Director in drama

What do you know about director?
Have you ever been a director in a drama or theater?
What is director actually?

Well.....

Director is one of the element of drama. We can say director is a main person who controls how a play is performed. That's why director is one important thing that support drama successfully.

Basically the concepts of director are:

• Director give the example of how to look and play about drama.
• Director should be interprets the script and may change a play's time period or geographic location
• Director have to set the mood of the play through pacing of the show, use of the colors of designer's  work, and other creative choices
• The director meets with designers and explains the emotional state and time period, which carry the message the director wants. Designers develop set, lighting, and costume designs for the director. 
• In production meetings the director works with the designers for scenery, costumes, lighting, and sound so the designs incorporate the director's concept of the production.  
• Director select the cast to through rehearsal to finished production
• The director is limited by

1. the theatre's budget for the production
2. the type of stage and whether it works with the director's concept

For truly information click here

The above is tells about director and the concepts of director. So, how to be a good director?

Let's watch the short movie how to be a good director

                                                                                          

Happy arrange group :)

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In teaching learning process, sometimes we do individual task and group task. Individual task is very common in Indonesia especially. I remember start from elementary until graduate from secondary school I often got individual task. How about group work? Sometimes we use this method right? Do you know to assign students to make a group have an art? There is some strategies to make assign group interesting for students.

 1. Turn to your partner

This is the first way to make a group. Student just share/ discuss with her/ his friend beside her/ him.

2. Number off

In here students are numbered off' according to the group size/ number of group required. Then all students with the same number will be in the same group.

3. Lines up/ count off

Students line up in order, using given criteria. For example the house number, the birth day, weight etc.

4. Match up

It is quite similar with the previous strategy (Lines up/ count off). this way is student find other people who share a given criteria. For example; eye or hair color, number family member or color of clothing. And students who have similar criteria will be in the same group.

5. Grouping card

Students need to matching cards. It could be a symbol, color, the similarities of part of speech or something like that.

6.Round the clock

Student are each given a clock face. They organize the partner for each of the 12 hours on the clock.For example, the teacher said 'Mira (who is stand on 3 o'clock) work with your 5 o'clock partner'.

7. Jigsaw pieces

Every students are give a piece of puzzle of picture then they have to find the remaining of picture or puzzle. The picture also can be relate to the topic, that we will discuss.

8. Lucky dip

Teacher bring a box that collected of objects that can be grouped, such as color buttons. Students select them 'lucky dip' style and then students who get the same color will be the same group.

9. String partners

The students hold a pile of lengths of string in their hand (held in center so that both of string can be pick up by students). The number of string should be equal to half the class. if the class consist of 30 students so the number of string should be 15. Students pick the string, if they get the same string means that they are in the same group.

See, there are so many strategies to grouping and make it different and more interesting for students. Some strategies above are not familiar in Indonesia. On the other hand I have consult with my lecturer with this topic and she said that "grouping strategies is not familiar for Indonesia because teachers in Indonesia is very rarely to assign student to make a group, because they think that work in group are noise, wasting time, and just some students will work in their group. But actually it depend on how teacher conduct the lesson it self". Then I totally agree with her.

So, for all of you are teacher or teacher candidate happy arrange group in your class :)

Technology to support teaching learning at SMAIT NURUL FIKRI

For the period of teaching assistant I observed the islamic secondary high school (SMAIT NURUL FIKRI) which is located in Depok. This school has many facilities to support teaching learning process. It has e-learning room, laboratory and LCD that are available to use.

In two weeks actually, I just observed X-D class. In that grade all of students are learned about text procedure. In the first week they had cooking demonstration and the second week they have test to cover the materials.

www.sejahteramandiri.multiply.com

During those two weeks I just saw a stove as a technology that they used in the classroom. The stove was very safe because the fuel is gas and it is "portable" so we can take it wherever we go. This stove is not use a tube to distribute gas from the gas itself to the stove, but the gas is put in the side of stove. The packaging of gas itself is in the bottle, so it is not like a stove in our house. This stove also easy to use so that all students can demonstrate it well.

Personally I think, the usage of this stove is effective because it can help students to visualize how text procedure is, if we apply it in the real life situational. By this technology students not only get the knowledge about text procedure but also get the experience about text procedure in the daily life.It so interesting and all of my students in my class (X-D) are excited and they pay attention when their friend told them how to make something. Basically the goal of cooking demonstration is to assess the speaking skill of students. That's why my master teacher makes it like cooking TVshow program. It has done!! They still cook and in the same time they explained the ingredients and steps for the audiences. So the use of stove is effective in this case because the expectation of my master teacher was reached.

