Go back to KL again!

First day go back to institute after 2 weeks SBE and 1 week holiday. Oh god! Traffic jam again! KL again! Are you enjoy your 'holiday'? Haha! I don't think so.

I realised that many people had read my blog but they did not comment anything. Aiya! At least write something to me lah! I will very happy if you just say hello to me!

Actually we have so many stories would like to share with the others, can we have a period for it? just practise our speaking skill. Haha!

Anyway, today I feel very happy! Miss all those faces! Allowance had came!(very important) but there are still many 'challenge' waiting for us!

Yeah!

Oh, god! Finally.....I had finished my task!

Tomorrow is my last day stay at the school. Must be busy taking photo and thanks the teachers.

During 2 weeks observation, I had seen and learnt a lot of 'new experiences'.

Our future responsible

Description
I had spent a whole school day in the science laboratory for my observation. I went through to every cupboard in the lab to observe the maintenance of the science lab since the inventory record book was lost. All the science apparatus were labeled and kept in the safety area in net arrangement.

Evaluation
In the science lab, there were no any chemicals and materials available apart from the science apparatuses which are in old and cover with dust condition. The science teacher saying that the science lab was much less utilized because the level one students were seldom went to the science lab and the level two students were much less exposed to the experiment which was using chemicals. The waste chemicals and materials are disposed off to the sink and solid materials are disposed off to the dustbin which provided in the science lab.
The charts in the lab were never be updated and I found that there was no any rules and safety guide that listed and shown in the lab. From this condition, I realized that the jobs done by the school teacher were not good enough as a professional science teacher in maintaining the safety of the science laboratory.

Analysis
The science teachers must act as a reasonably prudent person would in provide and maintaining a safe learning environment for their students.
Science teachers’ duty to maintain a safe learning environment while providing science instruction also must be shared by the school leaders, teachers and students. It is vital that the teachers communicate regularly and fully on the essentials of safe instruction for students.
The laboratory environment presents unique types of dangers that teachers must guard against. The science teacher has a duty to anticipate foreseeable dangers and take precautions to protect the students from possible harm. This duty extends primarily to five areas of responsibility.
1. Providing adequate supervision over student activities while the experiment is conducting.
2. Giving students adequate instructions to perform the tasks required of them.
3. Providing clear safety rules, enforcing the rules on a consistent basis and warning students of possible dangers in performing the activity.
4. Maintaining in proper working order equipment to be used in the laboratory.
5. Providing safe laboratory facilities for the performance of the laboratory task.

The teachers must be physically present at all times to supervise students wherever chemicals or laboratory equipment are being used.
Besides, the science contract should clearly spell out the rules of the science laboratory that students must always follow. The rules listed on the safety contract must be discussed and reviewed at every possible opportunity. Student lab reports must document key safety rules they are expected to be followed when performing the lab. Safety must be reinforced on a daily basis.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to specifically identify, warn and instruct students of potential hazards that might occur within the laboratory and supervise students by monitoring the proper use of laboratory technique and safety equipment by the students.
On the other hand, the teachers should always inspect all equipment and glassware before use to ensure all equipment must be in good working order.
It is the teacher’s duty to inspect and maintain in proper working order safety equipment to be used in the laboratory. It is also the teacher’s duty to provide a safe facility for the performance of the laboratory task.

Conclusion
The science laboratory is essential for the effectiveness teaching and learning of science. A school laboratory investigation is an experience in the laboratory that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models. As professionals, teachers of science have a duty of care to ensure the safety of students.

Action plan
Before every experiment conduct in the lab, I should review the teacher and the student responsibilities for laboratory safety. This will improve the safety of activity and greatly reduce an accident occur.

Treasure hunt!

Description
I had played a treasure hunt today. I was looking an inventory record book in science lab but I can not get it. So, I asked the science teachers due to the science lab did not have lab assistant. The teacher told me that the science lab did not have an inventory record book but there had a record combined with the library inventory record book. Then, I went to library looked for that record and I noticed that the record was lost. Now, the library having a books inventory record book which was also meaning that the science lab does not have an inventory record book.

Feelings
I felt surprised when I was been told that the inventory record book was lost and not yet to have a new inventory record book for science lab. I also felt disappointed to the school teachers when they said that they were no time to do an inventory record book and the maintenance of the science lab.

Evaluation
I was been told by the teacher that the apparatuses in the science lab were bought five years ago. While there has a list to record the new in coming apparatuses but not recorded in the inventory record book yet.
Since the science lab was seldom utilized by the teachers, the management of the science lab and maintenance of the science apparatuses were never been done by the school teachers. I found that the science apparatuses were covered with dust and some apparatus were still covering with plastic bag. And also the charts on the wall were not be updated because there were still using Malay language in the charts while the programme of PPSMI was introduced in 6 years ago.

