CNK : Backward Lesson Plan Design (Intro)

CNK : Backward Lesson Plan Design

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Hi Everyone! It has been a long time to write a new post here. 

I hope you guys are in very happy and good condition. Stay safe and work from home. :D 

Anyway, I come up with a question. What do you do before entering your classroom -teaching-? Checking your outfit? make up? or your social media? 

If you ask me, I did all of those things. :D

But, I believe those things are being checked after you finish your Lesson Plan. I believe that all of you are familiar with Lesson Planning. It is one of the hardest thing to do as a teacher (well, many teachers in my country say so)

Yes, Lesson Plan is an outline for what you will do in the classroom containing important information: student background (grade, students learning profile, number of the students). lesson (target language), the learning objectives, activities/instructions (steps to achieve the goals), and evaluation. Good lesson plan is when the goals, activities, and assessment are well connected to achieve the learner's outcome. 

There are many reasons why teacher need to prepare such plan before teaching:

In other sources, stick to your lesson plan can give you big confidence to 'perform' in front of the students, especially for the pre-service teachers in their internship program. It is like a guidance to help you take control for the whole 45-90 minutes teaching. 

There are many examples of  lesson plan template. Here, one of my favorite templates which I ever used (simple but still in detailed). 

We can see that there is also space for the teacher to do self-reflection before, while and after teaching.

In this lesson plan, we can see the sequences are:

1. Warm up (In this stage, teachers usually have a simple activity to access students' prior knowledge by reviewing last class material, or the students' experience in connecting to the today's material )

2. Presentation (Teachers give input (material))

3. Practice (Here, teachers give opportunity for the students to practice what they just have learned which is still in teachers' guidance)
4. Production (In this stage, the students do their task in unrehearsed situations)
5. Evaluation (Here, the students can be assessed for their performance/learning, or both the teacher and students do self-reflection on teaching/learning)

In other more detailed lesson plan format, you can also add possible problems/difficulties and solutions beside every activity in your plan. It is really helpful to prepare ourselves to anticipate challenges while we are facing our students. 

Okay, that was a brief explanation of lesson plan. My second question is, how do you make your lesson plan?
Do you start by formulating fun and enjoyable activities? or designing the assessment? If you do one of them, I will ask you to change it by reading the following suggestions.

Backward Lesson Plan Design.

Different from the traditional method where you design the lesson plan first, and then deciding the result (objectives), this design is the opposite. Steven Covey says that the second habit of highly effective people is that they begin with the end in mind. In other words, successful people start everything with a goal or a vision, which can be done by teachers in designing their lesson plan too. So, Backward design is when teachers start to formulate their lesson plan with the end -student' outcome/what the students need to learn or know-, then continuing to design the appropriate assessment, and finally planning the activities.

To put it more detailed, let's see each step to do this Backward LP design HERE. 

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Tips and Tricks Joining EPIC CAMP

What's the tips? What's the trick?

Well Hello People. How’s life? I hope everything is going fine. 

Well, in my previous post, I have already shared about what EPIC CAMP is. If you have not read it yet, please click HERE to know more about EPIC CAMP. Now, I want to share information dealing with how to join EPIC CAMP with some tips and tricks.

In 2017, EPIC CAMP was held on January, but the registration started from November, 2016. So, now we are in November. YUP! November, meaning that the registration will be closed soon! Prepare yourself. Oh My God, Gomez. Why do you tell us just now? It’s near the due date! I am very sorry to tell it too late, but I promise you to share something good below, Okay? Calm. . In my opinion it is the right time to share this things, and for you, it is the right time to prepare yourself. Oh, come on. Stop going round and round. Oh, Okay, here it is.

Info #1;

CAMP EPIC usually opens the registration on October to November. As one of the conditions to apply this camp, you need to be on your last year of your study, it is focused on English teacher. But, if you already teach and not coming from Education background, you can join as well since some campers come from English Literature Department. 

After knowing the information about the registration, you can download the file (application form) to start writing what is needed. Usually, in the application form will be needed the information of your curriculum vitae, your reason joining the camp, your future plan and your recommendation from a lecturer or Head of Department. You can start completing those form before the due date. 