The using of stove is also appropriate because in the proper condition. My master teacher brought it to explain text procedure which tells about how to do something and possible for her to ask students for explaining how to make something (cook).

If I were a teacher in that school with the same condition maybe I will maximize the use of LCD because my master teacher didn't explain what is text procedure, what is the differences if we compare to the other text. I want to maximize the use of slide presentation to explain the lesson so that my students are not only capable in practical but also in the knowledge of lesson. On the other hand, I think it's wasting time if we talk about text procedure in two weeks although many kinds of text that we have to cover it in a semester. I think if we use slide presentation effectively and explain about all of the text and divided students into groups, then each group have to expert in one kind of text, it is more effective. I said that because the students have prior knowledge about the text since the were in the junior high school. I want to make them expert in one text and to make them also capable on the other text. I want to make it like a jigsaw or gallery work so that all group will cover all of the text during two weeks. To explain the text, students are allow to use song, or the other kind of tools to make it easier to understand. The last is because this school has e-learning room, I want to maximize the using of this room. I want to take online discussion or online quiz or something like that to engage and make them understand about kinds of text.

Five Helping Behavior to Effective Teaching (Burden & Byrd, 2007)

www.matcmadison.edu

Last post, I wrote about five key behaviors to effective teaching.  Now, I want to mention five helping behaviors to effective teaching.

1. Using students ideas and contribution

In this part teacher cover many things such as: acknowledging, modifying, applying, comparing and summarizing students response. By this helping teacher can encourage students participation and promote the goal of lesson.

For example:

Teacher: Jane, what is procedure text?

Jane: A kind of text which tell how to do something.

Teacher: Good Jane!

             Let's take a look this poster, it is an example of procedure text, tell how to do something like Jane said. Text procedure divided into three parts the first is goal (The title of text), the second is mention about material/ ingredients and  what is the next Nurul?

Nurul: The last is part which is showing procedure text, it is mention the process how to make.............

Teacher: So, text procedure have three parts the first is title as a goal, ingredients/ material and the last is mention the process. Then if you want to make text procedure you have to make sure those part within the text.

First by putting Jane's response, the teacher applied Jane's answer by taking it to the next step. Second, by repeating what Jane said, teacher did acknowledge. And the last is by having another response from students teacher made a summary so that, the concept was provided.

2. Structuring

In short is, take the material in the last meeting as a hook and continue it to make a coherence in what will be going in the classroom and at the end teacher give a summary.

In this part we have to know the differences between content questions and process questions

Content question: an example is when teacher want to know the understanding of students or recall last material.

Process question: The question that focuses on how and why. you need to analyze and synthesize information. Not a question that has one word answer. Process question also has different purposes for which questions can be asked. to problem-solve, to guide, to arouse curiosity, to encourage creativity, to analyze, to synthesize, and to judge.  For these goals, content is not and end itself but a means of achieving higher-order goals.

4. Probing

Probing is keep asking students until you get the idea.

Probing may take the form of general question or can include other expressions that elicit clarification of an answer, solicit information or redirect students response.

Generally, students achievement is greatest when the eliciting, soliciting and redirecting occur in cycles. The purpose of this cycle is to promote inquiry or independent discovery of the content of the lesson. This helping behavior usually used to shift a discussion to some higher thought level.

5. Enthusiasm

Teacher enthusiasm in the classroom also influence the students.

Enthusiasm is the teacher's power, energy, participation or contribution, excitement and interest during the whole lesson. Enthusiasm including the teacher's gesture, eye contact, her/ his vocal and animation. A teacher enthusiasm was found to be related to student achievement (Bettencourt, Gillet, Gall, & Hull, 1983; Cabello & Terrell, 1994).

Five key behaviors to effective teaching (Burden & Byrd, 2007)

As a teacher we have to consider about our behaviors, the way we deliver knowledge and anything else in the classroom. We have to consider all of them because it will give impact to our students within learning process. Now, I want to explain about five key behaviors to effective teaching (Burden & Byrd, 2007).

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1. Lesson clarity --> This is the first part that we have to be expert. When teacher explaining the lesson they have to be clear about lesson and instruction. Then, we have to deliver the lesson step by step so that students can follow it smoothly. and the last is our voice must be audible to all of students.
2. Instruction variety --> Refers to variability and flexibility of delivery of lesson. In this stage you (teacher) may relate with the multiple intelligences and variety of teaching methodologies.
3. Teacher task orientation --> As a teacher, you have to maximize the time. Try to do not waste a time and provide students with the greatest possibility to learn and to practice the materials.The clue is if you can see and feel as a teacher, students are engaging the lesson it means the learning happens.
4. Engagement in the learning process --> To engage the learning process, you must make a strategy to explain the idea (e.g. make a game). Again, you have to be careful when deliver the materials. Make it easy to follow for students (step by step). If students talk to each other, read a magazine or leave the room means that they are not engaged in instruction.
5. Students success rate --> Refer to the rate students understand and correctly complete exercise and assignments.

