Teaching and Learning Activity 3

Yes I have felt like a failure as a teacher when some of my students did not pass the pitman word processing exam.  It was my first time preparing students for that exam.  I felt that there was more that I could do and also that there was more that the students could have done.

Yes, felt the needs of the learners were too much responsibility for me when I did not feel equipped to prepare the students for the external exam.  My teacher training did not cover the content being taught I felt clueless as to what to do.  I also felt this way when the students were showing limited interest in the content.

Yes, my learners do remind me of myself when I was in school.  They sometimes do not understand they content and like me they are hesitant to ask for help.

The most powerful lesson that I have learned is that positive reinforcement is important to building relationships with the students.    When teachers encourage students they will try even harder to produce better results.  We as teachers are important persons in our students’ lives whether we believe it or not.  Our students observe our actions and they use some of the same gestures on us.  The students model our behavior and it  is important to treat our students with respect. We have to be very careful how we treat our students no matter where they come from.  It does not matter where the students comes from but where they are going.  With great help from the teacher the students can truly soar. 

Module 1 A

ICT in schools

 From the reading I realized that ICT in Schools should be a planned initiative.  Set goals should be distinguished and then measures should be taken to ensure effective implementation of ICT.  ICT training is relevant when it comes to using the internet, researching for information and projects.  ICT is also effective when instructors / educators can create technological tools that can be used to enhance the learning experience.  These tools can be used to bridge theoretical information to practical experiences. At one point in time I had access to a internet base website that allowed the students to go into a virtual world and solve problems that they would if they would experience if they were on a job.  I think it is these kind of tools that make the content that that is being covered in class relevant to the students.

Computer Literacy skills are important to have. Computer literacy should not be based on one basic software such as Microsoft Office Suite but teachers, students and administrators should know how to use the computer to complete basic tasks.  Training is important and constant upgrading of skills is needed because technology is not static but dynamic. So far in this course we have been utilizing email as a form of communication. It is a great tool to transfer information from one end of the world to another.

Module 1b Activity 1 Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning Activity 1

Technology is increasing and some teachers are remodeling their teaching strategies as well as some teachers are continuing on with the traditional view of learning.  From the reading by Whitaker, I learned that some teachers believe that their students have nothing to offer unless it has been initiated or transferred from the teacher.  I do not see this way of thinking as correct. I have noticed that many of my students have previous knowledge of content that they have acquired either on their own through research or through life experiences. 

I believe that many teachers have been taught to be traditional teachers and they find it challenging to adapt to a new way of teaching.  Change my be hard but it is not impossible.  Whitaker discussed, the fact that one of the most important contributions a teachers can make is to promote and facilitate an environment of critical thinking where the learners can explore their thoughts and feelings about learning.  I think this is similar to this blog experience.  As a student of this course, I can analyze what I have learned and what I would like to share in this blog. 

Module 1 A