a memorable dream...

There's nothing interesting and exciting to share..
I just intend to recall my childhood learning environment..
This is why I adore my teachers
and it is also what I want to do with my students in the future..

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever







This is how Edelweiss looks like..
The song is as "Unique" as the flower...

sELaMat hARi rAYa Aidilfitri to all Muslims!

Click disini untuk dapatkan e-cards

A message from me for those who are travelling during this Hari Raya..

"Stoppage tiMe"

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The 9th class was another class meant for IWB assignment. IWB is the word everyone talking about. Me? I try to join the conversation but as expected, they are way further than me in the assignment, and still, I am way behind (you lazy fella!)

Ms Chin was there for us as our guiding angle in this assignment. She talked us through some websites/ portals that is meant, dedicated and purposely developed for educational purposes. So, as teachers-to-be, these sites should be a helping hand in our career (?). Some of the websites are:
· http://portalbahasamelayu.fateback.com/index1.htm
· http://eleaston.com/
· http://www.bmspm.cjb.net/
· http://www.tutor.com.my/
· http://portalbahasamelayu.fateback.com/index1.htm
· http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/33.html
· http://www.karyanet.com.my/

Ms Chin is a good English speaker, but, who knows that she very good in Bahasa Malaysia too? As a matter of fact, she is the author of one of the websites, which is http://portalbahasamelayu.fateback.com/ . I would not want to believe it but, as CSI movies always said...’people lies, evidence don’t’. As a Malay myself, I am confuse with myself when I know that somebody from other races is interested in our language, when I am not at all. *ponder*

Later by the class, Ms Ng entered the class and a moment after, Prof turned in. She asked us to walk through our assignments while at the mean time; she went around the class and checked in our progress on the assignments. She brought up and discussed with us some issues that can we can refer to improve our assignment.

One particular discussion thet caught my attention was regarding the Bloom Taxonomy. She talked us through our blog and relates it to the Bloom Taxonomy. She said that some of us are still in the early level of the Bloom Taxonomy in relation of our blog writing while some are in other hand of the taxonomy. I wonder where am I in the Bloom Taxonomy, *ponder*

When I was in Maktab, I was taught that Bloom Taxonomy has 6 levels, which are
1. Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3. Application
4. Analysis
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation

But, Prof said, the 7th level of the Bloom Taxonomy, which is the highest level is ‘Instruction’. I was rather puzzled but later, I thank Prof for adding valuable knowledge to my lazy brain *wink*

During the class, like others, I also worked on my assignment and exchanging ideas and opinions with my group members and friends from other groups as well. We discussed about how to make the lesson using IWB as interactive and as interesting as we can, without jeopardize the academic content and input.

We are aware the fact that young learners love games, cartoons etc but we are having hard time in finding the appropriate games and pictures to be adding on. We are afraid that some games are not suitable for the age of the students which might hinder their learning. Furthermore, Prof said that our activity on the IWB must be closely connected to the Curriculum Specification and Lesson objectives/ lesson outcomes. My lazy brain is so close to explode! (Please don’t).

So, there goes the 9th class of the semester. I hope that everyone realizes that it is so near to the end of semester and start putting on more efforts to our assignments and study. Moreover, next week we shall present our assignment in front of the class. I am looking forward for the IWB product from my friends and hopefully, with so much time and helping hand given, we will produce something brilliant.

I wont bother (IWB) about others work from now on and concentrate on mine (selfish kan?), chaiyok!

Cheers!

"pERfeCt sTRaNgEr"

How smart can the board be? How interactive can the whiteboard turn to? The 6th class introduced me to a new weapon for teacher to shoot their pupils, SMARTBOARD. I have never known about the simplest fact of the smart board. So, when I realize that the thing in front of me is the SMARTBOARD, I keep on wonder, how can a simple plain, thin layer can be called as ‘SMART’?

At first glance, I was getting annoyed by the ordinary white layer of screen in front of the lab. I keep on asking myself..”it’s normal, nothing special” and “you get too much limelight for nothing at all,huh!”
It is over rated!

Soon, as the class progressed, I realized that my pre supposition was rather precipitate and harsh.
So, let’s move on to the story of the day....

Prof Maznah is away, she is somewhere in Malacca. So, the technology band is again without its main vocalist. But, the band today is collaborated with a lady in blue, presenting........techno band featuring Ms FENNY! (clap here, clap there, and clap everywhere)
Ms Fenny was in the class to train us (she is a trainer by the way) on smart board. She takes us to a whole new world of technology. I was there like a child watching cartoon. I am so amazed and impressed by the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB)

My next part of the blog is Q & A session with the IWB itself...here goes

ME- Good day to you IWB, how are you today?

IWB- I’m fine, I just got back from UM from a techno class for teachers-to-be. I’m quite tired because they use me for 3 straight hours, I can’t even go to toilet!