Well, these are five key behaviors in effective teaching. Hopefully it will be useful for you.

Good luck, to make us under-construction.
:)

* SKYPE *

Have you ever heard about Skype? or Have you ever use skype?. Well. I'll tell you, skype is free software that can enable you to chat with people around the world for free as long as they have internet connection and skype. And if both of you are have webcam you can use video as well.

Now, see this video about skype :)

What do you think after watch that video?

All right, I'll continue to write........

You can use your cell phone actually but you have to pay it, because skype is a software was design for communication between computer to computer.

Because of it is free; many people use this software not only for communication but also for business and learning. Yeah, you can speak or communicate with native speaker that you wish to learn that language. For example; you want to learn English, you just seeking out the ID user for native speaker that you want to chat. Then if your communicant also online you may chat and have fun learning. By this software you may ignore your anxiety because it is communication peer to peer and maximum chat only for five people. Interesting right !!!!

The feature also supports your needs those are:

• Calling: Between skype to skype, phones and mobile or conferences call.
• Messaging: You can send instant message, send files, text messaging, and Facebook news Feed.
• Video: You may use video calling or group video calling.
• Managing: Skype for business and skype for connect.

Skype is easy to use. I said that because after you downloaded the skype software, you may open skype and create account, after that you have to connect microphone and speaker also set a webcam* (optional). Then add a contact with whom you want to chat and the last is Let's take the interesting experience by calls or video calls. It is easy, isn't it?

I've mentioned that nowadays skype also use for learning. It is interesting for me because I learn L2 in the campus. I think by this software I can improve my English skills especially for speaking. I can communicate with native speaker, take online discussion with her/ him, of course I learn the right pronunciation, share information such as; docx, images, link, etc) and I think this is a learning tool for visual learner like me :)

This software also has advantage and limitation. Some advantages are; skype has high quality on voice, easy to use, free for PC, and by cell phone you can use skype anytime and anywhere. The limitation also happening in this software there are; You can not call emergency number (e.g. 911) because the setting for this software for PC. This software has high resolution and bandwidth, not all services for free for example; skype business and skype connect. If you want to use these feature you have to pay it. skype only can use if you are online (synchronous), skype is only for compatible mobile phone (Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson) and the last issue is deception of identity.

All right, now you know a lot about skype and hopefully this entry will be useful for you. For the issue in technology, Whatever it is Skype is a tool and you have to use it wisely!!!!!!

Grade in classroom is outdated !!!

www.edutopia.org

When I was in elementary school my teacher always make a rank in classroom. The group in the first rank up to ten mean they are smart, and the first rank is the smartest student. Is it still happen until now in Indonesia?
If yes, it's mean the system is outdated.

 I said that because the intelligences can not measure by a rank. Rank is a the smallest part of measuring intelligences and it just see one aspect of students intelligences. Whereas the intelligences every students are different. Students who doesn't get the highest rank doesn't mean she/ he is stupid. I have to highlight that every students are smart but they have some differences category in intelligences. Howard Gardner divided intelligences into eight categories. There are; verbal linguistics, logical mathematics, visual-spatial, musical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, bodily kinesthetic, and naturalist intelligences.
Let's take a look this video to make you realized about multiple intelligences.

I already said that every student is smart and student could be have two or more intelligences. The teacher's job is how to deliver the lesson for those intelligences? It's is hard and complex but nothing is impossible. Based on Gardner theory teacher can not judge student stupid or not, but teacher have to observe the intelligences of students and make it better or help them to find other intelligences. It's more useful than a judgment.

Video sources: www.youtube.com

My Multicultural Self

 By: Ovnica Nitasari

                                                            www.funkorchildart.com

My multicultural self is one of the topic in the Humanistic studies course. Before this meeting I never thought about my multicultural self. It is a good thing for me, and I can reflect myself deeper. Miss Nisa distribute a piece of paper. In that paper has five bubbles and I have put my identities. Whatever word that can describe your identity. I really enjoy with this meeting. In my paper I wrote; a moslem, an observer, a female, a college student, and a sister.

Something that is ordinary if you just read those words, but for me is one of the biggest thing in my life now, because I have reasons to wrote it.

I am a moslem, maybe for this bubble everybody already know I am a moslem because of my veil. But I want to express that I am a moslem who appreciate other religion, I am not an anarchist person, I build a relationship with other religion, I try to understand the rule of their religion.

