Reflection: LanguageArt Course Online Sept. 2009

Reflection Paper
Abdesalam Zouita, Morocco
Language art course online September 2009.
Moderators: Farah Kamal Pakistan, Maria Luisa H. Larcena Philippine, and Diane Midness USA

In addition to your final project plan, you will need to write a final reflection paper. The topic for your paper is to be a reflection of your online learning experience and the process of developing a project plan. The paper is required to be at least two pages long. Format: 12 Times New Roman. Double Spaced.
You will also include a copy of your project action plan.

As part of your 2-page Final Reflection Paper, please include responses to the following questions:

 What are some of the assumptions you had about online learning and international collaboration project work before this course?

Before engaging in any given activity, many thoughts tiptoed to my mind. How I am dealing with these elite of teachers around the world. They must be highly motivated and high-ranking leaders in the field of teaching. Therefore, what is the suitable interaction I should cater for, despite the netiquettes I have learned via my various virtual interactions? For very setting, there are very special people. I was wondering of my skills, and knowledge would be of good help to me during the course. I have also thought of the amount of time I should devote to this course online, bearing in mind the documents and articles I have to read besides the overload of my national syllabus and the family engagement. For a moment, I speculated how many grades I should get to be awarded to an accomplishment certificate.
The experience of the 19th iEARN conference in Ifrane, in Morocco, was awesome. It paved me the way to undergo this exceptional experience. I have already met one of the distinguished and intrepid, animated moderators; she was Farah Kamal from Pakistan. Moreover, I have capitalized on my previous experiences of online courses, including Oregon University, Kent State University, and MUVEnation (Multiple use of virtual environment), and on the experience of integrating ICT in my classroom through the use of Yahoo Groups, PBwikis, Google groups with my students. Therefore, I was highly motivated to learn and make others learn, or aspire for learning.


 What aspects of this course did you find most useful?
The course has been a plus in my professional development. I have learned a lot through the full of life, and ongoing interaction. All the colleagues were involved in fruitful debates over the course issues. There have been inspiring questions. These were the key elements of the success of the course. Colleagues provide prompts to make reluctant contributors to intervene and express their views. The course has made me review my local, national and some other international standards. It was a notable experience to know about Algeria, Pakistan, Oman, Egypt, Bangladesh, Ghana, Liberia, United States, to name but a few countries. What is exciting is that there is an unbroken communication from the beginning to the end of the weekly activities. For every stop of the course online, there is something new, which a calls for pedagogical and instructional data.



 What were some challenges and successes?

Certainly, there are some challenges, especially when you have to submit your assignments in a due time, after reading the diverse weekly documents. Some tasks are very challenging, when the articles are too long and you have some school requirements to carry out on time. Another challenge task is to read all the new messages, after being away for more than two days, to meet my colleagues’ needs or provide an adequate response. The successes are numerous. There is a remarkable socialization within the whole group. I have made connection with the participants. I have learned about the other nations: system of education, culture, their conceptions of learning and sharing skills and knowledge. I have travelled virtually to these countries to live nice moments. For updating my expertise and engaging in a fruitful social and learning milieu, I have stayed up late and endure extra work. I was so lucky to make successful connections, which I will develop in the near future. I have learned scores of things during this iEARN virtual educational forum. After all, my skills and knowledge grow remarkably in handling question



 How will you use what you have learned in the classroom?

After this enriching experience, I will cascade what I have learned starting by my school. As a have the RRCE (Regional resource center of English) and I am the coordinator of this center. I will attach to the RRCE wall magazine some information related learning circles, inviting both teachers and students to take part and explore iEARN websites and make use of its benefits. In addition, with the coordination of our supervisor, and Local branch of Mate (Moroccan Association of teachers of English), I will have some workshops and study days to promote iEARN project work and persuade the locally and nationally English community of teachers to combine between the iEARN objectives and those of national standards to promote.