Analysis
The inventory record book must be implementing in every science lab. The school teachers must know the importance of an inventory record book. Every apparatus and facilities provided in science lab must recorded into the inventory record book with the detail information such as the date of received, name of apparatus, sources, quantity, name of manufacture, signature of receiver, review etc. The inventory record book should be review every year to ensure that the facilities and the apparatuses are in well condition. The record book should also record the quantity of apparatus or facility in broken or not functioned condition and as well with the date and quantity of replacement or services.
The inventory record book also to ensure that the apparatuses are all keep in well condition with no missing, so that it is always available to utilize by the teachers and the students during the science experiment or activities. The record book also provided the convenient for the teachers while doing the lesson plan to make sure the teaching aids are always available to occupy. The school was not emphasized the importance of the inventory record book and failed to manage the record until it can be lost and not be updated yet.

Conclusion
The inventory record book was playing the main role in management system of a science laboratory. The school management should always supervise to ensure that the all inventory record book being updated every year.

Action plan
From this experience, I noticed that the importance of an inventory record book should be always available in the science lab. I will always bear in mind that the awareness and responsibility of the teacher to manage a science laboratory.

Milo Uncle is coming to school!

Hi,guys!

Today my school was came a new person-----is Milo Uncle!

It was far away in my memory, how lucky I am today to meet the Milo car was came to my school.

Haha! Under the hot sun, I had filled a big bottle Milo. Yum Seng! @e@~

Do you go to library?

Description
During two weeks school observation, I went around the school to observe the types of teaching and learning resources that available in the school. The school was well equipped with the basic facilities, library, ICT laboratory, science laboratory, LCD projector, music room, audio visual room etc. I went through to observe and took some pictures about the maintenance on every room and laboratory.

Evaluation
The resources that utilized effectively and frequently were the library, ICT laboratory and science laboratory. Students were going to the library during the rest time. Everyday there were two students from level two on duty during that time. I realized that there were students beyond number at the library. But I also found that the management of the library not very well organizes, the books were not arranged following the series number, and the charts in the library were not updated because there were still in Malay language for science and mathematic corner.
The ICT lab was maintaining by the school teachers and more frequent utilize than science lab. The lab had around 30 computers and LCD projector. The ICT lab only occupies when there have requirement from the teacher. The ICT lab was not provided the internet facility, so the teachers and the students were facing difficulty to access internet at school.
The science lab was almost abandoned by the school. Although it was well equipped with the science apparatuses and LCD projector but I noticed that the LCD projector was not functioned. The lab was only occupied by the students second level because the teachers said that the students level one were much less using the science lab and discipline of students were uncontrolled by the teachers.

Analysis
The students gain their knowledge through reading apart from the lessons in the class. At the library, the students were allowing to choose any books that they are interest. In other words, the relationships between students and knowledge become closer and also the other way to construct the reading habit on the students. Through reading, the students are probably exposed to discovery learning by given the learning opportunity to discover a concept themselves. Knowledge that is produced through discovery is easier to remember and easier to recall when needed.

Besides, there is not just one way to teaching and learning science. The role of information and communication technology (ICT) was the other method to strengthen the intellectual of students. The visual spatial provided the ability to create mental pictures and observe the world visually. It is also enhance the ability of the students to visualize graphically, spatially and oriented them by activating their imagination, especially for science subject. I observed that the class was more lively and full of noise from discussion. It was more effective than the chalk and talk from the teacher.

Apart from the students sitting inside the classroom and listen the theoretical and conceptual lessons, the science lab was the best area provided to enhance the science learning. Students were exposed for having the experiments and hands-on activities to develop their cognitive learning processes which were physical knowledge, logicomathematical knowledge and social knowledge. From the activities or experiments, the students were also learning and using the basic science process skills and integrated process skills.

Conclusion
Process of teaching and learning can be conducted effectively and progressively in various method with the fully support and maximize utilize the facilities that provided by the school teachers.

Action plan
From the observation, I had learned that the enhancement of teaching and learning by utilize the school facilities. I should plan to have a treasure hunt activity in the library through reading books and a funny and valuable activity in music room.

Mark my exercise book!

Description
After five days observation the process teaching and learning of science lessons, it is the time to do an evaluation. The school is having the monthly exam starts from today and as same as me too to evaluate the test items used by the teachers.
Along my observation, almost all the school teachers were did the class revision with the students. So, I took this opportunity to analyse the test items used by teachers to evaluate the students. I had checked the class year 5B students’ exercise book and their experiment report book as a source to evaluate the test items. The students were having two exercise books which are writing exercise book and printed exercise book. The printed exercise book were contenting objective questions and structured questions and also two assessment paper which are mid-year assessment paper and end year assessment paper.

Evaluation
Most of the teachers were did their revision using the printed exercise book that all the students who need to buy in early of the year. From the exercise book, I found that the exercises were according the science subject syllabus and well structure. There was listing the objectives or outcomes that the students will learn after did the exercises. But I noticed that the printed exercise book is the only exercises that they had done during this two months. I was saying that because I found out the teacher was not giving any extra handout or exercise to the students. The writing exercise book was only one or two pages with some vocabulary writing. And also, I found out that the teacher was not giving any experiment to the students. The experiment report book had one experiment but did not do by the students when I asked whether the students really did it or not. Actually, the students were copied the whole experiment from the blackboard.
There was another thing that surprising me was the teacher never mark the both exercise books and the experiment report book from early of the year.

