REFLECTION ON THE PODCAST, SEASON 3 EPISODE 10

 

Hello everyone! 🤗
Today I'll make a reflection based on the podcast "TTELT", season 3, episode 10 "The Meditative Approach".
https://youtu.be/iT9CqS6SzbUiT9CqS6SzbU

Philip Cowlishaw an actor, singer and English teacher shared some teaching tips about the Meditative Approach. He has mentioned some ways how to find the balance the energy and connection with students and also mentioned some ways how to make the classroom more interactive, taking simple grammar points and making them into creative ways.

He said that balance is important to him, so he always tries to be aware of what's going on inside him, his thoughts, feelings, actions, gut feelings or what he likes to call the movie that usually goes to our minds, as well as being aware of his students and what is happening outside his body.  He said the best way to feel connected to students is to find out what the barrier is between us and the students.  The best way is to be much more interactive much more exciting and enjoy what we are doing and also the students will enjoy it if we do it that way.  He gave an example, they were learning prepositions of time, they were looking at, at and at.  One of the sentences he used was: He had to meet her at 8:30. He then asked the students to create a story. Why do you think he couldn't meet her at 8:30, what's the story and that's fun because the students don't expect it and they start thinking, they start being more creative and sometimes they come up with some interesting options. Asking W-h questions like who do you think this was, what was he doing, why was he doing it, where do you think he was when he hit or something, help them learn more easily.  He said that he tries to stimulate analytical or critical thinking in them because he wants to help them to be aware, to become aware, to analyse the text and also to be a little creative. This helps them learn grammar points or vocabulary.  If you think about your memories, why you remember something and other things, usually it's because there's some kind of emotional component there or it's a very negative or positive event and that's why you remember it. The best way to connect with students is to keep talking, keep communicating, keep listening to students, and keep bringing them back so they feel like it was really just for them., most people like to talk about themselves. In the last part of the video, he talked about the different ways he offers variety to students.  He said that during the time of COVID he was using online platforms, creating quizzes and videos, also creating videos more stories, more drama, trying to make learning a little more interesting.  He said that in terms of variety, there are definitely eight multiple intelligences, there are students who learn in different ways, if the whole classroom environment is really conducive to learning, there is a lot of stimulation.  Another thing he also talked about is what are the ways to motivate unmotivated students.  There are several types of motivations: intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for students.  Some people really want to learn English or anything else for that matter and so they are hungry, it is good when you get a student who is hungry to learn and motivated, some people are more lazy and they are a bit more  difficult.  The only thing you have to do is just try to find something that's interesting and important to them, because if you make them aware that it's not just about a few, it's about communication and it's about growth and  really expanding them and opening their minds, then they can start to come out a little bit more of themselves and they feel good that they actually have a place here for them and it's about them, also important  is that you get to know the teacher authentically, he is not just connected to get a pay check or just to do his job, they feel that the teacher is actually interested in them and then you will see a little more  much light in their eyes.

This video was very interesting and helpful in the same time because it Included how to find the balance, the energy and connection with students, ways how to make the classroom more interactive taking simple grammar points and also how to motivate unmotivated students. As a future teacher I'm going to use all these things mentioned in the video to make my classroom better and more interactive with motivated students to learn.

Thank you!♥️