Here are some tips and trick to write an application;

• ·         Don’t forget to be honest to yourself in writing the answer.

Write what is actually happened to you. Write your reason or answer as honest as possible. You may make it simple but you get them the point of your answer.

• ·         Don’t forget to use “Netiquette” when sending or replying an email.

RELO office will contact the participants by email. So, you sometimes need to ask question or maybe reply them. Don’t forget to use formal words, simple and clear subject and right signature.

• ·         Don’t ruin your application form by many attachments.

If the form actually is in one complete document, don’t try to separate them. When you got the form in one full package document, don’t try to unpack them. You also need to be careful to the file attachment that you send. Don’t forget the size limitation of the documents.

• ·         Be familiar with technology.

Yupz, everyone. In filling the application form, you need to type, scan documents and maybe sign on it. You also might to scan or resize your photo to make it fit into email. You also maybe need to use some applications to do your work such as converting or etc.

So, please be familiar with it. Or, you can ask your friends, other experts or internet to help you. Friends who had experience in applying for scholarship may help you find easy way to complete the form.

Also, make your application form neat. Don’t ruin the bullet point or the space form question to question. Type it well.

• ·         Proofread.

Before submitting your application form, don’t forget to check the spelling, punctuation, and the grammar error. Remember that good sentence is the sentence that is simple and understandable. Don’t use flowery words that will ruin your contain of essay.

• ·         Don’t submit the application form more than the due date.

This is the rule. Ha.Ha!

Info #2;

After submitting your application form by email to the RELO Office, you need to wait for maybe several weeks to know that you passed. It needs times because the amount of participants who enroll this camp are fantastic. For the last camp, CAMP EPIC 3, the number of participants are about 500 to 600 participants. So, please be patient to wait the confirmation email.

Don’t need to worry, all of you will got the confirmation email as the answer of your application. If you are selected, the email maybe comes with “I’m happy to inform you” or “Congratulation”.

If you are not selected, the email also comes and don’t be sad, you still have chance to join many other good programs.

Well, after you got the email, the RELO office will give you time think for maybe 2 days to really decide either you join the camp or not. You need to reply the email.

Well... those are all i know. you may add some other tips and tricks in the comment below. hopefully, for you who interested in this program, you can be one of outstanding campers in 2018.
keep inspiring !!

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Connected through EPIC CAMP

CONNECTED through EPIC CAMP

If you have already read my previous post about WHAT IS EPIC CAMP, you may know the abbreviation of EPIC. Yupp, E P I C stand for Empowered, Prepared, Inspired, and Connected. Out of the first three letters that were really happened in the camp process, C for connected has really good impact for me myself after the camp. 

When we were selected as the participants, the counselors and participants had group in social media such as WhatsApp. Before meeting at Batu, the campers did a lot of communication in the WhatsApp group and email. After the camp finished, the WhatsApp group still connected us. Are you serious? It must be a big fat hoax, Gomez! It really ties as the really big family from all over Indonesia and Timor Leste. Moreover, we also have WhatsApp group for all alumni from EPIC Camp 1, 2, and 3. Even, we made Line group to do video call for release the “pain” of missing other campers. 

Reunion in Jakarta

Those social medias really connects us. It is not only for sharing our daily activity, but also sharing information about many opportunities for developing our skills and ability; exchange program, volunteering program and scholarship. My thought back then was “the campers will not meet again and only can connect each other from social media”. In fact, my expectation is extremely contrary to the reality. Hey, Gomez, you make it all hyperbole. Hey, Hey, she said the truth, see the perfect and authentic proof here, Dude. 

 Reunion in Surabaya

Yupp, many campers could meet again in other occasions, it could be a program, seminar, workshop or just “meet up”. This means that the campers are connected not only in social media but also in the real life. In my case, I did meeting up with my first and second alumni of EPIC CAMP in Surabaya, in that occasion I also met my counselor and senior from EPIC CAMP 2 from Ambon, they were attending the same conference as me. Then, I also met up with my counselors from Jember and Surabaya and one alumnae of EPIC CAMP 3 from Malang, we met in Surabaya. We did not only meet, say hello, and then say goodbye, but we shared story, experience, opportunity and many things related to teaching and our passion. That was not only happen in my case, but it happened to the other campers. 

