Hi everyone!! It is nice to see all of you again. Let’s begin my story….. 3 months of teaching practice left me with all sorts of experiences. Some are sweet and some are sour. Those experiences are memorable and unforgettable for me. However, what I went through within the period might not be enough in preparing me to the real challenges outside there as a teacher. The challenges that I am going to face in future might not be the same like what i had experience in teaching practice. It might be different according to the place, school environment, the pupils, the facilities and etc.
I was assigned to Sekolah Kebangsaan (Dua) Jalan Selangor in PJ together with my pair, Hozana Simon. The school shares the same compound with Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Selangor (Satu). I feel it is funny and awkward for having two schools in the same compound. I wonder why don’t they just combine the schools as both are small schools only. For English subject, I had been given a year 2 class with 19 pupils while for Mathematics I took a year 3 class with 26 pupils.
Me and my pair
This is my year 2 pupils
This is my year 3 pupils
ICT is not my preferable tools to be used in the classroom. The first reason that i can give is due to the existence of LCD projector. YES! LCD projectors are available in the classrooms but……..they are for DISPLAY only! The projectors can’t be used at all! It is such a waste for government to provide the facilities but the school does not preserve the facilities. It is really disappointing.
Next, why don’t I use the computer lab as one of the ways to utilize ICT in my lesson? The answer that I can give is because it is time consuming to gather the pupils in the computer lab. It will take about 10-15 minutes to settle down the pupils therefore an hour lesson will be cut to 45 minutes lesson. Not only that, it takes quite some time to set up the LCD projector before I can start my lesson. That’s how the time will be wasted just like that. In short, I will end up with implementing my lesson in rush or unable to conduct all the stages in the lesson. If this happens, my effort that I have been putting to prepare my lesson will be wasted. For this reason, I would prefer not to use ICT tools in my classroom.
Not much of experience that I can share in utilizing ICT in the classroom. As I can remember, I used only one ICT tool in my lesson which was MP3. It was for the topic of Animals. I brought in my laptop and speakers in the classroom. That was the first and the last I used the tool. After that, I had never and ever used it anymore because of what I had experienced on the first time. Talking about the experience, the class became chaos as the pupils seemed to be over-excited to see the laptop and speakers. It was like they had not seen it for ages! or maybe that was the first time they saw the items (I’m not sure about this). The pupils were gathering around me, my laptop and speakers. The situation became out of my control. It took so much time for me to settle down the pupils and making sure that the class was under my control. I was almost gave up as they did not listen to me at all. It gave me a nightmare to use the ICT tools again the classroom. Luckily, it didn’t happen during my observed lesson by supervisor. Since that, I swore that I will never use ICT tools for my teaching practice. It is too risky therefore I prefer to play safe during the period. I’m such a bad teacher, right??
Here is the link for the animal sounds that I downloaded for the lesson. The animal sounds are cat, cow, duck, hen, horse and sheep. The purpose of the lesson was to introduce the animals and the sounds they produced.
http://www.stonewashed.net/animal.html
Frankly speaking, it is not easy to utilize ICT in the classroom and there are a lot of factors that can influence the appropriateness of using the tools.
Here are some positive and negative factors of using ICT tools in the classroom that I would like to share.
| Positive | Negative |
| Variety = Fun | Technical issues |
| Interactive/ instant feedback | Classroom management |
| Enhanced presentation quality | Integration problems/issues |
| Acquisition of IT skills | IT skills required |
Source: http://vnseameo.com/TESOLConference2010/Downloads/JuliaGardiner.pdf
That’s all from me……=)
wan amizatul nasyirah's space 
Comments on: "ICT in the classroom" (14)
“YES! LCD projectors are available in the classrooms but……..they are for DISPLAY only! ”
I guess we faced the same problem since we went to the same school. lolz.. but it a shame that the school did not take any action about it, right? they should have called the technician to repair it. Computer lab also always fully booked as all teachers wanted to use it.
Hehe..I feel funny when you mentioned that your pupils were excited to see your laptop and speaker. I remembered mine was the same too. But it was because my laptop was full with sticker. so it’s kinda a distraction to them.
You are not a bad teacher. You are just playing safe like everyone of us will do. We are concern to much about the grading. It’s typical for Malaysian’s students. hehe… And I agree with you that ICT is not easy to utilize. There are a lot of things that we have to consider. It can go wrong anytime due to technical problem. However, it does make the lesson even more interesting and meaningful. 🙂
Thanks a lot hozy. You made me feel that I am not a bad teacher actually…hehe…
I remembered on the first day, the Headmistress promised us to get the technician to overcome the projector problems, right?…but she had never fulfilled her promise to solve the problem. We also did not dare to ask her again about the problem as she was quite difficult to deal with.
