Task 1: The School and Learning Environment

Mark Antonni Córdova Rojas

Escuela Industrial Superior Valparaíso
37 students
04-21-2010 2nd A (Secondary School)

Briefly describe the following aspects:

1. The school:

Describe the general background of the school including the physical location,
organisation, student population, philosophy and educational and behavioural policies.

I am doing my practicum at Escuela Industrial Superior (EIV) Valparaíso “Oscar Gacitúa

Basulto” which is located in España avenue # 2692. My school has a long and famous
history here in 5th region, due to the fact it is a traditional technical school founded in 1942.

EIV has focused, traditionally, on the preparation of students for working in industrial
environment, therefore EIV has six courses of studies:

 Electronics
 Automotive mechanics
 Metallic Structures
 Electricity
 Building
 Industrial mechanics

As I first met EIV, I thought that it was a state school, however it wasn’t. EIV is financed
by the Government, and partly by parents.

2. The classroom

In simple words, there is a respectful atmosphere among students. They are immature.
Hence there are the typical problems associated with adolescence for example; useless
discussions, parallel talks, people who stand up frequently etc.
As the teacher speaks in English, students commonly listen to her in order to guess what
she is uttering, or to try to answer her questions. Students seat in rows, mainly 3 rows with
2 or 3 students in each row. The room has electric light principally, due to the fact that all
windows aim at the gym, which receives all solar light. The whiteboard is like normal
whiteboards. In terms of equipment, the classroom possesses radio with CD player,
television, and a time table where the teacher writes some important notes to bear in mind.
3. The activities & resources

The teacher mainly does activities based on what the students’ book says. However, there’s
a wide variety of activities especially reading activities, fill in the gaps, listening activities.
The students usually fulfil all the exercises the teacher mentions, but they are very slow in
doing the exercises, they usually talk a lot among them, they are very respectful to the
teacher, and even to me.
Students work on their own or work in pairs, but I haven’t seen any activities that involve
group work, debating, expressing ideas, beliefs etc., classes are very traditional in terms of
involvement, some of them asked if I was going to do the same things like the teacher, and
I shall try to do the same things she does, but doing them differently.

Well, the school has got lots of laptops and projectors, but they are not widely used in the
classroom. The teacher tends to work with the book, or with printed activities she brings to
class. I think a reason for doing this is that students are very talkative and she plans to do
these kinds of activities to have them in silence.

Task 2: Student ´s learning

The learners are partially motivated. As I first entered the class council, some students told
me if I was going to teach them, and I said “yes, of course”. So they told me the following
phrase “it’s good that you will teach us because the teacher is too boring and we don’t learn
anything”. I suddenly felt miserable. I didn’t want to be that teacher in that particular
moment.
They do not take much part in their own learning, because they are, in plain language,
modelled to do all the things the teacher says. I think they need more motivation, classes
focused on them in lieu of the book or the teacher’s instructions.
Students expect the teacher to solve and answer all their questions, they do not know much
about English, but they fancy answering questions and participating in class.
This can be a good alternative to motivate them, especially in terms of speaking and writing
activities.
The great majority of students desire to participate in class, I have found out that lads and
lasses really fancy being challenged, because they can answer and participate “doing” the
class, and that is an excellent opportunity to develop more capable and good students.
They are not students with special needs, but they need to be asked and forced to participate
in class, they need attention and care. They are like kids.

3. Discuss the learning styles and levels of English in the classroom.

It is pretty hard to say that there are lots of learning styles, they are not motivated enough,
but they will be motivated, I’ve got to work on that part. I will try to focus on the things
they need, attention, participation, and learning about common and close things.
In terms of levels of English, I’d say that some students really know much about English,
some don’t know anything about it, but as I mentioned before, they fancy participating and
getting attention. Despite their levels of English, they can learn because they are capable
enough, but they haven’t been motivated enough.
Práctica Profesional
Pedagogía en Inglés
2010.

Formato de Consejo de Curso y Orientación

I. Datos Generales:

1. Nombre del Establecimiento Educacional:

Escuela Industrial Superior “Oscar Agustín Gacitúa Basulto”

2. Curso:

2 Medio A

3. Profesor jefe:

Ana Vera

4. Profesor en Práctica:

Mark Córdova Rojas

5. Fecha:

6 de mayo de 2010

6. Hora (inicio y término)

13.50 a 15.20

II.- Desarrollo del consejo de curso

1.Tema de Orientación:

a)Bajo rendimiento y comportamiento malo del curso durante

la mayoría del primer semestre.
La mayoría de los profesores (incluso yo) por el bajo
rendimiento, el alto porcentaje de copia en las pruebas, y
algunos incidentes que han surgido a través de la semana. Un
caso por ejemplo de la semana del 6 de mayo, ocurrió un
accidente en la sala de química en el cual unos alumnos
rompieron un vidrio.

