I posted somewhere before the videos (Youtube) about how to fill in the TESDCP. I might have deleted the post or it is simply vanished without any reason.
But no worries. There are few videos that we can watch. All of the videos are uploaded by UTMLEAD.
Intipati ayat 1-5:
In the Self-Assessment and Reflection part, there are 4 things that you need to fill in: 1) Goals of student learning, 2) Personal philosophy, 3) Belief and practices of assessment and evaluation, and 4) Self-reflection of teaching development over time
However, you need to make at least 20% change every single year (I know, it might drive you crazy. But, let’s remain cool, calm and collected). In my case, what I did is I change only some parts of the previous writing.
For this year, due to COVID-19, I use this sentences to show the 20% difference
“Due to covid-19, even though my teaching philosophy does not change much since last year, I realise that …..
“Due to covid-19 even though the goal of student learning remains the same yet for this year, I emphasise …..
What a buzz! I was elected as a facilitator to assist others on how to write teaching philosophy. My first reaction was “What a heck! Armed with a PhD and yet we need someone to assist us to write our own teaching philosophy?” Sound negative, right?
Well, personally, I feel like a fake or impostor or fraud when I am entrusted and assigned as a facilitator. “Oh come on! Who am I to assist my highly esteemed colleagues with vast knowledge and experience to write their teaching philosophy.”
When I write my teaching philosophy, I write it from my heart and soul (of course I use my brain to think about the wording). How can I assist others to write their own teaching philosophy? We are different in so many ways. Some are even better teachers/instructors/supervisors than me. My passion for teaching is different from them too. In short, they could be a better educator and more passionate about teaching than me.
How on earth am I going to assist them? Don’t you think that I am a fake. What a baloney!
But here are some of the things that I use as a guideline to write my teaching philosophy. The guideline is taken from the headings on TESDCP. In short, just write from your heart based on each category. There are four categories:1) Goals of Student Learning, 2) Personal Philosophy, 3) Belief and Practices of Assessment and Evaluation and 4) Self-reflection of Teaching Development over time and how this relates to future goals.
I ask myself certain questions before I write each part.
1) Goals of student learning (Before you write this part, think about this question “What do you want your students to be and become?”, “What kind of value that you want to inculcate and impart to them?”)
2) Personal Philosophy. When I am writing this part, I emphasize on two points: Vision and Teaching Approach.
a. Vision as an educator (Before you write this part, think about this question “How do you see yourself as an educator?” What is your perception about your roles as an educator?”)
b. Teaching approach (Before you write this part, think about this question “What do you normally do in class? “What do you hope that your students will learn from the activities that you do in class or the assignment/task that you give to students?”)
3) Belief and Practices of Assessment and Evaluation (Before you write this part, think about this question “How do you assess your students?, How do you give feedback to students for improvement?”)
4) Self-reflection of Teaching Development over time and how this relates to future goals (Before you write this part, think about this question “How do you assess your teaching?” – it is not about relying on your students’ feedback or EPPP per se but on personal level, how do you assess yourself as an instructor/supervisor?”, “What are the things that have changed over certain period of time?”)
Ok. Like last year, we have to fill in the TESDCP or TES (new label) again this year. But unlike last year, the term that was used – “TESDCP”. This year, it becomes TES (don’t be fool by the labelling). The things that you have to upload are still the same.
Wait, isn’t it the same with Teaching Excellence System?
Confused? (Who doesn’t, right?) But, don’t worry. We are in this mess (uhuk uhuk) together.
How to differentiate between the new TES (old version it is known as TESDCP) and Teaching Excellence System (it is no longer called as TES now?)?
Based on my observation, the ONLY observable difference that I can see when I search both things from UTMPORTAL is the icon of TES and Teaching Excellence System.
The icon for Teaching Excellence System is a person pointing on a board. This is the system where you can find your Blended Learning (this is from your ELearning), OBE, NALI & HIEPS and E-content.