ME-hoho...pity you....ok, so, without further a due, shall I proceed with my questions?

IWB- ok...make it short and nice eh...

ME- ok....so, tell me briefly about you

IWB- Like most of the technological gadgets nowadays, I need computer to operate. I also need LCD projector, some cables and of course, a board. I consist of 4 pens of different colours and an eraser. The pens are very special and one-of-a-kind of pens. Each pen has its own ‘home’, together with a sensor and it cannot be placed other than where it should be. Because, by misplacing the pen, I will get confuse and later I cannot perform well

ME- ooo....so, what about a teacher with vertically-challenged nature, will he/ she bother to use you?

IWB- No problem, I am adjustable and will always be within reach of a teacher, don’t worry

ME- ohhh....lucky me of the hobbit species, justice for all! *wink*...so, what about a teacher of bad hand writing? Will it be ok for him/her to write on you without causing any ‘visual’ pain to the students?

IWB- oh, I was not called smart for nothing. I can change all the ‘doctors’ handwriting into a readable font and size. Just write the word on me, i.e., book, then you click ‘recognize book’, then you will have a nice written word on me for the students to see

ME- Wow! You’re like a makeover machine....so, besides words, do you have any pictures with you?

IWB- Of course I do. I even have my own gallery. If you want to transfer any picture into the slide, just click ‘Gallery’ and later copy and paste it, very easy right? If you feel that pictures in my gallery are not suitable etc, you may take pictures from the internet. Just select ‘keyboard’ and types the words on the space provided. After that, you need to select capture, then choose ‘camera picture’ and paste it on the slide, got it?

ME- ok, I think I got the idea...mm, I was told that you can do clone, is it true?

IWB- Yes, I am. But I don’t clone any species or living things; instead, I can clone words. Because I was designated for education, I’m also design to help teachers in their lesson. You can select ‘Grouping’ and then choose ‘group’ or ‘ungroup’. Next, you choose ‘infinite clone’ and that’s it. You can drag out a word from its ‘origin’ as many times as you like. Furthermore, the word can also be rotated too, it is fun eh?

ME- wow, you’re amazing!

IWB- heheh...I’m flattered.....so, I think it’s time for me to go because I am late for a high tea with my friends which are blackboard, skateboard and signboard. I’ll leave you with a note about me for you to refer on, ok?

ME- ok, thanks a lot IWB see you later; send my regards to all the boards, bye!

So, that’s it for the interview, let’s go back to class...

After Ms Fenny explained and did some demonstration with IWB with us, the class was assigned for a group’s task. We are to design a simple activity using the IWB and later present it to the class.
All the groups did reasonably well and Miss Fenny, Miss Ng and Miss Chin did some comments on our presentation. They told us some do and don’ts of using IWB.

- Don’t use two pens at one time as this may cause confusion to the IWB, and also, don’t use the eraser and pen together at one time.
- ‘Lock’ the words/ pictures in your slide so that it will not move away as students do the task on the IWB
- Utilize and maximize the IWB speciality by providing instant ‘answer-checking’ in your task so that students can learn fast and effectively. It can also encourage students to correct their friends’ answers.

-

One of the unique features of IWB which is the gallery, must be used wisely by teachers. Use appropriate pictures to cater student’s levels and needs. Don’t use something that they are not familiar with or pictures that may be sensitive for some reasons
- Use suitable words. For example, don’t use the word ‘spaghetti’ to students in rural areas as this maybe unfamiliar to them and may intrude their learning
- Colour of the words and backgrounds must always complement each other. Teacher must make sure that colour of the words can help word to emerge from the background. Don’t use background that is too bright and fonts must be large enough for all students to see


Some reflections questions regarding IWB

Do you understand the basic knowledge using Notebook function in SMART Board? If yes which part that you understand the most? If not why did you not understand?
Yes...I came to understand almost every part of it. Especially regarding the unique features of ‘answer-checking’, cloning, dragging, gallery and attaching. The part that I understand the most is cloning (ungroup/ group). The word must be touched on the letter to be dragged out because if we touch the empty space around the word, it cannot be dragged out
But, as I claimed that I understand the IWB, I may/ may not have troubles/ problems in applying it into the real-life classroom context. In brief, knowledge is only the theory while application is the practical part of it.

Do you understand the basic knowledge to use gallery feature and attachment picture in SMART board incorporate for teaching English vocabulary for standard 4 students?
Yes...I can use the pictures from gallery or attach pictures from the internet to my slide. For example, if I want to teach about part of the body, I can get a picture of a boy/ a girl from the gallery. If in later class I want to teach about face, I can still use the same picture and highlight only the face. With IWB, I can ‘cut’ part of picture and left out the rest.

