All is well

“Make your passion your profession.” – 3 Idiots*

The Hindi movie 3 Idiots made me realize that if I want to be successful in life, I should pursue a career that is closest to my heart.  After college, I took the forester’s licensure exam and thankfully became a licensed forester.  After this venture, I still don’t know where I’m headed, then, came an opportunity to teach high school students here in Quezon City, and the rest, they say, is history.

Well, not actually history, I can say I am in process of making history.  I really don’t want to become a teacher.  What is the main reason?  Almost all of our family members are teachers, from my grandparents, to my parents and to my extended relatives, and I don’t want to become like them.  Second, if I want to pursue teaching, then, I should have taken a degree in education at our province’s state university.  But I did not.  Third, I think I’m fed up with studying.  20 years in school is enough for me, why would I want to go back to school not as a student but as the teacher?  Ironically. all these reasons bid goodbye when I grabbed the opportunity to become a full-time teacher.

Since I am in the academe now, I need to fulfill the requirements to become a permanent member of the faculty, one of which is the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET); I won’t be able to take the exam without pursuing this course.

Distance learning wasn’t that easy at all.  All the convenience like the ease of not going to school, the shorter time to finish the program, the easy access to internet seemed to vanish.  I was actually asking myself if I made a right choice, if I still want to pursue this career.  But then again, I answered myself and literally told this to myself – “Inumpisahan mo yan kaya dapat tapusin mo.”; thus, trying to finish this course because this is my idea.

DESTINED FOR GREATNESS

Honestly, this is the second time that I enrolled in this course.  The first one was a total disaster.   l literally did not do anything and I know it was my fault.  So when I enrolled in this course for the second time, I told myself that I will be more focused and disciplined.  I enjoyed reading the module on motivation because I totally can relate.  I was motivated to finish this course because I have to take the LET to place a permanent position in my current job; and one more thing is I believe that I can do it. (Self-efficacy)

It was all going smoothly at the beginning but when school started out this June, I lost track of my progress.  My schedule didn’t work out anymore… and reading the modules and other materials had been very challenging for me not because I lack time, but because I didn’t give enough time to study.  Then, I became anxious filling my mind with thoughts of failure and its negative consequences.  What if I fail this course? What will happen to me?  Will I be able to stand up again or completely give this up?  These thought bother me for a long time.

Reading the modules also allowed me to understand more on my learning styles.  I actually become more aware of the experiences I gained are great source of learning as explained in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle.  Furthermore, I realized that I learned best when I’m trying to discuss what I learned to myself or to an audience, in this case, I always ask my friends to accompany me to tea and coffee shops so I can explain to them the new concepts I’ve learned.  Based on MBTI, I am an extrovert, I learn best when I can listen to my explanation, which leads me to another realization that I will be a good teacher because I can communicate what I’ve learned to my students.

   

NOW, IT MAKES MORE SENSE.

The activities in this course helped me a lot, one of which is to reflect on the concepts and relate it with my experience.  I don’t have much prowess in terms of written and oral communication skills, I always run out of words and I’m not very articulate, but I am trying.  The blog posts that I’ve written were solely answers to the guide questions printed on the modules.  But I find the guide questions very effective because I write answers based on my personal experiences, thus, concepts I’ve learned from this course were retained and easily retrieved.  I am not very active in the forum, but I try to post a least once in a while.  Honestly, discussions were overwhelming and intimidating at some point since I lost track of my progress in the discussions, it wasn’t easy to penetrate in a discussion that was already long gone.  Although, I really admire the ideas, thoughts and insights that were posted by my classmates when I get to read them from time to time.

It’s easier said than done.

I know I still have a long list of areas for improvement.  I am a procrastinator and I am not into accepting challenging tasks.  I easily become contented because I know what I deserve, but I also know that I should not just settle for good.  I should pursue what is best not only for me but for the people around me.  Distance learning is not just like a walk in the park, determination, perseverance, dedication and proper time allocation are the key elements to succeed in this endeavor and I may not have fully given my best shot, I still want to try and improve.

