2014

Teaching Practice I
TEACHING
REFLECTION AND
SYSTEMATIZATION

MARVIN ADONAY
MONTOYA AMAYA
ELMER JORGE GUARDADO MAT
UNIVERSIDAD GERARDO BARRIOS

The tasks that are behind the initial image of a teacher in front of a group of
students in a classroom, explaining a topic are many. There are so many activities
that teachers do backstage. This activities are not less important than the way they
act and manage a class. It can be said that the reflection and systematization can
play an important role in what the teacher is actually doing inside the classroom.
Under this perspective is that this essay has been taking shape. Through the
importance that must be given by teacher to look at themselves and auto reflect on
what has been actually happening in the teaching process throughout a specific
course. The main ideas of this document is to establish the importance of these four
elements under the experience brought in by the teaching practice.


1. Explain and include a Teaching Critical Reflection in
what you have been through in you TP and in the course.

2. Explain step by step how you are going to do a
systematization of the Teaching Practice Process.

3. Explain and describe how you are going to apply the e-
portfolio approach including the new learning
environment in the ELT.

4. Explain how you are going to deal if you want to use
technology in a school or place of work but there is not
Tech in the classroom. What are you going to do? How are
you going to solve the problem? Provide resources that you
will use and the procedures

This document is the last step into the Teaching Practice I subject activities,
but furthermore than just and activity; it has become a way of looking at myself as
a teacher and how I manage the systematization of the Teaching Process. The
importance and relevance that this document has toward me reflecting on my
actions as a teacher, what elements I am good at and which are my weak links as a
teacher. But not only pointing them out, also allowing this to be used to correct
and improve those flaws to become even better that I was before.



1. Explain and include a Teaching Critical Reflection in what you have been
through in you TP and in the course

Teaching practice is a whole new level. Most English students believe that it is
the same thing as Social Services. It is believed that there is no difference at all; but
that is a complete lie. There is no comparison between both. There are so many
things that have been learned through Teaching Practice, that Social Services lack.
Teaching practice is a more serious and professional way to approach an English
class. The preparation and time that is used to practice teaching is not the same in
many ways, and therefore the results of each is different as well. Teaching Practice
changes the way teachers are perceived even through their own eyes, and then
they change the way they see their teachers because they know the real difficulties
of being in that situation.
Teaching practice is a period that a student teacher spends teaching at a school
as part of his or her training. (Reverso, 2014) In this period of time there have
been a series of events that have changed, shaped and molded me to the teacher I
want to be. There are so many things that I have had to change through this
process, and that I believe they have been for the best. No longer do I stand as the
know it all in the class, because during my Teaching Practice I learned from my
students that I cannot be a perfect teacher. There is no such thing as a perfect
teacher, however that does not imply that I cannot be a better teacher. Every single
time the classroom is faced, there is an opportunity to grow and learn from the
mistakes. Teaching Practices have taught me to take it step by step, if you want to
climb higher.
I am starting to believe that I am a good teacher, because of the comments that
teaching practice leaves behind; but that is not the only reason. The most important
reason is because when I look at myself in the teaching mirror, I see not only the
positive things about my teaching practices. I also see the weak link, the things that
I know I need to improve. I have so much to learn, and I am willing to learn it, in
order to help the ones for who I became a teacher. Those people who look up to
me, and who are expecting to receive from me nothing but the best. As I reflect on
the way I used to see things before, I can say with my head held up high that
Teaching Practice has allowed me to open my eyes, and see the real teacher inside.
It has not been easy, but thanks to some pushing and shoving by my teacher I have
managed to understand what his objectives were for me in this course.



