My mother got me a new phone courtesy of a post paid phone plan. It’s a Nokia5130c-2complete music player (the musicexpress), 2 mega pixels lens camera./video, a 1 gig microSD, and a voice recorder.
It also has an internet connection which I took advantage of like mad (so now I am temporarily cut off from the service until I settle 50% of my bill which happens to be P3,797.00 only).
I am going to pay 2,000 once I get my salary. I have not yet received the billing so I am wondering where I am supposed to pay it.
Anyways, I used the phone to encourage me to change the almost negative attitude I have of my job as a teacher.
You see, the high school curriculum has become quite irrelevant in my way of thinking.
The English curriculum has lots its glitter and glamour…
I know it is not the fault of the curriculum planners. Its just that the needs mostly addressed therein are those of the types who have come to master grammar and are using English competently enough.
Some teachers would be too immersed in the grammar aspect and some would be too focused in literature.
What these helpless incompetent learners of English need is to overcome the emotional filters first. Then, they should be made to use the language in an unconscious way. They should also be exposed to various opportunities to use the language without it being obvious drills and the like.
The knack there is teaching without being obvious about it because today’s generation, especially those in the regular classes, are quite averse to being instructed.
I developed a new plan for my lessons and I have employed it right after the one week semestral break.
In a seminar with the Alternative Learning System, I have learned about the 4A’s approach to adult learning and I decided to modify it a bit and employ it in my class along with the other methods and strategies I have learned in college (which I have failed to actually use).
Now, for a week, not one of my English class has become boring since all the learners have been busy.
It was tiring since I had to devise a fairly detailed lesson plan for the week and I have to make revisions everyday and every time I teach a class (since not all can do the activities).
All in all however, they have been quite effective and I have been looking forward to going back to school despite the teachers movement and all that.
Here are some of the pictures I have taken of my students during the activity.
