Since Jeanne, Youngran, and I could not find the day that accommodated our complicated and different schedules for the cultural excursion, I am grateful that Jeanne has suggested that we could visit the Getty Center Museum with the virtual tour, for I feel that I have become much more culturally sophisticated by it.
According to its website, the Getty Center Los Angeles is home to the J. Paul Getty Center Museum. It also houses a research institute a leadership training institute, a grant program and a conservation institute. The Getty Center Los Angeles was opened on December 16, 1997. The Getty Center Museum has a number of fine collections and exhibitions of classical sculpture and art. They also exhibit European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture, decorative arts, and photographs.
(http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/los-angeles/getty-center#)
After watching the short film clip about the overview of the Getty Museum, I told myself that I had to visit the place over this summer. It would be a wonderful experience if Jeanne and Youngran’s family could accompany with me.
According to the clip, the visitors would see:
• European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts, and European and American photographs
• A selection from the special collections of the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute
• Modern architecture and gardens
The Getty Center Museum also offers educational resources for adult learners, teachers, students, and families. Since I was particularly interested in educational aspects of ELS learning and Jeanne also suggested me to explore for the ESL educational resources, I spent extensive time in navigating the below sites for ESL learning activities and workshops. I was so ecstatic about these sites that I felt like a kid in the candy store. WOW! Look at these enrichment curricula and resources that the museum offers:
Language through Art: ESL Workshops (Education at the Getty)
One-day program for adult ESL teachers. Learn strategies for using the Gettys collection to enhance your English-language acquisition curriculum.
ESL Enrichment Curriculum (Education at the Getty)
Lessons for adult ESL students that build language skills though art.
ESL Enrichment Curriculum (Education at the Getty)
Lessons for adult ESL students that build language skills through art.
Professional Development Opportunities (Education at the Getty)
Information about resources and services for teachers at the Getty Center, Los Angeles
Language through Art: An ESL Enrichment Curriculum (Education at the Getty)
Visiting the Getty Center with your ESL class.
Looking at Portraits Lesson 4: Commission Statement (Education at the Getty)
Students apply what they have learned about portraits in a formal writing exercise.
Looking at Narrative Art Lesson 1: What Are Stories? (Education at the Getty)
Students discover how visual artists represent a story by depicting a single moment from it.
All Curricula (Education at the Getty)
Visual arts curricula developed by the Getty Museum tie into other subject areas. Aligned with California state and national standards.
Looking at Narrative Art Lesson 2: What's the End of the Story? (Education at the Getty)
Students will create a story based on an image.
Language through Art: An ESL Enrichment Curriculum (Education at the Getty)
Tips for teaching about landscapes in the visual arts.
Language through Art: An ESL Enrichment Curriculum (Education at the Getty)
Tips for teaching about portraits.
Language through Art: An ESL Enrichment Curriculum (Education at the Getty)
Tips for teaching about representing narrative in the visual arts.
Language through Art (Intermediate Level) (Education at the Getty)
A series of lessons for adult learners of ESL focusing on building language skills through art.
Looking at Landscapes Lesson 1: Finding Yourself in a Landscape (Education at the Getty)
Students make connections between their personal experiences and landscapes.
Looking at Landscapes Lesson 2: Verbal Descriptions (Education at the Getty)
Students practice their speaking skills while describing a landscape scene for a partner to draw.
Looking at Narrative Art Lesson 3: Creating Your Own Story (Education at the Getty)
Students think about a dramatic moment in their lives and imagine how to translate it into a work of art.
(http://www.getty.edu/Search/SearchServlet?la=en&col=getty&nh=10&qt=esl+learning&lk=1&rf=0&st=11)
Thank you, Jeanne, for suggesting me to go on virtual tour at the Getty Center Museum. I had fun and learned a lot from it!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
EESL 536 - Intercultural Communication Report
For a couple of weeks, Dr. Lynne has been excitingly informing us, “The Korean teachers are coming and be prepared,” which phrase reminds me of the 60’s events when the America public was prepared to receive the British invasion of the Beatles (I am a little bit exaggerating in here, for I was not in American in the 60’s but I saw it in the Ed Sullivan Show at PBS and also heard about the notorious publicity about them).
