Katie's Final Learning Statement

Katie's Final Learning Statement 

Part 1:
The Triangle of Teacher, Students, and Learning & Teaching English Language 

This has been a transformational month, rich in meaningful reflection. I have learned a great deal about myself, as a lifelong learner, my students and the importance of being learner-centered, myself as a teacher and areas I can grow, as well as important lessons about learning and teaching ESOL. Some view this connection between teacher, students, and learning/teaching English language as a triangle, the strongest of all the shapes. This seems like an appropriate analogy. The more I try to isolate one aspect of the triangle, the more the other two become factors. There are a number of important things that I have learned from this course and I will do my best to share these here in an efficient and concise way.
  

When I think about my EL students with my increased awareness and understanding of all the work that goes into learning another language, I am then directed to adjust my teaching and who I am as an educator because of what I now know and understand about teaching English in an efficient, learner-centered way. These three concepts are so deeply connected that I must write about them regarding the ways they connect to one another.  

I have had multiple opportunities to experience what my English Learners experience every time they enter my classroom. The work can be exhausting. The learning needs to be meaningful to my students and, ideally, needs to allow for a real-life connection. Each lesson should provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the content. Think-pair-share (TPS) is something I will be putting into action in my classrooms as it allows students the opportunity to first think about what they know or believe about a topic then share it with a partner before contributing to a class conversation.  

I am adjusting my teaching in a way that all of my classes are designed in a learner-centered way. My energy is going into planning efficient lessons that are focused on the abilities and needs of my students. I am asking myself, “Is this a meaningful lesson to my students?” I have gained skills to better support my students. I can confidently utilize two different lesson plans to guide my instruction. When teaching reading and listening, I plan using the PDP lesson plan (pre-during-post). Now, I teach the task before the text so that students know what is expected before completing task. For grammar and speaking classes I create lessons that follow the ECRIF framework. I know to use CCQ (clarifying questions) in order to determine if students understand the content and directions.  

I am returning home, to my job, classroom, and students with a toolkit full of quality new (to me) tools that I can put into practice. Fears of inadequacy are gone. I am growing. I am always learning. It’s okay if I make a mistake. I now have the skills to analyze what happens in my classroom. I am strengthening the skills to be able to analyze what is happening in my classroom to determine if learning is happening. If so, I continue on. Otherwise, I reflect on the experience, make interpretations, and create an action plan for the future. I now feel like the ESL teacher I have been attempting to be these last few years. This course has gone beyond what I thought possible. I feel informed, empowered, and ready to put into practice what I have learned. The knowledge and skills live in my heart and mind and I know that if I need support it is only a message, email, or phone call away.  

I am confident in my ability to adapt to the needs and language levels of my students. I have the skills to create a positive learning environment that is learner-centered, one where students know they can ask questions and make mistakes. In my classroom, students know that mistakes are where the new learning goes. We remember that we are all learning and growing. We remember that nobody’s perfect and that practice makes better. Mine is a classroom where students are known and seen, where respect and trust are paramount to the classroom culture and community.  

Part 2: 
Reaching the Goals of the Course 

This has been an incredible month of growth for me as a learner, teacher, and overall human being. When I began this course, I truly had a limited idea of what I would actually be doing and learning this month. I experienced and learned far more than I thought possible in a relatively short amount of time.  

Reflection: 

I have grown and I feel more self-aware and reflective. I believe that a key factor to being an efficient teacher is being committed to a being a life-long learner. I am better equipped to use rigorous reflection back home in my job and life. I can analyze my observations and create action plans for the future. With every lesson I can ask myself, “What helped and what hindered student learning?” 

Learning-Centered Teaching: 

In the past, my classroom had too much wasted space and time. The time was not invested in meaningful, active, student-centered learning. Instead, there was too much TTT (teacher talk time). Now, I use my knowledge and understanding of LCT and at utilize such strategies as TPS (Think-Pair-Share) in order to maintain a classroom where students are the focus and providing opportunities for students to interact with peers about the content is often the most important goal of any given class.  

Language Awareness: 

I feel I grew the most in this area both in awareness and in ability to effectively analyze, plan for, and teach language as it relates to meaning, form, and use. This is also one that continues to be an area of growth for me. As a native English speaker, I have the tendency to rely on too little understanding of the form, meaning, and use of my first language. I now have more tools and understanding to be able to provide students with a quality lesson that recognizes and teaches language in this more well-rounded approach centered on form, meaning, and use.  

Productive Skills Lessons: 

I feel confident in my abilities to plan, teach, and reflect on all stages of a speaking or writing lesson. I particularly remember to utilize the ECRIF framework and lesson plan. It is a truly incredible framework, one that appears all throughout life.  

Receptive Skills Lessons: 

I feel confident in my abilities to plan, teach, and reflect on all stages of a listening or reading lesson. I found the listening lesson to be particularly enjoyable and different from all of my previous listing classes.  

Culture: 

Prior to this course I really did not know how to teach culture. The word always seemed like one I could not personally connect with. Teaching my culture lesson and watching example culture lessons was so eye-opening. I now know about something referred to as the four knowings of culture and am able to identify and teach lessons that correctly meet each of the four knowings which consist of knowing about, how, why and oneself as they relate to culture. Too often lessons only teach about a culture. I now know how important it is to teach about each and how especially important it is to be able to teach how culture is experienced. So example, in my culture lesson students were able to learn about Game Night, they learned the reason why game night exists – for fun and quality time together with family and friends, they were able to reflect personally and communicate if they wanted to participate in the culture and how they felt about it. Students learned how to participate in game night and all reflected their enjoyment and that they could do enjoy this in Costa Rica. For me, sharing my culture with the class may have been one of the richest moments in the practice teaching classroom. 

Last Night Teaching for the M/W Team