Dear Bravos,
This is to assign the reading journal task for Chapter 8. I'm awaiting a perfect match between the summary and reflection.
The 1st complete test of the reading section on Green TOEFL book is due Monday. Please don't forget to bring your books to class.
Enjoy your weekend:)
İnci teacher
READING JOURNAL-8
YanıtlaSilThis week,we try to find an answer about whether or not teachers are key for students.The authors have controversial ideas. The first text located in the book 's author support teachers' importance by some explanations.The second text,handout, 's author states that homeschooling is the best choice for children,which means teachers are unnecessary.If I had had a chance to choose one of them,I would have opted for homeschooling.Unlike the overall approach,due to homeschooling,we gain more time to socialize.Socialization means making new friends,joining in new activities,new groups,but some people who do not realize real meanings of socialization presume that we should attend school to socialize.Also,most of the students cannot benefit from current teachears because of the crowd of classes,and the curriculum.Another issue of this week is whether or not we can increase our intelligence.I believe that we can rise our knowledge,but intelligence was inherited like physical appearences.On the other hand,if we do harmful things such as watching TV,not eating enogh food which is wealth of nutrition,talking with stupid people!!!,we can decrease our intelligence willy-nilly.The last part that I want to mention is the learning styles.One of the author state that there is no evidence for learning styles.Assuming that the hypothesis is true,why do the countrys' education systems underscore this subject.
I like this passage, author connects everything well.Why don't students like school, relationship between the memory and consideration, how we learn, but there are some points which I disagree with him/ her.Author says intelligence can be improved.Intelligence was given when we was born.The things that author said are about improving our learning style.Each intelligent person is a good learner, but each good learner is not smart.Also, watching informative documentaries and reading books or newspapers just make us knowledgeable.For sure environment affects our intellignece, but it is too few.Furthermore, as it is understand from the title author thinks that teachers are important during the learning.I think there is only one thing affects our learning; curiosity, unless I am curious about something even the best teacher will not teach me something. On the other hand, it is said that "curiosity killed the cat." Apart from these I think the passage was enjoable first time, even me like it.
YanıtlaSilREADING JOURNAL - 8
YanıtlaSilThe topic of this weeek was related to our circumstance as being a student. The topic ofthe text in the book was "Teachers are Key for Students", but it surprised me because when I saw the topic for the first time, I thought that I would find something about the role of teachers in the children's education. It was not how I axpected. The text was written with "question and answer method." Before this section, the author touched upon the issue about why students do not like school. In my point of view, if it were mentioned in a way like a criticism about the role of teachers in students' dislikeness. On the other hand, holding the question and answer method made the author degress the topic. Nevertheless, the text and the subject of it were not relevant, I can say that I liked the answers of the questions a little bit. For the sake of example about this inconsistency, the question was whether intelligence was much more malleable than most people thought. Both the answer and the question were not related to the topic which the author wrote at the top of the text. The second text was an opinion essay that both the topic and the style of writing were different from the first one. This text was about the advantage of homeschooling which I tıtally disagree with. In tha text, it was said that nobody even the teachers is able to know the children better than their parents. The author skipped something at this point. All parents are not educated about teaching something to somebody. Teaching requires to be patient and have enough knowledge about the children's psychology. Even if some of parents have these qualifications, most probably they are teachers out of the home life. I do not believe that parents, other adults, and other siblings are enough for the children. They can only teach the social life, but they cannot have a grasp of science as a teacher who mastered this subject can do. The only thing the author tried to persuade the readers was the percentiles which were used in the last paragraph of the text, but this text was not still able to persuade either me or another person who read this text. As a conclusion, because of the reasons I mentioned, I liked neither the first text nor the second one.
READING JOURNAL - 8
YanıtlaSilThis week our topic was about education; are teachers important for children, why children do not like the school, and homeschooling. I do not like first text because I think there was no connection between text and its title. There were some questions and answers which were irrevelant. Its title was about importance of teachers, but contents of text was not about importance of teachers. It was about memory, type of learning, and getting smarter.I really do not like it because the author talked about same known things such as; do not watch TV, read books or documentaries. I think it shoul have talked about whether teachers are important or not, or how teachers effect the students, and also I do not agree with the author about learning types. I can agree with him about different interests and abilities, but the idea which kind of learning styles does not work cannot be true I guess. If we address the second text, I can say that I loved it more than first one because all text talked about one idea. It was about advantages of homeschooling.It was well-organized, and examples which were given by the author in order to support his ideas made sense. Teaching to a student is easier than teaching to 30-40 students for teachers, and it makes learning easier for students. The author can be right, but using this system is not very easy for some countries which do not have a very strong educational system like Turkey. I found that the author's ideas were beneficial but incommodious.