Abdesalam

Summer Course

It is worth mentioning that I tried to become a Pbwikian this summer. It is our fifth week instruction, now. We hope to finish by next week. There have been great fun and much learning have been taking place. There are a lot of gifts and much food for thought to be taken back to our classes and share with our colleagues.

Still, there is a competion you can partcipate in:

Back to School Challenge!

This is the best way for your friends to score a free gold wiki -- plus the chance to win classroom resources -- books, legos, software discounts, and more.

Learn more and send your friends to http://www.backtoschoolchallenge.com/

Nostalgia

Dear colleagues,

It is true that being away makes it difficult to stay in touch.
We have been together more than five months. Maybe we get bored for being together.
Why do not you write or just leave a message?

Back home

It has taken a considerable time to adjust to the conditions at home. In fact, I was so tired when the program was over. The program for me has been a great success for the amount of information and skills I have learned.

Therefore, there was a need to get enough rest and entertain the family, by forgetting all the connections related to deep thinking.

I felt so sleepy despite sleeping more than ten hours a day. What made it worse was that our school is getting ready for the summer vocation. Students, teachers, and all the staff are fully engaged to get the final result of the bacalaureate exams.

The picture above was built in 1882 in the atlantic ocean. It is visited by many people, especially when the tide is withdraw and people can get isside the building.

Creswood High School

Inside Mrs Finn's classroom.

It has been a terrific experience to be in Crestwood High School. Visiting classes, presenting about my countrey, helping the teacher in the classroom and teaching students. I have the opportunity to conduct action research , interviewing the staff and students, and explore all the building equipments and facilities.

T-shirt gift from Creewood School

The main gate of Crestwood High School

Niagara Falls

This was an awesome experience. We watch all the sightseeing surrounding the area and the Canadian borders. We have visited the tower of maid of the mist and took the boat for a tour, the three islands, the cave, the aquarium, the park, the casino....

It was one day trip, but it was exciting and very interesting to have a change. We were in small groups. there was a lot of joy and entertainment. It was an opportunity to know people and discover all the beauty of the place and buying gifts

We got raincoats to see the waterfalls and went in the maid of the mist.
How wonderful it was!

TRIZ Conference

There was a great time of learning. It was theory of inventive problem solving. It is a method or set of tool originally Russian. It assumes that there is a solution for all the problem we may face. Someone, somewhere has already tried a successful solution. Therefore, we have only to look for that solution and build on it.

It was a mixture of presentations, keynote speeches and workshops. I attended two major full day workshops, keynote speeches, and a study day. It is certainly related to science, but it is applicable in the field of education.

I consider it as an extension of critical thinking skills.

Spelling Beee

The playhouse square was wonderful and spacious. It is a big theater. the play was a comic and musical. It was one scene. It is a journey for having a champion by the end. Still each character reflects and use his social background and skills to come up with the best solution because there is a policeman who kicks out those who misspelled a word by hugging them and giving them a present. The play was interactive and revealing.

After the play, there was again chance for picture.

There are always people behind the screen to help in the program, we thank them too much.

We had had chance to take pictures before the play began.

This Cleveland before the play

English Class

This is the last meeting in our advanced English class. All the scholare were engaged to come up with a role play including the maximum of idioms. We were supposed to act it out. It was awesome activity as it involve a lot of fun and humour.



After that, we were given an evaluation sheet in Room 21

My School

Students have lunch at home. They are free from 12 to 2 p.m. They usually study from 8 to 12 and 2 to 6.





Teachers do not have specific offices. In high School , teachers teach for 21 hours a week, which is divided on the six days of the week. A teacher may work from two hours to four hours daily according to the schedule.


Inside the school, there are some trees and green space.











Students are having a global test.

Regional resource center of English.

It is a small library for English as a subject.

Baby!

