week 4

Chapter 3- Maximizing Learning Opportunities

It is important to use teaching materials, teacher agendas and syllabuses to organize your classroom.  However, you cannot solely rely on these for the best authentic learning experiences.  In order to give learners an authentic experiences the teacher has to be able to work outside of their lesson plan.  This also means letting students be active learners, by asking questions.  Choice, product, process, and meta-process questions are ones that normally occur within a classroom. Display and referential questions are generally focused on by L2 learners.
Throughout my years on schooling I have experienced almost every type of classroom as a learner.  Most of the time I prefer classes that enable you, as the learner, to ask questions, not only of the the materials but of the teacher.  Most of my general education classes really stayed away from questions and only now that I am taking Major classes, that are much smaller, am I able to feel more free to ask and answer questions. As a teacher we have to look at our classroom and see what environment best helps them.  It is always good to prompt and question students, but with language learners it is a lot harder to get them to feel comfortable to ask and answer questions.  I think that the micro-strategies are a good way to get learners to have more authentic learning experiences and help them view the relevance of the material.  If you can get learners to connect with campus, local, and global community then the learners are really taking learning into their own hands. I believe that this can also bring about great appreciation for learning.  This can especially help L2 learners because it will make them feel more connected to their community and possible create a deeper understanding of their target language.

Meaning of language

According to Websters Dictionary Language is: the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them to be used and understood by a community.  Although, there was many different definitions of language, this definition was the closest to what I believe language is. Language means a lot because it is a way in which I can communicate with other people. However, I believe that language includes not just verbal communication but non verbal communication; like body language.  Body language is a major non verbal tool in communication.  Even within place that speak one language, they have different symbols and customs that others might misinterpret.  Language is defiantly within a community or group of people.  For example, you might talk one way at work and another way around your family. You still speak "English" but its a different language because if an outsider came to your house they would not understand what you and your family was communicating.  I am not sure that language can ever have one specific or direct meaning because everyone interprets it differently.

Kumaravadivelu (Chapters 1 & 2)

The book explains teaching as a vocation.  Meaning that teaching "goes well beyond sustenance and survival; it guarantees personal autonomy and personal significance." Also, that the role of a teacher is varied and viewed differently by many people. Teachers as Passive Technicians are teachers that distributes a constant flow of knowledge to the students; there in becoming the expert and making the students solely learners.There is no experience based learning or teaching. Teachers as Reflective Practitioners are ones that constantly reflective upon their teaching and uses life experiences to help them with their reflections.  The teacher views themselves as constantly learning and growing. This does not really give much attention to the students reflective process but is probably good to better individual teachers within the classroom. Teachers as Trans-formative Intellectuals are probably the most evolved and knowledgeable. Not only do they reflect upon themselves but upon the social-political issues of teaching. They are committed to action and the shaping of their students ideas. 
Chapter 2 focuses on the different methods of teaching. Such as Language-Centered and Learning-Centered Methods and the pro's and con's of each method. However, I really found chapter 1more interesting because it really seems to cover every aspect of what people expect as a teacher. As a student I have experienced every different kind of teacher; from the teacher that spoon feeds information, to the ones that constantly want to improve their teaching, to the ones that want to improve all aspects education.  Teachers that are Passive Technicians seem to aim their success based upon how well their students do in standardized test. That kind of teaching barely helps students to actually learn, it just memorizing meaningless facts. It was rare that I had a teacher that was a Trans-formative Intellectual.  It seems like teachers that fall into this category are rare because teachers that fit most of the guidelines, do not fit all of them.  Most teachers fall into the Reflective Practitioners group.  Where they are constantly trying to improve their teaching and their classroom but they do not really focus on the social-political issues of education. I think it is important to strive to be the best and that means teachers should not only be informed about the classroom but about the social-political issues that go on outside the classroom.
Like stated in chapter 1, "To teach is to be full of hope." Larry Cuban, 1989, p.249.  I believe that these words sum up how I feel as a person who wants to become a teacher. I am full of hope for the future of teaching, for my future students and for myself as a teacher.

TESOL 345

I was born and raised in Chicago, so I would really like to teach in Chicago too. Having gone to Chicago public schools as a child I can see the different aspects that it has to offer a child; some of the thing good and some not so good.  I think that having experienced the school system it has really help prepare me to become a teacher.  I am an Elementary Education major and a TESOL minor.  However, I don't think I really became enthusiastic about teaching until I started to take TESOL classes.  So, I am really hoping to become a ELL or ESL teacher.
I think that it is very important to stay knowledgeable and conscious about TESOL issues.  As a teacher you have to know what is going to affect you and your students.  If a new law is passed or a policy is put in to place, as a teacher, you have to understand it to implement it.  If you are against a policy then you have to know what is is about to and why you do not agree with it, so that hopefully you can change it or prevent it from passing. Being informed about TESOL issues is important because it can help you to create a better way for students to learn.