In chapter 1, I really liked how Kuma commented on continuous education, and the value in it. I believe that nobody is ever done learning, especially teachers. Teachers, especially myself and many of us specifically, are going into foreign language teaching. In the field of TESOL, there are always new methodologies that are being produced to increase efficiency in the teaching profession. In order to for myself to be an effective teacher from now and many years to come, I will need to have the write "tools" to instruct my students (ie. best teaching practices, methods, using multiple intelligences). Kuma's emphasis on teaching education is the path of knowledge as an educator that I want to follow, being knowledgable about my trade and improving on it as well.
Chapter 2 touched on postmethod pedagogy and methodologies, and how they are practiced in the classroom. I particularly agreed with his thoughts on language-center methods, commenting that, "Language-center methods treat language learning as a linear, additive process." (25) In that, I think he is saying that the teacher is to take the curriculum (grammar, vocabulary, etc.) and bring the tasks or subject into the lesson individually so that the learner can practice internalizing that specific item. This quotation got me thinking back to a book I read, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire. In the novel, he touches on many issues of how we are all oppressed in the way of which the world works. From an educational viewpoint, he talked about the idea of education from a banking approach and a problem-solving approach. The banking approach is how many teachers do approach the trade, in that they try to stuff and fill students' minds with endless amounts of information so that they can pass a test, not truly finding any use of it other than that. Freire was a huge proponet of the problem-solving approach, in which balanced the learning scale between student and teacher. This approach promoted critical thinking and questioning, so that the student and teacher could learn from one another, so that students can find a reason or practical use of the information being taught to them, finding clarity in it all. From a foreign language learning viewpoint, the problem-solving approach is way more beneficial than just shoving random facts and grammar and words and whatnot into their minds. We have to remember that students do not come into your class "empty." Students have been taught a language before, their native language OBVIOUSLY. Therefore, it is our job as educators to find ways of approaching the subject in the best way that fits the need of our students, it is that "give and take" mentality that will indeed help with your "rep" factor among your students.
Overall, I found Kuma's (ps I LOVE that we have a nickname already for him) interpretations on TESOL methods and language teaching in that we have to follow our philosophies, what works best for us, to be thought-provoking and open for group discussion.
Until Tomorrow,
Tom "The TESOL Bro"
Self-proclaimed John Madden of TESOL
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