I did ask my friend from Jakarta, Mr. Anderson. He said that “through meet ups, I feel that the idea of connected is no longer jargon/slogan. Through meet ups, we do not only stay personally connected, but also professionally connected. We share a lot about the projects that we have completed or those that we are working with, spurring each other to keep advancing towards a better future. The meet up is also a chance for us to connect with a bigger circle of colleagues. For example, it turns out that some campers are actually acquainted with my formal lecturer, resulting in more fruitful discussion, and yes, one thing for sure: meet ups show how campers are really committed to support each other as one big EPIC family.” 

Reunion in Magelang

Mrs. Maywil, a camper from Magelang, also added that “meet up ini bukan hanya kesempatan untuk melepas rindu, tapi juga untuk bergosip. Gossip/ghibah yang saya maksud bukan sembarang ghibah, tapi untuk membicarakan keberhasilan campers lain, alias menyebarkan kabar gembira secara langsung. Ghibah-ghibah inilah yang memotivasi campers lain untuk maju, mengikuti campers yang sudah didepan. Yang saya dapat dari meet ups: ilmu/informasi, semangat, kebersamaan.”

 Mrs. Irma, from Semarang also added that Meet up is sharing. “Sharing tentang apapun; ilmu, pengalaman, atau hanya sekedar ngobrol. Kita sendiri tahu kalau semua campers adalah orang orang hebat dengan segudang pengalaman. So, ngobrol bermanfaat banget kalo ketemu sama campers.”

For me myself, the meet up will inspire you to be a really better person. the EPIC alumni are not a joke. They are all awesome and wonderful people. They have good passion and big dream. They know what they want to do for their community and Indonesia. I love to be among them. Such a great time that I need to be grateful.

Reunion in Makassar

Those above are only a lil’ bit testimony from other campers. But, for real, we are just connected to each other since we are CAMP EPIC. There is no regret to have those inspiring people around me. It reminds me to the very sweet and memorable song.

“Friends are nothing ‘til they camp together

They must camp the whole day

They must camp the night away

They must camp

Together they must camp”

Well, for you guys who interested in teaching and eligible for this EPIC CAMP EPIC, I recommend you to join this. Yup, the registration will be close in 15^th November 2017. Apply it as soon as possible! 

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CNK: What do your students call you?

What do your students call you?

Oh, WOW, hi everyone. It’s such a beautiful day to start a day, right?

Well, I beg my pardon that for such a long time, I did not post anything. The days were just freaking out. Kidding. 

Well, I heard that time for internship is coming. It is when the student teachers or pre-service teachers go to school to practice their skills in teaching. Are you sure? Of course, Yes. Well, welcome to the jungle. Evil Smile. 

Hei, everyone. Please, don’t mine the angel and evil on my mind. They are just coming out and fighting each other. Students are not that bad, they are fun. You gotta be kidding.

Okay, today I want to share a little bit experience in my teaching internship. Hopefully, you can take a little good thing from these. 

This is about what do your students call you? Is it Miss/Mister/Mam or Teacher or else? This is actually not really big deal dealing with the teaching and learning process. However, this is one of ways to manage my classroom. Maybe, you have ever heard about “Building good rapport” among your students. In this case, ask the students to call me in a different name is my way in building good rapport. 

Pict Source

In the book "Classroom Management Techniques" by Jim Scrivener, Rapport here means the relationship among students and students or among you “the teacher” and the students. As a teachers, we need to have good relationship to our students. It is because we want them to listen to us and see us. One of ways to make the students listen to us is being their friends; being their friends inside or outside the classroom. Meaning that you are not merely talk about the lesson, you make jokes and ask about their condition. 

In fact, being really close to your students as a friend is not always good thing. Sometimes, they will just ignore you because they think that you are no more than their school friends; no longer teacher. So, when you want to be friend of your students, make sure that you have limitation or border. In the other words, you can be their friends, but you also need to keep your position as a teacher. 

