Awakened

Description:
During the first week, I felt I was not good enough. Hearing my partners talking so
fluently about the learning process made me realize how little I knew about this
topic. This was something that got me thinking throughout the whole week and
that hindered my participation during the first week.
At the end of the week, though, the last activity we had, opened my eyes, I heard all
my partners expressing how they felt during the first week, I wasnt the only one
feeling this way, we all felt like we were learning something new, like babies that
are facing the new world they were born in. It was good to hear that people with
more experience than I felt the same way, and that we all are new at learning about
this new framework. I didnt feel so little; I felt like part of a community, expressing
our fears, and how we had loved that week, how many questions we all have and
how much we are loving this new learning we are acquiring, it made me feel closer
to one another.

Interpretation

Generalization

Plan action

Something that hindered my

participation in the first
week of the course was not
feeling good enough.

It
is
convenient
to
encourage students and
make them feel confident
about participating.

I was also hindered by the

fact that I made the
assumption I was the only
one feeling that way.

It is important to make
students feel part of a
community that expresses
the same feelings and fears.

I will give encouraging

words every time a student
participates so that will give
them the confidence to
express themselves and feel
good about it.
I will prepare community
building activities at the
beginning of the class so my
students can feel they part
of something big: An
English family.
I will encourage students to
have an open dialog about
the challenges they face
when learning a language
and let others express how
they have overcome that.

Something that helped me

was
listening to
my
partners expressing they
felt exactly the same way I
was feeling too.

It is essential to express
how students feel to others
so
they
can
receive
feedback, and also listen to
what they need so others
can help them feel part of
the community.
This activity helped me to It is important to focus on
understand i am part of a others and their needs. I am
community and that I am not the only one feeling this
not alone.
way I can learn from others
and be there for others.

I will keep in mind my

students necessities; I will
include GTKY activities in
my lesson plans so Students
get closer to one another.

Rediscovering myself as a teacher

Description:
As a teacher, I considered myself a good teacher. I thought that a great teacher
should worry for the students learning and that we had to do everything that was
in our hands for them to learn. During this week, I learned that was actually true,
but the way I was doing it, was actually not helping my students at all. In a way
they were becoming too dependent and I used to complain why they couldnt think
in English or be more fluent. My inquiry was answered when I took the Korean
class taught by Roger. It made me realize that though my intentions were good, I
was actually hindering my students learning. Seeing how simple the activities
were, how little the teacher talked and how much we could do in freer activities
made me experience what it is like to learn something we dont know effectively.

Interpretation

Generalization

Plan Action

Something that hindered

my way of teaching was
thinking helping students
too much and being present
all the time could help them
learn better.
I was also hindered by the
fact I thought I had to do
everything for students to
learn.

Its important to give

Students space to practice
without feeling intimidated
by a teacher.

I will make activities that

involve students working
with their partners so they
can learn from one another.

It is important that
students can practice in a
free environment where
they can experiment with
what they have learned
without having the fear of
having someone pointing
out the mistakes made.
It is convenient to learn
new ways of teaching. Be
open to learn from others
and find the best way for
students.

I will give them space to

learn on their own and to
experiment with what they
learned without feeling
judged by my presence.

Something
that
really
helped me was seeing the
way Roger taught the
Korean class. It made me
compare the way I have
been teaching.

Something that also helped

me was not only the
activities presented during
the Korean class but the
attitude the teacher had
during the class.

Student-centered
classes
imply to also disappear
for moments. The teachers
attitude in class affects the
way students learn.

I will apply some of the

strategies Roger used so I
can make sure my students
can have a long lasting
learning.
I will also reflect constantly
on the way I teach and
learn from other teachers
so I can improve my
teaching skills.
I will let my students feel I
am not as present in class.
This way, my students will
feel more confident and
more independent.