2. Explain step by step how you are going to do a systematization of the
Teaching Practice Process.
It is impossible to believe after this course that systematization is irrelevant or
useless. This is actually a very important element of a great teacher. The fact the
improvisation is not applied to the class is a must in the Teaching Practice Process.
The way systematization takes place is not a new element though, it has been taken
in consideration for many years back. There is no excuse for it not to be applied in
this course. To begin with the Statement of the teaching philosophy, the teacher
must be aware of what he or she believes that is the way teaching should occur.
This is what it runs down to when it comes to having an identity as a teacher.
Although we have our base of theory from past teachers, but each teacher has his
own DNA when in front of a class. This is the first step in systematization for that
same reason. This where it all begins. Once you have established your teaching
philosophy, you can start digging and including Methodology, Strategies and
Techniques with their proper Objectives. Of course this all comes after you have
determined the base of your teaching style.
The structure teaching Guide is variable. It should respond to the operation,
management and needs of each University. However, we believe there are some
components that should always be present. (Molina, 2011)
The systematization of the Teaching Practice Process begins with the Program.
Which is nothing more than the topic that will be covered throughout the course
itself. Taking in consideration the competencies that need to be developed by the
end of the course. The next step is to prepare the Syllabus. Which can be extracted
for the topic of the Program, but detailing the work areas the will be dealt with
during each of the topics that will we presented. The macro skills must be included
in this part of the systematization, defining how each macro skill will be developed
through the topics established by the program. To continue with the next, the
teacher will create an Outline for the course. This outline will include all the
activities that will be done during the course. It is important to mention that this
outline will include the dates in which certain activities will take place and also the
due dates for certain projects and homework. The final step in the systematization
of the Teaching Practice is the Lesson Plan. This is the guideline to each and every
class that you will teach. The procedure for it includes, but is not limited to: warm-
up activity, objectives, language structure, activities, timing and a wrap-up
activity. This will be the evidence that the teacher has, in order to prove that
improvisation is not taking place, and that every activity is seeking to reach a
learning objective.
The reason that this systematization is done in this order is pretty simple.
There is no other possible order in which each element could fit in and not alter the
results. To put it in simple words, let imagine the process of getting dressed in the
morning. Imagine what would happen if you put your pants on before your
underwear, or your shoes before your socks. Things do not add up that way, do
they? That is exactly why following the systematization of the teaching practice
has so much relevance and importance. There is no possible way to make a proper
lesson plan for a class if you havent outlined the activities that you are going to
make, or even worse chosen the topic you are going to teach that day. A teacher
without a proper systematization may be just running around in circles with no
clear vision to where the goal is, nor where his students are being guided to.
3. Explain and describe how you are going to apply the e-portfolio approach
including the new learning environment in the ELT.

The e-portfolio should work as a showcase and may be useful as a reflection of
Teaching Practice. It should be able to be applied to the VLE (Virtual Learning
Environment) and even to the PLE (Personal Learning Environment) of the
students. As these two environments are the actual trend going on in ELT.
Therefore the y cannot be placed aside, they must be put in practice, and otherwise
teacher will be stuck in the wrong era of teaching. There is no way that we can stop
the fact that Technology has been incorporated to the youth like a built in
complement to a computer program. Teachers cannot try to take children away
from technology, because it tis a similar case than trying to take something from its
original habitat; basically they are being killed this way. Instead teachers must
enter the digital native habitat and mold their teachings through the students way
of learning.

Technology based learning, ease of using eportfolios, students interest in
social media and virtual world learning encourage instructors and
educators to adopt electronic portfolios in the learning environment.
(Malihehe Babaee, 2013)

