Why College of Education?

When I have a leisure time, I go out to take a fresh air outside of Xavier honor’s Dormitory for Men. I always face with two great questions when my steps reach at the Ateneo de Naga University main gate. The two questions are as follows: do I go to Centro to enjoy seeing the new products, and newest model that import from China, Japan, and Singapore which is being sold in SM of Naga, E_Mall, Robertson, and LCC, or have I go to Santo Cruz to see the poor people there so that I can make a difference?  With these two contradiction ideas, the second question always gets the higher points for the winning. Then, I continue my trip to see closely the people in Santa Cruz. After strolled around it in my heart, I say “Oh, my God! Majority young people here,  at the Santo Cruz are not able to go to school. They are from poor family, and yet they stay at the very poor shack. This reality of life shakes my heart deeply, and it strengthens my mind to devote myself more to be a teacher, rather than to be a businessman, and politician who sometimes tends to think about Self-Centeredness, exploit people, and sometimes also bewilder people to stay unrest in their life. By taking up College of Education, I have a single goal to help people such them to lessen their burden in the circle of the poverty. I think, it would be only a single way to second them to get the better life in the future.

As we know, the human capital is the second determinant of productivity. It is the economist’s term for the knowledge and skills that people acquire only through Education, Training, and Experience. For me personally, the College of Education is one course that offered to fulfill that requirement. To be formed being the most important variable in the learner’s Educational environment. Perhaps, without the teacher, the related Elements of the teaching-learning process would be ineffective for the motivations, guides and directs the learner’s in their quest for knowledge.

In closing, I am proud of taking my College of Education at the Ateneo de Naga University. It is not because CHED grants Autonomous status to AdNU; College of Education is Center of Excellence. But I am being sent by East Timor Jesuit to take my college of Education here at Adnu, actually because of the Jesuit Tradition of Excellence. I do expect that, I will be inspired, and convinced to learn more the related course through Field Study. Hopping that, after graduation at the College of Education here at AdNU I will gain “Something New” to help my country East Timor in reducing the poverty too in my own small ways.

Note:  A reflection Paper to be submitted to the Field Study Subject Teacher  at AdNU, Philippines, 2010

An Opinion on the Learning Mathematics

“I’m not good at math”, “I hate math” or “math is too hard” are common phrases heard by students. “One of the curious aspects of the community here at Ateneo de Naga University(AdNU) is that it is socially acceptable to take pride in not being good in mathematics”. Where do these attitudes and beliefs come from? Can they be changed? Through this simple opinion, I would mention, three main ideas surfaced as possible reasons, we as students dislike math: math anxiety, lack of motivation in mathematics, and a negative attitude toward mathematics.

Math Anxiety

 

Math anxiety is a condition in which students experience negative reactions to mathematical concepts and evaluation methods. Math anxiety can lead to several consequences. For example, sometime, some teachers here at the Ateneo de Naga University remaining that mathematics anxiety may prevent students from pursuing higher-level math courses and and some teachers also stated, “math anxiety has been found to have a negative relationship with mathematics performance and achievement” Anxious individuals may avoid mathematics classes, may be more likely to have negative attitudes toward mathematics related activities, or if they become elementary teachers, may not spend as much time teaching mathematics as their less anxious colleagues. So, it means that math anxiety has two dimensions: affective (nervousness, tension, dread, fear) and cognitive (worry).

On the other hand, some teachers and students have focused on the effect anxiety has on achievement. In our everyday life as students, it is clear to compare the relationship between math anxiety and achievement in math. The population correlation for the relationship between math anxiety and math achievement have significant meaning. It tells us that fluency in math may be more related to math anxiety than overall performance. In other words, math anxiety may increase with problem complexity. One implication is that as students progress through high school and classes become more complex their anxiety level will increase. 

 

Motivation 

 

Motivation can be divided into two categories: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is desire to obtain rewards for academic tasks, such as grades, or avoid punishments. "Academic intrinsic motivation is the drive or desire of the student to engage in learning ‘for its own sake’”.

