Autoethnography

Autoethnography

Several factors influence language teaching. Through years, some authors have researched teachers' behavior in the educational setting. There have been strategies used for teacher to reflect, one of them has been “autoethnography”. According to Spry (2001) states “autoethnography is a self-narrative that critiques the situatedness of self with others in social, political, economic and cultural context” (p.710). Thus, this paper shows narratives through pedagogy in different contexts. In doing so, to make the teacher aware of the teaching process, it is a need to figure out support language teaching and students´ elements as an ongoing process influenced by the teacher. In consequence, based on components of methodology for language practice that is shaped in the classroom practice, these are good reasons through the real training and the real overview of this paper and practice together for making formative learning in the context of education.

Being a student teacher

When I entered my undergraduate program, I was 16 years old. Once I started improving the foreign language I began learning pedagogy at teaching. It was a new experience for me as from the beginning there were strategies and methodologies to carry out in the classroom. In my second semester, I was in an elective course. To be honest, I do not remember its name but I remember the one who guided it. She was a teacher called Janeth. She arrived in the classroom and started asking students why had we chosen “Licenciatura en ingles”. I say this in Spanish because that was a Spanish elective course. Several peers answered they were there because of the language. The teacher started making us realize the pedagogy in the undergraduate program, it was quite interesting for me as it made me think and be aware of the what of the program. Like that experience, there were lots of experiences through my learning process as a student's teacher.

How that teacher made me reflect on teaching in a classroom, it is the way we as a student-teacher start our career in the educational setting. like me, I pretty sure there were lots of peers that felt they had to change the way of think and the way of seeing the program, for example, Farrel, T. (2016) features reflection “as a means for improving classroom processes and outcomes, and developing confident, self-motivated teachers” (p.51). After a few pedagogy moments later as a student-teacher, the practicum came in the program, and I realized the pedagogy in the course.

My first experience at primary

I entered into a class of first-grade. The students were in a regular class from their principal teacher. There were about 40 students whose ages ranged from six to eight years old. They seemed to be a crowded class. Once I arrived in class the principal teacher introduced me and I started the class. I had lots of expectations for the class. First, the principal teacher helped me gave students’ the first sheet. So, they were a bit more organized. However, no that much as I expected. Some students asked me what they were going to do. I told them they had to wait for the instruction. Once, I finished giving them the worksheets. I taught them the vocabulary, they repeated after me. Then, I remember, there were lots of questions and concerns from the students about the worksheet. I tried to answer everyone but it was almost impossible. The principal teacher helped me with the students’ discipline. Then I told all the students to practice the last time before finish the class. Finally, the bell rang and my period of the day was over.  

            My experience of teaching English at first grade taught me more of what I have learned from my practicum about student classroom management and I realized new ways of teaching a group of 40 students. First of all, I learned some strategies for students in classroom management. I learned an easy strategy in that class, for example, I should explain the activity before giving students the worksheets. Then, I should give everyone the copies, it means once I started the instructions they paid attention to. From that class, I felt I was learning how to teach through the practice. Thus, Loughran, J. (2005) illustrates “teaching and learning are demanding tasks because they center on complex, interrelated sets of thoughts and actions, all of which may be approached in several ways" (p.3). In that sense, the pedagogical experience at primary enriched me to know, this is not easy work, but it is grateful to know what the students can achieve through their learning process.

My pedagogy teaching at primary                                                                                               

It was my first time teaching at primary full time, it was in 2017. I taught third, fourth, and fifth grades from a public institution. Before any class, I took my time to prepare very well the class, I was going over the computer to find the best activities which fixed the students' context. There were lots of fun activities, puzzles, worksheets, and games throughout that year. I opened some sites and tried to find some materials for the day’s lesson. For that class, I found an image material on the topic and download it on the desktop. I got the material printed and then photocopied for each student. It seemed students were enjoying the class. Some classes I asked students to bring cardboard, some color pencils, markers, print papers, or some other materials. I welcomed students in the class. Then, I warmed up the classes with movement activities. Later on, I introduced the topic of the day by an image or by writing on the whiteboard. Then, I distributed some worksheets to each student and asked them to fill it. Some other class, they had to cut on and paste or match. I let them time to finish the activities. I facilitated them while they needed my help during the time they were doing it.  Some of them finished within the stipulated time, but some other finished before, it meant I had a plan b for those students. Then I provided them the space to finish the activities. At the end of each session, the whole class says what they had learned.