How? Don’t find time, give time.  I remember the video of Dr. Chew when he enumerated the “beliefs that make you stupid” or the common misconceptions of how people learn. The number 1 misconception is that learning is fast.  Studying’s time allotment should be planned longer than expected.  When there’s proper scheduling and time allotment, I will avoid cramming which will eventually lead to optimized learning.  Moreover, while studying, I should remove distractions.  I easily get distracted by social media especially because distance learning uses the internet.  I can use the concepts learned in motivation like positive and negative reinforcements and even punishment (when necessary) to set disciplinary measures and prevent myself to be distracted and multitask.  I commit to break these habits.

Changing Perspectives

My perspective on learning changed after this course.  My experiences in school as well as the experiences I have today as a teacher makes more sense to me now because I understand the underlying theories and concepts of situations in my past and present experiences.  Learning about the learning styles made me realize each individual’s learning needs.  I now understand why certain students act differently from among the others, because of the behavioral theories presented.  I can find ways on how to improve class participation by thinking of a good motivation.  I didn’t realize right away that some of things that I currently do/apply to my students are rooted under different learning theories and principles.  It really makes more sense now.

Thank you to my classmates for your insightful ideas and I would also like to thank you, Teacher Malou for your enthusiasm to share with us the fun of learning and for your understanding and enduring patience.  I am so grateful to God for you are an extension of His mercy and grace to people like me.  Maraming salamat po!

*Here’s a link to the movie’s synopsis – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1187043/synopsis

Always begin with the end in mind.

Constructivist Theories

How did you fail to learn/teach well in the past because constructivists principles were not activated?  How you will now want to approach the way you teach and learn? (Identify constructivist principles that can contribute to effective teaching-learning.) 

In traditional classroom setting, since the teacher is the expert or master of the subject matter, he/she only gives and pours knowledge to his/her students who act like empty vessels to be filled with information.  In the constructivist classroom, the students are actively involved in their process of learning.  Unlike in a traditional classroom, the teacher acts a facilitator who prompts, mediates and helps the students develop their own understanding.  The teacher in a constructivist classroom should be good in asking questions.

I know what a traditional classroom looks/feels like because I also experienced becoming the passive student who is an empty vessel waiting to be filled up with knowledge by the teacher.  Back in college, especially in a large class, there is very little or no interaction between the student and teacher during long hours of lecture.  The teacher gives while the student receives.  What is learned is based only on what the teacher or the textbooks tell.  Furthermore, the teacher assumes directive and authoritative role which makes student feel uneasy and afraid at times.  To gauge the learning of the student, assessment is done via objective tests.

My experience in the traditional classroom is not that rewarding at all.  Now, I realize that most of the information I’ve acquired from listening to lectures and taking down of notes are difficult to retrieve, or worse, no long available.  There is a shallow understanding of the concepts presented to me.   What I remember most are the concepts that I’ve actually experienced or witnessed which is a very strong constructivist principle.  I am not saying that all my classes are in a traditional classroom, there are some classes that I enjoy because learning is interactive.  The teacher interacts and negotiates with the student by asking questions which leads to more questions until we actually perform or witness an actual learning experience.  I’ve enjoyed laboratory class in college because we were able to do hands-on activities, interact with our groupmates and learn from them too.  It was easier to remember concepts when we actually base it on prior knowledge which is further strengthened by our direct/indirect experience of the concept.

Application…

In adopting a constructivist approach in the classroom, I, as an educator, should adapt and change different strategies to engage my learners to activities that promote exploration, experimentation, construction, collaboration and reflection.  The strongest principle that lies behind this theory is its being student-centered, wherein the student serves as the active learner, playing the most essential role in constructing/controlling learning using his/her prior knowledge in creating or modifying a knowledge.

Our school encourages student-centered learning, so, as educators, we think of activities and ways on how to involve our students in their pursuit of learning.  In our learning plans, value focus, content and performance standards always begins with what is expected of the learner.  For example, in content standard, we start it with “The learner understands that…”, then provide the content that is expected to be understood by the learner at the end of the lesson.  This poses the importance of student-centered learning.  Another principle from constructivist theory is the formation of various essential questions to spark up their prior knowledge.  The performance tasks also includes what the learners will be doing and exploring.  Unlike the traditional forms of assessment, testing can be integrated with the task and not a separate activity.  This can further be improved if we emphasize real-world and hands-on experience seeking the learner’s point of view and reflection so as to enhance their level of understanding and learning.

