Nothing personal

Last night, a group of students hanged out with me for a while and we got into talking. If I believe these "friends" and I do, apparently, my last post was inaccurate. I guess the decision was based on the students' votes. How am I supposed to feel in this regard? Nothing, I suppose. It is just business.

How will this reflect on my discourse? Well, it'll be business as usual. My principle is very simple. My students are college students who are supposed to be stirred with more useful exercises and activities. If the school or the students do not think my discourses are invaluable, I cannot do anything about it. Sure, the activities might be a little hard at the beginning but in actuality, they are really very basic. If the basics are unacceptable, I guess my expectations were set a little too high.

So where is the standard set at? Passing examinations? Well, isn't that important? I believe it is. But if you analyze this more carefully, a well-prepared student shouldn't really have problems passing the exams. But what is a well-prepared student? In my opinion, a well-prepared student is someone who had experienced a lot of similar things to be able to better understand the questions and provide a better answer.

Anyway, there is no point crying over spilled milk. Besides, I do not look at this as a misfortune. I see it as a challenge, and perhaps the situation dictates that it is time for me to move on ... should I say, a greener pasture.

Oh, I am going to miss a lot of my good students in this school, but life just have to move forward. Let's see, a month-and-a-half left ... and by that time, this blog will also probably ceased to exist.

It is official

Rumors were about of radical changes in school, and I suspected as much. Yesterday, I was handed the pink slip by the Foreign Affairs Office secretary of the college, Caroline Gao stating that they "are sorry to tell me of their decision. They won't sign me for another year." And a Green Day song pop ups in my mind - Good Riddance ;)

Nope, I am not being sarcastic about the whole situation. I am confident that I will be able to get employment with another college.

So, what is the reason for this dismissal after 6 years of loyal service? From what I have heard the school has recruited three Europeans to teach Oral English. But I think it is more than that. Recently, we've been having parties outside our apartment building, and apparently some of the leaders in school didn't appreciate the "noise and rowdiness" that attracted many students, especially non-English majors, to approach the foreigners to talk and "make friends" with us.

"It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right; I hope you have the time of your life."

May Day holiday, however short it is, would hopefully give me the time to relax and recuperate from this nagging cold that I can't seem to shake off. I hope the Samans would be around too. I enjoy their music, their company and their friendship. Big hey to Manchu!

Pre-May holiday preparations

This week will see my students get themselves ready to learn how to create a newsletter when they return to school after the May holidays. I have already set up a GoogleGroups to facilitate communications between student members and teacher.

A newsletter project was something I did more than four years ago that resulted in several copies of things that happened back then. The newsletter consisted of articles written by my students at that time. The layouts were provided mostly by me but this term, I will teach my students to do such things.

The whole activity is planned for three weeks after the May holidays. It should be something new to the students; they will again use their computers, which I have observed they enjoy; and hopefully we can have fun doing this activity.

The whole discourse is as follow:

First week will be explaining the differences between a newsletter and other publications such as a newspaper and magazine. Layouts and other inclusions in the newsletter project will also be discussed. The class shall be divided into groups of four to five students. The groups will elect a Chief Editor who will be sent invitation emails to join a GoogleGroups. Each group will gather 5 to 6 different campus news and write digital compositions about them.

The second week will see the student groups formulate layouts, edit their articles, etc. The groups have to bring their laptop computers to class to design and layout a newsletter that will include their researches. The teacher will make suggestions, etc.

Things to the students should consider: Layout, header, masthead, TOC, footer, media size.

The third week will will have each group print several copies (one for each group and one for the teacher) of their finished newsletter for distribution. At the end of the project, each group will evaluate the other groups' publication.

The Video Projects

There were a lot of confusions in my classes regarding our class activity and the video submissions. The class activity was a push the students to individually submit their videos to qualify for the final exams. I explained that the four choices - self-introduction, simulated job application, audition or how to - could be used by any students. The groups working on the class activity, however, were only given a combination of two choices.

Throughout the week, only one video from a group was submitted. This was from group 4 of Class 06111. Last week, I contacted the student who appeared on the video and commented on their work. In effect, my comment was "if she was to use the video to apply for a job, she wouldn't get it." She was disappointed at first but asked for help.

