EDU 3234: A Reflection

It is very true that the course in TESL done here in UPM is the best because I have compared it to my other friends who are also doing TESL. IN EDU 3234, we broadened our view by learning other interesting forms of literature texts such as journals, letters, reply poem and also diary entry. These types of texts are very reflective because it is based on the author's emotion and experience. I enjoyed doing Nelson Mandela's very much because he is such a good writer; despite the fact that people say it is normal to say good things to gain support from the others. He uses the symbolism of attire to present personal thoughts and approach by describing about the uniforms they wear at the prison and also the issue of long or short pants. In this subject, we have also watched two movies which are very inspiring because it depicts stories about teachers who are creative and strong willed. I really enjoyed the way our class is handled by Dr. Edwin. We have reflections done in class, movies (like the above) and sections of lesson plan to be created. So, I could not wait to see something new done every time. The most stressful moment was the selection process of thesis statements. I had never experienced such moment before because I think thesis statement is something that we have in mind. But it is more than that; it needs very careful planning because it summarize your position paper and therefore made it very crucial. Some of us even ended up with thesis statements from nowhere because they have nothing else to be said. I think literature classes should be like this; having various ways for various things and creating entrance doors for every street of knowledge in our life. I hope that I can promote this uniqueness of literature because for me, literature teacher is an art director.

Freedom Writers: Journals

Freedom writers really showed me how journals can be used as a reflection to teaching and learning process in class. When I was in my secondary schooling experience, my teacher tried to implement this in class. However, she quitted after a while, considering that it is not worthwhile and she started to get short unreflecting responses from some of us. But the ideas of private and confidential and also view-able journals were there. I think that Miss G's effort is more accepted because she is handling a group of people who have lots of issues to rise but they do not have the medium to channel their thoughts. So, I think what my teacher should have done is to not to stop the activity because the first month would be very discouraging especially when the students felt that the teacher will not read their responses. Perhaps the teacher response to the entire journal entries by an article pasted on the class notice board. The response should be a reply to the whole class, so points should not be ignored; creating an appreciated feeling among themselves. So, there would be some suggestion made by the students, titles of books, comments; meaning improvements should be made. Students are clients, so some of their needs should be taken into account. Angry clients would decrease the profit (which means they will stop writing and worse, they will not believe you anymore). So, when you believe in something, do not stop believing and fight for it.

History Boys: Should Literature be Learned by Heart or by Force?

Frankly speaking, I might not have the chance to teach such brilliant students like the boys in the movie but I strongly believe that they also excel because of their strong willpower and that they take literature not as a subject but as a part of their life. I like Hector’s approach to teaching; except the fact that he is a bit laid back in his lesson. But it is always about real life situation where students have access to a more meaningful learning rather than chalk and talk. Poems are made into lyrics and sang in harmony melodious tune; they even made into sketches. This is not merely memorizing; it is understandings. However, life is mechanical because there are always human needs to judge and evaluate; there comes examination. Irwin is being very practical. He knows that the students need to study for their examination and the papers are not only based on understanding; the students have to reflect. I think Irwin’s technique involves a bit of force but he is using it in a correct way. A perfect teacher for me would be a combination of both Irwin and also Hector; they can be entertainers but they also have to play the role of dance choreographers. Hector’s noticed crime made him a bad teacher but he had done sufficient effort to work literature in the class. Hector had touched all the five senses without the others realizing it.

Freedom Writers: Should Miss G Be Put To Blame?

This is a question asked by Dr. Edwin as a reflection to the movie that we watched entitled The Freedom Writers. I think that both of them should be put to blame; Miss G’s husband’s inferiority complex and also her inability to juggle her responsibility as a teacher and wife. Patrick Dempsey (who is playing the character of her husband) was trying to act very positively in the earlier part of the story. however, it turn out to be not the real self because he was suffering a great loss because of his failure to be an architect like what he had been dreaming for. Miss G, in the other hand is a very successful and bright teacher but she seems to put extra priority on her career rather than her personal life. There are students who think that it is not wrong for Miss G to focus more on her teaching life; but real life is much more complicated than how it seems. I would rather regard her act as a very noble one but in the eyes of a very family person; she is actually being unfair to her husband. She often came back very late and did not manage to cook a proper meal for her husband; these are expectations that she need to pursue besides giving the students a real literature lesson. However, there are always different moral values behind every different story; Miss G’s character tells us (as future teachers) to never stop improving and learning from the students. Meanwhile other responsibilities should not also be neglected because as human beings; teachers would not be able to escape from expectations.

