Reem A.’s Neighborhood

The school start celebrating on the National Day at 9:30 today. Students were very happy and they dressed different cloth related to UAE culture. They brought their little brothers and sisters. Moreover, they song different music related to UAE  in the assembly and they were acting. Also, they were buying a traditional food and the school  ask women from outside to put Henna for students. However, I didn’t have time to see and attend everything.

I talked with my SST about the suitable topic for my Action Research. From collecting questionnaires , interviews and discussing with miss Maryanne I  suggested to my SST to choose Using Blog in English. She liked the topic and agreed to run this project next semester. Now, I’m relaxed because I will start searching journals and articles from library catalog about my topic. This will help me start writing Literature Review that leads to write Need Analysis Report next.

After that, I conducted an interview with miss Natalie about using technology. She saw the importance of technology is  adding in students learning, but if the traditional way works better technology is not necessary integrated in the classroom. Moreover, she let teachers use web quests after finishing from each chapter. Actually, she writes  web quests by herself for students and sometimes she takes a ready web quests from websites to use it in the class. Finally, I found that she would be interested in running sessions about how to set up class website and blog. Moreover, she preferred using blog outside teaching time.

Subsequently, I interviewed miss Bassma who is an English teacher. I found out that she integrates technology in the classroom because it enhanced her teaching and make the lesson interesting. Moreover, she used web quest once or twice each week for her students. Also, she would like to have training about using new software because it will help her to deliver lesson perfectly.

Finally, I distributed questionnaire for students, waiting , and explaining questions for them. I found out most of them used technology a lot. Also, they have Internet/wireless access at home that will help me next semester. Moreover, they are familiar to use different types of software especially Microsoft Office. Lastly, most of them used e-mail and MSN as communication tool.

Happy National Day and Aid Mubarak for all of you…

Today I met teachers that I will interview them to arrange the suitable time for them. I interviewed miss Hessa and miss Mariam only.

I found both of them used the same technology in the classroom such as multimedia projector, laptop, speaker and Internet. Moreover, they used web quests for their students that surprised me. Furthermore, teachers used the same software for their teaching which are Microsoft Office. However, I found miss Hessa used more software like Voc. factory which create and build vocabulary activity. Also, she used other software that she installed it in her laptop, but she did not remember their name.  In addition, both of teachers used email and messenger to communicate with their students at home and they would like to use communication tools in the classroom.

On the other hand, from my interview I noticed both of teachers faced the same problems while using technology. For example, multimedia projector doesn’t work and laptop stuck in the middle of the activities.

Finally, both of teachers attend different sessions in the school and out of the school. They believed training session to use new software is defiantly important for their job.

Tomorrow, I will interview miss Bassma and my SST miss Natalie. I hope that they have time for tomorrow’s interview because they will celebrating for the National Day.

After I had prepared for my action research and I was almost done. I spend my time on preparing myself for the Model United Nations “Definition” which would take place for the first time at American University in Kuwait. This is an important trip for me since I will represent the college and my country abroad. I would like to reflect on the MUN and my preparation for this conference. I was selected to join this trip after I had an interview with Ms. Rafeef, Dr. Christina and Ms. Gail who asked me and other 8 students several questions about debating and other social and political issues in the UAE and the world. I was so flexible and confident to respond on the questions and discuses topics and because of that I was selected to go to Kuwait.

 The college supported me by organizing several sessions to train and prepare for MUN. I was so pleased also to see that MOE and the curriculum department so co operative and supportive with the college where they allowed me twice to leave at 12:30 to attend me preparation sessions. I chose to be a delegate of DR of Congo and I think that I learnt lots of information of an African world.  Here are some valid sources (add some links here)which I looked through and gain benefit from them. The MUN has three section which are General assembly which I signed for, Security Council and the GCC. The General Assembly is focusing only at the millennium goals, social issues, environmental issues and women and children rights. Therefore, I looked at lots of websites and I searched for the previous topics and the general information of the country, the history, people and president. I wrote my position paper for the general speech and I think I am prepared now.

My flight would be at 11pm and I have to be at Dubai airport at 9pm, terminal 1 where I will meet Ms Rafeef, Dr. Christine and 7 other students from the college who are on their first year and studying business and IT. Wish me luck girls!

