EDU3234

I had great time in Dr. Jaya's EDU3234 classes and tutorials this semester. All the information Dr. Jaya has given me about our practicum as well as other topics are really informative and helped me a to prepare for my practicum next year. The film-viewing session during tutorials are also enjoyable as all the films shown to us were very inspiring. I would like to thank Dr. Jaya, Miss Amelia, Miss Alicia & Mr. Vahid for their astonishing efforts. Thank you very much guys! :)

Teaching Practice

Our teaching practice is coming in just a few months. I'm having mixed feelings about it at the moment. Sometimes I feel excited and sometimes I feel anxious. I don't think I'm fully prepared mentally but emotionally I think I am. Today I have a micro-teaching session in Cik Syarifah's class. I taught the students (my classmates) the topic of Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns. My micro-teaching went well with the help of the teaching aids as well as my classmates' cooperation. Cik Syarifah commented about my teaching style. She asked my to be more assertive as I was smiling a lot. Apart from that, she also said that the set induction I did was not suitable for my lesson. After doing my micro teaching today, I realize that I need to work on my assertiveness as well as be prepared before entering the class. I hope that I would be able to apply all the suggestions that Cik Syarigah have given me today in my future lessons so that my lessons would be effective and enjoyable to the students.

Gothic Novels

The topic I have chosen for my project paper is The Elements of Gothic in the Novels Written During the Victoria Era. In this paper, I will focus on the novels entitled Wuthering Heights and The Picture of Dorian Gray. The reason I picked this topic is because I love reading gothic novels. In fact, it is not too difficult to identify the elements of gothic in the novels of Victorian Era. I'm still studying the two novels and hopefully I can complete my project paper soon. :)

Position Paper

I have decided to take on the Merry Maid story for my position paper. The topic sentence I have thought of using for my position paper is 'beggars can't be choosers'. During our previous lesson, Dr. Jaya wanted us to present the topic sentence for our position paper. When he listened to mine, he liked it and told me that it's a good topic. I have no idea yet on how I would relate the topic sentence to my position paper but I think I won't have problem to finish it. Hopefully everything will goes well. :)

Precious

Today we had to watch a film entitled Precious starring Monique, Mariah Carey and Gibourey Sidibe. Precious centers on the plight of young Precious Jones (Gabourney Sidibe), an overweight and impoverished black teenager. Precious is pregnant with her second child (by her own father), and she's forced to live in constant fear of and service to her monstrous mother, Mary (Mo'nique). The film sees new potential opportunities appear for Precious but it doesn't shy away from the immense obstacles that tower above her. Some critics have complained that Precious is too tough to watch. I don't see that. The film shows scenes of brutal domestic violence and heartbreaking discussions, but it also has a heart. The film's texture is rich, due mainly to the superb supporting cast. Mo'nique is chilling as Mary especially in her final scene. Paula Patton is inspiring as a teacher who strives to do what is right for Precious. Most surprisingly of all, Mariah Carey is pitch-perfect as a social worker who wants to help, but can't quite connect.

It's a tear dropping, heart-breaking film with an interesting storyline, very well developed plot and extraordinary performances. Overall, this is the sort of film we need to see more of in the future. Excellent acting, script and direction make this a great textbook example for how small films should be made. Let's hope this film spurs on other such projects that can both inspire and entertain. :)

Lean on Me

We had to watch this film during our tutorial. Lean on Me is an astoundingly inspirational film based on the life and accomplishments of Principal Joe Clark, an unyielding and determined educator who refused to accept the state's conclusion that his high school students were academic failures and decided to change the perception using unorthodox methods of teaching and stern discipline. His work gained national recognition in the 1980's and even received public mention by then President Ronald Reagan. "Crazy Joe" became a household name and set a valuable example to numerous inner city school systems. This film has a profoundly realistic and an unforgettable performance by one of the great actors of our time, Morgan Freeman, playing the role of Joe Clark. The film has numerous memorable quotes and keeps the audience thoroughly entertained. It is a remarkable film worth seeing by both adults and children.10/10.