The icon for TES has pictures of a mortar board, an apple, hands (holding or shaking), a light bulb and a science icon (on the center).
If you ask me why both are called the same i.e. Teaching Excellence System?
I also asked the same question to some people but they also do not know the answer. So, I don’t have any answer to that question. I don’t want to speculate anything here. Let’s somebody else do the thinking.
So, are both the same systems or different?
The label used is the same: Teaching Excellence System. But clearly, both are different systems in which both have different information and things that you have to upload.
This is the place that taught me so many things that are not on the syllabuses nor textbooks. This is the place where I learn about values, persistence, empathy, compassion, integrity and what does it mean to be a Muslim.
Of course, I am tested so many times about my principles and values but when I am at a losing end, I will always remember what I have learned from the best people in the world. I am so proud when it was announced that it won the Green Gown International Award for the 2020 Sustainability Institution of the Year. I wonder what ___________ is doing.
Clearly, we have Car Free Day and whatsnot but yet, why can’t we win? Of course it is not about winning but, it tells something, right?
There are many ways that teachers can do to inform parents about their children academic performance. When I did my Latihan Ikhtisas, one of the ways that I did was to use Quizziz and send the report to parents. This method does work to let the students know that we (teachers) always keep in touch with their parents and let them about their progress.
A week after I sent the email, one of the students told me this “Teacher, mak saya kata saya tak boleh tengok TV kalau tak baca buku. Mak saya kata teacher hantar email ke dia ya beritahu pasal kuiz yang saya jawab?” [Translated: Teacher, my mom told me that I cannot watch TV if I don’t read books. She also told me that you sent an email about the quiz that I took]. I looked directly at him and said “So, what should you do now? Will you answer the quiz seriously next time?” He sheepishly replied “Saya akan ikut cakap mak saya dan saya tak akan main-main bila jawab kuiz” [Translated: I will follow what my mom said and I will not play around while answering the quiz].
I was feeling a bit down because I realise how unemphatic people can be during this trial time. Indeed. I don’t expect to be understood with all the predicaments that I am facing at the moment, but being those with certain privileges do not give any of us the right to downgrade, belittle others on the predicaments they are experiencing.
It is frustrating at times but I guess each of us have so many things going on at the moment and all of us are struggling to deal with the challenges that we are facing and thus, it could lead us to appear as less emphatic at this moment. This is the way I see it.
Some students PM (private message) me letting me know about the challenges that they face in other courses when their requests, needs and device capabilities are being ignored. What does this has to do with me? I am not teaching the course. It is challenging to be the mediator and it might backfire at times. But I know that I need to do something about it.
I try to ease their concerns the best I could. Sometimes, all I do is just lending them my ears because I don’t know how to help them with the technical glitches that they experience (I am no expert in this myself). After some time, I realise that all they need is someone who is willing to listen. Someone they can share their burden. It does not take much other than few minutes (or hours if you have large class like mine) to be a good listener.
But, being a listener to others and yet having little support myself does take a toll on me. In adjustment psychology class which I took with Amber Hague, I learn that we have a choice to define the situation that we are experiencing. In this case, I perceive this as a challenging situation. It is temporal. I might struggle to face it but it is ok. I need to be aware about myself and things around me. Whatever it is, Allah Will ease the path. Being patience is rewarding.
One of my colleagues suggested that we need to do daily muhasabah. To help me doing this activity, I ask my students to give comments about my teaching during this tough time. Indeed. We support each other to face this challenging time.
I was running out of zippers. But I know that I need to do something to relieve stress. It was raining yesterday and thus, it is nothing much can be done outside. So, I made a pouch. Yup. To put Pandan leaves inside my car. Since I cannot buy any potpourri due to MCO (well, I need to find alternatives now), I decided to make one using Pandan leaves. So, this is my new potpourri pandan hand-stitched pouch.
I found a fabric which belongs to my sis. From her orientation week baju kurung from UUM. It is more than 20 years old. Classic! I turned it into a pouch.
