Mihotch Blog About English

My strengths and weaknesses as English teacher

2006-07-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

In this class, I could learn various useful things about English lessons. I've learned a great deal from lesson experiences in N elementary school.　Besides, I could learn many good means as teacher from Mr.M's lecture.　So, now I'd like to analyze my strengths and weaknesses as English teacher.

☆strengths☆
I think my good point is enjoying English by myself. I like to learn English,of course, I like to speak English. Enjoying English is necessary strength as English teacher, and it will lead comfortable atmosphere to study English, I think. I learned that teaching with smile is good for relationship between teacher and students through N lementary school lessons. And I also learned that effective repeat is useful for little children. So I want to make good use of my experiences and device lesson using these good point.

★weaknesses★

I like English, but I have no confidence to teach English. First of all, I have no confidence in my English ability.I don't know whether my pronunciation is good or bad. Mr.M said that good pronunciation and to use English efficiently are essential to English teacher. So I have to brush up my English in this summer.

Next, I do not have much experience in teaching English. In addition, I have no experience in Junior High School. I'm anxious about teaching practice in JHS.

Third, my weakness is dull powers of observation. I often feel nervous, and when I got nervous, I can't lose sight of surrounding(I can't look around).So it's necessary for me to keep calm, and I have to look students' actual situation or feelings,and grasp the situation carefully.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Thinking group work

2006-07-18T05:37:00.000-07:00

When I was a Junior high school student, I experienced some group work. For example, message game.First, we form line in group,students in the head remember long sentence which is given by teacher.And the students tell a next persons.We compete the speed. I think it was a very fun, but it was not good as group work because the most important thing in it is help each other.Most students were more absorbed in competition than learning English.

Sometimes students who don't like English tend to depend on students who is good at English in group work,however,it disturb students' improvement of English actiity,I think. To help each other is different from to rely. So I think the group work that each students have role is effective.

My observatin at Mr. M's Junior High School

2006-07-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

This week, I went to Mr. M's JHS to observe demonstration lesson. I watched the first grade class. The teacher was not Mr.M, but the lesson was very useful for me.

The theme of the lesson was to ask and answer using “ What”
I think the introduction was good. First of all,the teacher showed students some picture which they had nerver seen before（ex.lacrosse stick）.Therefore the students ask the teacher in “なに？” in Japanese. That is, teacher brought out the word “what”from students.

Next, students took an active part in group work as practice. Three students ask one student using “What's this?”　And then the student answer it using“It's ~.”
Furthermore, students practiced some useful phrases “That's right”“No, it's not”as production in group work.

Last time,Mr.M said that active work was effective for students.I understood the meaning through this demonstration lesson. The teacher put emphasis on group work to let students learn actively. That is related to students' motivation, I think. In addition, The teacher also put emphasis on pronunciation of English. For example, he gave attention to pronunciation “bird”“monkey”“fox”and so on. So it is important that English teacher use English efficiently and enjoy it themselves, I think.

My advices about teaching practice

2006-06-28T04:09:00.001-07:00

In last ETM3's class, I could learn valuable thing from Mr.M.
He is a English teacher of Junior High School. I'd like to write some valuable advices from him.

First, I learned that most important thing as English teacher is enjoy English. If the teacher don't like the class, students will never enjoy. Boring class will lose students' interest. So teacher should use various enjoyable activity. For example, group work is effective. Mr.M said self-directed activity is necessary for students.

Second, greeting is necessary as teacher. It helps contant with students. The important thing is to have attitude trying to communicate with people. Students will follow the teacher like that.

Third is most impressive for me. Mr.M said it's important to have common sense. I take for granted common sense as teacher, however, many teachers don't have experience outside of school. I think it is actual problems, so I want to experience various thing during school days.

I learned that students follow teachers whose life has been rich in experience. The important thing is that to have open mind and possitive attitude for everything, I think.

About my future

2006-06-14T01:20:00.000-07:00

Recently, I often look to my future. When I was a child, I wanted to be a grown-up as soon as possible because adults can do what they want to do and choose anything what they should do.That is, they have the freedom of their action. However adults should take the responsibility of everything. I keenly realize about that lately. I'm a student now, but I have to work two years later. Before that, I have to decide my course.
I'd like to work using English, if possible, I want to be a English teacher. However I have no confidence whether I can be a good teacher for students. For example, I don't know effective teaching to easy to understand. I want students enjoy English. Enjoyable English cause motivation, I think.
This summer, I'm going to go teaching practice.So I want to put emphasis on enjoyable activity in the lessons. If you have some good idea, please advise me!

Teaching Observation

2006-06-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

I went to Diamond Junior High School on June 2nd,and observed 1st grade class.

(1)What was the goal of teh class?