Do you find that SMART board a useful tool to support in teaching and learning? If yes, why it is useful? If not, what is the problem?
Obviously, it adds fun element into learning and may provide better environment for teaching and learning process. With so much unique features, students may have fun using it but in the same time learn as well. No more dull and boring whiteboard since the IWB can be very colourful with type-written words and fonts.
It can also provide teacher with flexibility in the task since the fonts and pictures can be adjusted in matter of seconds. Besides, it can also help students to learn about ‘self-checking’ in their learning. Most of all, it saves time, a lot of time.

Till then pen off, cheers!

"LeFt uNdONe........."

‘It seems an age since I've seen you, countdown as the weeks trickle into days’

This sentence is dedicated to my dearly IWB assignment which has been neglected for a week. I realized that my only time to work on my IWB task is when Wednesday comes (1200-1500 hour). When others are running to the finishing line with the task, I still learn how to walk properly, how pathetic does it sounds?

I guess it all comes down to time management. Let me prepare simple equations here:
- Good time management = excellent work produced + movies + shopping + hang out
- Average time management = good work produced +more SMS + enough sleep
- Poor time management = average work produced + stress + no sleep at all + workload ++++

So, it is easy to see why I am anxious now, rite?
On the other hand, since the marching for Independence Day has been cancelled...

1) I can’t get my free t-shirt and track bottom
2) We are out of contention to win 5K of prize money
But...
3) I can sit in the air conditioning lab with free access of internet
4) More time for me to work on IWB assignment

BLESS IN DISGUISE! Thanks, but no thanks...

So, it is business as usual. Our class today is not really an academic class at all since we were told to concentrate and work on our assignments. However, our ‘fair lady’ was there to be our helping hand and shoulder to cry on *wee*. Ms Chin was there to answer our queries and clarify some confusion regarding the assignment. It’s all regarding number 5:

- Do we have to produce 5 slides of activities including all the instructions, procedures etc?
- Do we have to come out with 5 activities?

Generally, those 2 questions were the most asked questions for the day. Ms Chin serenely told us that we need to come out with 5 slides of activities, means all the instructions etc shall not be included in the 5 slides of activities. (Thank God for Ms Chin)

I was assigned to do Mathematic lesson for this assignment. While my fellow group members worked on their part which are Science (Soddiq) and English (Muhafiz and Caroline). We worked really well as a group and each member is a team player. Everyone keeps checking each other’s work and we are sharing opinions and ideas all the time. It was a great pleasure working with them and I didn’t face any difficulties or uncooperative behaviour which makes the assignment of ‘rocket science’ seems like A B C.

From my observations and exchanging verbal opinions with my course mates, I have no second guess that I will be in problems with colours. I think to have a right combination of words + background colours are only the beginning of the problem. To choose the best colours to be used is something to ponder on. Some colours maybe too bright that it irritates students’ eyes, some maybe dull and uninteresting that may cause boredom to students and some background colours may overshadow the colours of the words and cause students inability to see the words.

I am never good if playing with colours and will never be one. But, I shall try my best here in dealing with colours and find the right combination to use in my IWB assignment. The matter of fonts also came across my mind, how big should the font be to make it visible in a classroom with 40+ students? If it is too big, will it affecting other part of my activities? (Pictures, answers space etc). Without even touching the mouse yet, I have been poured by my active brain with questions of IWB

However, my most problematic difficulty of designing this lesson is regarding the map-drawing. I realized that even with so much credit and positive comments about IWB, it is still an incomplete tool (being an appliance, you can never be perfect, haha!). One of my activities requires me to prepare a map for students to trace on. When I can’t find any mode/ command of ‘map-drawing’ in the SMART notebook software, I decided to do it manually by using Microsoft Words.

Patiently, I draw line by line by line by line (make it as long as you can) and then join it with other line so that it can become a proper road in my map. It takes me almost one hour to complete it because it requires details and precision (see? I told you it’s a rocket science). As a result, a nicely-drawn map was completed and I am grinding from ears to ears. I am satisfied with my works and then, I ........
a) Work on my other activities
b) Improvise the map
c) Ask Ms Chin about my assignment
d) Help my team members with their lessons

The answer is, none of the above, haha! I stopped working and start loitering around and kill time with ‘non-academic’ chatting with my friends. Being a late-timer (procrastinator), I always come out good at critical time. So, when I did something way ‘earlier’ than I always done, I feel like a winner even though it is only half way through.

I wonder why that I am easily satisfied? Maybe my laziness of finishing works early and unwanted ‘nature’ of procrastinate contributed to that. While everyone is leaving the lab with something to think about their assignment, I stepped out of the lab, totally forgotten the assignment (about one hour ago) and start to think about doing some shopping since the Mega Sale Carnival is around the corner. I am so honest here..Honesty is the best policy *wink*

For the moment, my meaning of IWB is ‘Irresistible Will to Buy!" See you then, cheers!