Analysis
From the exercises that I managed to get, I had determined the questions with the level of difficulty based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. In Bloom’s Taxonomy, there were six levels questions arranged in order from lowest to highest which are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Almost 95% of the questions in the exercise book were in this knowledge level. This level was required the students to name, identify, list, label, match, define, state, etc which was recall of information. The students at this level were learnt the skills of memorizing, remembering, recognizing, and recalling identification. Come to the comprehension level, the students were learnt the skills of interpreting, translating, describing, and organizing. There were required the students to discuss, explain, summarize, conclude, report, etc which was express of facts or ideas. But the exercise questions were much less after achieved the knowledge level. The rest of the questions levels, I can’t determine anymore due to there was no more exercise questions that achieve the rest questions levels. For the application level, students will be learning to problem solving, applying the facts, rules and principles to produce some results. On the analysis level, the skill of separation of a whole into component parts should be learning by the students. Students were required to differentiate, examine, research, debate, etc in this level. Come to synthesis level, the students should be creating a unique, original product that may be in verbal form or may be a physical object. The highest level is evaluation, the students should be exploring to the kind of questions, for example: Do you agree…? What do you think about…? How would you decide about…? which are making value decisions, judgements, and opinions about issues.

Conclusion
All of this questions level should be utilize into the exercise questions to the students by require much more ‘brain power’ and more extensive and elaborate answer. This will increase the effectiveness the test items in evaluating the full potential students in science, not only on the paper and pencil test but also on the hands-on activities.

Action plan
From the conclusion that I had made, I realized that I need to be improve my ability to ask different levels of questions employing suitable reinforcement towards students’ response and always check and mark the exercise book.

Do you have the skills?

Description
In the class year 5B, Cikgu Salwa, the science teacher was doing revision in the class. The students were required to copy down the questions on the blackboard given by the teacher. The class was divided into 4 groups and each was conducted group discussion between the group members. I took this opportunity to join in among the four groups. In the group, I acted as a facilitator to give some guidance for their discussion as same as the teacher was done with the other groups. During the discussion, students were required to jot down the answer in the piece of paper. After a few minutes, the teacher was called one representative from each group to present their outcomes from the group discussion in front of the class.

Feelings
When I joined in the group, I noticed that the students were did not know how to conduct a group discussion. They were sat at their seat and waited for assist from the teacher. While I giving the guidance to the students, I was asked them some simple questions, for example: Who is becomes the group leader? Who will jot down the answers? Want can you know from the questions given by the teacher? And every member should give their own opinion or view before they were concluded the answer.

Evaluation
From the group discussion, I realized that the students have not much experience to hold a discussion and most of the students were not confidence to give their opinion or view. The teacher was only focused on the outcomes from every group while the students were presented in front of the class. The process skill of discussion was not considered by the teacher. The students not given much opportunity to express their view to the others besides from the presentation that they gave were answer only from their discussion. By the end of the class, the students were learnt to memorize the method to answer that kind of questions only.

Analysis
The questions below were given by the teacher during the class lesson:

Adam carried out an investigation based on the number of pupils who had conjunctivitis. The result of the investigation is record as below.
Month Number of pupils
January-----30
February----40
March-------50
April---------60
1. What is the trend in the number of pupils who had conjunctivitis?
2. Predict the number of pupils who will have conjunctivitis in May.
3. Give one reason to support your answer in (2).
4. In the investigation, state:
i. What is change?
ii. What is measured?

The number of pupils who had chicken pox from July to October 2004 in Sekolah Kebangsaan Labu Ulu is recorded in table as below:
Month Number of pupils
July----------4
August-------9
September---14
October------19
1. What is the trend in the number of pupils who had chicken pox during the investigation?
2. State one inference based on the trend stated in (1).
3. Predict the number of pupils that will have chicken pox in November.
4. State the thing that is kept the same from this investigation.

From the questions given, it is a good opportunity for the teacher to place importance on developing the science process skills of students, and not just emphasize their ability to memorize the answer for each types of question. Although the questions given were not included all the science process skills but the students also need to practice the skills because they cannot be learnt through reading or answering the questions. The science process skills that can be applied to the discussion were classifying, predicting, communicating, interpreting data, and controlling variables.
The teacher should gives the details or explanation about what is the process skills the students can be learn before answer the questions. For example, students should be emphasized on the communicating skill while they were doing the group discussion. The students will learn to communicate in various ways by expressing their ideas or information to other group members in verbally. The students also should be taught how to explain the data and identified the relationships between the variables concerned and made inferences or conclusions.
After the class lesson, I had asked the teacher about the frequent the students went to the science laboratory. I noticed that the students were seldom went to the lab due to the class was not much conducted experiments and the teacher was also bothered about the students discipline in the lab.