Yes, I noticed that your laptop is covered with stickers thus it can attract the kids’ attention as it is very colourful and lovely for them. I think that can motivate them to learn in your class…hehe
your experience was kinda funny..
the kids were like ‘monkeys upon seeing bananas’…they really went ‘bananas’..hahaha..
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i can feel for you..
i was such a waste that the projector was unusable due to never being used.
i admire your determination as your took a initiative to utilize ur own ICT tools..However that didn’t turn out as you wanted it to be..
so, what would you suggest as solution since the pupils showed interest in ICT if in case the situation in the school remains the same?
I like the way you decribe the kids as ‘monkeys upon seeing bananas’…. That really suited them….haha
Thanks for the question, Ismail…. It is a good question that triggers my thinking on how to solve that…hehe
Well, I have been keeping a dream to own a LCD projector in future. I dreamed to buy the projector using my own pocket money therefore I guess I have to wait until I am working so that I can fulfill the dream. As we know, the projector costs a lot of money, right. I can’t afford it as our allowance is just nice for us. I can use the projector anytime that I want besides solving the problem that we face in schools. So, I think by having my own LCD projector is the solution that I can apply since the pupils showed interest in ICT.
wow..
that proves you ain’t a bad teacher!infact you’re GREAT teacher!
agree with you..
I believe in the same solution as well.
I will also have my own compact projector in future.
nevermind the cost as long as we can be efficient teacher for the sake of our children.right..?!
haha…thanks for the compliment… 😀
yeah, ignore about the cost as long as it is for the goodness of our children…hehe
Hi Syira, this is such an honest and interesting piece of reflection!
Guess all of us had our own unique and funny experiences of teaching via ICT in our schools. Actually all the classrooms in my schools were equipped with LCD projectors as well, but the teachers told us that they are for display and “decoration” purposes only! Such a pity state and I felt disappointed for government had spent so much money on it yet they all went to waste!
I agree ICT can really facilitate and enhance our teaching, for instance, I believe the usage of animal sound clips were very useful in your lessons right?
My only concern is, if the same situation we faced then happens in the school we’re posted to, are we willing to bring changes to the school?
Or are we going to become like some of the teachers in the school who had chosen the easier way= textbook? I hope not! 🙂
Hi, bee guat. Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
All the efforts done by government are wasted just like that.
I wish the schools will appreciate what the government had done for them.
Your concern about the changes is really thoughtful. Let’s bring the changes to the school! Don’t give up easily and have high determination for that! Chaiyok! Chaiyok! 😀
Totally agree with you dear!!! Ict is not something that we can use everyday and every situation. It is also quite time consuming especially in setting it up thus it indirectly will affect our teaching period as well as the flow of our lesson. I really had the same experience with you. But atleast you have LCD TO BE DISPLAYED compared to my classroom = NONE!!! hehe. keep up all the good work =)
Hi, nadia… That’s why I prefer not to integrate ICT in my lessons. It is troublesome right.
Wow!! Unbelievable!! your school is worst than mine! haha..
However, it goes back to us on how to make our lesson interesting and attractive for the pupils even though without the usage of ICT. I am proud with us because we managed to engage our pupils to the lesson using the traditional way…(manila cards, mahjong papers, flash cards, etc)…Good job! hehehe 😉
Hallo Syira! I understand it very well when you say it’s time consuming to bring the kids to the computer room or media room etc. I have a bit of suggestion which I think worked for me during my teaching practice, that is, I told the kids earlier that we’re going to the Media Room. Sometimes before their 1st period of lesson, I dropped by their class and told them to go to the Media Room during English lessons. They never forgot to come! That will save some time of yours to gather them, get them to queue and so on. Coz I think they will RUN to your class!
Another one would be on how the kids behave when you show them laptops and speakers. I think you would know how deprived they were of those things. So immediately they would relate laptops and speakers to a FUN-filled lesson. I guess if you’re a real teacher next time, the only thing you could do to get them to calm down when you want to use ICT would be to use them OFTEN! And threaten them (:P I did that!) that if they don’t behave, no more laptops or videos or songs or PPT, only copy, copy and copy. Get them to choose! They will surely opt for the 1st! But kids they need to be reminded to behave from time to time! What to do, kids they are!!!
Hi Choo… Thanks a lot for the suggestions that you gave. I laughed at the part where you said ‘They never forgot to come!’..hahaha….
In future, I will make sure that I will implement the solutions that you suggested. The solutions are very helpful to overcome the obstacles to utilize ICT in my lessons. Thanks again, Choo! I really appreciate it! hehe 😀
hi syirah… i do VERY much agree that the LCD and projectors are for DISPLAY only.. in my situation, yes, its there in the classroom, but when the time comes to be used, they are useless and that does upset me most of the time..
Hi Mimi… Thanks for your comments. The same situation happens in many schools. I am sure there are a lot more of our friends that faced the same obstacle during their teaching practice. Well, I hope we can make the difference in future. 😉