Information-Processing Theories

In terms of your ability to learn, are there weays that you wish you were more like a computer?  Or are you better than any computer in all aspects of processing information?  Explain.

Information processing theory sees learning as synonymous to computer processing wherein information is received, stored, and retrieved.  Sometimes, I wanted to have the capacity of how computers process information because computers easily store and retrieve information.  If I can store and retrieve information that easily, it would be better for me to have a mind that works like a computer.  If so, then, information can easily be organized and compiled.  If unorganized, and the information is stored long ago, it could still be easily retrieved because you can just use the search engine and let it do the work for you.  With all these benefits, I would still choose to have human brain over a brain that works like a computer.  It was known that not all parts of the brain are activated, utilized and developed, but what if all parts are activated, utilizedd and developed, will that optimize our learning ability?  I think the disadvantage of having a brain like a computer is its limited capacity to store information unlike human brains which can store more, and if all these processed information are easily retrievable, it would maximize the capacity of humans to learn.

Who was your first teacher?  What was your first classroom like?  What is the remotest childhood memory?  How long did it take you to retrieve those information?  What does that reveal about the nature of long-term memory?

My first teacher back in municipal day care center was Ma’am Macasieb.  I obviously forgot her first name.  From what I can recall, my first classroom is a big room with many chairs/desks.  Outside the room, many parents were waiting for their children, I remember that I don’t have someone outside waiting for me because my Kuya Allan (our houseboy) only accompanies me to and from school because our house is just walking distance from the school.  My remotest childhoo memory that up until now I am not sure if it really happend was during my years in the day care center, my grandma told me that I started out as “saling pusa” in the day care when I was 2 years old.  I don’t remember much of that year but I remember when I was already 3 years old, the scenario was during recess, the mothers were laughing at me because I took out my feeding bottle and started drinking my milk in school.  From that day on, I told my Grandma that I will no longer bring my feeding bottle in school.  Well, it was memorable because it was embarassing for me at that time.

It took me quite some time to remember those memories.  Long-term memory is divided into two types: declarative (explicit) memory and procedural (implicit memory).  The memories mentioned above are declarative memories which are known as episodic memories because it involves recollection of specific events and experiences, most of which make up our life history.  Aside from episodic memory, there is also the semantic memory which comprises our general knowledge.  The other type of long-term memory is procedural memory, those memories which involves how we perform different skills and activities.  These types of memories are equally important in a person but I think improving the semantic memory will also improve our learning capacity because concepts, facts, and ideas are essential in formal education environments.

I remember one of my colleagues told me once that memory is a fundamental step of understanding.  Without processing of information, no learning would commence.

Social Cognitive Theory

Social learning as proposed by Bandura emphasizes on observational learning or modeling.  It explains how human behavior is affected/changed with the continuous interplay between cognitive, behavioral and environmental influences.

Models are essential in the learninf process because it is believed that people learn new behaviors or modify old ones based on observing the consequences of other’s actions towards a situation.  In modeling, the learner undergoes a process which starts with attention or observation, retention, reproduction of the acquired behavior and motivation to repeat the acquired behavior in the future.  The effectiveness of models depends on the learner’s ability to imitate the behavior of the model.

Modeling is important in the classroom especially in lessons that are sequential in nature.  For example, in a Math class, the teacher serves as a model while he/she discusses and solves a math problem.  Students tend to imitate the way his/her teacher performed the operation, even the way of how the teacher writes the equation.  After that, students need to retain the processes/information in their memory.  Then comes the actual performance of the observed behavior from the teacher by performing drills in the class.  In the examination, they will be able to solve the problem by reminding themselves of the procedure shown or modeled by the teacher.  After taht they become motivate to remember these lessons because they need to pass the course.