Conclusion
As my conclusion from the observation, the effectiveness of the science process skills and manipulative skills used in the science lessons were not utilized very well by the teacher and also confined the ability of learning of the students.

Action plan
These phenomena should be destroying as soon as possible by encouraging the teacher to be more active and creative during the lesson. There is no other way to teaching and learning science lesson from hands-on activities effectively. From experiment, students can learn the both science process skills and manipulative skills at the same time.

Always be inquiry

Description
During the one week observation, I was managed to observe one science activity only due to the school will have the monthly examination on next week. The science activity was conducted by Cikgu Rohayah, the science teacher for the class year 3B. The experiment that they were investigated was about the materials attracting by the magnets. The teacher was told the students to take out all the materials that they had brought from their home. The class was divided into 4 groups and provided with 1 set of variety magnets for each groups. Students were been told to conduct their group discussion by themselves and the teacher was gone around to give some guidance for the students. I went around the class to observe their group discussion and asked some questions to the students. At the end of the activity, the teacher conducted the discussion with the students and made a conclusion about the investigation from the class activity. Before end of the class, the teacher gave some worksheets to the students as an assessment for the topic.

Feelings
During the activity was conducted, I walked around to each groups to record the discussion activity hold by the students. I felt that it was a responsibility for me as a facilitator beside from an observer. So, I went to every group and gave some little guidance to ensure that they were more than enough to test all the objects.

Evaluation
Along the class activity, the science activity was conducted with open discovery. The students were given freedom to test all the objects surrounding with different types of magnet. The class activity was conducted in students centered learning. Students were having their own discoveries, group discussion and made conclusion about the investigation that they had done. The discussion session was instigated every student to speak out their findings to the other groups or the group members. The children were motivated when the teacher gave out a new object to the students for testing using the magnet. After the class activity, the teacher gave out some worksheets to the students as an assessment to reinforce the understanding of the topic.

Analysis
The students were used the inquiry learning approach when they were given opportunity for something hands-on learning activity. From the inquiry learning, the students were investigated the materials that can be attracting by the magnets and vice versa. They were finding the truth that made an observation on the objects, asked questions to the teacher or group members and stated a conclusion on the finding.
While I refer to the Teaching Primary Science by Inquiry-Discovery (Poh Swee Hiang, 2008), the process of the class activity is called guided discovery which is means the inquiry-based classroom is a process of discovery under the direction of the teacher. The teacher plays the role of a facilitator and guided while the students discover concepts on their own. This method links teacher centered exposition and students centered independent inquiry become a practical start to scientific inquiry. Besides from students centered learning, the teacher also should inform the students what is to be learnt, what is said by the teacher is true and carry out with exercises.

Conclusion
The level of inquiry and discovery learning can further enhanced using the experiment, project, simulation, field study methods and demonstration of discrepant events. The teacher must always provide the environment to stimulus the students to think and learn.

Action plan
In future, I will always enhance my lesson plan by involving the elements of inquiry and discovery learning through hands-on activities which act as a catalyst for learning.

Deep impact

I had observed the school for 1 week and I found that there was a really deep impact for me, especially I was a chinese school student. This is my first time to step my foot at the sk school.
For this few days, I realised that why the popularity of sk schools are much less compare to the other schools and I also realised that why some of the Malay families sent their children to the other school.
Maybe this will be a sensitive issue for some other people but sometimes we really need to step our foot on the ground to see what is happening right now and what is the reality. The world is changing and the generation are also changing. This is call evolution. ( Maybe tomorrow you will see me at Kamunting )
And also I realised that when we present our micro teaching or marco teaching, are we really know what happen to the school now?
Yes, we always compare to the best. But try to think logical and reality, when we are posting at big town, of course there is no problem for us to have a high technology teaching lesson. But how about we are compare to the worst situation, when we facing the half well-equipped facility? Just like the school I am observing now, it is near with town - Seremban, so it is no a rural place. ( I sure to saying that ), but some of the class have the LCD projector but did not have the white board, and some class have the white board but did not have the projector. So, what is the fuction for those things? Decoration? And I saw that in the staff room, no any teacher is using their laptop to do their lesson or something else include the math and science teacher. Why? coz they said that lack of the equipment. Can you all accept this kind of reason?
So, try to not fully depend to the technology, I know that is very fast, save time and convenient. Please use our hand, more reliable. The students are waiting.
Sometimes the educators also need to have a critical and creative thinking apart from what you did for the students.
Yes, I am really sad and disappointed what is happening now, but how long is going to change all those things? next year? 5 years? 50 years?

have you learn this techniques?

Description
I was waited outside at the class year 4P until Cikgu Nur Azlin, the science teacher entered the class. I asked for permission to have an observation during her class period. As usual I sat at the back of the class. Today, the teacher was doing revision for exam preparation in the next one and a half hour. At first, the teacher required the students took out their exercise book and copied down the questions on the blackboard given by the teacher. Later, the teacher discussed the questions with the students.

