Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Professional Development

As we prepare to meet the demands of this century, I strongly believe that it is important for us, educators, to continously develop ourselves in areas such as content pedagogy, classroom management skills, students' welfare and social emotional skills, ICT etc. With many areas for development, it is necessary for us to find the best and efficient method that can help us GROW.

I am looking at ways on how we can achieve this and I need some feedback & comments from all our teachers. Please provide me with your frank feedback and if you have any idea to share, you are most welcome.

Question 1

a. Do you have difficulty trying to develop yourself professionally?

b. What are the factors that contribute to these challenges?

Question 2

a. What is the key area that teachers need to continuously develop?

b. How do you think teachers can be developed in this area optimally?

Question 3

Lesson observation is being conducted every year for teachers.

a. Do you feel that you are being assessed during the lesson observation?

b. Do you feel stress out when preparing for lesson observation?

c. Do you think our current practice of lesson observation benefitted you?

d. Do you always conduct the same lesson pedagogy for your other normal lessons?

e. How do you think we should approach lesson observation so that, we, teachers can really benefit from it?

Question 4

a. What is your take about personal reflection process?

b. Do you think that you learn better thought reflection?

b. What is/are the factor/s that hinders you from reflecting?

Question 5

Please take a while to view this video. Click on this video link.

a. What is the difference between the lesson observation process that you have viewed and the one that we are practicing currently?

b. Do you think that this lesson observation (video) will benefit teachers more?

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Term 1 Reflection 2009

As a follow up to the sharing that was conducted on Wednesday, 28/1/2009, we have revisited Polya's 4 steps to mathematical problem solving.

During the session, we discussed about issues of why teachers are so used to the 3E's method of teaching even till today & also the skill to identify routine & non-routine questions.

I would like invite you to respond to these questions:

a. What does 3E's mean and your personal view on it (be frank)?

b. Is there any simple method of categorizing problems into routine & non routine?

c. Have you start introducing Polya's 4 steps to your classes (be frank)?

Hope to get all your frank responses.