Pedagogy, 2020-2021

2nd Year/Retraining Students Pedagogy Reflection

Lecturer: Dr. Jennifer Hoyzman

Reflected by: Noei Ben Yehuda

21.6.21

The most important think I take from this year is the idea that quality comes before quantity. In such a stressful year, it was easy to neglect that idea. Even when I was aware that I should pour richer content into my lessons, it was difficult for me to find how to do it. Nevertheless, practicing in writing lesson plans and learning intensively about the teaching of all four skills – writing, speaking, listening, and reading – has gradually sharpened my senses and improved my abilities. I’ve learned that it’s possible and essential to include all four skills in one lesson, and that pupils derive meaningful learning from it.

Another crucial thing I’ve learned is that English has to be used in the classroom. It sounds trivial, but it has so much importance. Pupils in Israel don’t hear enough English in the classroom, and I think it’s an absurd and a shame. Even when they don’t understand each word, I believe they would always understand their teacher’s general intentions, and receive some English to their own bloodstream.  Of course, it requires trust from the pupils, and commitment from the teacher. The teacher has to know his pupils. It was another thing that we discussed during our pedagogy lessons – the idea that a teacher must know his or her students in order to teach them well.

Differential teaching was another useful tool, which I didn’t always use in my classroom yet always had it my mind as a back-up plan. Another experience that strengthened my confidence was when I lectured to my classmates about a text I had read. Speaking in front of a computer screen, which had initially felt strange and discouraging, became second nature to me. Moreover, teaching through Zoom taught me how to use presentations in a way which put me and the students in the center.

When I think about next year, I admit I can’t point out specific things I wish to learn. I have learned that getting inside a classroom is like jumping into a stormy pool in which there will always be surprises. I guess I feel the same about my next pedagogy lessons. However, there is one thing that comes to my mind: I’d wish to know how I can approach a pupil who never participates and doesn’t show any sign of involvement in a lesson. There was such pupil in the class I taught, who always sat in the back and never said a word. My cooperating teacher told me that it wasn’t a unique behavior, but that this pupil behaved the same in all of her lessons. I felt a bit frustrated when I didn’t find how to communicate with this pupil, and I wonder if there’s anything new I want to learn.

In conclusion, I remember than many times during that year I felt frustrated and seemingly helpless. Things came out well, but they didn’t come easily. I sweated my way to my own humble mountain top. I think I should control my expectations better, and appreciate my lessons even when they’re not perfect.