Feelings
I felt quite disappointed when I noticed that the teacher was having a revision for the students because I was expected the teacher will having her teaching lesson in the next three science subject periods. During the lesson, I noticed that the students in the class were weaker than the other class year 4B. They were facing the reading, speaking, and writing problems. It was enhanced my observation on the students after I had heard the explanation from the teacher.

Evaluation
The questions those given by the teacher to the students for discussion were as below:
Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
1. Name the special characteristics of animals that given above to protect them.
a) picture (P) – porcupine
b) picture (Q) – polar bear
2. What is the use of the sharp spines on the animal in picture (P)?
3. Where is the animal in picture (Q) lives? And how is the weather?
4. Name the animals in picture (P) and (Q).

Basic needs of plants
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
Plant P – not watered
Plant Q – placed in a black box
Plant R – placed at outdoors and watered
Plant S – placed in a vacuum box
1. What will observe to the plants after 1 week?
a) Plant P
b) Plant Q
c) Plant R
d) Plant S
2. From the observation, draw a table according to the basic needs of the plants each.

Sunlight Water Air
P √ X X
Q X √ √
R √ √ √
S √ √ X
3. Predict for another 2 weeks. What will happen to the plants?
4. From the pictures given, what is the variable that kept same?
5. What conclusion can be made from the experiment?

Basic needs of animals
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
Picture (P) – grasshopper with leaves and cover by glass
Picture (Q) – grasshopper with leaves and uncover
1. State two variables in the investigation.
a) kept same:
b) change:
2. What will happen to the grasshopper after 3 days?
3. Based on question (2), give the reasons for this observation.
4. What conclusion can be made from the experiment?

Life processes of humans
Based on the pictures given below, answer the questions.
Process X – inhale
Process Y – exhale
1. Name the breathing process that shown in the pictures.
2. Give the reasons why the process X and Y happened.
3. State 3 basic parts of the human breathing system.
4. How about the air that contains at the lung when process X and Y happened?

Analysis
From the questions given by the teacher, I can categorize them in to 2 parts of question levels which is convergent questions and divergent questions.
For convergent questions, the students were required to give direct answer only, for example from the questions that given above were:

1. Name the special characteristics of animals that given above to protect them. ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
2. Name the animals in picture (P) and (Q). ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
3. What will observe to the plants after 1 week? ( Basic needs of plants )
4. Predict for another 2 weeks. What will happen to the plants? ( Basic needs of plants )
5. From the pictures given, what is the variable that kept same? ( Basic needs of plants )
6. State two variables in the investigation. ( Basic needs of animals )
7. What will happen to the grasshopper after 3 days? ( Basic needs of animals )
8. Name the breathing process that shown in the pictures. ( Life processes of humans )
9. State 3 basic parts of the human breathing system. ( Life processes of humans )

At convergent question level, students were activated the thinking skills which are to recall, recognize, observe, understand, organize, and apply. The students were required to recall all the information that they have learned before. These questions involved cognitive levels of knowledge, understanding and application.
For divergent questions which are higher level from the convergent questions, the students were required to have critical and creative thinking, for example from the questions that given above were:

1. What is the use of the sharp spines on the animal in picture (P)? ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
2. Where is the animal in picture (Q) lives? And how is the weather? ( Protection of animals from danger and extreme weather )
3. From the observation, draw a table according to the basic needs of the plants each. ( Basic needs of plants )
4. What conclusion can be made from the experiment? ( Basic needs of plants )
5. Based on question (2), give the reasons for this observation. ( Basic needs of animals )
6. What conclusion can be made from the experiment? ( Basic needs of animals )
7. Give the reasons why the process X and Y happened. ( Life processes of humans )
8. How about the air that contains at the lung when process X and Y happened? ( Life processes of humans )

At divergent question level, students were instigated the thinking skills which are to analysis, uncover assumption, make conclusion, evaluate, solve problem and show original results. The students were encouraged to give feedback or reflection on what they have done or felt to expand their thinking. These questions involved cognitive levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
In divergent question level, the highest level is evaluative question. The students were encouraged to make decision or conclusion based on certain criteria that have been identified from their investigation.

Conclusion
Questioning techniques are very important in teaching and learning of science as well as the discussions. The teacher should always be encourage and try to instigate students to involve actively during the discussion to ask further questions. So that, the classroom will always in a place of interactive discussion between the teacher and students.

Action plan
In the future, I will enhance myself by learning to categorize the questions levels before the lesson is start so that the students will always be involve in the discussion and express their thinking along the teaching and learning of science. It would be better if the discussion is including the activity or experiment.

What i'm going to do next week?

