The Chance to Visit Lishan High School

It’s a precious opportunity to visit LiShan High School, which is the most special academic high school unlike the generals I have ever seen on March 28. Thank the teachers and students there for giving us the chance to observe the classes. I really learned a lot from the experience of class observation.

The First Class Observation— 207, Ms. Liu

The lesson objective of the whole class was review Lesson Four. First, Ms. Liu started the lesson by asking questions about the content  for about two minutes. I think this kind of activity is a good opening to catch students’ attention. Second, listening to the text in the CD and teacher would request students to answer the questions in their own words. After students answered the questions, teacher gave them feedback. Third, going to the listening part, teacher let students listen thrice. The first time, after listening to the part, teacher called students to answer the questions on the textbook. The second time, teacher stopped the CD to help students catch the correct answer. The third time, teacher gave the script of the listening part and did the vocabulary teaching. Above the activities are all teacher-led interaction. Finally, teacher asked students to use some  vocabulary making sentences, this was the individual work. Before the bell rang, five volunteers tried to write their sentences on the blackboard. Then teacher helped them to check the sentences. Ms. Liu told the students that she will explain the differences between “worth” and “worthy of” next class as a closure.

The Second Class Observation— 308, Ms. Yuan

The class began on the topic “Handling Stress.” First, Ms. Yuan gave students the first worksheet to write down their own trouble in the life, using the sentence patterns they had practiced before. During the individual work period, teacher helped students to solve the problems on the handout. Second, teacher asked students to pass their own worksheet to turn to someone you can rely on for help to give you suggestions. The pair/group work required students to find out two or three consultants and also be the counselor for others. After the activity, theacher found some students to read out the whole content they wrote to share with classmates, and teacher would collect all the worksheets to give responces after class. Third, teacher gave the second and third handouts, Dialogue Poems, and asked students to find a partner using different view point to complete their own  dialogue poem within the same topic. Finally, teacher chose two groups to demonstrate their poem and then the bell rang. For the third graders, learning by activities should be meaningful, because they will encounter the entrance exam some monthes later. Pair interaction will improve their cohesive force rather than just be a selfish individual to prepare for the exam. After all, subject accomplishment is more important than the skill of examination.

Through visiting two classes, I saw different teaching styles, well-organized procedure, and good time management. Ms. Liu and Ms. Yuan’s teaching all build an all-English learning environment and their teaching process was very smooth. They are the good models for me to learn. During the disscussion meeting, teacher Lai’s words actually impressed me a lot. She said, “The success of the student is also the success of a teacher. However, the success of the teacher may not the success of a student.” The zeal for a teacher is very important. Be a teacher is not just an occupation. On the other hand, teaching and learning mature together. To be a teacher, we should be myself and learn forever.

~ by millyhsu on April 3, 2007.