The use of e-portfolios in ELT can be assigned in three different formats:
Development, assessment or showcase. Each one of these has a different purpose
in the classroom. The development format can show the advancement of a skill
over a period of time rubrics. The step by step progress of a skill for each student
who creates this type of e-portfolio. The idea of this format is to keep a linked
communication between students and teacher. Then there is the assessment e-
portfolio, which will serve for evaluative purposes of a skill or competence in a
specific domain or area. Where the teacher will be able to assess if the competence
is reached, through a rubric. And last but not least the showcase e-portfolio, which
is to highlight specific work in a specific area. Usually it is presented to potential
employers, when one is seeking for employment.
Basically, the e-portfolio project used in ELT will involve the creation of a
variety of documents throughout the course. Not only documents created in in the
usual word program, it will also include the file sharing web page dropbox, which
will provide the students with and embed code to add their documents to a blog
and web page they will create. They will also be able to include any videos,
pictures, images, PowerPoint presentations, pdf, links that are of relevance to the
information that will be presented. Clearly all of the documentation will be the
one that has been used to develop skills, competences and knowledge throughout
the course. If at any point any student would like to add other documents that
were not specifically done during the course but that have great significance and
relevance to it, he or she is welcome to include them in this document.
The development e-portfolio in ELT in my classroom will be a mingle of the
three basic formats, creating a hybrid portfolio, that will include elements of each
format, to make a complete e-portfolio that will provide evidence of documents,
skills and learning on students behalf. They will record and keep track of
development of the program, they will be used to evaluate and monitor students
performance, and even could be used to get a job at a certain period. When
students graduate they have the evidence of what skills and competences they
have acquired in there years as students.

4. Explain how you are going to deal if you want to use technology in a
school or place of work but there is not Tech in the classroom. What are
you going to do? How are you going to solve the problem? Provide
resources that you will use and the procedures
This is one tricky question, because under all the guidelines that are updated
teacher should have technological knowledge. But reality in our country states that
technology is not accessible to all the classrooms or institutions that teach. It is a
very tricky situation, but not a situation that cannot be solved. Especially if you
stop and think back before the technological period. How was there learning back
then if technology did not exist? Technology has only come to make things easier
for teachers, so that means that without it, things are just a little bit harder not
impossible. It is all about going back to the basics. It might be a little bit more
difficult and might take some more time and effort, but it is not impossible to
overcome.
In order to use IT on an ongoing basis in your lessons, it is important to
become familiar with your own students familiarity with technology. (Tony
Erben, 2009)
Once you have come clear of the situation, you must prepare and plan your
classes in a different way. There are many activities the can replace the use of
technology in the classroom, but the focus on the four macro skills must not be
lost. For example to present vocabulary, the images that will be used must be
prepared beforehand. You can draw your own images or you can easily purchase
flash cards if you have the financial ability to do so. So instead of using PowerPoint
presentations, you are using images still to present vocabulary but without the use
of technology. When it comes to writing activities, the old-school word processor is
the pen or the pencil. That is the basic element toward writing, therefore the
activities will be paper-pen based when it comes to writing activities. Assign a
diary for them to keep register their daily activities, and or ask them to save all of
these documents to add on a regular portfolio at the end of the course as well.
Listening activities are pretty tricky to replace without technology but with
some effort and creativity the also can be done. Search for an audio script with the
proper structures for your class. Make some questions regarding this script. When
you are in class, instead of playing the audio on a cd player (which is not available)
hand out the question and read the script to your students, while they answer the
pre made questions you had prepared for them. For the teacher it is reading, but
for the students it actually becomes a listening and writing activity. What really
matter here is the fact that learning takes place, it has taken place since years ago
without technology thats why it can still take place.
This procedure of working without technology is only stressful for the teacher,
but if that ever becomes necessary it is the teachers responsibility to complete the
task one way or another. Teachers cannot just stand around waiting for someone
or something to come and solve their problems. Actions need to be done, and the
teacher needs to find a way to best guide his or her students with whatever tools
he has available, or makes available if necessary. The gift of teaching is the hands
of those who work hard to lead people to achieving their goals.










References
Malihehe Babaee, M. T. (2013). International Journal of Modern Education Forum. Tasmania:
IJMEF.
Molina, G. M. (16 de November de 2011). iated DIGITAL LIBRARY. Obtenido de
http://library.iated.org/view/MERMAMOLINA2011KEY
Reverso. (13 de 6 de 2014). Reverso. Obtenido de http://diccionario.reverso.net/ingles-
cobuild/teaching%20practice
Tony Erben, R. B. (2009). Teaching Language Learners through Technology . New York: Routledge.