I look for all vocabulary in all dictionaries
Struggling for centuries
Using all stationery in every stationary
I made all inquiry and query
I come up with an inventory
However, … is not there for me
Is this temporary?
Maybe …. is in a library
They say do not worry
Wants to have her history

This is not glory,
I make use of my photo gallery
To get rid of misery
To recall back moments of luxury
I hate boundaries
And having territory
That is my victory
I swear, I will bring costume and jewelry
Is this satisfactory?
Am I writing poetry!
Let's make it a summary
Hey, I am holding a rosemary if necessary,

Trip to Columbus

Last Friday, we went for a trip to Columbus. It was on 4th April, 2008.

We started our trip early in the morning. We took one van and one limousine. It was so nice, despite the rain. So, we did not have chance to visit the place and explore the area which would have given much value to the trip.

The first stop, we had a meeting with the Ohio academic staff who were kind to answer our questions about issues related to education: "No Child Left Behind" NCLB and all the its outcome for the benefits of students. There is a lot of investment of money, energy and effort, but still the problems of education were not solved. We talked about the role of teachers in contributing to meaningful learning, how parent involve, and testing, namely standardized test which are designed by companies....

The person in charge of the meeting : its effectiveness and success.

The second stop was to the teacher association or union where we were give an overview of its role in helping teachers all over the country in promoting the learning and defending their own rights.

We were offered lunch there.

The discussion continue while debating various problems and the struggle teachers face, how the board is elected, how they coordinate among teachers and the academy and how they contribute to professional development.

The third stop was visiting the Parliament where we were offered information about the legislative rules, how the election for this parliament is carried out. We know about the history of the building and the two different chambers.

What is amazing is the integration of technology in voting and the structure of each county or city and the portion of members who should join the parliament.

This is an optic illusion when you look critically to the floor under your feet you see that there are parallels, but if you look ahead, you notice that there are circles.















An outside picture and an overview of The parliament in Columbus.















The third stop was with the first lady. She is the spouse of the governor of Ohio. We talked about her role and the different tasks she may do to help in the accomplishment of the rules in the state of Ohio and meeting the people's needs as she is a Dr. psychologist.

Saturday Music Concert

last Saturday, April, 5th, 2008, I was invited to a musical concert in Akron university.

I was invited together with two other fellows.

The concert was ........

We had the opportunity to take some pictures before the concert start. Also, we explored the place which is giant. It provides places where to practice and have much entertainment. The concert was done by the students in the university.

Having fun

Being in the states engaged in learning by making a lot of sacrifice: leaving the beloved ones behind, friends, our students, environment... It is hard to keep the spirit of learning and the need for exploring what is related to culture and education. We are lucky to know not only about the States, but to know about other eight countries.

Time of entertainment was badly needed. This event was when we celebrate our colleagues birthdays: from Malaysia and Bangladesh. After the celebration, we had a lot of fun; telling stories, jokes, puzzle, playing games and competing with each other.

This was hide and seek game

Read Across America

It was on March 30th , 2008, I was among the teachers who offered to help in this educational meeting. It was devoted to Kindergarten to 4th grade children. It was a workshop to help children to pursue meaningful learning. It involves many activities, including reading short stories, drawing, painting, music, making puppets, playing games. This event was so interesting as i learnt how important it is to integrate all learning strategies to cater for the needs of the learners.


They were many hands on activities and psycho motor skills to make the kids move and play and manipulate all the materials they were provided with.

What's more, all the participants were offered a certificate of participation, which is really valuable and significant for any cultural activity which necessitate the needs of other people offering to help.

These students are acting the roles of clowns to welcome the children and have fun with them during all the activities.
They are celebrating the birthday of .................. , therefore they have cake by the end of the celebration.

This was taken before the beginning of the event.

Spring Break

Standing and waiting for the parade to start in Cleveland

part of the parade: A lot of people marching. music bands, the majority of people were wearing green garments.

Vising the library of the first laddies. It is the first library set in the states about the tasks, history of women who were mostly wives of the previous United States' presidents. It is worth visiting.

These photos are with two ex-teachers working in the library

These photos were one day before the spring break, we went for a shopping journey learning about other nations' food and ways of shopping.





Shopping center in Cleveland.

Indian food and spices store.

The van that we took during the trip.