We worked together last weekend to create a clip called "My College and Some of the Other Things I Do in School" which was a short introduction of our college and some of her activities. It is a short 2-minute video which had a few explanations and a lot of actions. See it for yourself.



There was a funny thing though. I intentionally made a mistake to see if there were any students who would notice it. At the beginning of the semester, I stated that the deadline for the video submissions to qualify for the final exams was a month before the final exams. A couple of weeks ago I began saying to them that the videos were to be handed in on or before the May holidays, which is a month earlier than the deadline I set at the beginning of the term. We'll see who complies. Those who submitted their videos earlier will get extra credits and those who couldn't will be informed that they can still submit theirs but only on or before the real deadline.

What the rap meant

I'm just checking my students' homework and it just occurred to me that there were several who asked and other who indicated they didn't know what the rap on Waiting For You meant.

So here's the translation:

You never got around to visit
Kasiyahan lang ang nasa isip // Having fun is all that's in your mind
Close your eyes; ipikit mo lang // Just close ...
Ang iyong mga mata // Your eyes
At kung makita mo // And if you can see
Ang nilalaman ng puso mo // What is inside your heart
Di ka na mag-iisip ng iba // You won't think of any others
Naghihintay sa yo // She's waiting for you
Saan ka man naroroon // Wherever you may be
Babalik ka rin naman // Anyway, you will go back again
Sa kanya. // To her

I'm sure it's not the best rap you've heard but it's just nice to be able to sing it.

It starts tomorrow

I've always believe that methods could be changed to fit one's own abilities. At the beginning of the term, I have explained to all my classes that they are required to submit a video to qualify for their final exams. Seven weeks later, I have received no queries from any of them.

Although the video sessions were already a planned activity, it would still be nice to have queries from any of my students. At least I would know that they are interested, and I wouldn't have to doubt that they already know what they should do. A lot of things we do in life requires instructions, and failure or even misunderstanding part of the instruction can create very adversed effects.

My sophomore classes (070122 and 070125) would start theirs next week but for the Juniors, they would have to come prepared or nothing useful would come out of the activity.

I have already divided each class into four groups, and each group would have a leader. I've also instructed the groups to bring with them in class at least one portable computer. I gave the groups a few days to decide on their leaders, and only these leaders will received instructions from me.

The idea is passing along information and hopefully teamwork can be formed. Each of the group will take on one or two tasks. They need to put together a script to what one or two of their group members will be saying during the video recording. I've also instructed the leaders to make sure that their group's computer has a video editing software, like MovieMaker, capable of editing videos. Once the session for the group had been recorded, the video will be uploaded to their machines for editing. Then off to the next group.

Group one will be doing a self-introduction and/or an audition; group two, self-introduction and/or a job application; group three, an audition and/or job application; and group four a job application and/or a how to.

The idea with the choices is that more than one member could volunteer for the recording session thus facilitating the start of their task to submit their videos to qualify for their final exams.

We'll see what happens to the classes this week and on Monday. If there is a need to do it again, I can always move the other activities to a later class.

If there are any queries, contact me by email.

Monday break

It's too bad that I didn't have my classes today, and it's good that my long weekend is extended until tomorrow. I resume my classes on Wednesday with 06111. My classes 070122 and 070125 are just going to have to miss on of our activities which is reading their compositions, and possibly a role-play regarding the song that I sang for them two weeks ago.

Anyway, I'm sure they will like what I've planned for my classes next week, which is about their video project. I need to follow-up on this or they will get into all sorts of problems prior to their exam requisites. At the beginning of the term, I stated to all my classes that in order for them to qualify for a final exam, they'd need to submit a video recording of them speaking. The videos can take the forms of a job application, an audition, or such.

I will be bringing my video camera to class but I'd need to borrow a tripod and buy several blank cassettes.

I hope no one in my classes will fall sick or be absent next week or they'll miss something that could be really useful to them. It is just an idea that I am trying to promote in the hope of helping them in their future quest for a better job. I know that this is an entirely unconventional way but it is nevertheless a good alternative.

