they knew, or at least try to! I was so proud of them!
The last few input sessions have been related to the next assignment-notice how I am able to write that word now without shuddering!! When I say next assignment, what I actually mean is the next next assignment, which will be number 4. The third, due in on the last day of term(that will definitely be a ‘good news, bad news’ day) is……..well, it’s …….er……… in my head, that’s where it is! At least, that’s where I am constantly writing it! This is the one about Learner Support, and it is NOT easy. Say no more. Number 4 assignment is at least interesting. The sessions have been quite enjoyable. Discourse analysis sounds so complex but honestly it’s an area of subject specialism which I find fascinating. That didn’t stop me from feeling pretty useless yesterday when I was unable to complete a task without asking everyone else. I wasn’t the only one who found it difficult, thank goodness, but I managed to convince myself I was definitely the most incompetent in the room!
Never mind-there is always TBL. At this moment in time, I take comfort from the latest learning curve. The conference approaches…………………Birmingham, here we come!
I will try to sort out photos for future viewing. Watch this space!
Anyway,
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