With much anticipation and enthusiasm, I met with my Korean partner, Youngran Song. She is a mother of two children who are in elementary and lives in Redlands. When she informed me that she teaches 4th graders, I was ecstatic, and we were immediately bonded, for I had been a long-term substitute teacher for the 4th graders, and they are my favorite grade to teach and interact with because their developmental stage in academic, social, psychological aspects appeals to me. They are innocent, witty, intelligent, creative, and compassionate.
According to Youngran, she majored in molecular biology and is passionate for learning English right now. Being a Korean for myself, I am keenly aware of Koreans’ zeal and passion for acquiring English, and I have been a vocal proponent of Korean becoming a bilingual country. In my opinion, monolingual has ceased long ago, and countries must open up their doors to others, for a country can no long exist by itself since the world has become intimately intertwined into every aspects of human life. I think bilingual education has much to offer for children, for it not only has positive effects on their brain development but also on their behavior and attitude, transcending its spectrum on social, psychological, academic, and neurological facets. Concerning globalization and economic outlets, I think that it can be best achieved by promoting and implementing bilingualism through the educational system within the country, and by adopting bilingual education, South Korean can reap many benefits from it since the country has heavily depended on global trades and international market.
Going back to my Korean partner, Youngran, I found out that we have some similarities. First, we are both Christians, more specifically, Protestants and love to listen to Christian music, and we are deeply engaged in activities within our churches. We are also a fan of Audrey Hepburn who starred in charming and sophisticated movies, such as “Roman Holiday” and “Breakfast at Tiffany.” The day we met, she informed me that her children were visiting Disneyland with the church group, but she couldn’t join them because she had to be in class.
Right now, our another partner, Jeanne, is diligently and deliberately searching for the most memorable place for the cultural tour so that Youngran and her children can maximize their cultural experiences in America. I will continue this blog after the tour, and I am looking forward to meeting Youngran and her children again as well as our wonderful and lovely friend, Jeanne.
Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:8
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like no one's watching.
Sing like no one's listening.
Live like there's no tomorrow.
Fear like a stone.
From Paradise Awaits or Mark Twain
Every storm has an end.
Every night brings a new morning.
What’s important is to trust those you love and never give up.
We must all keep hope alive.
Crono
With much anticipation and enthusiasm, I met with my Korean partner, Youngran Song. She is a mother of two children who are in elementary and lives in Redlands. When she informed me that she teaches 4th graders, I was ecstatic, and we were immediately bonded, for I had been a long-term substitute teacher for the 4th graders, and they are my favorite grade to teach and interact with because their developmental stage in academic, social, psychological aspects appeals to me. They are innocent, witty, intelligent, creative, and compassionate.
According to Youngran, she majored in molecular biology and is passionate for learning English right now. Being a Korean for myself, I am keenly aware of Koreans’ zeal and passion for acquiring English, and I have been a vocal proponent of Korean becoming a bilingual country. In my opinion, monolingual has ceased long ago, and countries must open up their doors to others, for a country can no long exist by itself since the world has become intimately intertwined into every aspects of human life. I think bilingual education has much to offer for children, for it not only has positive effects on their brain development but also on their behavior and attitude, transcending its spectrum on social, psychological, academic, and neurological facets. Concerning globalization and economic outlets, I think that it can be best achieved by promoting and implementing bilingualism through the educational system within the country, and by adopting bilingual education, South Korean can reap many benefits from it since the country has heavily depended on global trades and international market.
Going back to my Korean partner, Youngran, I found out that we have some similarities. First, we are both Christians, more specifically, Protestants and love to listen to Christian music, and we are deeply engaged in activities within our churches. We are also a fan of Audrey Hepburn who starred in charming and sophisticated movies, such as “Roman Holiday” and “Breakfast at Tiffany.” The day we met, she informed me that her children were visiting Disneyland with the church group, but she couldn’t join them because she had to be in class.
