Teaching Practice-cover letter

{ July 9, 2009 @ 2:33 am } · { Uncategorized }

I have been teaching Chinese for two years. I am sorry to say there are still so many questions that I am struggling for an answer.

In my Chinese class, I tried to teach as much as possible, thinking if I worked hard, students would learn more. After two years and two group of Chinese I students I finally realized that I couldn’t teach more than students could accept. Now that I know how much could accept, how should I teach more efficiently?

We worked on culture elements. We made postcards for Valentine’s Day, did Chinese calligraphy for mother’s day, did research on Chinese traditional festivals and celebrate them. After all these activities, students only remembered very limited vocabulary. What should I do to use culture to foster language learning?

 Another big headache was class management. I hate sending students to principals. I always believe it is the teacher who should be responsible for class disorder. I don’t mean students should be disciplined with an iron fist. I think teachers should teach in a way that students can be attracted to the class. Students should love the class and don’t have time to mess it up. What then should I do to solve this problem?

SI helped me to find answers to these questions. I listened to reflections on teaching experiences, observing Demos that each shed a new light on me, chatting with fellows, and asking questions. Little by little, I summed up something that I am going to do next year.

1. To communicate with administers, co-teachers, and councilors. Walk out of my shell and ask for help when I need. Seek cross-discipline cooperation, and break the wall of classroom to scaffold a bigger classroom for students to learn.
2. To integrate more culture into language. Both Hildegard and Jill told me that students will not remember language but they will remember culture. If culture will improve students’ involvement and whip interest, why bother language that much? When students know more about the country and like its culture, of course they will be motivated to study the language.
3. Language can be taught in a fun way. If J.D. can make math an easy subject to learn, and students enjoy it that much, why can’t I follow suit? Language should be more fun than math I am sure. I just need to have a good plan for that.
4. To teach language is not only about “follow me.” Hildegard,(Thank goodness you are here) taught me how to give lower level students writing assignment. Lorie’s poem idea is wonderful for students of limited language proficiency to write a poem. Beth’s quote blanket can be borrowed to display students’ handwriting or calligraphy. And more… I have a long list of dos for my next school year, and each was inspired by all of the fellows, especially from their Demos.

Armed with these, I feel more confident now. I am going to work on my teaching plan right after SI. If I have more questions, I will blog my fellows. I know they will always be there for me.

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