Project Paper: A Revised Topic

After discussing with my instructor, I was then advised to revise my topic. Therefore my project paper should revolve around the issue of bringing moral values into the classroom. Initially, my brainstorming session was a bit depressing because I could not think of a thing to be discussed about. However, after listening to my lecture for Content Based Learning and also Educational Research, I was able to see the torch at the end of the tunnel. Many educators and researchers have been discussing about instilling moral values in lesson; now, through these short but powerful tales, we are able to do it. Hans Christian Andersen presentation of moral values is quite direct; thus providing some revision for our subject of moral and Islamic education. These good qualities becomes more memorable because whenever the students in that particular situation, they will be able to come back to their memories of reading the short stories.
By conducting the lesson through various always-available-in the Internet activities, there are alternatives hubs for the students to channel their thoughts on certain issues; so the teacher is aware of students’ current situation and able to take a further action to improve or maintain it. So, there will always be link between what they have learned in literature to the other subject. This is very good because students tend to forget their facts and data because they take them as different things altogether, disregarding the fact that knowledge is interconnected. This is suggested by my lecturer when she once gave out a saying for us in class:
“Tell me & I forgot, show me & I remember, involve me & I understand”

Honoring My Selected Author for Project Paper

Hans Christian Andersen’s life is so much reflected in his tales and stories. Hence, they provide a real learning experience for the students. The best way to describe his works is “short but meaningful”. I believe that Hans Christian Andersen’s stories are authentic powerful ones because they are illustrated from his perception of life. His endurance from such hardships during childhood should be a motivation for the others. With this, let me share with you a short account of how the famous Andersen gained his name. Just like him, many of his tales illustrate characters who gain happiness in life after suffering and conflicts.
Hans Christian Andersen led a unpromising childhood life; beginning with the fact that he was born in the slums of Odense. His father, Hans Andersen, was a literate poor shoemaker who believed that he was of aristocratic origin. Andersen's mother, Anne Marie , worked as washerwoman. Although she was uneducated and superstitious, she introduced the world of folklore to her son. Anne Marie died of alcoholism in 1833 in an old folks home. She is so much reflected in the story 'Hun duede ikke'. Andersen's half-sister Karen Marie is believed to work as a prostitute for some time; however, she contacted her famous brother only a few times before dying in 1846. Andersen received little education and he suffers all kinds of fears and humiliations because of his tallness and effeminate interests. Besides, his few attacks of cramps were falsely diagnosed as epileptic fits.
Andersen’s keen interest in tales and short stories was derived from his parents’ support. Besides having a mistress of tales as a mother; his father cheered for him through their short time together before he passed away in 1816.
"My father gratified me in all my wishes, I possessed his whole heart; he lived for me. On Sundays, he made me perspective glasses, theatres, and pictures which could be changed; he read to me from Holberg's plays and the Arabian Tales; it was only in such moments as these that I can remember to have seen him really cheerful, for he never felt himself happy in his life and as a handicrafts-man."
The True Story of My Life (1846)
After his father died, he moved to Copenhagen at the age of 14 to start a career as a singer, dancer or an actor - he had a beautiful soprano voice. He lived a hard life for the following three years although he found supporters who paved his way to the theatre. After making it through the Royal Theater, he had to leave it when his voice began to change. Then, Andersen was awakened to his passion of writing.

Position Paper: A Re-working

After we were all done with our position paper presentation, Dr. Edwin gave us some comments on the structuring of points. There are certain students who were required to re-work the whole position paper but most of us are up for minor improvements. Some of us have good thesis statement but the supporting points are not clear, while the quotations cited did not match the points at all. However, majority of us had neglected the importance of elaborating on our discussion about the supporting points we put up. This further discussion should strengthen the points, not repeating it in a different way. This is a big problem for me because I felt that I had put my best, most brief sentence for the points, so I feel that I do not have anything to say to further discuss the points. After recalling back some of my friends’ presentations, I finally have some idea for my re-working of the position paper. Some phrases in the cited quotations are important; they are the ones which should be discussed and related back to the points (the inner strengths of Hester). The keyword is: analysis of the language use to reflect the author’s intention to describe the condition and feelings of certain situation.