Term 2 Wk 1: Engaged Learning? Not an easy task afterall...

Last Wednesday, I taught one of my graduating classes 'Magnetism' and found them very restless and 'not engaged' in my lesson. It got me very frustrated with the class and the students. I can understand too that it is not easy for them as I meet them for 3 consecutive days and all the lessons are double-periods. They could be seriously sick of me by the mid-week.

When I went home that day, I was reflecting to myself what went wrong and what could be done correctly. The next day, I called up the 'disengaged' students and asked them to write an essay on the way they were behaving in my lesson. Of course, I had to package it as a form of 'punishment' and it was indeed very amusing to find words of 'deep regret' (hopefully they meant it!) and 'sincere apologies' in the essay. Afew actually addressed the essay to me (Dear Mdm Ilysa...) as though it was a letter. Nevertheless, it made me felt better that the students do realise their mistakes and are not as bad as I thought they were! I was more curious to gather feedback on my lesson through the contents of their letter/ esssay.

A couple of students mentioned boredom of sitting down during the double periods. Not to mention - 3 consecutive days too (this can't be helped as I was only in school for 3 days!). Afew 'pleaded' me to change the teaching methods....I understand that Physics can be boring because as a student, I used to find it boring too.

It got me thinking on a recent workshop that I attended. For engaged learning to take place, the elements of effective Pedagogy must be there. Engaged learning takes place when a teacher selects pedagogy that considers the following:

1. Student's readiness: A child is able to understand the knowledge taught if it fits into the view of the world at his current stage of cognitive development.
2. Student's learning styles: How much students learn, have to do with whether the learning experiences cater to that particular learning style.
3. Student's existing knowledge: Teaching approaches are more effective if students are able to make connections in their knowledge. The more students draw on their prior knowledge, the easier it is for them to retain the new concepts and skills taught.

Perhaps, in my haste to prepare lessons, I neglected the needs of my students. I did not take into account their learning styles...probably, I was also not able to tap on their existing knowledge too! Last year, I had single periods with them so time flew very fast and my lecture-worksheets styles worked! A realisation hit me - I need to change my teaching methods and think of my students before I go in for my double periods. In a way, I symphathise the 'agony' that the kids had to go through having to "sit" for the whole of my 2 periods.

Perhaps, next lesson I must try to engage my dear students in different ways...

• catch their attention: use some interesting trigger activity or show some magic shows?
• challenge their thinking: come up with some interesting questions and make them ponder abit...
• help them to make sense of their learning: relate the lessons to real-life examples!
• meet their needs: try to have a variety of techniques in teaching...think VARK (visual, aural, read/write, kinaesthetic)

Well, where do I start? Probably by hunting for more videos from You-Tube....