“Students’ feeling of relatedness to their teachers was strong predictors of their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement in classroom activities” . Some teacher gave the example: Jaime Escalante, the real-life hero of the film Stand and Deliver, insists that he must teach his students for three years if they are to succeed in AP calculus. He conscientiously builds relations of care and trust with each student. He shows steady concern for the integral development of his students – how they are doing in English, how their home lives are going, what jobs and sports they participate in. This attitude and effort that accompanies it are part of teaching mathematics. As we build such relations, our students learn to trust us. When the work is not as exciting as we’d like it to be or when they have low moments (as we all do), students will often persist in mathematical endeavors for their teacher. “Okay, if you say so. I’ll do it - just for you”. As the process of learning goes on a review of literature and we found out that to “describe theoretical orientations guiding research in mathematics motivation and to discuss findings in terms of how they facilitate or inhibit achievement". It gives us: “students' perception of success in mathematics are highly influential in forming their motivational attitudes”; “motivations towards mathematics are developed early, are highly stable over time, and are influenced greatly by teacher actions and attitudes"; “providing opportunities for students to develop intrinsic motivation in mathematics is generally superior to providing extrinsic incentives for achievement”; and “Last, and most important, achievement motivation in mathematics, though stable, can be affected through careful instructional design”.

Attitude

“Attitude toward mathematics is defined as a general emotional disposition toward the school subject of mathematics” . It has been obvious to us that “attitude toward mathematics significantly influenced choice of mathematics major”. “One of the most important reasons for nurturing a positive attitude in mathematics is that it may increase one’s. tendency to elect mathematics courses in high school and college and possibly to elect careers in a math related field” One important factor in students’ attitude toward mathematics is the teacher and classroom environment. It said that teacher quality (enthusiasm, respect, commitment to help students learn, fairness, praise and reinforcement) seems to be consistently related to attitude toward mathematics.“However, the important trend highlighted in this concern is that students in secondary school become increasingly less positive with regard to their attitude toward mathematics and their beliefs in the social importance on mathematics”. Students’ notions of the nature of science showed little change. In regard to middle school changes, attitude and social importance of mathematics declined at a significantly slower rate for students with positive teacher push and positive peer influence. Parental push was also a significant influence. In high school, positive peer influence , positive teacher push, and curriculum (students taking higher math) were related to slower rates of decline in attitude and social importance. It means: “If teachers hold high expectations and present students with challenging mathematics, then students may be more likely to enjoy mathematics and recognize it usefulness” and “teachers’ choice of activities and mathematics problems can have a strong impact on the values that are portrayed in the classroom and on how students view mathematics and its usefulness”. Supporting positive peer networks and involving parents in school activities involving mathematics can help slow decline of students’ negative attitude toward mathematics. Therefore, the junior high years may provide teachers an opportunity to treat negative attitudes toward math and foster high achievement. 

 

Summary

It is clear, that math anxiety, motivation, and attitude all play important roles.Whether or not students will pursue advanced mathematics courses and careers in math related fields. As some of teachers concern, it has not only become acceptable to not be good at mathematics, but acceptable to be proud of not being good in mathematics. Here are the some suggestions to address the problem, for example: change teaching methods, get students actively involved in learning mathematics, show students the relevance of mathematics in their lives, build relationships with the students, promote a positive affective environment, and create interest in the mathematics field are just a few. In any case, the affective environment can play a large role in reversing the trend of negative attitudes about mathematics, lack of motivation, and the adverse effect of math anxiety on the students.

Note: this is one of my entries in my Portfolio, to be submitted to the Assessment II teacher, at AdNU.

References:

1. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-219548.html
2. http://www.acralive.org/2011/01/study-raises-concern-over-math-ability.html
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics

Ateneo de Naga

End of the Assessment II Class Reflection

Through the various topics, stories, games, activities, and assignments, I have learned and understood well what the assessment is all about as never before. I have learned to write a rubric. I have learned how to write performance-based prompt. I have learned to observe a classmate. I enjoyed laughing , smiling a lot at the classroom. I enjoyed indeed. In addition, I learned to create my own port polio and then I submitted it to my beloved Dean Arnulfo Aaron R. Reganit, Ed.D (the Dean of the College of Education, Ateneo de Naga University, City of Naga, Bicol, Philippines). Peer observation made me feel that It seems like to spy someone but at the same time, it enabled me to see how a person can really get to know someone . Something I once doubted. What was particularly interesting for me was the checking the entries. It was there that I learned how one must understand the original purpose of a entry before one can do it up to the finish. Otherwise, the meaning can become somewhat altered from the original intent. These different forms of process of learning allowed me to enjoy, to smile with my class and instructor in what I now define as a learning community.

