Arwa Huzaifa

Pictorial Reflections

Over the past few months too much has been changing. I would not say it was all happening too fast, however, it was definitely something that I didn’t have control over.

Looking back I now know how I could have controlled things to bring out an out come that I agree with, on the other hand, I still struggle with that control in the present. Hindsight is great and all but it is still always hindsight.

Nonetheless, we are always a step better off, with another experience in our back pocket which makes us all the more wiser.

It has been much easier to concentrate on tasks. I have learned to take smaller bites of work and aim towards accomplishing small targets. It makes me more organized and allows me to manage my time better. There are always things that come up unexpected which alter the schedule but more so, sometimes the mood doesn’t allow me to work as hard as I should. And so tasks are left unfinished.

A Reflection It has come to the end of the academic year. And we are working

on our report cards as well as calling it a close for the class we are with. Our lesson allocation has been done for the next academic year and in my mind I have a vision of what I would like to achieve.

Moving forward into the next year brings out an anticipation with much ambition of the variety of things that I could do. How I could improve on the year passed in the year to come. Meanwhile the preparation and planning for a new academic year is a major task and a huge amount of work which requires time! I failed with this task last year as I did not manage my time correctly. I was also much too focused on creating new workbooks. This year I am determined to start off the new academic year better planned and better prepared. Though this may be too ambitious I know have the capability to do it. Successful planning ensure smooth running through the year.

The other side of this picture shows the slogan ‘get us outta here’. As desperate as it sounds, it is a feeling that I am getting with my current class.

After a long day, battling and tackling a wide number of problems, the only disheartening reality is that, in a classroom, the teacher is always to blame.

A Reflection – the never ending spiral of time

I am better at managing my time. Some simple things that have allowed me to do this is as we had discussed, to be organized, to prioritize and to stay focused and determined. One of the most important things is to break a major task up into smaller chunks so that I have mini tasks to complete which then don’t seem so huge and frightening. They are manageable.

It is also okay if I do not meet a personal deadline I have set for myself as long as I can explain why I didn’t meet it and I can go about how I will fit in the time now. Another reason it doesn’t become too much of a big issue is that I have planned for ample of lee way time for things to come up and things to go wrong.

As well as extending and committing to an extra working hour at school it is important to utilize every minute of the day! It really is amazing how much one can get done!

A Reflection

There are good days and then there are bad days. Sometimes the smallest of mistakes create the biggest of problems, and yet those mistakes are so necessary for us to learn how to do it better. Instead of being on the safe side, take a risk and do something ambitious in the classroom. I did! The worst thing that can happen is the activity can fail and the class can go wild, but the best thing that could happen is that it turns into a wonderful teaching lesson where all the children participate in learning. The problem to overcome is to try something different. You never know until you try. There is always a scale, you progressively get better but you always have to begin at zero. Further more, to do something right we may need to get it wrong.Over the year I have conducted new activities in class. They were interesting and different in standard approach to teaching. I would not say that they were perfect in either execution or end result however they had elements of success and ways to make the activities better and more applicable as well as organized for the class. The first round is always a risky trial, but through error and mistake we can improve a good idea and make it better for implementation next time. And I know that I will use the same activities I did next year but in a slightly different way so that the learning outcome is more effective. Either way the children find it enjoyable. The best results often start off with a bunch of mistakes. We may end up behind the closed doors of the Head of Section’s office but in the end a solution could come up that makes a mistake shine.

Good, Better, BEST!Never let it rest!

Until your good is betterAnd your better best!

A Reflection

A Reflection Dividing the task of setting up the gallery really allowed us to succeed. We really managed to achieve much more in a short span of time. Delegating the work and designating duties ensured that tasks got done! And in the end all the pieces of the puzzle were put together.

It is important to trust other members of the team. Even though at times, agreeing to disagree is the way forward it does sometimes leave an uncomfortable silent barrier. This must be overcome so that I am ready to accept new ideas and take on board the view of others and try and implement it their way. This can, and did lead to learning new things. Specifically, my team member’s argument proved fruitful.

Human resource is our greatest asset if it is managed correctly.

A Reflection Each day has something good to offer. No matter how disappointing or disheartening a day can be, there is always something positive in it. We just need to take the time to find it.

Hold on to little successes because those little achievements make it all worth it and it makes me want to come into work the next day.

A Reflection

A classroom with a teacher is better than a classroom without a teacher. I learned this very early on but every day it gives a new meaning. Even without a plan, with unmarked books, with a fortnight behind schedule, the children are better off with a teacher there. I realized that my very presence makes a difference in a child.

It is often very difficult to control our moods and tempers. As soon as I put one step into the classroom everything I felt, heard and saw must disappear and my only focus should be the students in the class. Though it is often very difficult to forget the morning argument, to get over lack of sleep, to ignore family or social problems, to be blind to the tasks of school I have not attended, those are part of the 7 billion people on Earth, I cannot allow that thing to ruin my day, because in turn it ruins the days of all the children present in my classroom on that single day.

And the saying goes after an uncountable number of good days one wills till remember the one bad day!

Letting go is the only option.

A Reflection

I have learned that I am in control of my own success. I decide what, when, where, why and how I am going to be successful. It is a choice that I make.It lies in the approach and more importantly in the attitude.

A Reflection – What does a child see?

We often miss the gap between our thinking process and the thinking process of a child. As elders we become impatient and quick however as children we are inquisitive and often take time and practice to understand.

During simple interactions with students, for example, giving instructions or understanding questions, often we assume that the child will comprehend what I am saying in a given time frame. However,, even though our explanation seems absolutely clear to me and in my mind, we may have left the child in confusion. Children perceive things differently.

Therefore it is necessary that our language and our approaches matches the level skill of individuals in the classroom.

Furthermore, it is important to encourage the child to be creative and think themselves. Children should also be able to give their opinion. It is vital to view from the child’s perspective.

A Reflection – Did you plan this? What’s next? Left or right? Stay straight on route?

Attention

Some key words

RULES

LOVE

responsibilityreliability

classroomte

stem

it

Care

Safe

A thought cloud –

How far will I go?

Start at the bottom book, How high will I make each child’s pile grow?

How much of a valuable difference will I make in each child’s life?

How much am I willing to do to make that change???