P/s: Did I mention that we need to present our lesson on 12th September?

"nOw LOaDiNg......."

Seconds tickling away, minutes become hours, days gone by, week in and week out, what??!!!! !! I’m getting older and fatter, aaargghh!!! I didn’t realize it till today that I’m halfway through the semester. It’s the 7th week of the semester and I’m still a day dreamer, huhu!

MAMA Maznah reminded us...
‘Make sure that you have at least 5 academic entries in your blog, I will do the ongoing assessment eh...’
‘Do visit your friends’ blogs and don’t forget to leave your comments as well, ok?’
‘Keep on participating in the forum and share your ideas with others’
‘IWB? Work on it...remember’

So...I guess I will not enjoy the class as usual because today I realized that so many things were left undone by me:
1) I only have TWO entries in my blog, and neither is academic enough
2) I have never comments on other’s blogs even though I visited few blogs before
3) Forum in Moodle...I love to read it but has never participate in any topics
4) IWB? I almost forget it...

So...now, even simple work like blogging seems like rocket science for me, arghh!! Wise man said, PROCRASTINATON IS THE THIEF OF TIME...now I understand it clearly, very clear I should say *wink*

Let’s go back to the class stuff...

Prof reminded us on the IWB assignment. She said that product from each group must consist of English lessons, mathematics lesson and science lesson. Minimum of 5 slides per lesson and it must include topic, target group, student’s prior knowledge, lesson objective, user guidelines and rationales.

Next, some demonstrations and examples of what we can do with the IWB. Here goes:

- Young learners love stories especially those which are famous in children’s literature. So, by manipulating stories/ fables, it will help to capture students’ interest. We were shown a modified version of the ‘Red Riding Hood’ and how it can be used more than just a mere story-telling session. With colourful and attractive display that IWB can offer, the story was manipulated for a science class. Instead of focusing on the story line, the story can be used to attempt more of teaching students about the periphery part of the story. In example, teaching about plants that can be seen around Red Riding Hood on her way to her grandmother’s house.

- The matching activity also shown to the class and personally, I found it quite useful to teach meanings to students. With IWB, students can forget about plain straight line to match one box to another. It has lines with colourful and variety of patterns. In addition, some of the lines are filled with smileys and stars to prevent boredom among students.

- Classifying or grouping is another example of activity that can be done by the IWB. Students can group items/ things/ words according to it’s’ groups. For example, grouping things living things with non-living things. This can help students to see the idea. Concept more clearly as it provides graphics presentation and colours variation.

- We can add video clip(s) to our slides by adding hyperlink to the page. It is as easy as ABC. I never thought that being a teacher can be this easy. Using video clip is a very interactive and effective method to teach students about new topics. It can also be used to help students to revisit ideas and knowledge that they have been acquired before

- GAME!!!Some of the examples shown by Prof include game in it. Kids love game, it is as simple as that. As much as stories, game can also be used to teach students especially young learners. One of the principles in learning is to use students’ interest as based for learning. Thus, using game in learning obviously activate student’s interest in the lesson. The use of IWB can support children as it offers opportunities to revise concepts and skills embedded in game-like situations.


After that, Prof showed us on how to check students work using interactive features of IWB. It is like instant feedbacks and results for students and also teacher. From students’ point of view, it is ‘magic’, believe me (I was once thought that it is ‘magic’ *blush*)

· Drag –We drag the box to each answer column and the answer will emerge from the background. The colour of the box is different with the background and the answers.

· Drag/ move – move the answer across the two columns of different colours
· Erase – erase the answer with the duster and the hidden answer will be revealed
· Drag in – drag the answers into a box and if it is correct, it can be placed in the box but if it is wrong, the word cannot be inside the box and will go through behind the box.

Basically, dragging is the most common way to check answers using IWB. It is just playing with colours and thus, deceives students. That is one of the mystery of IWB, unique one I shall say. You’ll never know about this until you develop an activity using IWB.

Before the class ended, we were asked to register in a website containing useful contents and space for us to optimize. The web is http://www.airset.com/. We are registering ourselves in a SMART group so that we can get some information and ideas on how to implement and maximize ICT in classroom context and education as general.

YEYYY! à No class for next week
OUCH!à 50 of us have marching for Independence Day celebration
YESS!à We will get FREE t-shirts and track bottoms for the marching
ALA.... à I cannot see Prof ,Ms Chin, Ms Ng la next week *wink*

Got to go, cheers!

May the blessing of Ramadhan be with us always...

U have missed the fasting annoucement by Penyimpan Mohor-mohor Besar Diraja?

Don't worry!

Watch this instead..

Okay, now...want to see what my little nieces are up to during this fasting month?

You'll be surprised!

Upin and Ipin : Episode 1

wait for my next entry for more Upin and Ipin!