Next week, the school is start for the monthly examanination. So, that means I can't go for my observation in the class. It's also means that I need to finish all my task by this week with the limited information that I had observed.
Then, I will start my interview with the teachers and have my observation on the 'other' thing --the science lab.
Oh,yup! Just remind you all, don't forget try to get the yearly lesson plan, weekly lesson plan, and daily lesson plan from the teachers.
This few day, I found that the teachers at my school were started tension about me coz actually they were just planned to do revision for the students and let them do their own work. But when I required to join the class, the teacher had to think somethings to do with the class.
And when the teacher finished ealier on the topic, then they move on to the next topic until times up.
Sometimes I feel sorry about that for just satisfy my requirements but also I feel that it is good for the teacher, at least they become more active in this few days. Haha!
So, guys! Next week we will finish our SBE, any plan for the coming holiday? Must you all will be struggle how going to finish the assignments include me. Hehe!

Lychee eaten by me

Description
I followed Cikgu Salwa to enter the year 5B class in science subject. I sat at the back of the class to have my observation during the science subject was conducted. The teacher recalled the students that the topic they had discussed in previous lesson by asking some questions for a little guidance. Then, students were required to take out their exercise book and copied the questions from the blackboard given by the teacher. The students were given a couple minutes to have their own discussion and the teacher was gone around the class to supervise them. After that, the teacher discussed the questions with the students and also gave some explanations for the answer who gave by the students.
By the end of the class, teacher gave some homework to them and required the students to do their revision on the topic that they had discussed for next week monthly examination preparation.

Feelings
During my observation, I felt surprised from the students because they show actively while doing their discussion with the teacher. It was much different in my expectation that the students will be show very passive while they are asking to give their opinion or view. The whole class was well conducted by the teacher and the students were well self-discipline during the period.

Evaluation
The exercises given by the teacher were about the food chain and food web. Firstly, the teacher asked the students to give the definition of food chain and food web and also the meaning of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. The students also required to give the meaning of producer and consumer. Students were been told to identify and classify the group according to the food the animals eat. Then the students were gone further to identify the producers and consumers and construct the food web and food chain among the animals and plants. After that, students moved on to discuss the prediction given by the teacher using a simple basic mathematics skill.
Beside, I found that the teacher was much concentrated the method to answer the questions during the examination. The students were been told to memorize the types of question and how to handle or answering that kinds of question. I think this will probably not to encourage the students to have the critical and creative thinking skills.
The students will be lead by the questions and become passive.

Analysis
The questions given by the teacher during the exercise were as below:
Based on the diagram shown, construct there food chains that can be found.
Grass----Caterpillar----Grasshopper----Hen----Fox
1. Which is the producer?
2. Which are the consumers?
3. Based on the food chain construct a food web.


Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Caterpillar 45 38 29 18
Bird 4 7 11 16
The table above shown that the relationship between caterpillars and birds.
1. What is the trend of the number of caterpillars?
2. What is the trend of the number of birds?
3. Why the number of caterpillars is decreasing?
4. Predict the number of birds in week 5.

Based on the animals that given as below, construct a food web.
1. Paddy plant----Sparrow----Rat----Grasshopper----Frog----Eagle
2. Elodea----Tadpole----Guppy----Tilapia----Beaver



From the questions given by the teacher, I found that the trend of the questions was using inductive learning method. Initially, teacher asked the students to identify and classify each of the animals, for example: What does the animal eat? Is the animal herbivore or carnivore? Is the animal a producer or consumer?
So on, the students were required to construct the food chain and the food web based on their classification that had made from previous question. Furthermore, the students also were required to predict what would be happen for the ecosystem if the number of the animals are increasing or decreasing. Now, we found that the students were started with the specific knowledge which then consolidated with more and more information until a general concept was formed.

Conclusion
From my observation in the class, I am able to conclude that teaching and learning of science can be conduct effectively with applying the learning theories. Students form their knowledge through the action of hearing, reading, writing, talking, remembering and thinking. The elements of inductive and deductive learning which employ to the learners should be depend on the topic that will be discuss and is suit to the topic and learners.

Action plan
In future, I will make this teaching approach for my teaching to the students. I will enhance this teaching approach through using more sources and specific activities to help students understand the concepts and the relationships between the activities and theories.

I found my way!

Hi, guys! Today I manage to observe the year 3 class and it is a very good observation that I have ever coz the previous classes are all done in revision. I felt so happy and excited to join in the class.

If you read my blog, you know that previously the year 3 class had their lesson at multimedia room. After the class, the teacher said that they will have an activity in class on Thursday, so I quickly talked to the teacher said that on Thursday, I also want to join the class. Now I made it!


Finally, I found the obvious target that I need to observe. After the class, I quickly wrote it into my blog according to the Gibb's reflcetive model. It's very useful. I found the way! Thanks!


I also found that the school have a morning reading section for 10-15 minutes at the assembly ground. And today it comes to Science. So teachers are require to guide the students read some passages from the textbook and ask questions according what they had read. I don't know how well it is going but I think I should take a time to interview the students about their view in this programme.