Right now, our another partner, Jeanne, is diligently and deliberately searching for the most memorable place for the cultural tour so that Youngran and her children can maximize their cultural experiences in America. I will continue this blog after the tour, and I am looking forward to meeting Youngran and her children again as well as our wonderful and lovely friend, Jeanne.
Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:8
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like no one's watching.
Sing like no one's listening.
Live like there's no tomorrow.
Fear like a stone.
From Paradise Awaits or Mark Twain
Every storm has an end.
Every night brings a new morning.
What’s important is to trust those you love and never give up.
We must all keep hope alive.
Crono
Friday, July 16, 2010
Reflective Writing
Dear Jenny,
Thank you for expressing your concerns about your students who keep falling into one genre, a narrative writing, using only familiar vocabulary when they were asked to write an essay. I understand your frustration as you try to teach different genres with a variety of vocabulary. I sympathize with you because the education of English language learners has become an immediate concern for teachers across America as the ELLs population increases exponentially, especially in southern California. At times, it can be too big of a burden or challenge to carry such responsibility because the way we teach reading, writing, speaking, and listening will greatly impact on ELLs in all aspects of their academic and social life.
Current educators are apprehensive that America is falling behind other rising countries, mainly China and India, in math and science; however, I differ with them because linguistics requires an intricate cognitive process compared to acquiring mathematical and scientific knowledge that entails logical rationale, which skill is not necessary for a critical period. A cognitive element is not the only issue for the mastery of a language, but teaching in writing is imperative for children because they primarily write to express and clarify their own ideas and feelings. As children learn to write, they discover the uniqueness of written language and the ways in which it differs from oral language.
Jenny, I know that you have been searching for an alternative pedagogy, which would eventually enhance the ELLs’ learning in writing. In this quarter, I took an EESL 665 course, a creative teaching, to be tuned with the current dynamics of a learning style for the present wave of students having been exposed to computers, movies and television programs embedded with special effects, so I thought I would try to learn a way to incorporate my subject knowledge and curriculum into the creative teaching in order to increase student learning. I noticed that students’ attention span is getting shorter, and it is harder to captivate their attention more than 10 minutes at each period; therefore, achieving the teaching and learning objectives is getting difficult. Since research shows that creative teaching is vital for the effectiveness of a teaching, I wanted to learn its methods and be familiar with the tools, for creative teaching utilizes multi-sensory approaches, which strategies cater for all of the students’ learning styles and needs.
Jenny, you may want to ask a question, “What does exactly creativity mean and how does it relate to student learning?” I am glad you have asked that question. In our first day of the class, my classmates were instructed by the professor to form a group of 3 and come up with the definition of creativity, and I was profoundly intrigued by their responses. I would like to share some of them with you, and here are the lists of the definition of creativity by each group.
• Creativity is the ability and process to produce positive, unique, independent, and imaginative objects.
• Creativity is the ability to structure and express oneself through the imagination in daily life.
• Creativity is an inhibited, original, self-expression of culture.
• An ability which we are born with, and it can be developed and inspired by what we see, what we listen, and what we feel for some positive and useful matter.
• Creativity is a combination of old things and new ideas carried out in a unique way through activities, process, and products.
• Creativity is a capacity to create using unique or innovative idea/capacity to invent or see things from a different/unique point of view.
• Creativity is thinking outside of the boundaries using words, visuals, sound, and touch to express and evoke emotions in order to make the unusual usual.
• Creativity is something new and beyond others’ expectation. When people see it, they’ll say, “Wow, I’ve never thought like that!” So, creativity is generated from someone’s unique and interesting perspective.
• Creativity is that one can see through a lens which to view the world’s possibility.
Jenny, from the lists of its definition, you can speculate how a creative teaching is necessary for the effective teaching and learning by first stimulating new ideas, and then processing them into a concrete concept, and finally applying them into the pragmatic application. You mentioned before that it was especially hard for ELLs to write a descriptive writing from all of the writing genres. It maybe that they have a limited vocabulary skills and since English is my second language, I can relate to them because many adjectives are derived from a different form of grammatical functions. In my opinion, descriptive writing is especially associated with creativity, for children use its technique to paint word pictures and to make their writing more concrete and vivid by noting specific information, choosing words carefully, creating sensory images, and adding dialogue.