El lunes 3 del presente, en un confuso suceso, un alumno

llevó una pistola a fogueo (la cual podía ser modificada para
ser real) al colegio. Éste accidente trajo muchos problemas al
colegio, debido a que se vieron forzados a llamar a la PDI y a
carabineros para investigar el arma y descartar todo peligro.

2. OFT cubierto:

Responsabilidad, más que todo se enfatiza la responsabilidad

para consigo mismo y para las otras personas. Un trato
responsable para que su accionar no se dañe a nadie.

Por eso la profesora, entregó al curso una serie de

comentarios y cartas en la que se trataban casos así donde
una mala decisión afectaba por el resto de la vida. El objetivo
de estas era que el curso se diera cuenta que ya no son niños
que no tienen responsabilidad, y que pueden pasarla mal por
tratar de parecer “bacán” y/o choro.
3. Tabla del Consejo de Curso:

- Cuotas del Curso

- Problemas conductuales

- Notas

- Siguientes pruebas del curso

- Día del Alumno

Práctica Profesional

Pedagogía en Inglés

2010.

Formato de reuniones de Profesores

I. Datos Generales:

1. Nombre del Establecimiento Educacional:

Escuela Industrial Superior Valparaíso

2. Profesor en Práctica: Mark Córdova Rojas

 3. Fecha: 24 de Mayo del 2010
4. Tabla de la reunión:
* Debido a mi trabajo de ayudante en la Universidad de
Playa Ancha, no pude asistir a ningún consejo de
profesores, los cuales se realizaban los lunes, en cuyo caso
la profesora jefe de mi curso (2medio A) me contó todo lo
que había sucedido o se había conversado en el consejo.

5. Hora (inicio y término)

Por lo narrado por la profesora Ana Vera, los consejos
comúnmente empezaban a las 14.00 y terminaban a las 16.00

II. Instrucciones:

1. Complete la información que encontrará en el punto “I.

Datos Generales”
2. Escriba los temas propuestos en la tabla de la reunión,
destacando el tema principal que la convocó.

Comúnmente los consejos se hacen todas las semanas. En

los consejos se tratan temas de interés general, tales como
actividades, conducta y rendimiento de los alumnos, temas
administrativos y temas relacionados con el quehacer
pedagógico. En muchos consejos me decía la profesora Ana
Vera, se trataban así ámbitos como el ordenamiento de las
notas, las cuales ahora deberían ser subidas al sistema por
los mismos profesores, los cuales reclamaron demasiado
contra esta norma, cuyo trabajo antes era de exclusividad
de las secretarias. Ahora debería ser tarea de los docentes.
 3. Comente sus impresiones de la reunión. Puede referirse
a:
El consejo es normalmente dirigido por la Jefa de UTP, la cual
va exponiendo los temas generales, dando paso a los
particulares que exponen los profesores. Algunas veces, decía
mi informante, el director de la escuela iba a los consejos en
pos de estar siempre informado de la situación de la escuela y
su buen funcionamiento.

Aunque este tema fue tratado en un consejo posterior, igual

es digno de destacar. En consejo se optó por cancelar la
matrícula a una alumna de mi curso, debido a que hizo una
equivocación muy grande, la cual ofendía las normas de la
moral y la decencia.

Actos como los anteriormente mencionados se conversan en

los consejos, en el cual los profesores se les pregunta sobre
los alumnos “conflictivos” con tal de advertir al alumno,
primero verbalmente, después con comunicación al
apoderado y después con condicionalidad de matrícula.

AIVV/RAGS

2010

Práctica Profesional

Pedagogía en Inglés

2010.
 Formato de reuniones de Padres y Apoderados

I. Datos Generales:

1. Nombre del Establecimiento Educacional: Escuela

Industrial Superior Valparaíso.