Chalk

In this week's tutorial, we had to watch a documentary film entitled Chalk. This is a very touching and funny documentary set in a Houston high school. The acting was fantastic. I loved Mr. Stroope (Chris Mass). In fact, I loved all of the featured "teachers" in the film. The characters' development was also great and I ended up liking all of the teachers, regardless of their faults. The production values were very impressive as well and I believe that all of the kids in the film were actual kids from the high school and if so they did a great job. What I enjoyed the most is the total absence of "this is good and this is wrong" that some movies are fulled in. In Chalk, you can easily understand that are more than a simply reason to a teacher act in such ways. :)

Persuasive Paper

Today is our first class after coming back from the Hari Raya break. In today's class, we had a session with Mr. Vahid. He gave a speech on how to write a Persuasive Paper. He also introduced new terms such as claim, data, warrant, backing, rebuttal, and qualifier. We were also given an argumentative writing checklist so that we can evaluate our own position paper. The checklist contains four scales which are based on the Analytic and Hollistic Scales of Argumentative Writing designed by Dr. Jaya and Mr. Vahid. Before the class ended, we had a feast of KFC and soft drinks sponsored by Dr. Jaya as a Hari Raya treat. Thank a lot Dr!!!! :)

Finding Forrester

Today in our tutorial, we watched a film entitled Finding Forrester starring Jamal Wallace and Sean Connery. Finding Forrester is about a 16 year-old boy named Jamal Wallace, played by Rob Brown, who happens to be both a brilliant student, as well as an excellent athlete. He gets offered a full ride to a private high school because of his basketball abilities, but before he even attends a class, he discovers the man that will help improve his writing skills the most. Jamal breaks into the apartment of a reclusive man on a dare from his friends, where he accidentally leaves his backpack with all of his writings. Jamal later finds all of his writings to be corrected. Curious, Jamal returns back to the man's apartment and eventually bonds with the man to the point where Jamal finds out the man helping with his writing was actually the Pulitzer Prize winning author, William Forrester, played by Sean Connery.

Finding Forrester was for me an inspirational film rich with symbolism, fantasy, emotion and most of all, the vibrant life. The main theme and main characters were very intriguing to me; the enigma Pulitzer Prize winning author hidden from society yet so close we might trip on him, the quiet, withdrawn intellect of the unassuming athlete, and finally the power of institution and tradition versus the minority. :)

Akeelah and the Bee

In today's tutorial, we had to watch a film entitled Akeelah and the Bee starring Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne. It's a film of a black middle-school girl (Keke Palmer) from the wrong Los Angeles neighborhood who comes out of nowhere and, exercising her native skill and a good deal of patience and manages to tie for the championship in the US national spelling bee. I really like this film. I felt that it was an endearing film that could be watched by the whole family. Through the storyline, we participated in Akeelah's personal conversations with her own paralyzing fears and inherent strengths – such internal conversations are common to all humanity. At the heart of the matter is this quote used in the film: "As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Such liberation begins with an ongoing commitment to ourselves that we protect and fight for regardless of successes and failures. Through Akeelah and strong supporting characters, this film brings the message home that a champion doesn't always win first prize. First and foremost, a champion never gives up.10/10. :)

The Ron Clark Story

Today I had to watch a film entitled The Ron Clark Story. I was informed that the film was based on a true event. The film is about a teacher named Ron Clark, who grew up in NC. He felt called to teach in NY after seeing a TV program showing the need for good, qualified teachers there. So, he went there and tried to get a job. He had difficulty at first and ended up waiting tables for a while and lived at the YMCA. I enjoyed this film and I think Matthew Perry did a good job with his role. I think what impacted me the most about this film is the fact that Ron Clark cared so much about his students that he basically invested his life (social, mental, and even the financial part apparently). Overall, I think film-viewers out there should watch this film because it will really keep you thinking of all the things a person can achieve and the film is a very good experience. Good move Perry.

