I had an online class on Wednesday early morning (4:30am in California is 9:30pm in Korea) that did not go so well, as there was echo on all the students voices and the webcams didn't work... but they could see/hear each other fine, and no problems seeing/hearing me. the point is, I want them doing more and me less.
I saw the recorded video, and there was no echo! Strange.
I'm not sure how I'm going to resolve this. Perhaps it will work better tomorrow morning, when I use the notebook computer with the neighbor's wireless internet instead of my mother's clunky computer. Hope So!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Jan 17 online
Last class before going to US. Hope I can do Wednesday's class, both physically and mentally present!
Still, it seems many aren't reading, or not reading well Perhaps I need a quiz to start class. I think we have sufficient rapport (even if not the best). I really do want to talk less, they just don't seem forthcoming.
Still, it seems many aren't reading, or not reading well Perhaps I need a quiz to start class. I think we have sufficient rapport (even if not the best). I really do want to talk less, they just don't seem forthcoming.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Jan 14 online
Friday night, should be 3 hours, all of us were tired. So actually, we did only 2 hours. The last 15 minutes was Kelly asking questions, but that's ok, because as I said, if one person has th courage to ask, another has the same question but won't ask. Kelly missed some live classes, which is part of why she didn't know, but stuff isn't perfectly clear either.
VODs are still not up. So we didn't have those to talk about, which is the point of Friday, to talk about activities and VODs...
VODs are still not up. So we didn't have those to talk about, which is the point of Friday, to talk about activities and VODs...
English House Jan 14
Today was the last day of English House. It wasn't a very good teaching day, because actually I was tired (burned out) and hadn't read the reading (Coping with Stress) so I took the shortcut of having students offer ideas on how to combat stress. They did only short phrases. This was all content, virtually no language. I'm ashamed.
I got grades in for the class at 6pm.
No test or written assignments in this "conversation" class, which was also called "Listening and Speaking" and "Communication."
1 point for a "good day"
0 points for a "normal day"
-1 point for a "poor day"
-1 point for late (basically, it's a poor day)
-2 points for absent
from base of 85, add the points.
In terms of a curve, it wasn't bad, almost as many As (90 or more) as Bs (less than 90).
Jay, on the other hand, used a written test.
I got grades in for the class at 6pm.
No test or written assignments in this "conversation" class, which was also called "Listening and Speaking" and "Communication."
1 point for a "good day"
0 points for a "normal day"
-1 point for a "poor day"
-1 point for late (basically, it's a poor day)
-2 points for absent
from base of 85, add the points.
In terms of a curve, it wasn't bad, almost as many As (90 or more) as Bs (less than 90).
Jay, on the other hand, used a written test.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Jan 12 online
9:30pm I showed up online and the three were waiting for me.
Hooray for Angela, Se-ok, and Kelly!!!!
the Writing chapter is pretty short. We spent 20 minutes doing "housekeeping" -- assignments upcoming, etc. Another 25 minutes talking about the Process approach, which Harmer does in only two short paragraphs (which is why I spent more time on it).
A short break, then 50 minutes to finish the chapter and Q&A on assorted stuff, including the question of when is the midterm (5 points) -- not decided -- and about Sollal classes (no class Feb 2 or 4.
I let them know that the VODs related to Harmer units 2-6 and 12, plus 7-10, have been sent to GDU and should be ready any day now. I will let them know when.
I also said again that the aim was that I might do a lecture for an hour, but the second hour of these sessions should be their talking time, questions, etc, while I sip tea! :-)
Hooray for Angela, Se-ok, and Kelly!!!!
the Writing chapter is pretty short. We spent 20 minutes doing "housekeeping" -- assignments upcoming, etc. Another 25 minutes talking about the Process approach, which Harmer does in only two short paragraphs (which is why I spent more time on it).
A short break, then 50 minutes to finish the chapter and Q&A on assorted stuff, including the question of when is the midterm (5 points) -- not decided -- and about Sollal classes (no class Feb 2 or 4.
I let them know that the VODs related to Harmer units 2-6 and 12, plus 7-10, have been sent to GDU and should be ready any day now. I will let them know when.
I also said again that the aim was that I might do a lecture for an hour, but the second hour of these sessions should be their talking time, questions, etc, while I sip tea! :-)
English House Jan 12
Today was a tough day. I'm tired.
I was in class on time, students were late in the two morning classes. It was a student's birthday in the second (morning) class, so that class started late, and took a cake break in the middle.
The topic (animal intelligence) was fine, some students enjoyed more than others, and there were divergent opinions. I spent about 8 minutes presenting Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, which was not directly related to the reading, but wanted students to both think about the ESP element of animals (which the book did mention) and also students' own study habits.
Also referred to the program evaluation, which will be done on Friday (last day), that I wanted students to think more than just the 5 minutes they will be given at end of class. So that they help teachers and the program improve for next time. And that thinking about what they liked and didn't helps them to think about their own learning styles.
These guys are starting to understand, I think, that I'm serious about them "thinking" in English rather than just practicing their "taxi-driver" (BICS) talk. And a few students are offering nice comments, that the ideas I offer, even unrelated to English, are important and sticking, even when they don't agree (they are thinking). A few will join my classes next semester, I think, even though none are in my major. Which means maybe they think I'm doing something useful.
I was in class on time, students were late in the two morning classes. It was a student's birthday in the second (morning) class, so that class started late, and took a cake break in the middle.
The topic (animal intelligence) was fine, some students enjoyed more than others, and there were divergent opinions. I spent about 8 minutes presenting Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, which was not directly related to the reading, but wanted students to both think about the ESP element of animals (which the book did mention) and also students' own study habits.
Also referred to the program evaluation, which will be done on Friday (last day), that I wanted students to think more than just the 5 minutes they will be given at end of class. So that they help teachers and the program improve for next time. And that thinking about what they liked and didn't helps them to think about their own learning styles.
These guys are starting to understand, I think, that I'm serious about them "thinking" in English rather than just practicing their "taxi-driver" (BICS) talk. And a few students are offering nice comments, that the ideas I offer, even unrelated to English, are important and sticking, even when they don't agree (they are thinking). A few will join my classes next semester, I think, even though none are in my major. Which means maybe they think I'm doing something useful.
English House Jan 11
writing this a day late...
I had planned to video my class, and I did record the first class (high intermediates). I did a pretty good job with that class, I thought. Talked too much, of course, but the 17 minutes or so at front of class had images displayed on the computer/beam projector of different types of alternate energies. Maybe I was too "content-based" on this discussion topic. Problem was that the camcorder was poorly positioned. I had hoped to put it in the window sill, as I often do, but there was no power outlet nearby. So it went in an opposite corner, which meant that even with the curtains closed there were streaks of light. And without a tripod (I could have brought one!) it was too low, so couldn't see me at all, only the backs of students. A perfect waste
The lessons later in the day didn't flow as well, lower-level students. But still, for students, it was a pretty good day.
I had planned to video my class, and I did record the first class (high intermediates). I did a pretty good job with that class, I thought. Talked too much, of course, but the 17 minutes or so at front of class had images displayed on the computer/beam projector of different types of alternate energies. Maybe I was too "content-based" on this discussion topic. Problem was that the camcorder was poorly positioned. I had hoped to put it in the window sill, as I often do, but there was no power outlet nearby. So it went in an opposite corner, which meant that even with the curtains closed there were streaks of light. And without a tripod (I could have brought one!) it was too low, so couldn't see me at all, only the backs of students. A perfect waste
The lessons later in the day didn't flow as well, lower-level students. But still, for students, it was a pretty good day.
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