A learning venture

When I first applied for this course, I didnt know what to expect. I had
taken other courses that emphasized a lot of theories that didnt fit my own
reality as a teacher. I thought this was going to teach me more theories that
could help me be more prepared in a cognitive way. Little I knew this
framework was going to teach me so much, not only in the teaching matter
but also as a learner, furthermore how this would help me in all aspects of
my life.
I can say this has been an amazing journey. Something that was said
during the first week was that we need to learn who we are as learners so
that way we can identify how we are as teachers because the way we learn
influences the way we teach. I couldnt agree more, this week was more of a
self-discovery week for me than I ever thought. I could experience at firsthand what helps me learn best and that also allowed me to see if I could
apply that in the classroom. I could learn very much about myself, not only
analyzing the way I teach but also the way i am as a human being and how I
am as a learner.
My favorite part of the week was the Korean classes, at first I thought it
was going to be very challenging since we had to learn such a difficult
language. I was amazed by the way the teacher, Roger Ramirez, explained
the class without saying too much, allowing us, the students, to be the center
of our own learning process. I loved working with my partners. I can say that
even though it is a challenge to work with others in a group, learning feels
more of a natural experience for me without having the pressure of being
observed by a teacher who is supposed to know more than a student.
Working with others, helped me identify myself as an interpersonal learner.
This will motivate me to include as many group activities as I can in the
future because after talking to other partners about the way that class was
taught, we all agreed in feeling very confident when applying something new
without feeling judged or having someone pointing out our mistakes.
During the first week, we had the opportunity of reading different
information related to learning and teaching. In the first reading we had,
there was a quote by Gus Tuberville, I support very strongly, it says: For
learning to take place with any kind of efficiency, students must be

motivated. To be motivated, they must become interested. And they become

interested when they are actively working on projects which they can relate
to their values and goals in life. In my case, as a learner, I tend to be
motivated to do different things; challenge is to keep me motivated and to
do so I have to be involved in activities that I can feel are practical for me.
Same thing happen with many students. The first thing you might hear is
them asking what does this have to do with me. So to keep them motivated
its important for them to apply what they know with something personal,
something that has to do with their lives or their own experience.
As a language learner, I fell in love with the ECRIF framework. When we
think of learning a language we all might think of the structure or formulas
used to learn a specific grammar, vocabulary, etc., ECRIF makes learning a
language easy, it adapts to the learners needs and we learn in a natural way
rather than a systematical form. I could learn the Korean words because it
was presented in an easy way, the teacher spoke less and us, the students,
spoke and practiced more. It was fun, it didnt feel like a class and yet we
were learning.
As I said in the beginning of my essay, I feel I am rediscovering myself as a
learner and as a teacher. I still dont have all the answers, I am still
comparing what I know about learning a language, the learning process that
involves, and the way I am as a teacher with this new framework. I know for
a fact I am a visual learner, but I am also a Kinesthetic and interpersonal
learner. I am still connecting the dots in terms of how this will influence the
way I learn and teach but I can say I love this journey. I cant wait to keep
learning and applying it in class; I feel reborn as a person, as a learner, and
as a teacher.
In conclusion, I would like to quote what Marcel Proust said in one of the
readings we had to analyze The real voyage of discovery consists not in
seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes. I am ready to see
myself and the way I am as a learner and teacher with new eyes. I am ready
to explore and experiment with the ECRIF framework. I need to see what it
is presented to me with new eyes, learn how I learn so I can actually teach
effectively.

General conclusion
This assignment helped me understand better the way I am as a
learner I cant wait to apply what I have learned and put it into practice
in my class and see how it works with my students the same way it is
working with me. I think the assignments main focus is reflecting on
oneself. Analyzing myself constantly will help me see my growth as a
teacher and to internalize and absorb as much as I can from this
amazing experience.
Kes,
I am so impressed with how you have used the Experiential Learning
Cycle (the DAPA) to reflect on the course, yourself, and your teaching
practice. It is so rewarding to see your awareness blossoming! I look
forward to traveling down this path of learning with you over the next
few weeks!
Linda-Marie