On this day I met Ms Mary to discuss with her the analysis and the case study which I had started from week 11. It was a positive meeting because I received an immediate feedback from my teacher and reinforcement which kept me motivated intrinsically. I came up with the following tasks to be focused on: Mind Map, literature Review, Moodle Module, Designing logo and brochure project. These projects will assist me to prepare the action research on the following semester. I think this is a good chance to practice my design and writing skills therefore to improve them and to spend the second semester working on the action research which will be done according the ADDIE system. This remind me of “”.

Furthermore, I had decided with Salama to work collaboratively on the needs are the curriculum department had mentioned before but we will implement it according to what we had learn from the college by using various knowledge and skills. This proved that I am able to work on challenged tasks since I has high competent to do so. I was pleased after the meeting with Ms Mary since she was helpful, organized and supportive and she wished me luck on my MUN AUK trip to Kuwait.

On this day I spend some time following some people on Twitter and I found some great websites which provide for you free java scripts to build on your website. The tutorials available are very simple and easy to use and implement.

Today completed my survey and send it to Mary to check it for me. The survey is about the ministry website and how effective it is. I wrote various types of questions such as yes/no, multiple choice and open ended to conclude the survey. I received the correction with clear notes and positive feedback, so  my following step is to translate the questions from English to Arabic. It will not take from me a long time to translate the questions to Arabic because I have a strange writing skills in Arabic. On this day, I was surprised to see the small studio at the department. It has several equipments which helps to record audio tracks for educational proposes.

This remind me of Reem and Aisha who had mentioned previously on their blogs about taping audio tracks at their work placement. It was not the same studio since the MOE recording by using computers rather that the tapes which had been used at SEZ . Moreover, I think that interviewing the administrator Assistant of the department was something positive which showed the parents and the audience of the TV – radio station that MOE is caring about their learners and sharing the new educational projects for them. Finally I think that the UAE media and MOE working in clarity and honesty to demonstrate the truth for everyone.

Today, I checked my Facebook account and looked through the educational groups that I joint before and I found lots of beneficial things and I am pleased to share these groups with you:

I arrived home at 12 am and I was a pleasant educational trip to Kuwait. I present the college and my country professionally and I am proud of myself. I learn several things from my trip which will help me in the future and will enrich my CV.

·         MUN:

From the Model United Nations I learn different political, environmental and educational issues around the world. I learnt the method of dealing officially with other delegates and chairman since there are a special phrases and expressions to state such as “Honorable chairman follow delegates, point of information, point of privilege”. These formal phrases are officially used in the United Nations, so it was an effective practice to approach the real idea of the United Nations.

·         Future Career:

After the meeting with the ambassador of the Ireland who came to the American University of Kuwait (AUK) and gave a speech about his participation of the MUN when he was at the university. He explained the importance of MUN and how does it improve the personal characteristics by meeting other delegates from the world and debating for and against the issues. I was so delighted to know that it is possible to join the UN in the future if I had enough knowledge and news of the world.  

·         Communication:

It was interesting to meet different students from different learning levels. At AUK I met students from the university and others from the high schools. Also, I was so pleased to communicate Bahrain delegates who studied at the Royal Medical College. Building networks from a political background was something new for me since I was introduced to the MUN AUK president who is Abdulaziz AlMutawa. He is such a great student from the international studies department at the university. I spoke to him personally and I was an owner to be a friend of him and the other students from the high school. Moreover, I am in touch with the high school students via the instant messages and we are now good friends. On the other hand, I get to know the college students who travelled with me and they were so kind, helpful and humorous.

·         English Practice:

The trip gave me the chance to practice my writing and speaking skills in English. During the conference I join a group of delegates to write our resolutions for the following issues: drug trafficking, human trafficking, millennium goals and nuclear weapons. I learnt lots of new vocabulary and collocations in the international studies. In addition, communicating with the delegates during the 4 days was in English and I think that was an effective practice during my work placement weeks.

·         Independency:

MUN AUK trip taught me how to be organized, responsible, prepared, punctual and independent. I used to depend on my mother on everything even on waking up on the morning. But when I was abroad I learnt how to depend on myself  and do everything by my own. Not only that I was praised daily by Ms Rafeef and Dr. Christina for being responsible, organized and punctual.