　　①Introducing about their family or friend by using “This is ~”“He/She is ~” .
　　②Asking and answering about them using “Is he/she ~?”

(2)What activities did the students do to accomplish the goal?

They practiced the phrase and did game by using it.And they did pair work to master it.

(3)What was the role of the teacher in this class?

The teacher was mediator for students to master the lesson. First of all, she taught key phrase of the lesson,and next, she made students pair work. I think it was a good activity because the students could learn key phrase independently.

(4)From watching the teacher and students, did you receive any hints or clues as to how to have a successful English class?

I could receive many good hints. First, passage of the lesson was very smoothly.The teacher carried introduction, review smoothly, so students learned key phrase without objection. Second, the teacher taught key phrase by pair work.So students could learn it with pleasure, I think.

Reflection about my lesson

2006-05-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

First of all, our group member discussed what to do within the limit of 25 minutes.And we decided to put emphasis on introduction and practice because we wanted students to learn new phrase“What do you have for ~?” .

　In the lesson, we played game as warm up first. Next,we asked a question using “Do you ~?” as review. Then, we demonstrated these phase on blackboard,and read textbook.After that teacher and students practiced it by using repeat,and study new words “breakfast, lunch, dinner”. Next, we taught useful new phrase “How about you?”for conversation. Then,we played game using these phrase to acquire it.Two people ask question about meal,and answer it each other.We repeated these phrase at the last.

I think the most succesful part was game as consolidation because students could learn enjoyably.However, we should improve the methods of repeat.For example, we should have used repeat rhythmically.Maybe it can be effective activity.
Some students could not understand and pronounce phrase well, so I think that was the least successful part.
This lesson was a good experience for me because I could think about good lesson again and find improvement.
If I can teach it once again, I would put emphasis on practice and consolidation using effective repeat and enjoyable activity.

An analysis of my language learning experience

2006-05-05T23:10:00.001-07:00

My most enjoyable language learning experience has been singing and listening to European music. My favorite artist is Avril Lavigne,so I would often listen to her songs when I was a high school student. I learned pronunciation and simple phrases from her songs. I often listen to European music even now. I also liked to sing English children's songs when I was a elementary school student.
I had just discovered the pleasure of English by music.

My least enjoyable language learning activity has been English class of my high scool because the the lesson was for purposes of an entrance examination. Mainly, it was reading and grammar rules lessons. Of course, I know the grammar lesson was
important to improve English skills, but I felt that teachers forced me to improve English. In addition, I had to memorize writing sentences and grammar rules, so I didn't like memorization ,too.

My most valuable language learning activity has been reading and conversation.
Reading is good exercise for me because I can learn phrases , words, and
imagination to understand new words what I didn't know.
And conversation is also good exercise to improve my English ability. I had never took conversation class till I entered university. I learned idiom and so on by speaking English. Speaking English with my teacher is good lesson to improve my conversation skills.

My least language learning activity has been nothing particular,I think.

In general my language learning experience has been not enough. Though I learned English for many years, I can' t speak it fluently, I can't write in a flowing style. I like English but I can use only simple word and phrase. I think I should use English more actively. Sometimes I'm passive about English because I 'm afraid of mistake. If I clam up because I'm scared of making mistakes, I'll never speak English well. Speaking and reading is good lesson for me, so I want speak reading is good lesson for me, so I want speak and read English more actively.

From this experiences, I knew that enjoying English is good way to improve English.Though I didn't like grammar lessons, it was important lessons. So I think we should devise lessons.For example, I want to adopt game and song in the English class. Maybe game and song makes lesson more enjoyable, I think.

The story of how I learn English

2006-04-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

I met English for the first time when I was elementary school student.
My mother sent me to English conversation school. I learned pronunciation of simple words and children's songs there.
Although I didn't understand them well, it was very fun!

When I became junior high school student, I learned words, phrases, easy grammar and so on.

I learned difficult grammer in my high school period, but I didn't like the lessons because it was lessons for the entrance examination of University. I forgot the pleasure of English then. At the time, I was addicted to listening to European music.I would often listen to music such as Avril Lavigne and Mariah Carey.Sometimes I sang to the music.I think that it's good work at my English.(pronunciation and phrase)

Now, I major in English in this University. In the lesson, main activity is conversation and exercise.Sometimes I feel that to master English is very hard,but I'm really enjoying English!

My introduction

2006-04-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

Hi! My name is Mihotch.
I'm student of Iwate Univercity.
Welcome to my blog!
☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
Now, I'd like to tell you about myself.
I'm from Aomori. Do you know where the Aomori is?
I was born and bred in there.
I major in English education in Iwate University.
I'd like to work using English in the future.
I am hooked on the “LILO and STITCH”now.
LILO and STITCH is Disney character.
They are very cute! If you like too, let's talk about it!