How about the other friends? Seeing that only a few people can 'onlineable'. Hope you all are doing your good job also.

I also got many chances to record all the activity that the students had done but I don't know where to upload it (sometimes the server is extremely slow). Maybe I can share with you all after we go back to institute. ^0^

Is copper coin attract to magnet?

Description
Today I managed to observe the class of year 3B for science subject. The class was conducted by Cikgu Rohayah, the science subject teacher. The class was having an activity today which was continued the previous topic in identify the materials that magnets attract.
Before the activity was started, students were divided into 4 groups. The teacher provided the different types of magnets to every group. Students had to find out which objects will be attract by the magnets and all the objects were brought by the students from their home, for example: copper coin, straw, leaf, tin, aluminum can, stapler, pin, eraser, flower etc.
Students were been told to test every object with different types of magnets. I went around to every group to observe how they were done their activity and how they conducted their discussion by themselves. The teacher also went around to every group to give a little guidance and asked some questions to the students.
By the end of an activity, the teacher made a closure by asking questions to the students and showed demonstrations, for example: Is the flower attract by the magnet? Is the stapler attracting by the magnet?
Teacher wrote some questions and draws a table on the blackboard and made a conclusion. By the end of the class, teacher gave the worksheets to the students for revision and as an assessment for the topic.

Feelings
During the activity, every students included me were very excited. I felt that the students were enjoyed the activity. The students were surprised and excited when they found that the 1 cent copper coin can be attract by the magnets while the 20 cents silver coin can not be attract by the magnets and also the stem of plastic flower can be attract by the magnets. They shared their discoveries to me and asked for the reasons. I felt that the activity was a core for the whole topic which they had learned and discussed in the previous lesson.

Evaluation
The activity conducted by the teacher was very benefit to the students apart from the theories that had learned and watched from the audio CD. Students had found their own new discoveries and constructed to be a new knowledge to them. For example: from the previous lesson, students were been taught that the copper coin can not be attracting by the magnet. But during the activity, students found that the copper coin can be attracting by the magnet. Although it had a controversy between that, but the students believed the truth that they had done from the activity which was the copper coin can be attracting by the magnet.
Along the activity, the students were discussed their observation using Malay language while the science subject is teaching in English. But the students joined actively during their discussion when communicated with each others. I wondered at that moment and asked myself, how it would be if the activity was conducted in English only? I think the activity will not be so lively like now what they had done because the students are not proficiency in English although they had learned 2 years English language before that. What is important is that the students could know the concept that they are learning right now.

Analysis
By the end of the activity, teacher wrote 3 questions and draws a table on the blackboard as below:
1. What is to keep the same?
2. What is to change?
3. What is to measure?

List all the objects which attracted or not attracted to a magnet.
Objects Attracted to a magnet
Iron screw √
Straw X

and made a conclusion as below:
All objects made of iron will be attracting to a magnet.

From the activity, I observed that the teacher was followed the stages of a lesson:
1. Set induction – introduce the activity, instructions
2. Development – discussion of the activity
3. Closure – conclusion of the activity
4. Evaluation – questions for the activity
5. Reinforcement – worksheets given by teacher

Well, so far the students were gained the knowledge especially the external knowledge which physical and social knowledge when they had found the discoveries from the activity and also when they were communicate to the other students.
At the same time, I found that the teacher was not emphasized about the opinion or view from the students which they had found the new discoveries from the activity. For example, teacher did not ask why the copper coin can be attracting by the magnet.

Conclusion
As a conclusion for the observation, this kind of activity should be always encourage during the lesson. It is also important that to have a well planning by following the stages of a lesson are effective for teaching and learning of science. I realized that science will be meaningless if the teaching have no any activity at all.

Action plan
Unfortunately, the class activity was conducted in half an hour only. I realized that this kind of activity should be done in longer period due to have more objects for testing with the magnet and also to have more discussion with the students.

I making a record

Haha! I feel so happy today when a teacher asked me how old I am? and I answered my age to her. Then she said I looked younger than my age. It is 5 years younger! Haha!
When I chitchat with the teachers, they said I am the first person who came to their school for doing sbe except the praktikum. Wow!
And I also met some funny moments when i met the students. They were asked why I am so tall? and I asked them why you are so short? Haha! and then they were greeted me with saying assalamualaikum cikgu and I answered with good morning or good afternoon. They felt very weird. Haha....

Types of Questions

In day 2, I got a quite good experience from my observation compare to yesterday. Today I observed the year 3B class in subject science. The class was conducted by Cikgu Rohayah.
The topic that they were discussed was about the use of magnet. Before there was any explanation given by the teacher, students were required to read the passages silently. A few minutes later, teacher was given an induction to the students by an explanation about the use of magnet, for example: the use of magnet in refrigerator, handbag and pencil box. Teacher also used the pictures from the cardboard which was stored at top of the cupboard behind the classroom.
Since there was not so much sources from the cardboard, teacher told students to go to the multimedia lab just right beside from the classroom. But the teacher found that the audio CD was not content any topic about the use of magnet. Then the teacher changed the topic to the materials that magnets attract.
It was started by a dialogue and then continued with an exercise that required the students to classify the materials that will attract and will not attract by the magnet. After finished the exercise, teacher discussed the exercise with the students. After that, they were moved forward to discuss about why some materials will attract by the magnet while others were not, for example there were paper clip, iron screw, metal spoon, pin that made of iron and others were toothpick, straw etc.

