simulated teaching

Simulated teaching is actually a practice which helps a teacher going to be like me with my classmates to at least experience the teaching situation. This semester is the first time that we were observed by Dr Edwin himself because last semester, we did it with our tutor in a group. Contrarily, this time we were going do the simulated teaching individually. Moreover, I was the first student to do the simulated teaching in my class. I was so nervous since I never experience to be the first one to present individually in any presentation for the whole of my life.

For the simulated teaching, we were assigned to teach the upper level students like college or either lower or upper secondary level. Due to that case, I decided to teach and focus on the character traits of Antigone for this assignment. I have divided my teaching into three parts excluding the set induction. In my set induction, I ask the students to listen to the song ‘We are the champion’ by Queens since I want the students to relate the spirits and desirable besides the determination that we feel if we are so serious in doing something that we want which is similar to what Antigone felt and character traits. In the first activity that I have planned, the students need to read the extract and underline the modal verbs in the extract that I have given them. They then have to note what is the verbs that they have underlined indicates. Next, the students need to fill in the table, the possible character traits of Antigone in the extract that they have read. I then ask the students to write the differences in the character traits of Antigone and Ismene. In this activity, the students are allowed to use the evidences in the other parts of the text. In the last activity, the students need to write a letter to Haemon, as if they are Ismene. In the letter, they need to tell about Antigone traits that they could not stop any longer or prevent her from doing something that can cause her to death. They also need to include their thoughts and feelings as they want Haemon to advise Antigone.

However, I was quite down when Dr Edwin says that my 2 (b) activity does not really relate to the previous activity. In addition to that, I did not have the opportunity to redo my lesson plan like some of my friends have done because he advised me to concentrate to other assignments. But then, I was quite satisfied since I have done my job while many of friends still being worry and nervous waiting for their turn. As a matter of fact, I was actually happy with the marks that I get. Overall, simulated teaching is something indeed a lesson to me to learn of besides taking it as one of the preparation of my real teaching which is soon going to be.

Pygmalion

I have heard about Pygmalion since I was in the foundation course which is about three or four years ago. In addition to that, my juniors in the Temenggong Ibrahim’s Teachers Trainee Institute used to do the performing of the novel Pygmalion and that should makes me knows the novel better. However, it never happed to me. I seemed like to know nothing about Pygmalion except for that there is Eliza in the novel and she is a flower girl. I was so lucky that my classmates and I were assigned to watch the movie through the EDU 3217 and this time, I get to know the real thing, what is actually happened in the novel. Besides watching the movie Pygmalion, we are supposed to learn the novel too.

As we learnt and watch Pygmalion, I felt that this novel is quite humorous compared to King Lear, Anike or Antigone in the way that Eliza is not so used to the new environment that she wants to be fit in. When we watched the movie, I guessed that it was so funny at the part when Eliza was shouting and scared as Mrs Pearce scrub and bathed her. Of course, I did not really understand her language and it is in fact quite funny to know that there are people like Eliza in the English society. Well, aren’t all the English people supposed to speak better than us, where English Language is only a second language?

Next, I also learn from the novel that it is so hard change and be something so unfamiliar and different from whom we really are. As we can see from the character Eliza when she does picks up the new style and language but she is actually speaking like a robot that just memorize and no nothing of what she is talking about at all. However, I still cannot see the romantic part in the novel that Dr Edwin has mentioned in the class. May be I should read the novel again or look for some information more about Pygmalion from the Internet.

I then realised that in the novel, there is element of discriminations of woman in the novel as what we can see through the treatment of Higgins towards Eliza. If I was Eliza, I will also choose Freddy rather than Higgins. I said this because what actually a woman need is a respect and not to being treated ‘Barbie dolled’ or an experiment that have no feelings at all. Honestly, in this case, I am a bit being feminism. May be it due to my education background where I used to study in a girls’ school and my siblings are all girls. Hahhahaha……

Pygmalion is indeed something to me to learn besides the interesting side that it has provided.

Antigone

At the first time that we were asked to read the play Antigone, I think I do not really understand the language of the play. Luckily, we have watched the theatre of the play Anike. So, I tend to get some idea of what Antigone is all about as it is in fact merely the same as Anike and as a matter of fact, Anike is just another Malaysian version of Antigone. I was lucky too as Dr Edwin helped a lot in understanding the play. Well, there is also religious part included in the play which is obviously I do not understand and have no knowledge at all of stuffs like Tiresias.

As we read and learn the play, I get to know the characters and the theme of the play better. In this play, the main character, Antigone is going against the rule of Creon by giving her brother a proper burial. She has a sister whom is different from her as Ismene is so obedient and act like any other woman at that time besides being a rationale to the situation contrast to Antigone. However, we get to see that both do love and care about each other. Antigone falls from a princess title to a traitor of the law. We then can see the weakness in the character traits of Creon although he actually presents a powerful king. I said that he is weak because he could not bear with Antigone that is just doing the right thing for her brother. Creon is seen as a person that takes law and justice to safe his status. Well, how could a girl be so brave and betray a king’s law? Again, the atmosphere of woman being dominated is clear in the play. We can see that it is obvious if we analysed the play especially Ismene’s lines.

Honestly, to me, Antigone is quite a boring play because it is so serious since it is mainly about again, serious problems and theme where there are many people died in the play besides the tragic part of it. I was so glad and relief that we have finished doing this play.