Ahh, I have had such a good rest, and I am fully energized to jump back in to my discourses. I am also inspired by the number of email compositions I've received. They are much easier to grade than the ones the would be submitting in prints. Those will be checked with a red pen and submitted to our dean, Mr. Andy Xu (hopefully) in a week's time.

Eleven o'clock

And it is eleven o'clock in the evening, and I have just finished much of the things I needed to do. Also, I have just been reading several emails from my students' homework and overwhelmed by their enthusiasm to express their opinions in written words.

I was going to highlight one or two of the best but it had become so difficult to choose. There are several outstanding submissions from several students. I had to get my wife to read some of them, and it pleased her to note the younger generation's perspectives on love. One student even have to write that it was a fantasy, an imaginative setting but I can assure you all that the song is very real. Read my Facebook confession to see the complete lyrics and understand more about the background of the song where I explained at the end of my note how the whole evening inspired me to write it.

I haven't made any preparations for my classes next week. Well, actually I have but I have to move those for the week after because I needed to get all the homework graded and submitted to our dean, Mr. Andy Xu.

What I was thinking is, since this week will be their printed homework submissions, I might get the students to read their compositions in class. I might also get them to do role plays based on their interpretations of the song. Well,it just an idea, and I would have to decide either tomorrow or on Monday what we will definitely do in class.

In the meantime, the extra days (Monday and Tuesday) would allow me to read the rest of my students' works.

Homeworks and emails

My students' homework are starting to come in. Some of my students tried to submit their homework using an email address that does not comply to the format I've stated in my instructions; these will not be accepted. There are also several who had submitted their homework but fell short of the (at least) 300 words.

There were already students who filled in the correct words missing from the lyrics written on the blackboard on my last class. Additionally, there were already students who submitted excellent compositions.

It is still early in the semester to distinguish the outstanding few from the rest but it is beginning to look like this is the case. I really should wait until the second printed homework are submitted before I make that distinction.

The week after next, I will post the location of the song, Waiting For You, and maybe also a video of me singing it.

Just games for the fifth

I caught a cold and haven't been feeling well for the last few days. I needed to lie down and rest but I must be able to post my class activities for the coming week.

Originally, I was going to do a video activity but that would have to be until I can submit my students' homework after two weeks. I would like to be able to do the video class because one of my prerequisite is a video submission before I would allow my students to take their final exams. Several examples of what they can possibly do might help give them ideas.

Anyway, I've decided to do a couple of ESL games, one of which I have devised. I called mine "Bring Out The Dogs". Bring Out The Dogs is an activity where my students must be able to provide a quick reply to radical questions. Ten questions for each group will be provided before the activity. The whole class will be divided into two groups - Groups A and B. Students in Group A will ask students from Group B a question. Group A will write down Group B's replies. Group B will in turn ask Group A a question and write down the replies. The groups will take turns asking each other questions.

After all the questions had been asked and all the replies had been written down, the teacher will write the questions on the blackboard and solicit replies from the students and write these on the blackboard. We will discuss each of the reply, taking in to consideration the structure and the implications of such replies. Other suggestions might be considered.

Why "Dogs?" The title has no particular reference to anything other than being a part of the title. Usually, such a phrase would refer to an assistance in repelling an attack, or a protection.

The next ESL game is called Charades. Instead of the usual way of playing it with movie titles, books or people, I modified it to use phrasal verbs. Charades is an acting-guessing game. A student is selected to act out a phrasal verb without having to use vocal words to identify it. The class would try and guess the exact phrasal verbs based on their understanding of their classmates' acting.

The two games will be allotted an equal time of half a period each.

Singing in class

I always like the idea of teaching a song and the students singing in class. I always do it every semester. I usually have a music player and speakers but this week I have to use the guitar. My voice is becoming hoarse and my fingers are starting to ache.

But that's OK. Listening to the young voices of my students makes me imagine I am in heaven with a choir of angels around me.

That is the easy part of the curriculum. Now the students have to complete the blanks from my previous post and write a 300-word composition and send them by email with a deadline of ten days. I'm not mean. That's plenty enough time to get the work done. I hope they don't copy each other's work because that will make me very disappointed.

I can wait to evaluate this portion of my lesson plan. If it proves to be successful then I'll have another achievement to add on my ever-growing list of good plans.