I am an observer. I like speak but I am a good listener. When I am talking with my friend and I see her/ his gesture or his/ her answer, That is the moment I observe his/ her. Try to understand him/ her. Try to know his/ her habits and based on it I have many tolerance in many cases, because of I know him/ her.

 I am a female. I remember when I was in elementary school, I am not comfortable to use skirt or long dress.  I have many friends and most of them are boys. In that time I never have a long hair. And until now, I don't like make up. Now it was changing.

I am a college student. I am happy with this label (college student). I learn more and I always meet inspire people in here. I like the atmosphere of campus. If I am not an SSE student, I don't know whether I can study in the campus or not. I am grateful to my god, thanks for the answered prayer :)

The last is I am a sister. I want to emphasized in this bubble because maybe people just think that sister is just a symbolize in the family. Unfortunately not in my life. I am a sister and I have three siblings. I am the first children and my mother passed a way two years ago. Because of the condition, subconsciously and gradually I become an instant mother for them. Even though I have a step mother now, but my siblings still need me more than the previous time. The condition is different, my life is changing. I love them so much, and I want to always with them everyday.

Both of the a college student (the forth bubble) and a sister (the last bubble) I face a conflict, because people just see me in one identity. For example, if we have a group work I want to finished the assignment before weekend  but my friends want to finished the assignment on weekend. I ask him/ her why you choose weekend to finished our assignment because I think we have time to finished it now. He/ her say " ya,, weekend aja lah, more relax then we are in the boarding house so not impossible to finished the assignment on weekend". And I think if I do the assignment on weekend, it's mean that I have to wait more to see my siblings. It is make me sad actually.

That is my multicultural self, something that maybe it is ordinary but extraordinary for me.

The last activity in this meeting (3rd meeting) is we have to make sentence(s) to express your self. Miss Nisa gave an example: Aku orang Indonesia tapi aku tidak suka ngaret (something like that, I'm sorry miss if I am wrong).

And my sentences are:

• I am female but I am not weak.
• I am a college student but I am not an ordinary.

:)

The Teacher

 By: Ovnica Nitasari

The teacher is a title of a lyrics. It's tell about teacher, the lyrics are based on the ideas in Ayers' book: Ayers, W. (2001). To teach: The journey of a teacher. New York: Teacher college press.

www.ibmb.uni.wroc.pl

Actually I don't know this song but I heard it in my class. When I get Principles of Effective Teaching and Assessment course on last Friday,  My lecturer (Pak Iwan) come into my class and he brought a guitar. He played it and sang "The Teacher's" song.

He distributed a lyrics for students. I read it and deep in my heart said "woow it so good, the lyrics is very touching for me".

Some of the phrases of sentences that I like are:

• 'cause teaching is never finished

Teaching is never finished as a key word for me as a teacher candidate. As a teacher we have to learn more, read more and do more than our students. Teaching and learning are interrelated. If teaching will never finished so learning do.

• A teacher invites you to a second chance

One of the biggest job for teacher is can deliver material well. Teacher always transfer his/ her knowledge and because of that students who don't know about something they will know. They will know because they learn and they read books. Teacher invites you to a second chance to make colors in your life.

•  As long as I live I am under construction

I am under construction because I am a teacher, and teaching my students. I am under construction because teaching is never finished. Everyday teacher learn about how to teach, how to understand all of students, how to manage a classroom as a playground for students, and more and more.......

Teacher's life is always under construction!!!!!!!!

• A teacher beckons you to change the world

This is the last phrases/ sentences that I like. This sentence in the last line of the lyrics and have a big meaning. Teacher invites a second chance and finally she/ he beckons you to change the world. Can you imagine change the world. Can students change the world?

Yes, they can. Every students whose teacher under construction can change the world. 

How great a profession of teacher?

Probably, without teacher we are NOTHING........

It's clear to me. My decision to be a teacher is not wrong even though many people around me are disagree with my decision.

If you want to read a lyrics please click here

Who am I?

My name is Ovnica Nitasari, my friends usually call me Ovnica.

I am an SSE (Sampoerna School of Education) student, intake 2009. My major is English department.

I make this blog as a journal for me in every courses that I take in SSE. This blog talk about teaching methodologies, technology in classroom, principles of effective teaching and assessment and a little bit about humanistics. It seems very complicated but actually each of them have a correlation.

Hopefully by this blog I can improve my English skills and  I have learn more and get more. This blog is a one way of learning process and build my personal development skills . So, if you read this blog, please give a comment or share something to me.

For the next purpose as a teacher candidate. I wanna be a good teacher, new generation of teacher and step by step I'll build my own school for Indonesian children.