Another true story from my facilitator in CAMP EPIC 3 is that, she was fine to be friend with her students. However, she did not want to share her ID for social media since she did not want to be friends with her students. She wants to keep her privacy and her stuffs secretly. But after she finished teaching in that school, she were fine to follow or add her students in social media. In sum, there is no exact way on how you can build good rapport to your students. You as a teacher decide this. 

Okay, those are above a little bit about rapport. Here, get back to my different name. Who are curious about this? Wooho. No one is excited, Sist. Keep your voice down. Oh, whatever. Yup, in building good rapport, I wanted my students to call me “Gomez”. God, like Selena Gomez? You must be kidding me! Hey, this is the fact. Calm down.  This is just pure my nickname in my real life. So, my purpose is that I want my students to be just like my friends. Of course, I did not tell them directly like “Hi everyone, I’am Hamidah but you must call me Gomez.”, oh. No. You need to have a little plan to make them do so. 

Pict Source

Here it is, in the first time I teach a new class in my internship, I take for 15 to 20 minutes to run this plan. I introduce them to my “International Class”. Do you have an idea about this? Hey, is that a title of Pitbul’s song? So international, So international. Hei, stop it. The writer needs to be focus. Yeah, this is just my trick to ask the students to call my nick name. 

•     I introduce them like, “Welcome to my International Class, a place where you should speak English and have your own International name.” Then, I ask them to have 3 to 5 minutes choosing and deciding their International name. I ask them to write on the name on small paper, then stick it on their clothes (to make me see and read their names if I forget)

•      Well, the next step is that “what is your International name?”. Before calling their names, I will firstly introduce my International name like “Hi everyone, my name is Hamidah Salam and my International name is Gomez.” (That is very short example, if you want to say more, it can be like; “Hi everyone, my name is Hamidah Salam and my International name is Gomez, yupp, that Gomez, the one with beautiful face and voice”. Then, your students leave the class.)

• Yeah, I call everybody and the students copy me in the way of introducing their International names. You will just smile and see what the students can show you. Well, my students were just so creative and unbelievable. They came out with very different and unique names. Some of them were fine, like the name of top singers, top footballers, top basketball players or maybe, top Korean actors, actresses, singers. Then, some of them came out with very unique and unpronounceable name like Drinkwater, Black…. (Russian name). That was very one and I like that. 

• So, in my attendance list, beside their real name, I also write their International names. In the next meeting, I will call their International names in my class, while they also call me “Gomez” as a return.

Well, those are not just for fun. From those “International Class”, I was able to know my students’ favorite people or their activities or dreams. As an example, there was my students with an International name “Kyri Irving”. I had no idea about that since I did not know him. Then, when I ask the student, “who is Kyri Irving?”, he explained that he was basketball players. Here, I can see that he loves basketball, or maybe, he is able to play basketball well. Those favorites can help me if I want to have short conversation to the students. This also can give the students the opportunity to practice their English. In my opinion, starting with the topic they love is a good thing. Another thing is that, from knowing the students’ favorite thing, you can decide and choose material (text, song, news) that deal with their favorite. It is aimed to make the students are engaged and interested in the learning process. 

Yup, don’t forget, in doing this, you also need to prepare yourself as a role model. Yes, of course, as a role model in pronouncing the name. As we know that, in different country or places, the way of pronouncing the alphabet is somehow different. So, prepare yourself to maybe know and practice your pronunciation. 

Well, as a conclusion, those are above my way of building good rapport to my students. To keep building good rapport, don’t forget to remember all your students’ name and their face. It looks like simple and small thing, but actually this is important. By memorizing the names and faces, the students will feel that you know them like “Oh, my teacher knows my name.” or “Wow, my teacher calls me.” They would be very sad if you forget or wrongly call their names. 

Wohoo~~~ this is the last from me, hopefully, you can have good rapport among your students. Oh, Come on. Stop talking and finish it soon. Everyone needs to go. Okay Okay, calm down. Just one more sentence.  Stay SWAG and Keep Going!!

Don't forget to check my other posts. Chiao :D

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What Is CAMP EPIC?