Moved to the next topic, the class were discussed about which types of magnet is the strongest? There had bar magnet, u-shaped magnet, ring magnet and horseshoe magnet. In this topic, students were been taught the science process skills which was controlling variables. Students were asked to give an opinion whether it was fair to conclude which types of magnet is the strongest by comparing with different magnets on different objects.
Teacher discussed with the students that variable kept constant, variable responding and variable manipulated. By the end of the class, students were required to copy the notes from the projector.
From my observation, I found that the teacher try to induce the students through the questions asked by her from convergent questions to divergent questions. It was started to identify the types of materials, to differentiate the materials, make a prediction on every materials and make a conclusion from the activity. And these questions were involving cognitive levels of knowledge, understanding, application, analysis and evaluation.
But at the same time, it was not enhance the students thinking skill due to the class was conducted by the audio CD and the explanation of teacher only. But there will be an experiment on Thursday for this topic.
So far, this is my conclusion of the observation in the class and maybe there will be more complete after I join their experiment on this coming Thursday.

My feeling in the first day of school

Today I felt so excited and tension when I arrived at the school. When I introduced myself to head mistress, she was shocked said that she didn't recieved any official letter from the institute. (I also felt shocked too!) Luckly I had brought along the letter.
Regularly there having a assembly on Monday. I was arranged to sit at the first row among the teachers and facing to all students and also beside was sat by GPK KK, GPK HEM dan head mistress. Oh god! this is my first experience ever in my whole life. Haha!
Since I am the only student to do the observation in that school, I am becoming the focus point among the school. Ha! the frequent questions that I had to answer are: where do I live? what course do I taking?
The school is start at 7.30am until 1pm, and I felt that the time was gone very fast. After I observed and suit myself to the school environment, it was half of the day already. So, I just have a chance to start my observation for classroom pratices 3 periods (half hour for each) before the end of the school.
There were also many new and interesting experiences that I can't wait to share with you all until we meet again at ip teknik.
Hope there have more news from you all that we can sharing together. *~*

My First Day at School

Today is the first day that I am executed the ‘School based experience’ programmed.
The school that I had chosen is Sekolah Kebangsaan Labu Ulu Batu 8 at Labu, Negeri Sembilan. The head mistress of the school is Puan Suhailah bt. Kasim. There are 423 students in the school include the kinder garden students. Students are dividing into 2 classes in each year namely Bestari and Pintar.
I am request to observe with the science subject teachers and English subject teachers during the 2 weeks ‘school based experience’ programmed. In both subjects, I am observing Cikgu Nurazlin who teaching science for year 4P and English for year 5P, Cikgu Salwa who teaching science for year 5B and English for year 4B and 5B and Cikgu Rohayah who teaching science for year 3B.
Unfortunately, I have 1 week only to do my observation of classroom practices due to the school will have the monthly examination by next week. By that reason, most of the teachers are doing revision or exercises with the students.
I introduced myself to the teachers and students during the assembly. After the assembly, I took the opportunity to observe the school surrounding. The school is very well equipped and there has a science laboratory in the school and also the school has such nice environment surrounding.

By the way, I have a chance to observe a class of year 5 in science subject before end of the school. Teacher had a discussion on the exercise from the exercise book with the students.
Before the discussion was started, teacher was checked whether the exercises were done by the students. The topic that they were discussed is food chain and food web. Students answered the questions that read out by the teacher and copied the answer from the board after they had discussed it.
Some students were show actively during the discussion by put their hands up for answer the questions but there were also had students who not really sure about their answer by guessing it.
Teacher was gave the definition about producer, consumer, increasing and decreasing to the students but I felt that it was much more to a translation on that words because of there was no more any details about the meaning of words.
Students were done the predicting skill based on the questions from the exercise book, for example: prediction on the trend of the number of caterpillars, what is the number of birds in week 5. There was much less to activate the thinking process by the students with discussion more detail or deeply apart from the questions on the exercise book.
Besides, I have a doubt while teacher was gave a wrong answer to the students (I’m sure the answer given by the teacher was incorrect). What should I do? Discuss with the teacher after the class? Should I? Maybe I need an advice from my lecturer.
By the end of the class, teacher was gave a homework to the students. From the discussion was conducted by the teacher, the questioning techniques presented by the teacher seem that it were convergent questions which was a low order convergent question level through recall of information.
So, this is my reflection for my first day of observation in the school. Hope you all can give any comments for my reflection or any suggestions that should I improve while I still looking the right way to do my observation.