Finally, I would like to mention that the MUN trip taught me lots of positive aspects in present and future. I learnt from the trip the general idea of the United Nations. Also, I gain benefit from delegates who I met and I practice my English language. Moreover, I learnt to be independent.

Today I did my best to arrange everything to finish up. I started the morning with meeting with miss marry who helped me to organize my ideas and guided me to carry on the other parts of the projects.

I went to Mrs. Huda and decide a meeting with her and Mrs. Mariam to finalize and talking about the project. Amna and I will present our ideas to them and the way we will be working on. We will take their advices and listen to their opinions.

Then I started collecting the questionnaire, unfortunately I got around 8 back but still I have time to collect the rest.

I started searching for journal and articles related to my project. Also I continued searching for software and learning some.

By the end of the day I listed some ideas for kinds of materials that I could create effectively.

Today I was very excited to teach grade 7 girls about PowerPoint (hyperlink and recording sound). When I arrived I printed the work sheet for the students and asked the reception to photocopy for me. Three people attended to my lesson Miss Carole, Manal and Nada. I used different tools to assist me teaching the lesson. I created a video using Camtasia of the steps to hyperlink to (slide, presentation, file, web page and e-mail address). Students focused with me and they were engaged.

I noticed that Miss Manal did not apply a team work or pair work during class time. So in computer activity stage I let students work in pairs to solve the worksheet and create the presentation. I noticed how they collaborate together, this effectively let students work quietly and focus in the process. When I finished the first lesson the teacher asked me to teach for second time for same topics with boys.

When I finished teaching I attended to two classes and arrange with my monitor a meeting for next day with the computer teacher to discus about my action research project.

^_^ Happy Day For Me

Today I asked Miss Carole to give me time to prepare for the lesson I am going to teach. I created tutorial video about creating hyperlinks in PowerPoint. I was thinking about letting students to work in groups because I noticed that the teacher did not apply this in her lesson a lot.

Wish me luck Girls ^_^

Today, I came early at 7 to check my email , see and replay my classmates posts in Vox. Unfortunately,  the Internet connection doesn’t work in all the school. I went to see Science teachers if they are free to distribute my questionnaires and to attend a class with them. However, they were very busy and stress with the exams.

After that, I attended an English lesson with miss Redah. The lesson was in English club. There was multimedia projector and 8 computers for the students to do their work in their free time. Moreover, there were lots of dictionaries and English resources for students to use such as reading and grammar practice. I noticed, a big number of stories for beginning levels in the shelves. Teacher ask students to read one story each week and write a summary about it.

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Teacher gave  a lesson for grade 12 Art. Teacher connected her laptop with the multimedia to show students 2 pictures. One picture was about a boy who practice his hobbies and the second one was  about a blinding  boy setting alone.  Teacher planned to gave her students activity related to Dictogloss. She divided students to 5 groups and she read the instructions for students twice. First, she read the text and student were listing to her. Second, she read the text and students write down their notes.  Third, She gave them A3 papers and she asked them to rewrite the story by their own words. She gave them 15 minutes to recreate story with their group. After that, teacher asked them to put their papers in the board and each group have to check for other groups. Then, teacher read the story again to check if they write the important vocabulary. Next, She went to the board to check their grammar and evaluate each group. Moreover, she asked each group to evaluate others work. At the end of the lesson, teacher asked students to reflect on this story and to tell what they learn from this activity.

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                                                An example of recreating story for one of the group.

To reflect on my observation for today, I was very delighted that miss Redah applied what she learned from the workshop that we attended last week. I think by this way she used novel activity for students that will help students to be motivation. I noticed students paid attention with the teacher because it was a new  activity for them. Moreover, I believe asking students to reflect on the end of the lesson will let them to talk and express their feeling about the activity and their work. This will help them to practice their speaking before they enter the college and communicate with others easily.

Tomorrow, I will  make an interview with 4 teachers because they were busy today in grading students tests. I hope I will finish my interview by tomorrow because they will be busy on Wednesday by celebrating for the national day.