What Is CAMP EPIC?

Hi everyone! Nice to see that the sun comes out today. You may put on your glasses because it’s shining. Woohoo~~~

Hope you also always in a happy situation, people.

Well, today I want to share about CAMP EPIC. Maybe, some of you do not know what CAMP EPIC is and what EPIC stands for. I will share it here, so, please stay tune. 

CAMP EPIC is held by RELO (Regional English Language Office) U.S Embassy Jakarta. What is actually RELO here? Don’t worry, people. I will share the link about RELO and how to join CAMP EPIC in the next post.

  

Camp EPIC is camp for pre-service English teacher to train them how to teach English in creative and innovative way. Camp EPIC here are held for Indonesia and Timor Leste. Camp EPIC now has already 3 generations. The First camp EPIC are 22 pre-service teachers in 2015, the second one are 42 pre-service teachers in 2016 and the third one that held last January are 47 pre-service teachers. They come from all over Indonesia and Timor Leste. For the last camp EPIC, there are 42 pre-service teachers from Indonesia and 5 pre-service teachers from Timor Leste. 

EPIC, what does EPIC stand for?

EPIC here is abbreviation of Empowered, Prepared, Inspired and Connected. It is such a goal of RELO that all English teacher in Indonesia and Timor Leste can be empowered, prepared and inspired as well before being the real teacher in their region. It is also good to be connected by having good preparation and knowledge about teaching. Connected to all over Indonesia and Timor Leste may help English teachers to find as many as references for better learning English.

Well, here I want to share information dealing with CAMP EPIC 3. Fortunately, I was selected as one of the participants from Indonesia in CAMP EPIC 3, 2017 in Batu, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. 

If you are curious what will you got from CAMP EPIC, or you are curious what actually the pre-service teachers do in their two weeks, I will tell you gloriously. 

Well, in those two weeks camp, we, campers are perfectly accommodated by the RELO. It starts from the accommodation such as flight tickets, taxi amount, mansions, and meals. You just need to prepare your clothes to pack. Additionally, one best important thing to prepare is your body. Before going to the camp, eat healthy food and vitamins. 

Okay, here I go. 

So, the two weeks are spent for microteaching classes, outdoor activity, American moments, games, songs, and outing. This is like intensive course for pre-service teaching in developing teaching skills. Have I mentioned about facilitators and counselor? Well, facilitators are the fellows from America or other professional English teacher from University of Indonesia. As its named, they will facilitate you in developing your skill in English. You can ask questions, play game, or share experience with them. Besides facilitators, there are counselors that will help us as well.

Microteaching classes will give you much knowledge and new teaching ideas because you will work with other pre-service teachers from other region, even country to conduct a teaching process. It is happened to me that I gained much knowledge from microteaching classes. I worked with my special two campers form Jakarta and Lombok. They were really good in teaching and team work. I did not only from my team teaching but also from all campers that were very creative and innovative in teaching.

As you know that teaching English cannot be separated with the culture, in this camp, we also are introduced with many new American culture in outdoor activities or in American moments. It is actually not a secret to tell you, guys, but I will make it as confidential as possible to make you curious. (Kidding) Well, we are introduced some American games, song and other cultural things. 

Here, you also will be introduced to games and songs that you may use in your teaching process. You may use it as your ice breakers or just games for spend your time with your students in extracurricular. 

Who loves outing and shopping here? I believe, you all do. In weekend, usually we will have several hours to do outing in a certain place. The outing also can be in a school. Campers and I went to an Elementary School to practice what we had for the last two weeks. There was so much happiness and experiences that is hard to mention one by one. 

To sum up all my happiness and grateful, I have no regret joining this CAMP EPIC 3 in 2017. I learn a lot from this two weeks camp. It’s not only about teaching but also culture of Indonesia, Timor Leste and America. What I love most is that even after three months we had the camp, all campers are still connected by chatting in social media group, meeting up, sharing information and doing other things. This is like the goal of camp EPIC. We are all Empowered, Prepared, Inspired, and Connected. Miss you all CAMPERS 3 “Keep Earth Sexy”. 