Fables

Today we had a short period class with Dr. Jaya. We were taught about fables. A fable is a very short story which is meant to illustrate a point or teach us a lesson. Usually, but not always, fables are stories about animals that talk like people. The lesson that a fable teaches us is called a moral. We were also required to create our own fables and present it on Thursday's tutorial. Apart from that, Dr. Jaya also discussed about our teaching practice which will be held in February next year. Dr. Jaya said that we are free to choose which district in Melaka we want to go for the teaching practice. I have no idea where I want to do my teaching practice but I think I would prefer the rural areas. Lastly, Dr. Jaya discussed about our project paper and position paper. I have decided to write my project paper about the elements of Gothicism in novels written during the Victorian era. I'm looking forward to finish my project paper and hopefully Dr. Jaya will like it. :)

Mona Lisa Smile

Today was our first tutorial for Dr. Jaya's class. During today's tutorial, we were required to watch a film entitled Mona Lisa Smile starring Julia Roberts and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film was the first educational film that we need to watch throughout this semester.

Mona Lisa Smile was a fairly good film. Julia Roberts was believable in the role – and it is amusing to see how badly she fared with the critics – not based on her own performance but because she is of course a little out of vogue at the moment. Five years ago many would have appraised her role rather differently. Some of the comments made within the movie are ironic and pithy. For example when Betty exclaims `Art isn't art unless someone says it is!' it is clear that this is a well placed dig at those within the artistic establishment who try to tell us what `is' art according to their own credo, and have done so throughout history.

The subject of feminism is dealt with, and one important point which is often ignored or misunderstood by some would-be feminists is explored – the idea that a woman can be a feminist whilst raising a family and without having to work outside the home. It was refreshing to see Katherine, whose sole ideal of feminism till then had been to try to emulate her male peers, finally understanding that feminism is entirely about choice, including the choice to stay at home and raise a family.

I would not say this was a terribly deep film, it was well acted, well scripted and showed a snippet of life no woman born in the last 35 years could imagine living. The ending was by far the best part, Katherine embarked on the next phase of her life without a man, a ring on her finger or a job, and to do such a thing would have been almost unimaginable by the standards of that day. Most of us cannot even imagine the revolting `standards' women were forced to endure in those times, and thank goodness for that.

Drowgames

Today was the first tutor for Dr. Jayakaran's class. It was held at the Resource Centre at FPP. We were invited to play an online game designed by Dr. Jayakaran and his fellow friends. The game contains questions related to grammar. It also uses eye-pleasing graphics as well as soothing background music. I think that the game is very enjoyable as it tests my knowledge about grammar. I think the questions are also quit challenging. Dr. Jaya also encouraged us to invite our friends to play the game. I think the game is suitable to be used in a grammar lesson because the content is relevant to our education system and I think secondary school students would find it very enjoyable. I would definitely encourage my future students to play the game to enhance their knowledge about grammar as well as sharpen their thinking skills. To conclude, I would like to thank Dr. Jaya and friends for developing Drowgames. Good job guys!

Let the Music Heals the Soul

Today was our first class with Dr. Jayakaran Mukundan. During his class, we were listening to songs from foreign singers named Sain Zahoor Ahmed and the very popular Lady Gaga.

The first song was by Zahoor Ahmed. I couldn't remember what the song's title was but the song has middle-eastern melodies. I think the song was nice and catchy. In fact, one of my tutors also enjoyed listening to the song. I actually really enjoy listening to songs from the middle-eastern countries because of the melodies and the instruments used.

The second song was entitled Alejandro sung by Lady Gaga. I have listened to the song before and in fact, I have also watched the explicit music video. I have no idea what the song was all about but I was told by one of my classmates that the song was about Lady Gaga's love towards her gay friends. I think the song was quite catchy but I really dislike the video because it's too explicit. I have also read over the Internet that the video contains the elements of Freemason or Illumination because Lady Gaga is a devil-worshipper. I'm not sure whether she is a devil worshipper or not but what matters the most is I think her songs are catchy and she is really talented.

To conclude, songs are really effective to be used during a lesson because I think the usage of songs will make a lesson more enjoyable and students would be able to engage to the lesson easier. Therefore, I hope that I would be able to use songs in my future lessons. :)