Here is my reflection part: 

I have been teaching high school students for more than ten years in Shanghai. Most of years, I was teaching them how to take exams, like TOEFL, PET, SAT and so on, in one international tutoring center. Then I became an A-level teacher in my current school, which has many programs, including AP, IB, and A-level. Half a year ago, I applied for a new position in this school as an IB language teacher because IB is a more sophisticated and complete education system for Chinese students, especially those that want to study abroad, compared to A-level and AP. Students can choose more courses they want and get more chance to practise their writing and critical thinking.

Then I find Language A: language and literature a big challenge for me. I never took any real literature courses in my university education; what I learned is how to translate literary works, the history of world literature, as well as some selections from Bible and Shakespeare’s works. So, at the beginning of the preparation, I do not know how to plan a lesson and how to cooperate the literature works into the lesson plans, and even I do not know what the tests contain. I spent 4 or 5 months to take some training provided by our school to get accustomed to the pace of IB curriculum and know what IB or Language A is. Now I still want to figure out what a better teaching plan is for my future students.

Here in this workshop, I have already seen some experienced teachers, some of whom have taught IB for more than 18 years. Maybe I will learn much from them, especially in the forum or their feedback. What is the most impressive part is that some teachers use letters to design their worksheet. I will try to use the same style next week in my new handout. Haha, learned a lot!

This week, Module one cost me 30 minutes each workday. It has a flexible schedule and I can read the materials or comment in the forums when I have a break between periods or after the class. But there is a pity that we cannot talk directly or send messages directly to each other. Or, maybe the facilitator helps make a schedule or a seminar where we, as a small group, can talk about why we create such portfolio or what inspired us to make worksheet of different types.

In one month, I hope, first, I will know more about how to design different worksheets or how to use digital portfolios for my future students. More practical tools or teaching methodologies are also what I desire for in the workshop. 

Second, more interaction with experienced teachers. What they share means a lot to me. Glad to know them and maybe, when the workshop is finished, we are all friends and talk with each other via Email in the future

Third, professional suggestions for IB experts and more reliable IB resources. I hope the facilitator could share some more materials on IB philosophy, teaching materials or teaching advice for new teachers.  

Looking forward to your feedback.

Best Wishes

Elena(Xiaoqing Sun)

 

1. Teaching based on inquiry 

2. Conceptual understanding 

3. Local and global contexts 

4. Removing barriers to learning 

5. Teamwork and collaboration 

6. Teaching informed by assessment

 

My order:

Removing barriers to learning--Teaching based on inquiry --Local and global contexts--Conceptual understanding --Teamwork and collaboration--Teaching informed by assessment

 

 

The most important, I think, is removing barriers to learning. In my school, many students are learning English as a second language, so most have a fear of reading English texts or speaking English in class or while doing the presentation. I will choose some samples or reading materials accessible to them and design some easy tasks at the beginning of teaching, like reading the historical background or the authors’ life.  After removing the difficulties, then I will choose to teach them based on the inquiry. Curiosity will motivate them to read more or do more exercise in the future learning. Without curiosity or given some materials they have no interest in, they may refuse to finish tasks. The rest have the same importance in the teaching. In class, teachers should explain some confusing concepts, and prepare some reading materials related to the real-world, local or global passages. While using the two approaches, the teacher should be a guide, telling them what to read at first, and how to read it and be a human wiki to explain some concept in the reading materials in a student-friendly way. Also, some projects are needed to test or evaluate their teamwork and collaboration, which is one of  the purposes of education and tests are for the final assessment, so students will get scores for what they have done.

 

Five skills:

1. Thinking skills 

2. Research skills 

3. Self management skills 

4. Communication skills 

5. Social skills

 

My order:

Thinking skills--research skills--communication skills--self-management skills-social skills

 

Students may have not formed a complete thought or idea of this world, or they just know what they learned from parents or boring books. What they lack is thinking skills, which is the most important factor in learning and their future. Think skills are the tool to help them analyze the information they get and produce their own perspectives or thoughts. Then, most of them are senior high school students, so research skills are necessary, which will help them survive in the university or future jobs.  Communication skills are always the topic in the teaching plans of elementary schools, or junior high schools. Therefore, these skills are needed while they study in the senior high school and consolidated while doing researches or group projects. Self-management skills are less important because students under 18 are disciplined by school rules and follow the curriculum designed, but also practical in the daily life in that in the near future, they must organize their own schedule and plan their own life. Finally the social skills, from my perspective, which is not learned, seem to be born with. I see many students talk or socialize with others on the first day they meet. However, if some group tasks are well-designed to make students cooperate with each other, they will be good friends. 

 

Q1: what ideological biases exist in the IB mission statement and how do you know this as a reader?

A: in the IB mission statement, it is evident that the purpose of IB programs is to provide the training or guidance for students who can find what they need or raise the questions for themselves and to encourage them to have lifelong learning. And students can figure out the answers to these questions. But in the real learning activities, it is quite hard for students to find the questions or be aware of what they need when they are still very young. As a reader, I think, intercultural understanding is hard to achieve. Students, learning IB, have different background, religions, social status, and culture. Or, there is a long way.

 

Q2: What is the dominant reading of this text and what might be an oppositional reading of the IB learner profile?

A: the dominant reading, I think, should be the skills IB students will acquire during the process of learning IB courses. Just like what is mentioned in the learning and teaching approaches, there are many skills students need to learn and teaching methodologies teachers could use to improve students’ performance.  And  the oppositional reading is about the unfamiliar situations uncertainty they will encounter in the learning, as well as the cultures problems or ethics situation they will meet.

 

Q3:what is the tone created in the aims and assessment objectives, how does the author create it, and why?

A: I think, the tone should be assertive in this part. Each sentence begins with a verb, which is Imperative Sentence. It seems to be more like an order. Teachers who see it should follow the suggestions. 

 

Q4: what words or phrases have a highly charged connotation and what is the effect on the reader?

A：two phrases, like “open,democratic classrooms” and “the central tenet”, have a highly charged connotation in this context. Viewers, reading this paragraph, might feel free to talk in the IB community where they can share their thoughts, ideas with any restrictions and be given some feedback from peers or people who read their thoughts. Also, learning or self-learning seems to be only purpose of IB curriculum.

 

Q5:what words or phrases demonstrate the ideological perspective of this text?

A: it is difficult for most of IB schools in China to plan “a literary walking tour of the city the students live in ”. most of works students choose to read have settings in UK or American society. When students choose to read some locally-written works or translated versions, it is possible for them to design such activity after school. Also, while seeing the clause, “no matter what final shape this connection takes”, I think sometimes it will waste much time to conduct these activities if the outcome or the result of this project is just playing happily with learning anything during the trip. Of course, the design of CAS is good in the IB curriculum in that it will provide a chance for students to have creativity and other good qualities or skills needed in the research.Additionally, more experienced teachers or qualified teachers may conduct CAS or guide students to doing such activities. 

 

 

Global Issues:

potrayal of female promiscuity

 

13 Reasons: contrast male promiscuity and female promiscuity

Showing his friends, laughing, shame, girls--judging

 

Sex relationship, bullying culture

 

Body language

 

Female different feelings/treatments

 

The second: label them baby animal

 

Dangerous, man

 

Both: 13 reasons--follow the culture   vs      open and proud

 

Educate viewers---change this