2. Curso: 2 medio A

3. Profesor jefe: Ana Vera

4. Profesor en Práctica: Mark Córdova Rojas

5. Fecha: 6 de Mayo del 2010

6. Hora (inicio y término): 17.15 a 19.30

7. Tabla de la reunión:

a) Informaciones generales: Día del alumno (desayuno)

b) Panorama curso: Asistencia, puntualidad

Rendimiento, conducta

c) Entrega de informes

d) Requisitos postulaciones carreras - Rendimiento

 - Anotaciones (hoja de
vida)

e) Subcentro - Balance centro general de padres y

apoderados
- Curso

f) Becas

II. Instrucciones:

1. Complete la información que encontrará a continuación.

2. Escriba sucintamente los temas propuestos en la tabla
de la reunión, destacando el tema principal que la
convocó.

Más que motivos que la convocan, siempre se realizan

reuniones de apoderados para dar cuenta del estado de los
alumnos individualmente y respecto al curso en general.
También se tratan los temas de rendimiento y de carácter
académico.

3. Comente sus impresiones de la reunión.

Esta reunión se basó, principalmente, en mostrar a los padres y apoderados

el avance o retroceso de sus pupilos en distintos ámbitos. Uno de los
aspectos que se destacó, fue el ámbito conductual, debido a que muchos
episodios de pésima conductas se llevaron a cabo. Por mencionar algunos
puedo decir que un grupo de alumnos rompió un vidrio de la sala de
química del colegio, el cual debió ser repuesto financieramente por los
autores del suceso. También se destacó el hecho que un alumno del colegio
trajo una réplica de un arma al colegio. Éste arma era de fogueo, pero podía
ser modificada para su uso real. Este hecho trajo muchas complicaciones
para el colegio, debido a que tuvieron que llamar a la policía de
investigaciones con tal de registrar el arma. Los alumnos fueron dejados
condicionales.

También se recalcó la mala conducta general de los alumnos, referido a que

muchos colegas se quejaron de la alta tasa de conversación de los alumnos
(este servidor se incluye en los reclamos). En muchas ocasiones tuve que
retar a los alumnos debido a niñadas, tales como que se comían los lápices
o se pegaban entre ellos.

La profesora jefa del curso manifestó su preocupación por el curso, puesto

que ella ha sacrificado mucho y ha dado muchas oportunidades y/o
defendido a los alumnos en los consejos de profesores. Sin embargo, la
profesora manifestó que ya estaba cansada que los alumnos se farrearan
las oportunidades que les estaba dando.

Los padres y apoderados estaban conmocionados ante las palabras de la

profesora, la cual creo que les tocó una fibra sensible.

Algo que me llamó la atención, es que en cada reunión la profesora les da

una tarea a los apoderados, la cual tiene que ser entregada en la próxima
reunión. Para ésta reunión, los padres debían traer un collage con fotos de
los pupilos para ser exhibidos en la sala del curso (matemáticas) para el día
del alumno.

Creo que es muy buena idea tener éstas iniciativas para con los
apoderados, pues así se les compromete con sus pupilos con pequeñas
cosas, las cuales van marcando grandes diferencias.
 TEAM TEACHING STAGE

Name of student: Mark Antonni Córdova Rojas

Name of School: Escuela Industrial Superior Valparaíso “Oscar Gacitúa

Basulto” (EIV)

Date: 04-24-2010

Task Nº1: Collaboration activities

For the following questions describe as accurately as you can how you have
collaborated in school assigned:

1. What kind of activity did you perform the first time you were asked
for help? How long did it take?

The first activity I performed at EIV was correcting homework; I took me a lot of
time, because there are lots of students in my classroom. However, it was fun
to do that, due to the fact that students are nice to me.

2. What were the students doing before you started helping out?

They were talking and too much noise, but they respect me a lot, they aren’t
disrespectful or impolite. They are starting to be in silent as I get close to them.

3. How did the students react? Describe the atmosphere of the

room and the levels of engagement in the room.
Well, in other words, students reacted the way it was supposed to, well. I could
feel that they needed that somebody brings some attention to them. They are
very cute (in some weird sense), they just need somebody to be their friend.

In my own words, the class is nice, but teachers must be strict and have
sometimes, a severe attitude, but being friendly and listen to them as they talk
to you.

4. What other assignments were asked you to do? How often?

I was to create some study guides, reinforcing some aspects, for example verb
tenses, adverbs, conjunctions etc. In the majority of cases, they were just
guides on exercises. The teacher didn’t ask me to do things often, in most
cases I offered to do those tasks.

5. Were you asked to prepare any kind of special audio visual

material, learning material for the students? Were they used?
How effective were they?