Models and Mentors in my Life

My Models and Mentors
Bae Reming (Mrs. Remedios T. Palisoc, my Lola)
She is my role model because she is the eldest daughter in their family.  Whenever I visit her, we will always have little chitchats about her life and her experiences while she was still young.  In one of her stories, she recalled her experience back in college when she only had one uniform which she needs to wash everyday.  It would be very difficult to dry her uniform especially during the rainy season.  Since she lives in the barrio which is 8 kilometers away from town, she needs to walk a rice field just to go to school everyday, she also recalled times when she has to run fast when it rains.  After all these difficulties, she encountered, she still managed to graduate as cum laude in their batch.  She is a retired master teacher in our barangay’s elementary school, and many of her students who have families now always regard her as their favorite teacher.  I admire her dedication and hard work and I want to be regarded to as a teacher who shows concerns to her students, just like my Bae (Lola).
Ms. Marianne M. Delfin (my mentor)
I am currently teaching Biology in an exclusive school here in Quezon City.  Since I’m not a teacher by profession, I really had a difficulty during my first year of teaching.  I don’t know the standard operating procedures and I can’t fully grasp how to teach and manage a class well.  It was Ms. Delfin who taught me how to become an effective teacher and manager of a classroom.  Being a seasoned homeroom and Biology teacher, she give points on how to teach certain concepts in class.  She also shares her style in effective classroom management.  She is not only a mentor and a colleague for me, she is also a dear elder sister and friend because she always gives time to listen to me and my concerns regarding work or personal life.
The Type of Role Model I Want to Be for my Students
Leadership.  A good leader is also a good follower.  I always tell my students that if they don’t like what they’re doing, they have to at least make sense of it.  Sometimes, we don’t like some of the policies in school but we have to follow and obey the rules because it is right.
Concern. I want my students to see me as a teacher, I also want them to see me as their sister/friend.  I want to show my concern to them by asking how they are, by having little chit-chats along the corridor during breaks or even during homeroom period.
Perseverance and hard work.  I know that I am not a good student especially in this program.  I think I’ve lost motivation because the very reason that I’m enrolled under PTC is because I need to pass the licensure exam.  If my students see me now and know my status as a student, it would be terrifying.  They could tell me negative things that I don’t want to hear, because it’s the truth.  Honestly, I’m afraid to become a failure.  I felt like I am for most of my life especially now, but I still want to show to people that I can do it and I will persevere and I can change.  I want my students to see me as someone who “WALKS THE TALK” and not just someone who “WALKS AWAY”.
What would your ideal education mentor be like?
My ideal education mentor is someone who teaches out of passion and not just out of external gain he/she can get.  As Rancho from the movie “3 Idiots” always tells his friends “Make your passion your profession.”  I wanted to be like that.  Right now, I know that one main reason I’m teaching is because I need to sustain my personal and family’s financial needs. But it’s not all that, what fuels me now is seeing my students enjoy learning with me.

Behavioral Theories

Theories of Intelligence

What strategies do you use to learn?  How do you know how well you have learned;  what are your indicators of learning?  According to your learning strategies, where do you (in practice) seem to stand in the nature-nurture debate?

My strategies in “formal” learning” are:

1. Read, re-read to fully understand new ideas/concepts
2. Imagine and relate new learning to personal experiences
3. Story-telling (discussing the new concept to myself or to a friend

My indicators of learning:

1. I know I’ve learned when I am able to discuss the concept to myself or to my friends.  
2. When an idea/lesson just don’t ring a bell, or is not just familiar to my ears/eyes.  When I can elaborate it in my mind

I think I believe in both nature and nurture approach to intelligence.  Most of family members are regarded as “top of the class” because of the different achievements/awards that we receive in school.  Since I teach Genetics, I know that traits such as these are passed on from one generation to another.  But I don’t think, intelligence is based on nature alone.  Being intelligent by nature will not be developed without proper nurturing.  I think that learning would not happen without these two factors. 

Personal views on Intelligence

Before, I thought that intelligence is measured only on how well you perform in class.  I also believed that there are persons who cannot really learn.  But after reading the different theories of intelligence, I became more aware that each person has a unique way of learning and acquiring knowledge.  

Teaching should be able to facilitate and develop a student’s intellectual ability.  Since each person has a unique way of learning, the teaching process should be able to address that kind of learning so the student could have optimized learning experience.

Are there ways in which you have already experienced multiple intelligence approaches in school, either with or without realizing it?

Our designed learning plans in school addresses to the enhancement of the multiple intelligence of each individual.  We think of activities that would develop their intelligence even without realizing it.  

An example would be our lesson about the different environmental issues we experience today. Students are tasked to make a tree analysis. First, they were grouped, and a certain environmental issue was designated to each group.  

