On the 24th of May, 2023, I continued my observation and I observed the Advanced Writing class, ESAL 0580 class. The class started exactly 10:30am and the teacher was already set up with the objectives of the lesson written on the board. I was introduced to the class and the objectives of the lesson was explained to the students.
There was a warmup activity in a form of a review on the previous lessons and students were put in a group of two and three to discuss what they could remember from the previous class. The students were asked to tell the class what new thing they heard from their colleagues about the previous class and I think this was a great review activity. This is because students learn more from their colleagues and talking or teaching your colleagues improves retention of knowledge. I was amazed when the teacher asked some students to repeat what a student had shared in the class and this was a way for the teacher to check if students were attentive and listening and if the students could hear and understand their colleagues properly in class.
Some students were late, but they were welcomed equally and the teacher didn’t make them feel uncomfortable. The students were 11 in the class eventually. The teacher later put students in groups and gave them a passage to discuss and shortly after the teacher left the class to attend to something. It was amazing how the students went on with their discussions as if the teacher was around and this support Maria Montessori quote which states, (‘’the greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, the students are now working as if I did not exist’’) about teaching.
Teaching material were available and so was snacks for the students.
The students enjoyed discussions and orally expressing their essays and writings but the putting their thoughts on paper was a bit challenging. The teacher kept encouraging the students and brought up personal essay topics on the student’s personal interesting experiences to make writing interesting to the students. The teacher also made the students talk about their writings or essays before they were asked to write them down. All the students participated orally but just a few could put them in writing.
The teacher taught about the structures of writings and gave some techniques in writing which I didn’t know myself . The students were given time to express themselves but the teacher was conscious of the time and also made sure students didn’t feel pressured.
Submitted assignments from the previous lesson was marked with corrections and suggestions and were given back to the students. The students were asked to look at their mistakes and ask any questions they needed clarity on and there was an option of the students redoing the assignment and submitting it to be reassessed.
There was a 10 minute break and to end the class, the teacher put students in groups to talk about what they learnt about the lesson and it was a way of debriefing. I think debriefing helps the teacher to know if the students really understood the lesson and teachers could assess themselves to check if their objectives were met. I think debriefing also helps students to have an idea of the part of the lesson they need to go over when the leave the class and explanations from colleagues through debriefing makes understanding more clearer.
The students putting their thoughts in writing was a little challenging but I liked how the teacher was encouraging, motivating and so accommodating. It made me understand how a teacher should be more empathetic and understanding and do everything possible to make sure your students get the lesson. This is how I want to be as a teacher in future.