Closing Framing

The development of this portfolio was a golden opportunity to put all my learning together and make sense of them.  Although permanent reflection was a challenge at a certain point, the process of constructing gave me the opportunity to grow as a reflective teacher.  At this time, it is my belief that reflecting is a fundamental skill all committed and passionate teachers should practice on a daily basis.  In the same way, from my multiple reading materials, writing requirements, field experience at Bergman Elementary School and personal reflections I have come to the understanding that Ecuadorian education needs to teach our children to think through meaningful learning.

From my experience I can say that most students of public schools in Ecuador exhibit low levels of thinking skills because they are not being exposed to challenging tasks which engage them in learning.  According to Bloom’s taxonomy, the thinking processes increase their complexity as students go beyond recalling and understanding information and start developing the ability to apply, analyze, evaluate and create.  This educational model together with Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences provide the scheme for implementing lessons which aim to develop students” cognitive skills at early ages. During my observations in the fifth grade of Bergman Elementary School, I could see these theories in authentic practice. The students are constantly being questioned, required to make decisions, create stories.  The result is independent learners with a high like for reading and responsible for their actions.

This understanding made me see the great responsibility teachers have in our hands.  Personally, I feel committed to tap into all the knowledge I have gained during this year to design lessons which make my students think, think, and think.  For a lesson to achieve this goal, it is necessary to follow the process of activation, connection, and affirmation. The knowledge I have regarding my students’ backgrounds and interests sheds light on strategies for the activation stage.  In the connection and affirmation stage, I have to be aware of my students’ place of learning to determine the level of complexity of activities so students do not get either bored or frustrated.  Other important elements are to believe in children and adolescents, value their opinions, and show them they are able to achieve great goals.    

The process of construction and completion of this portfolio gave me a clear view of how my teaching philosophy articulates my teaching practices.  It is my belief that every educator should have a strong understanding of these two elements which are the ground of effective teaching.  Thus, I feel willing to share my experience of creating this portfolio and the final outcome with my colleagues.  Furthermore, I strongly believe that not only EFL teachers but also content-area teachers especially those in charge of kindergarten and elementary school should be well prepared to awaken students’ desire to learn, read, and think in their native language first.  I think that children who learn self-direction are better equipped to succeed in any area including a second language acquisition.           

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”