Part B: Reflective Report
In your report, you should reflect on your overall experience of planning the learning programme and learning sessions. Among your reflections on this stage of the teaching and learning cycle and your Diploma project, you should include the following themes:
- The sources (human, published and web-based) you used in designing this programme plan and the two learning sessions, and the ways you have used them.
- The highlights of your planned programmes and learning sessions which you think will particular facilitate active learning and encourage learners. How might learning be extended beyond the two learning sessions you have designed?
- What have you learned about the process of designing programmes and sessions?
(approximately 1000 words)
a. The sources (human, published and web-based) you used in designing this programme plan and the two learning sessions, and the ways you have used them.
The sources that I used in designing this programme plan and the two learning sessions are my MYP coordinator, my colleagues, references like: Cambridge International Diploma Guide, Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers Textbook, The Middle Years Programme (MYP): From principles into practice (Published by International Baccalaureate Organization), The Middle Years Programme (MYP) Language B Guide (Published by International Baccalaureate Organization) and IB Learner Profile Booklet and training materials from school.
My MYP coordinator, Ms Alice has 20 years of experience in international school. I seek her advice for designing my programme plan. She gave some important ideas that can lead me to successful implementation of the programme.
Ms Lalitha, the Technology teacher in my school guided me in how to incorporate ICT in teaching Chinese Language. She helped me on how to use the websites to download music, pictures, and stories to be used in class. She also helped my students to download the Chinese character to help them to do the assignments on the laptop. We also brainstormed about improving the programme plan and her input to the discussion was invaluable. She suggested relating the Chinese civilization to the modern world and also ways the modern Chinese can uphold their culture.
I used Cambridge International Diploma Guide as one of the most important reference to design my programme and learning session plans. I learned the important factors as below to plan my programme and learning sessions plans:
Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers Textbook is one of my reference books I used when designing the programme. I got ideas about how to plan and preparing a learning programme, ways to practice and facilitating active learning, how to apply effective assessment to assess learner’s progress and achievement.
I read The Middle Years Programme (MYP): from Principles into Practise (Published by International Baccalaureate Organization) to get an in-depth guide in all aspects of curriculum, assessment, teaching and students learning in the context of IB Middle Years Programme. I also gained the understanding of the IB standards and practices, the MYP framework which including the programme and curriculum model, the areas of interaction in IB programme, important information and requirements in IB programme. This important guide helped me to plan and design the programme and learning sessions, which meet IB requirements in my school.
This guide also provided me practical assistance to put the MYP principles into practice in the classroom and provided me guidance on whole-school policies and procedures that can make a successful programme.
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) Language B Guide (Published by International Baccalaureate Organization) is a very useful guide to provide me Chinese Language subject-specific information, such as aims, objectives and assessment criteria. I used this important information to design the aims, objectives and assessment criteria for my programme and learning sessions.
IB Learner Profile Booklet provided me a guideline of what are the types of learners we need to develop through this programme. I learned to monitor learner’s development through learners and teacher’s reflection.
I also accessed to the International Baccalaureate Organization public website, Cambridge International Diploma website, OCC, my PB works website to gain more information and knowledge about the organization, programme standards and practices, syllabus, curriculum, teaching methods, learning approaches, materials and resources for teachers’ reference, platform to exchange ideas, experience and opinions.
b. The highlights of your planned programmes and learning sessions, which you think will particular facilitate active learning and encourage learners.
I have incorporated Chinese culture in the learning programmes such as: discuss the Chinese Festivals celebrated in their neighbourhood, the significance of Chinese New Year Culture and Hands-on activities like the Chinese Cuisine Culture: Making dumpling and the making of Chinese Lantern.
Activities like group discussion and hands-on activities can encourage active learning and arouse their interest in learning Chinese Language.
Learners are not only learning Chinese as a Language but also the culture. So they understand more about the significance of each celebration of Chinese Festivals and this can enhance their respect and appreciation to the Chinese Culture.
I have incorporated ICT in the programme and learning sessions such as encourage learners to do research on internet and to present their ideas by using Power Point Presentation. Learners are actively participated in the learning sessions when they have to search information on the internet.
Learning be extended beyond the two learning sessions:
Learners learnt how to be a good neighbour and how to make their neighbourhood a better place to live in the two lessons which were related to their real life. They can apply the knowledge, ideas and communicate skills they learnt from these two lessons to build a good relationship with their neighbours.
They learnt to be more understanding, caring, respect and open-minded when dealing with their neighbours. They can also implement the ways they discussed in the lessons to make their neighbourhood a better place to life.
This will fulfil The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
I have learnt the professional skills and understanding to design a good programme and session. I came to understand that a good performance comes from a good planning.
The professional skills and understanding that I have learnt are as below:
I have gained important experiences and became more confidence in planning my programmes and sessions. This process has helped to develop my professionalism, effectiveness and all-round competence as reflective practitioner. I have improved the quality of teaching and learning by upgrading my professional skills and understanding. I learnt to apply new ideas and approaches to achieve a sustained improvement in my professional thinking and practice. I am now better prepared to facilitate learning in my class, and thereby achieve an international benchmark of excellent for the learning of Chinese Language in my school.