            From that experience, I was much aware of the teaching materials and activities I used for my classes. After, my first experience teaching at primary. I got the idea of activities based on teaching through various interactions in the classroom. As Farrel, T. (2016) mentions “the general consensus is that teachers who are encouraged to engage in reflective practice can gain new insight of their practice” (p.224). Bearing in mind this idea, I think the way we learn to teach is acquired and constructed through teaching. So, I tried my best to provide the situation to the students to learn at the same time I learned in the practice. 

My pedagogy teaching at secondary

My first experience teaching in secondary was in 2018, I was over the computer googling and planning my lessons for eighth, tenth, and eleventh grades. I searched for the “PEI” from the institution to start my journey in high school. There were lots of expectations for teaching adolescents. I opened some sites and found some materials and activities for my first lesson. I found some activities for breaking the ice, it was interesting. When I came into the class, it was excited about the eleventh grade as I knew that students ages were growing and adapting to new behaviors. During that year, I felt I was very strict with the students, for example, I facilitated them all they needed, my help during the time they were in class. I enfaced them to be on time and bring the works until the deadline time. Sometimes, there were not more chance, and some other strict rules. However, the experience has taught me that we have to go beyond merely teaching knowledge. Nowadays, I know students' needs, likes not only in terms of knowing but also in terms of being.

My experience of teaching English in high school taught me more about how to manage students’ likes and needs more than just teach knowledge. I feel that experience helped me to be more flexible enough to bring and implement new practices. Nowadays, I apply the way make feel the students better, in that way they learn better in the classroom. Herein, let me examine one claim of Osborn, T. A. (2000) in his text on building critical reflection on the classroom. He says "critical reflection involves challenging the boundaries of our educational thought and practice" (p.66). Bearing in mind this quote, I state we as teachers acquired a lot of pedagogical knowledge, but the real practice makes us know how to teach in the classroom. 

My experience in the master´s program in English Language teaching 
            During this master's program, I have grown up a lot, not only personally, but also professionally. To be honest the difficult stages for me have been the research courses. However, the M.A has emerged me into the research, I have to say this road has not been easy. Contrary, it has been a hard route. Anyway, this process enhances me to continue working in my pedagogy practice and the research field. Furthermore, the master´s program has opened the window of research and the way of constructing new strategies in the classroom. This empowered me to transform students' realities in the classroom, school, or society.  

Bearing in mind the question by professor Castañeda in this master´s course. He said “what opportunities have you had to externalize everyday concepts and internalize academic concepts?”. From this question, there were a lot of opportunities created by this master. First of all, each course´s teacher created their strategies to internalize the concepts and carry them out to the practice. So, this program is created in the way we can think critically not only in the theory but also in the practice.

In the same line of thought, one of the most significant findings that have emerged from this master´s program has been understanding the environment that students are exposed to, to create better learning outcomes, for example, those factors that the learner develop by him/herself. Contrary, those factors that are developed by teachers through the process in the classroom or school.

Also, through the learning process I could strongly believe the teacher is an agent of changes in the education system, the teacher promotes positive interaction. To make students feel comfortable with themselves and the language. In my opinion, I as teacher educator may play roles in the students learning that everyone can achieve, it is for this reason, that teachers have to act to facilitate students learning.

On the other hand, I believe Colombia's policy has increased students' opportunities to have a better education system. However, we as teachers are the center to make students transformations in the classroom or school. These demand huge efforts by the teachers as well as the local education system that need to be cover progressively in the educational field.  

Finally, to answer the following questions, (a) who were you? (b) who are you? (c) who will you be? I look back to my experience as a teacher and a learner. I have reshaped the way of think, belief, act, and understand situations that we as teachers have to live in this profession. Thus, appreciate the process throughout this program. Furthermore, I have to mention the gap I close day by day between the B.A and this master´s program. Also, there have been assumptions and personal situations and unveiled realities that I have to overcome to be at the end of this grateful mater´s program.

 References

Farrel, T. (2016). The practices of encouraging TESOL teachers to engage in reflective practice:                 An appraisal of recent research contributions Garvey

Loughran, J. (2005). Developing Reflective Practice: Learning about Teaching and Learning               through             Modelling. Falmer Press.

Osborn, T. A. (2000). Critical Reflection and the Foreign Language Classroom. London: HMSO.

Spry, T. (2001). Performing autoethnography: An embodied methodological praxis.         Qualitative.Inquiry, 7, pp706 – 732.