Focused Conversation 3

1. How have I used my data (observations, interviews, test marks, etc.) to inquire into my teaching practice?

Based on the data from my APT forms, lesson observation notes, consultations with my CTs, students' test results, as well as after-class conversations with students over the past few weeks, I have gleaned a better understanding of the students' learning needs. For example, the results from the students' first few editing tests alerted me to their weaknesses in grammar and the significant variation in language standards between members of the class. Accordingly, in order to maintain students' engagement with the material, I adapted my grammar lessons to suit the students' learning styles better by targeting only key areas that the students were especially weak in (e.g. tenses, subject-verb agreement). In this way, I have endeavoured to ensure that no student is left behind.

Furthermore, given my earlier observations that students tend to be tired and disengaged during classes in the afternoon (especially the last class of the afternoon), I introduced breaks so as to allow them to freshen up and engage with the material better. During these breaks, I would speak to students on a personal level and teach them simple stretching exercises and mindfulness practice. These exercises were also especially helpful for students reading unseen poetry and prose during Literature class, given that they would need a fresh and clear mind in order to engage with new texts that they would never have previously encountered. The activities during these sessions would also be kept short, while any graphic organizers and worksheets used would be relatively brief and succinct (maximum of two pages' long). Finally, based on my findings that students needed clear instructions on both visual and auditory dimensions, I have maintained the practice of writing down key words (as well as the agenda for the day) on the board, and I have received positive feedback that this has promoted clarity and ensured that the class is on task.

2. How have I used inquiry to develop one or more Graduand Teacher Competencies (GTCs)?

Engaging in an inquiry-based process has allowed me to become more effective in developing and promoting professional practice by providing for quality learning. For instance, after I found that students' interest had to be sustained by both visual and auditory stimuli, I incorporated as manyrelevant videos and ICT tools as possible to support the delivery of the content of the lesson. Nevertheless, not every student was able to understand the material at the same rate. For slower students, I had to pay them extra attention and provide them with individual support outside class time. Some students, furthermore, are vocal and receptive to oral feedback, whereas others are shy to the extreme and will close up if they feel embarrassed by the teachers' comments. Hence, I recognize the vital importance of catering to diverse learning styles by taking their individual needs into account, since every student is unique and demands different strategies in order to be nurtured holistically.

Another point that I have realized is that it is essential to cultivate and demonstrate subject mastery, honed by reflective and analytic thinking. Indeed, especially in the higher-end Sec 3 Express classes, some students will ask sharp and pertinent questions (e.g. about different kinds of modal verbs, or the motivations of different characters in the play studied), which demands that the teacher is fully able not only to respond to such questions but further prompt students to ask deeper questions that will trigger higher-order thinking.

Finally, in terms of personal / interpersonal effectiveness, I have discovered that it is pivotal to keep learning from one's peers and senior teachers in order to develop one's skills to the fullest. From observing other teachers at first hand, I have realized that effective classroom management depends on setting firm rules from the beginning and being consistent in maintaining a system of rewards and penalties. When planning activities, key traits of adaptability and flexibility are also particularly crucial, since it's rare for any teacher to have more than a few days' notice about schedule changes and other sudden announcements that affect lessons / classes. Being subject to last-minute changes has been good practice for the unpredictable and challenging -- but ultimately rewarding -- world of teaching.