Planned activities for Week Four

U2 is an Irish rock band which formed in 1976 and went on to sell over 145 million albums worldwide. The band consists of Paul Hewson (vocals and guitar), Dave Evans (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion).

With or Without You is the lead single from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. It has since become highly-acclaimed as one of the band's most popular songs.


Week Four will introduce the song to my classes, and learn the song with each group giving their own renditions. The following are the lyrics that the students will copy from the blackboard:

See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for you

Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you
With or without you
With or without you

Through the storm we reach the shore
You give it all but I want more
And Im waiting for you
With or without you
With or without you
I cant live
With or without you

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away

My hands are tied
My body bruised, shes got me with
Nothing to win and
Nothing left to lose

(Repeat ... And you give yourself away)

With or without you
With or without you
I cant live
With or without you
(Repeat the last verse twice)

In addition, an email homework needs to be sent before their 5-day deadline filling in the blanks with the correct words to complete a song. The song is one of my own composition, Waiting For You. Along with with the lyrics, the students will be required to write a 300-word composition outlining their thoughts on the song, about how the lyrics of the song make them feel, and comments on how their teacher sang the song. The email would also need to be printed for submission to Mr. Andy Xu's office as part of the school's requirement to submit at least two of the students' homeworks.

The incomplete form of "Waiting For You" that the students need to copy from the blackboard is as follow:

Lookin' around _____10_____ places
Missin' the girl in your heart; she's __3__ __5___.
____8____ you just wanna be with her.

The night lights and __3__ __5___
Wishin' on the emptiness _3__ _2_ _1 __4__.
___7____ hard just to be with her.

BRIDGE:
A __4__ in your head
Throwin' __6____ __4__
___7____ to win
And a mist in the _3__
She's waiting for you.

A ___6____ at the time had changed your mind
It's late, you had to go; just _4___ __4__.
__5___, you just wanna be with her.

A solitary ___6___ on the dead of the night
___6___ ___7____ on the road shine as your guiding light.
__7_____ right now you're there with her.

(Repeat the BRIDGE)

CODA:
You never got around to visit
Kasiyahan lang ang nasa isip
Close your eyes; ipikit mo lang
Ang iyong mga mata
At kung makita mo
Ang nilalaman ng puso mo
Di ka na mag-iisip ng iba
Naghihintay sa yo
Saan ka man naroroon
Babalik ka rin naman
Sa kanya.

(Repeat the BRIDGE)

Lookin' around _____10_____ places
Missin' the girl in your heart; she's __3__ __5___.
____8____ you just wanna be with her.

Now you see her eyes, its softness and its glow
And you held her like you never had before.
And you're glad just to be with her.

(Repeat the BRIDGE)

The Third Week

This week will be about asking questions to guess a noun. I will divide the class into the same four groups as we had last week.

A student will first be chosen randomly from any group to look at the presentation slide (I will be bringing my laptop to class). The student will have a few seconds to read the definition of the word and look at the picture. The group will then take turns asking the student questions which can only be answered by a YES or NO (no MAYBEs and I DON"T KNOWs). The groups must be able to ask a total of 12 questions before any guesses will be allowed. After the twelfth question had been asked, the groups will continue guessing the right word. Each word will have a time limit of ten minutes.

The first group member to correctly identify the correct word earns a point for the group. There will be a scoreboard to keep track of the groups' points. The group with the highest number of points at the end of the class is the winner.

If no one is able to provide the correct word in the time limit, let the student read the definition out to the class. Take care that the student does not read the word. Allow the groups a minute or two to discuss the definition and look for an answer. Each group will only be allowed one answer. If no groups came up with the correct answer, instruct the student to reveal the answer.

I will be giving prizes to the winning group members.

No classes on Tuesdays

That's right, and I have the whole day for myself. Two weeks into the semester have been good altogether. My classes are mostly responsive and ideas that I have put forward have been accepted. I have a really good feeling that this will be the best semester in my six years of teaching.

I am actually looking forward to my Reading English Corner. I've decided to use Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. This Thursday, I will begin the Reading Corner with a video clip of the book's Prologue. I'll read a few paragraphs then invite any student who might want to try. I will talk to them about the advantages and disadvantages of the watching the movie and reading the book. I hope to have a discussion about the differences between the books Prologue and the clip I would show.