My guide teacher doesn’t fancy doing that too much. Therefore, I haven’t been
asked to prepare anything like that. However, I’ll be glad to prepare
audiovisual material for my students. Teenagers fancy technology, so I’ll take
advantage of it giving a presentation on PowerPoint, or perhaps using
youtube.com to download some nice videos for them to watch.

Task 2: Lesson Planning

Answer the following questions and explain how you planned the learning
activities for your students. Be as precise as you can.

1. How did you get the information for planning the lessons for
your students?
 2. Did your guide teacher give you any suggestions for planning?

3. How long did it take to you to prepare learning material for your
first lesson?

It’s rather hard to explain. My guide teacher advised me to follow the book in
order to start planning. So did I. I’ve planned the unit first, so to learn the
things we will be checking before teach them. This technique of planning
according to the text is useful, but not one hundred percent effective. Why do I
say this? Because most books the government gives to state schools are not
based on our reality, they are merely copies of others that have worked in
different countries, and obviously, not focused on our reality.

My first lesson plan is not done yet, I have thought a lot about it, trying to
make and motive learning in my students, not just reading and writing on their
books, I want them to learn. I’m not there to repeat things that have been
written by another person, I’m there to change them, to make them happier,
smarter, and more fond of learning English.

IVV/RGS

2010

UNIVERSIDAD DE PLAYA ANCHA

FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES
ENGLISH TEACHING PRACTICE

Post- observation feedback - REFLECTION

Instructions:

• Going back to the moment you were giving your lesson at school, what aspects do
you identify as critical once you have finished the lesson? Refer about your own
expectations, fears and resolutions.

I felt that everyone would shout out loud, and wouldn’t let me do the class. However, it was
partially true. I reckon that one of the critical points that I’ve identified many times during
my professional teaching practice is noise. Students are too noisy, and they tend to swear a
lot, but not little swearing, awful ones, very offensive ones. They treat each other in this
way, it is not something that they do once they’re angry, and it’s their normal treatment.

This is something that is very shocking to me; I’m not used to working with those kinds of
students.

One of my main fears is the possibility of losing the good command of English. Usually, at
schools we, as teachers, do not have many opportunities to speak in English, obviously, we
can speak the whole class in English, but we tend to speak alone.

• Also refer about feelings that came up when socializing the above issues with the
supervisor from the university.

The supervisor told me many things that I have in mind for many weeks. I’ve got to change
the methodology I’ve been applying, because it’s the same all teachers do. I’d like to say
that I was asked to do it like it, so I’m not happy about my teaching. However, I’ve been
trying to change it, and it has given good results.

One of the things that I’d fancy doing is the methodology called TBLT, however the
students are not capable of following that rhythm due to the fact that TBLT is supposed to
be focused on immersion or second language programs, and my students are not very good
at English, they don’t even speak anything in English. I’ve tried to make them speak, but
they don’t fancy it.

UNIVERSIDAD DE PLAYA ANCHA

FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES
ENGLISH TEACHING PRACTICE

Post- observation feedback - REFLECTION

Instructions:

• Going back to the moment you were giving your lesson at school, what aspects do
you identify as critical once you have finished the lesson? Refer about your own
expectations, fears and resolutions.
As I finished my second supervised class, I felt relaxed, satisfied. I thought I have improved
many things that the supervisor teacher asked me to. I’ve changed the activities, trying to
innovate a little, leaving aside the grammar-based classes, in order to develop students-
based classes.

I proved that some activities that we, as teachers may think that are silly or useless, can
work out. For example; activities like TPR with children, search-word puzzles, crosswords,
and guessing games can have good results.

As a personal opinion, I think that word-search puzzles are boring, but my students did
fancy them, indeed. They worked in silence and they were motivated. I handed out a word-
search puzzle and separated them in groups of two (or three). The groups just wanted to
finish the task and win the game. In this case, the word-search puzzle was about adjectives,
and after doing this puzzle, we had to find the opposite concept. However, I would act or
show the opposite concepts. No words were allowed. It worked out really cool and in some
cases, funny.

• Also refer about feelings that came up when socializing the above issues with the
supervisor from the university.

The supervisor told me that I had improved many of the things she advised me to. I haven’t
talked to the supervisor yet, however I feel better now. Last supervision was frustrating. I
don’t want to teach like that. After that supervision I changed my teaching way, trying to
make it friendlier and more student-based, and I think I’ve made it.