Students are asked to research on the causes, effects and solutions of the environmental issue. Having those researched information, students will draw a tree on a cartolina.  The different parts of the tree would correspond to the information they’ve researched on.  The roots of tree is where they will write on the causes, the branches of the tree are the effects and the fruits of the tree are the solutions to the environmental problem/issue.  After doing the task, they are to present and share their work in class in any form of presentation (singing, role-playing, dancing, etc.).

This kind of activity not only catered to one intelligence.  Visual/Spatial intelligence is developed in their drawing or illustration.  Interpersonal intelligence is developed as they work with their groupmates and as they present their work in class.  Linguistic/Bodily-kinesthetic/Musical intelligence are developed in their form of presentation.  These are just some of the multiple intelligence incorporated in one lesson.

Knowing the theories of intelligence is essential in the teaching profession because these kinds of intelligence (whether IQ, EQ, SQ) develops and helps an individual in his/her life journey.

Motivation

Describe the circumstances behind learning situations wherein you were (a) highly motivated to pursue your goal and (b) unmotivated to achieve at all.  Use motivation theories to help you understand or explain why your motivations differ in each of the circumstances.

I am motivated when people see the good in the things I do.  When I was younger, I am motivated to study because of the positive reinforcement that my family gives toward me.  Before, my motivation to do good in school is because of the reward that I will be receiving from my grandmother at the end of the school year.  Aside from this, the drive to be on top and do good in school is greatly influenced by the cognitive perspective of motivation specifically, the self-determination theory which states that man has a natural basic need for competence.  We basically want/need to be recognized with our actions.  

I think I I get easily distracted and become unmotivated especially in tasks that don’t matter to me, or performing tasks that are not of my interest. In the module, stated in the self-worth theory is that “people differ in the achievement behaviors because of differences in their need for achievement”.  I think I have this great fear of failure so I choose relatively easier tasks, so it’s attainable and I won’t be able to anticipate failure or disappointment from the people around me.

In summary, I believe that motivation is really essential in the learning process.  Without motivation, learning would be difficult to achieve.  Motivation paves the way or directs the person to learning and understanding.  Thus, it is important to know that kind of motivation applicable to our “future” learners.

On Learning Styles…

Administer to yourself (and some friends, if you wish) one of more of the learning style inventories available online:

I have tried answering the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire.  According to the result, I am an Active, Sensing, Visual, and Sequential learner.  Although my scores in Active and Visual ranges from 1-3, meaning I am fairly well-balanced on the two dimensions of that scale.  I have a moderate preference on Sensing which means I can easily learn when the teaching is done in favor of this dimension.  Lastly, I got a very strong preference on Sequential dimension.

When you have identified your learning style, draw up specific plans that will help you learn more effectively in this course and elsewhere.

Since I am fairly well-balanced active and visual learner, I came up with these plans to learn more effectively in this course.  As an active learner, we understand better if we would do something active about, so, I will always ask my friends to come with me as I study and I will explain to them the things that I am studying.  I am grateful that I have these kinds of friends J

Actually, I am somewhat surprised that I am a visual learner because I think I am more of a verbal learner.  I find it difficult to interpret diagrams, graphs, flow charts, etc.  I like to write summaries of outlines of my course work and I like to be in a group where I can hear their explanations on certain topics and learn from them.  But since my score is only, I can fairly manage being both a visual and verbal learner.  But since in distance education, I am encountering some diagrams that are alien to me, I will ask help from someone who could explain to me what the diagram is about.  I already ask the help of my co-teachers with this.

Since I am moderately a sensing learner who focuses more on memorization and familiar methods, and relating the lessons with reality, I am thankful that this course make it favorable for me, although, being an intuitive in nature is very helpful in the course especially when asked of questions that seem not very related to the topic, I will ask help from my friends and colleagues in brainstorming about a certain topic.

Being a sequential learner, I focus on step-by-step method.  I focus on the minute details and may have a difficulty in looking at the bigger picture.  So, I will try my best to relate topics with other subjects or experiences so I can remember it more and relate with it more.

Each learner is unique.  I am actually overwhelmed with the kind of information that I’ve read from the materials in this course.  Now, since I understand my learning style, I am more aware of my strengths and weaknesses.  So, I have to look for ways on how to transform my weaknesses to strengths.