For next week's class, I hope to be able to show them a video clip of my desktop and ask the class to make a comparison between what they use in their computers and Linux. I guess my primary question for them would be, why do they use Windows? It is a good chance for me to advocate the use of Linux as an operating system.

Lastly, how could I be productive today? I should probably go fix the car or should I go get a haircut or not? NOT!

Am I done with the weekend?

It is a wonderful feeling to be able to get out every once in a while. Last night, I listened to Mark Leavitt with my wife and friends.

But I got to get down to completing my lesson plans that I started devising since yesterday. Here's what I plan to do for the week:

Divide the class into 3 or four groups. Have them arrange their tables and chairs into a circular/rectangular formation so students in each group would be able to sit around and face their other group members.

Assign a secretary for each group who will record each group members' suggestions ideas. The secretary will submit to the teacher a record of their group's ideas after the class. The secretary will also act as the spokesperson for the group during the class discussion time.

First, hand out several copies of the make-sense-of-this.doc. This will be their email assignment for the week. Instruct them to properly format the passage. Note: the passage is only one paragraph. The passage need to be converted into the their proper lower and upper cases. The passage need to be separated according to the words. The punctuations must be placed in their proper placements. Any questions regarding the task should be directed to the teacher by email.

Second, distribute to each group the five photos to be used in this exercise. Note that the photos need to be returned for use in the other classes. Instruct the class to (1) identify subject in the photos; (2) explain how they arrived at these identities, (3) give several assumptions why the subject of the photos are what they are, (4) identify any other elements other than the subject, and (5) note what else the photos make them think of.

Third, with twenty minutes to half an hour to go before the end of the class, call into attention all the groups and get them to compare their answers. The group secretary will speak on behalf of the group. Groups are allowed to question the other group about their observances and answers.

Later this afternoon, I'll be going to the store near our residence and print the pictures I'll be needing.

Today's treasure hunt winner

As soon as my alarm clock woke me up at six o'clock today, I logged on because I was waiting for an important email since last night, and it hadn't come. I hurriedly called a Filipino who wanted to remain anonymous and informed him that the email hadn't arrived. I needed to shower and have my breakfast. By the time as I was done, I just had enough time to walk to class. Read more about Can The Law Protect Us?

While I was feasting my eyes on the melting ice and slush, I was thinking of what I was going to say as an introduction. Class Oh-six-triple-one is a new class. I've heard that they are a good class but I have to see for myself. Entanglements of phrases, a way to shock them so they'd way up and pay attention ... I finally had to go to the store to buy a pack of cigarettes.

Indeed, they were a good class, some of the students' participation are commendable. And I already have a winner on my treasure hunt ... an English Corner regular named Daisy. I have a lot to teach this class and if they can learn much of what I teach, I believe they can be a very good contender to the best of the graduating class, Oh-five-one-two-one.

Sally was also noticeably curious, perhaps even interested, in the video project. I explained that one of the class requirement for taking the final exam is to form groups and videotape a short segment. It could be in the form of a self-introduction, a simulated job application, an audition, etc.

We also discussed Common Sense and Transformation. Next week, I will start applying the Harkness Table but right now, I'm off to gather some materials for discussion.

Oh-seven-oh-one-two-two and Two-five

I take great pride in my memory and it had been tested again today. To my surprise, I can remember all the names and faces of my old class from last semester, Class 070122. I also noted that they still remain pretty much the same ... inhibited in their oral responses. I am hoping that I will be able to influence them more this semester.

Class 070125 is probably more or less the same but as a new class for me, they are able to add a dash of freshness too complete my day's schedule. The two boys in this class, Jack and Jeffery need a little bit more encouragement than the girls. I met Rebecca, who is a familiar face fromthe English Corner last term, and the study monitor, Anita, who seem eager to offer her assistance for the improvement of her class. I like that.