Since descriptive writing is painting pictures with words, children need to be keen observers attentive to word choices and sensory images, and with this aspect, I think you can increase students’ vocabulary for adjectives by utilizing different programs and tools, such as PowerPoint, Movie Maker and Photo Story 3; however, I recommend Prezi, a two dimensional, brain rouser to increase and broaden a vocabulary repertoire. I have used PowerPoint many times to integrate curriculum into the teaching method before, and at first, its medium was able to hold students’ attention; however, it was temporary, and students became quickly bored. When I was introduced Prezi by Prof. Marcy, I knew right away that it would revolutionize the teaching and learning. With the Prezi, the content is stimulatingly integrated, presenting the concepts in a 360 degree with a two dimensional image by focusing on key words, turning the whole and part of the screen, and zooming focused words in and out. Frankly, I became woozy by the time I had reviewed 7 examples. However, the fact is that the more woozier it gets, the more students like it, which is my ultimate definition for the “digital generation.”
I have not had an adequate time to explore all the aspects of techniques and characteristics of Prezi; however, I assure you that by using its program, your students will be mesmerized visually from continual motions of content areas and key words so that you can effectively achieve teaching objectives and learning goals. If I can summarize what I have learned so far from an MA in TESOL, learning has to be student-centered, authentic, meaningful and practical. By utilizing this tool, I think you can achieve most of the agenda listed from the above.
Jenny, many 4th graders are truly a “digital generation.” They are already computer savvy and willing to take the learning into a higher level. By taking courses, such as computer- assisted language learning and creative teaching, I feel that I am fulfilling the educational obligation to myself and my students, for I believe that my students deserve the best education. During the summer vacation, I am planning on creating several presentations for a writing by utilizing Prezi, and I will share them with you on a collaboration day in August.
It has been only 6 days since the last day of school, but I already miss all of the students terribly. I hope you have a fun and safe summer.
Fondly,
Hea-Young
P.S. I have included several links for Prezi for you to review.
http://prezi.com/gybeqvfdlmgw/ Adjective Clauses
http://prezi.com/6hvxpzy4w3sy/ World Population Growth - planning an essay
http://edu.prezi.com/language/esl
Thank you for expressing your concerns about your students who keep falling into one genre, a narrative writing, using only familiar vocabulary when they were asked to write an essay. I understand your frustration as you try to teach different genres with a variety of vocabulary. I sympathize with you because the education of English language learners has become an immediate concern for teachers across America as the ELLs population increases exponentially, especially in southern California. At times, it can be too big of a burden or challenge to carry such responsibility because the way we teach reading, writing, speaking, and listening will greatly impact on ELLs in all aspects of their academic and social life.
Current educators are apprehensive that America is falling behind other rising countries, mainly China and India, in math and science; however, I differ with them because linguistics requires an intricate cognitive process compared to acquiring mathematical and scientific knowledge that entails logical rationale, which skill is not necessary for a critical period. A cognitive element is not the only issue for the mastery of a language, but teaching in writing is imperative for children because they primarily write to express and clarify their own ideas and feelings. As children learn to write, they discover the uniqueness of written language and the ways in which it differs from oral language.
Jenny, I know that you have been searching for an alternative pedagogy, which would eventually enhance the ELLs’ learning in writing. In this quarter, I took an EESL 665 course, a creative teaching, to be tuned with the current dynamics of a learning style for the present wave of students having been exposed to computers, movies and television programs embedded with special effects, so I thought I would try to learn a way to incorporate my subject knowledge and curriculum into the creative teaching in order to increase student learning. I noticed that students’ attention span is getting shorter, and it is harder to captivate their attention more than 10 minutes at each period; therefore, achieving the teaching and learning objectives is getting difficult. Since research shows that creative teaching is vital for the effectiveness of a teaching, I wanted to learn its methods and be familiar with the tools, for creative teaching utilizes multi-sensory approaches, which strategies cater for all of the students’ learning styles and needs.