Well, I don’t think one post blog will say much things. You may go to the Instagram account of Camp EPIC 3 and see the people there. Just click HERE and you will find out more. Or, just check this full viedo of CAMP EPIC 3 2017below.

Hopefully, your curiosity will not stop here, you will want to know more about camp EPIC by joining the program.

Do not hesitate to apply for the next, CAMP EPIC 4. Best of luck, fellas!

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CNK: Tricks to get students’ attention in fun and powerless way

“Tricks to get students’ attention in fun and powerless way”

Hi Everyone! I am very excited to know how you teach your students today. I hope everything goes well in your class.

Well, today I want to share about the trick to get your students’ attention in a fun and effective way. Most of teachers probably already experienced how difficult to get students’ attention or how to ask the students listen to your instruction. Sometimes, the students are just too busy with their own thought or their stuffs such as hand phone, books, or.. their friends. 

Teachers sometimes need to shout or call the students’ name one by one to get their eyes on you. Well, let’s do some other fun ways to get the students’ attention. In this case, teachers need to know the “fun” way to get their attention in simple and powerless way. 

There are several ways to get the students’ attention such as clap and shout/call (in fun way). Here are several ways that teachers can do in their class. 

• Call

Call here means you call your students. In my practice teaching, I used this to get their attention. I used “Class” to refer all of the students. You can make your own word or name to refer to your students. 

When they hear me, they need to answer me as the keyword of the day. I usually change the keyword each day/meeting. For example, for the first time, I may ask them to clap, or just say “yes, Miss”. In the next day, I may write the keyword as “A-Yee”, “A-Ha!”, “Whazzupp” or “Dude”. Additionally, if you can find the right words, you can also use it as ice breaker. 

For example, when I use “Dude” as key word, it may sound as the word “Dut” in “Dangdut”. I will call “Class” for the first time, and then play it for several times.

E.G

Cla~~ss? Dude

Class Class? Dude Dude

Class Class Class??? Dude Dude Dude. 

*You can also play it with the tone. Don't forget to inform the students to follow your tone as well.

Teachers, when your students cannot hear you for the first time, sometimes you need to call them twice or three times.

If you are difficult in finding the keywords, you can ask the students to make it for you. Of course, it may need several minutes to deal with. But, it may help sometimes. The keywords that I got from my experience were “Panazz Bozz”, “Ay Ay Captain” or “Oleng Kapten”. 

It will be better if you can find keywords that connect to the material of yours. For example, you can use “Wonderful Indonesia” to connect to the subject dealing with tourism places or describing places or “Yes, Chef” to connect it to procedure text about cooking. (Used in Microteaching class of Camp Epic 3)

Also, you can also call them by saying “Eyes on me!” and your students will answer “Eyes on you”.

You can have your own creative way to get their attention by modifying this trick.

• CLAP

Clap. Yupz, it is one of trick that many teachers already done. Maybe you also already know this. But, I will keep tell more about this. I got this from campers in Camp EPIC 3.

Clapping, you can ask your students to clap several times based on your instruction to get their attention. 

Way #1;

Teachers’ instruction;

Clap 1

Clap 2

Students will follow the instruction while the teacher repeat it several times till he/she thinks it’s already silent.

Way #2;

The teachers’ instruction;

Give me one! *Students will clap once

Give me two! *Students will clap twice

Give me three! *Students will say “SSsstttt!!!”

For the last instruction, the students themselves who ask their friends to keep silent. So, it help a lot.

Way #3;

The teachers’ instruction;

Clap 1 if you can hear me.

Clap 2 if you can hear me.

Clap 3 if you can hear me.

Clap 4 if you can hear me.

Yupz, students will follow what the instruction is. What you need to do is that you need to say it near to the students so they can here you. You don’t need to shout because the sound of clapping will help other students to follow.

You can stop give instruction if you think you already got the students’ attention.

Well, those are some tricks that you can use for your classroom. You can choose one of them or maybe collaborate call and clap in the same time. It is all up to the teacher. Be fun and creative for the students. 

Wohoo~~~.. the last one, keep doing your work passionately. Don't forget to stay healthy and be grateful. Sangkyu :D 

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