I briefly talked to them about my experiences from my family's migration from the Philippines to my extended stay in China. I also gave them homework to do which they can submit before the end of the term. I even offered to give a final exemption to the first student in the classes to submit to me the name of the person who commented

"Good story.
I think you would make a good romantic novelist with your style of writing! :-)"

on one of my posts, and where it was posted. Our topic for today was TRANSFORMATION, and of course I had to push them a bit to give their responses. But overall, it was good, and I can't complain.

On your mark, get set ....

Go! I am pretty much ready ... excited and anxious ... to go to my first class for this semester. I start at ten o'clock in the morning and my first class is Class 070122, which I had last term. Lunch break would follow the end of the class then at quarter past three in the afternoon, I'll be meeting a new class, 070125.

Oh-seven-oh-one-two-five used to be Lenny Miller's and he seemed pretty proud of that class so I'd have to wait and see how they are.

My Tuesdays are free, and I only have one morning class on Wednesdays. Zero-six-triple-one is also a highly recommended class. It will be my first time to be teaching this juniors but I have been acquainted with a few of the students from the English Corner. Thursdays and Fridays are the English-Korean bi-lingual classes I taught last semester. There's no surprises there; only familiarities.

For the first week, I will explain to my classes the importance of email, and the proper way of utilizing email to their advantage. I will outline a few guidelines, and instruct them to answer a few questions and send them by email to me. Naturally I would have to reply to most, if not all, of them. But that's okay, I do not mind the extra work. Besides, it will be a requisite for this term. In addition, I will add small points to anyone who might follow up on my replies.

Then there's my Reading English Corner. It is a subset of Ms. Kathy Mueller's English Corner but I like to think of it as something with style. Naturally, I will invite any students who might like to attend but I will not tell them that they will earn extra points for their involvement in this activity. My Reading English Corners will be held every Thursdays, starting from the second week of the term, from 6:16 to 7:45 PMat the J3 Building, Room 117.

The following are the details of the Reading English Corner.

"The Reading English Corner is a subset to Kathy Mueller's English Corner with the purpose of developing the participants' reading styles. Eloquence in artistry is a prepotent addition to the skills the participants can understand and master.

The reading materials include contemporary classics such as C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, etc.

As an extra-curricular activity, preassigned readers prepare their materials in advance, and will be alloted ten to fifteen minutes to articulate. There will be a maximum of three readers in each gathering. The rest of the listeners would congregate around the readers, listening and understanding the stories being told.

There will be fresh selection of readers every meeting, and the group will try and accommodate all the members to read.

After thirty to forty-five minutes of reading, everyone may discuss the stories, ask questions, state their opinions, comment on the readers' performances, etc. Teacher involvement is limited to inspire a flow of curiosity, at the same time dealing with facts. The discussions, derived from personal experience, may veer off to other topics, and it is the teacher's job to decide whether to allow the change or bring the talk back on its course.

Often times, the students who wanted involvement are usually the more serious in their selected majors and have already made up their minds on what they wanted after their college graduation. In effect, the Reading English Corner is an enhancement to their developing communication skills. Additionally, the interactions with others can also be an excellent educational tool.

Indirectly, we are trying to achieve the Harkness Teaching, in which a teacher and a group of students work together, exchanging ideas and information, similar to the Aristotelian method of antiquity."

Then there is this blog. I would inform them to monitor this blog for any revelations that I might write, giving the readers a headstart on lessons and activities in forthcoming classes. I will also inform them of the two other blogs I maintain - PCLinuxOS User's Memoirs and Life in the ...chun.

I will also solicit their ideas and expectations for the full term, explain to them the process of my grading system and give them an overview of their final exams. Finally, I would use the remaining time for free talk and possibly some sort of improvised reactions from the students.

Well, to sum it all up, I'm ready.

Starting the 2009 Spring Term

It has been a long, idled holiday for me and I am looking forward to going back to work. I am teaching mostly the same classes with the exception of a couple of new classes. This is good and bad. Good because I know every single student personally, what they want and their level of diligence in their studies. Bad, simply because I would have to devise new lesson plans instead of reusing those that I knew would be interesting and would work.

I mentioned that teaching is work for me. It is work because I get paid for it. However, over the years it has become a passion, and no amount of money receivable can ever compensate for the satisfaction I get from being around young people, exploring their minds and influencing them in the good ways of this world.