Prior to this class, I had never thought of education as a learning community. I had heard of the term before, but not in the same context as I have come to understand it in this semester. I now believe that learning should be a voluntary act, and that teaching should be a response to that act—not a burden, not a one-person show. Probably the most important aspect of this assessment class has been learning about what defines a learning community and how it differs from a traditional classroom. Not only does this environment place the impetus to learn on the students, it also offers students the flexibility they need to participate in their own education at their own pace. Many times throughout this semester I had hard work as I could and I also could not participate well at the classroom because of my English background every meeting at a certain time. I participated, but when it was convenient for me to do so. In other words, to borrow a new term, I learned that learning can be both asynchronous. Some of the time my learning took place on my own and then at other times with the class. In fact, I noticed that all of the elements that are crucial in accomplishing work-related goals are also present in this process of  learning environment. For example, collaboration was necessary at certain times during this distance learning class, just as it is in the workplace. I couldn't always "do it alone," just as I cannot always do it alone on my job.

As I reflect upon on my strengths and weaknesses as related to this course, I think that the old saying about how "my greatest weakness became my greatest strength" applies here. One of the problems I first encountered in this class was not being able to get an immediate answer when I was having difficulty with something. Another weakness I have is being afraid to ask for help. As this course progressed, however, I overcame that timidness. I realized that in the working world, everyone helps each other out if a co-worker has a problem. Also, working in teams is important in many jobs. The team project helped me to learn how to be a part of a team. That skill will help me immensely if I get a job at a school or Department of Education, which is my goal. In a traditional classroom the teacher is always physically present, so if there is an immediate need he or she is usually immediately accessible in one way or another (in class or during office hours). This problem, however, turned around as I gradually learned to dig deeper and investigate further for my own answers. I also learned to rely on my learning community (classmates), too. In the beginning of the semester there was an adjustment period, but as the semester progressed and as I began to work with the system, I learned to be less dependent on the instructor and more dependent on me. I think this was a good learning experience. Sometimes teachers answer far too many questions easily when they need to let the student search for their own answer. As a assessment-learning student, I found that it was important to work independently to find solutions to problems. This is where my critical thinking skills came in handy. I don't mean to disregard the need for the learning community, but being an independent learner enables a student to be a better member of that learning community. So, to summarize, my greatest weakness, the inability to access information instantly became my greatest strength, my ability to become an independent learner and achiever.

 Finally, I would like to add that I have really enjoyed the experience of this class. It has been good for me to learn first-hand what this assessment is all about. In one hand, this course has helped me to know myself better. It has taught me skills. I will take it with me to my future career. on the other hand, I have enjoyed this class because it opened my eyes to who I really am as a person. I have learned about my preferred learning style, which is visual. I have become more confident and goal-oriented. My organizational skills have improved greatly. I am looking forward to the rest of my college experience, and to the working world beyond. Thank you for your help and patience.

Note: this entry is one of my entries in the Portfolio, submitted to the Assessment II teacher at AdNU, 2011

The Reflection Movie of AKSY Timor Lorosa'e

Ever Went to Seminario de Nossa Senhora de Fatima_Seminario Dare (TOR)_and_Seminario Maior Sao Pedro & Sao Paulo_Dili_Timor Lorosa'e

Ever Experienced Jesuit Pre_Novice Life in Taibessi_ Lahane_Dili_Timor Lorosa'e

High School Life

I want to see the world!

Few years ago a small crocodile * lived in a swamp in a far away place. He dreamed of becoming a big crocodile but as food was scarce, he became weak and grew sadder and sadder.

He left for the open sea, to find food and realize his dream, but the day became increasingly hot and he was still far from the seashore. The little crocodile - rapidly drying out and now in desperation - lay down to die.

A Small Boy* took pity on the stranded crocodile and carried him to the sea. The crocodile, instantly revived, was grateful. “Little boy”, he said, “you have saved my life. If I can ever help you in any way, please call me. I will be at your command…”

A few years later, the boy called the crocodile, who was now big and strong. “Brother Crocodile”, he said, “I too have a dream. I want to see the world”.

“Climb on my back,” said the crocodile, “and tell me, which way do you want to go?”

“Follow the sun”, said the boy.

The crocodile set off for the east, and they traveled the oceans for five years, until one day the crocodile said to the boy, “Brother, we have been traveling for a long time. But now the time has come for us to return home. In memory of your kindness, I will turn myself into a treasure that never wears out*, where you and your children can utilize it until the sun sinks in the sea.”

The End  

Note:

Crocodile* = The Island of East Timor, and Others
 a treasure that never wears out* = Science (Port folio)
Small Boy* = Moreira 
This modification, Based on:   "the LEGEND OF EAST TIMOR: THE CROCODILE STORY" by  East Timor's Independence Day Committee

AKSY in Ateneo de Naga University

The Fantastic Eight with Fr. John Mace, S.J.