Jenny, you may want to ask a question, “What does exactly creativity mean and how does it relate to student learning?” I am glad you have asked that question. In our first day of the class, my classmates were instructed by the professor to form a group of 3 and come up with the definition of creativity, and I was profoundly intrigued by their responses. I would like to share some of them with you, and here are the lists of the definition of creativity by each group.
• Creativity is the ability and process to produce positive, unique, independent, and imaginative objects.
• Creativity is the ability to structure and express oneself through the imagination in daily life.
• Creativity is an inhibited, original, self-expression of culture.
• An ability which we are born with, and it can be developed and inspired by what we see, what we listen, and what we feel for some positive and useful matter.
• Creativity is a combination of old things and new ideas carried out in a unique way through activities, process, and products.
• Creativity is a capacity to create using unique or innovative idea/capacity to invent or see things from a different/unique point of view.
• Creativity is thinking outside of the boundaries using words, visuals, sound, and touch to express and evoke emotions in order to make the unusual usual.
• Creativity is something new and beyond others’ expectation. When people see it, they’ll say, “Wow, I’ve never thought like that!” So, creativity is generated from someone’s unique and interesting perspective.
• Creativity is that one can see through a lens which to view the world’s possibility.
Jenny, from the lists of its definition, you can speculate how a creative teaching is necessary for the effective teaching and learning by first stimulating new ideas, and then processing them into a concrete concept, and finally applying them into the pragmatic application. You mentioned before that it was especially hard for ELLs to write a descriptive writing from all of the writing genres. It maybe that they have a limited vocabulary skills and since English is my second language, I can relate to them because many adjectives are derived from a different form of grammatical functions. In my opinion, descriptive writing is especially associated with creativity, for children use its technique to paint word pictures and to make their writing more concrete and vivid by noting specific information, choosing words carefully, creating sensory images, and adding dialogue.
Since descriptive writing is painting pictures with words, children need to be keen observers attentive to word choices and sensory images, and with this aspect, I think you can increase students’ vocabulary for adjectives by utilizing different programs and tools, such as PowerPoint, Movie Maker and Photo Story 3; however, I recommend Prezi, a two dimensional, brain rouser to increase and broaden a vocabulary repertoire. I have used PowerPoint many times to integrate curriculum into the teaching method before, and at first, its medium was able to hold students’ attention; however, it was temporary, and students became quickly bored. When I was introduced Prezi by Prof. Marcy, I knew right away that it would revolutionize the teaching and learning. With the Prezi, the content is stimulatingly integrated, presenting the concepts in a 360 degree with a two dimensional image by focusing on key words, turning the whole and part of the screen, and zooming focused words in and out. Frankly, I became woozy by the time I had reviewed 7 examples. However, the fact is that the more woozier it gets, the more students like it, which is my ultimate definition for the “digital generation.”
I have not had an adequate time to explore all the aspects of techniques and characteristics of Prezi; however, I assure you that by using its program, your students will be mesmerized visually from continual motions of content areas and key words so that you can effectively achieve teaching objectives and learning goals. If I can summarize what I have learned so far from an MA in TESOL, learning has to be student-centered, authentic, meaningful and practical. By utilizing this tool, I think you can achieve most of the agenda listed from the above.
Jenny, many 4th graders are truly a “digital generation.” They are already computer savvy and willing to take the learning into a higher level. By taking courses, such as computer- assisted language learning and creative teaching, I feel that I am fulfilling the educational obligation to myself and my students, for I believe that my students deserve the best education. During the summer vacation, I am planning on creating several presentations for a writing by utilizing Prezi, and I will share them with you on a collaboration day in August.
It has been only 6 days since the last day of school, but I already miss all of the students terribly. I hope you have a fun and safe summer.
Fondly,
Hea-Young
P.S. I have included several links for Prezi for you to review.
http://prezi.com/gybeqvfdlmgw/ Adjective Clauses
http://prezi.com/6hvxpzy4w3sy/ World Population Growth - planning an essay
http://edu.prezi.com/language/esl
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