Dear Elif,
SilLike several of your peers, you've had a lot to say on this topic. This is a real reflection stating what you (dis)liked in the text. Well done:)
The title of the first text of this week is “Teachers are key for students”. However, the content of the text is a little bit unexpected from the title. It is written in like reportage and questions are very different from each other. There are answers which I agree and there are answers which I do not agree. I do agree that teachers must engage each student in a different way which is appropriate for each student’s level. On the contrary, I do not want to believe that there is no different ways of learning. Also, the intelligence part is another part which I do not agree. I do not agree that one can get smarter just by doing some basic things. By doing them, you just be aware of it and just because you reading or watching, it does not mean you are getting smarter. About the second text, it is much more focused on one issue which is homeschooling. Writer gives a lot of information about good sides of it and bad sides of school. However, I feel that homeschooling is like isolation. No matter what the statistics says I am not in favor of homeschooling. Furthermore, if I compare these two texts I would say second one is better than first one.
YanıtlaSilDear Ersel,
SilI guess the topic was appealing to you and you had the chance to link it to your own experience. It is a real reflection in that you both mention the content of the text and respond to that specific part by stating why you agree or disagree on that. Well done:)
Reading Journal -8-
YanıtlaSilThat the students do not like the school is very common and unsolved problem for both students and teachers. I like scientist Damiel Willingham's response, and I totally agree with him. However, some of his ideas suprised me. For instance, his ideas about ways learning changed my mind. I always thought I was a visual learner. Actually, I still believe it, yet after reading this passage, I became more skeptical about my learning abilities. Another interesting point was about memory. Human memory is a great ocean. All of we know about memory is just a drop of water in this ocean. The text was in the book and the text was in handout had only one similarity. They were both about teacher's role in education. Except this topic they are irrevelant. Second text was about homeschooling. Text claimed that teacher is unnecessary in homeschooling. I do not agree with the writer who wrote the second text. Teachers are irreplaceable in education(bkz. İnci Gültekin)
Dear Yiğit,
SilI take your remarks as a compliment. If it weren't your valuable efforts, our endevaour wouldn't mean much:) I liked the way you handled the topic. This week's topic was really catchy for most of you. What and why you liked or didn't like is quite clear. Well done:)
I would like to start my interpretation with my positive comments. I should admit that I liked the matter of the week however it has unsatisfactory sides. I am sure teachers are really important and the basic of the education , but I think they are the basic of starting point of the education. Text argues if we can improve our mind. I do not think someone can be smarter with anykind of exercise. I think brain has its own certain capacity which is not extenable. This capacity must be called mind,but memory is extendable .I am really plesed to read that there mut be special education for each students but I do not think its possible for such crowded country like our's.Everyone has different abilities ,this is why education must be individualist.I am not sure how to compare this topic to last week's. The only common thing must be that both topics are about social stuff.
YanıtlaSilDear İlker,
SilAnother short but to the point reflection. I appreciate your reflective remarks, yet they could be elaborated a bit more :)
READING JOURNAL - 8
YanıtlaSilTexts of the week focused on two controversial issues.One of them was about learning in school,and another one was homeschooling.About first one,I can say that sound of the text was like chatting.In this text,I really liked the way of approaching every students in a different styles.Everybody knows that majority of the students do not like school.Why? Because of feeling unadequate for solving problems,they define themselves like a defeated people.At this point,the scientist mentioned that teacher should find an oppropriate way to educate them,but most of the time,opportunities are not convenient.When you look at schools in Turkey,many of them do not have enough equipment and qualified work force.That's why it is too difficult to learn something in classes which are seperated by considering levels of the students.In other words,I agree with the author ,but it is not a easy work to find appropriate styles for each students.In the second text,you can see very unusual informations about homeschooling.Why I think like is education system of Turkey.In our country,it is not applied way.Aim of homeschooling is very efficient.If someone has a wide knowledge and a quality time ,he or she can easily educate their cildren in home instead of registering them for school.Another good point is students who do not go to public schools are have less stress in their early ages.In short,I liked both of the texts,and they were interesting.
That's why it is too difficult to learn something in classes which are NOT seperated by considering levels of the students.
SilDear Melih,
SilThis week's topic is really appealing to you all as you more chance to reflect from your personal experience. I liked the way you dealt with the topic and your reflections. Well done:)
RJ-8
YanıtlaSilThe subjects of previous week's text were about teaching system basically.The text which is on the book was not satisfying actually.I did not believe its statistics about the ways of learning are the same.I don't agree that idea because some research shows the opposite of this is true.Some can learn just by looking,or some just can learn easily by listening,but I admit that ''teachers are key for student ''is a real idea.ı konw that my brother hates religion lessons because he hates the teacher of this lesson, and I remember he sometimes didn't even go to school when there is religion lesson on the schedule.I like and dislike this text.The second one has more spesific subject;homeschooling.For some reasons which are explained in text, it could be a good way for education,but let's be realistic.How many family can have enough money or ability to raise a child in school by giving a good education home?In Turkey, I don't thik there will be a lot of family which can afford it.Also,as it mentioned in the text, for a healty socializing of child ,it wouldn't be the best solution.The more the child stays in home ,the more introvert he or she becomes.I'm sure if a research is made about what I say,it would be clearified.Although,I don't think the second text is realistic ,I like it more than other because its language was more understandable for me.
Dear Elif,
YanıtlaSilI really liked the way you dealt with the topic. In particular, your reflection on the second text really emphasizes your thoughts about the topic mentioned in the text. Well done:)