FINAL REFLECTIVE ESSAY
You will write a 1,200 word reflective essay on the PD course based on the
following guiding questions. The final reflective essay will be typed on on
word document. The link will be sent to you later. The due date will be next
Sunday May June 9th, 204.
- Font size: 13
- Line spacing: 1.2
- Left indent: 2.5
- Right: 1.0
- Font: Times New Roman
Syntax to name your file: student’s ordinary number in the list , student’
ID number and student’s name
Title page
GUIDING QUESTIONS FOR THE PD REFLECTIVE ESSAY
1. What did I actually achieve while attending this course? Which were the
most difficult parts, and why were they difficult for me? Which were the most
straightforward parts, and why did I find these easy?
2. How have I developed my knowledge and skills?
3. What was your greatest challenges in doing this course?
4. What was the most boring or tedious part of doing this course? What are
your recommendations for a possible improvement?
5. In what way did this course help me in my future learning and career?
6. What advice would I give a friend about to enrol in this course?
7. What have I learned about myself while doing this course?
EXAMPLE OF A STUDENT’S REFLECTIVE ESSAY
FINAL REFLECTIVE ESSAY
When I take each course, I improve myself in at least one skill and I am always
satisfied with that. For this course, I also improved my vocabulary and teamwork
skills. Regarding vocabulary, I have built up a lot of vocabulary related to the
major English Teaching Education that I am studying. These words help me
improve my ability to write professional and academic articles. Besides, I also
could read and understand other English majors related to academic words. For
teamwork, I was able to work and participated in presentations with other students.
Each of our groups have had our own topics and we will think and discuss
together. Each of us will then present our topics to other students and teacher.
Besides, I have noticed some difficulties that I had to face, specifically when I
worked in groups with other students, because our way of thinking and working are
very different, so when we first met to discuss, we had a lot of differences in
understanding and had some arguments. Although we have different opinions, we
always found common ground and made good use of our reasoning ability to
present fluently, fortunately we always received good feedback from the teacher. In
addition to this difficulty, I still got an advantage related to my major. I have
discussed about topics that related to my field of study, learned lessons from my
internship. The topics were very practical and objective, helping me to improve my
knowledge of my major and my skills in handling pedagogical situations in the
classroom. I answered the questions very easily because I have practiced these
situations during my last internship.
For the knowledge and skills that I have already known, I presented to the teacher
and clarified my point by giving detailed points and examples related to what I was
presenting about. Then the teacher would comment on my points to help me
understand more accurately. In the correct views, the teacher would encourage me
to develop Smore perceptions, and in the incorrect views, the teacher would
analyze with practical examples to help me have a better understanding about my
views. For the knowledge I did not know, I would actively ask the teacher to
receive timely help. Besides, after each class, teacher always took time for students
to ask the parts that they did not understand. At that time, I would also raise my
hand to ask questions and be answered by the teacher right after.
There were many difficulties that I have faced when I was doing this course but
there were 3 greatest challenges that challenged me a lot. The first difficulty was
finding arguments to support my own opinions. After each opinion, I needed to
include my evidence to prove what I was trying to say was correct. I had made
some mistakes because when I gave evidence, I was often confused with other
opinions. This made me had a lot of difficulties and sometimes I misunderstood
some definitions. A large number of students in this course is also a big deal.
Because of the large number of students, it is difficult for me to have a close
connection with the teacher. Teacher often spends a lot of time guiding all students
in the class. The last difficulty is that the course was interrupted due to the impact
of the Covid-19 pandemic. This course is converted to online teaching and
learning. This affected the quality of the course (trivial) because it had to occur
indirectly through social applications and these applications did not bring good
results due to the rather poor signal.
Everything that happened in the classroom all made sense. From the teacher
giving the topics to the students to find the answers on their own to the students
presented their own opinions in front of the class. My little suggestion about this
course is that after each group presentation, other students should ask questions for
the group. This on the one hand helps the presenting group have a better
understanding of their topic, on the other hand, helps other students focus more on
the group and the content being presented. The teacher should encourage the
students to ask more questions to check that they understood the presentations.
Besides, the presenter should give specific examples so that other students can
better understand the definitions.
This course has helped me prepare a lot of skills for my upcoming career. These
skills include classroom manners, ways to handle pedagogical situations wisely. In
particular, the teacher always lets us share the experiences we have learned from
the last internship. He also shared the experiences that he has accumulated
throughout his career. Through listening to experiences and sharing from the
teacher and other students, I have gained a lot of experience for myself, I have
become more confident than ever and have more correct orientations about my
career. The teamwork attitude will make it easier for me to work with colleagues,
such as other teachers. Furthermore, actively working with the teacher in this
course will give me more confidence to work with my boss or manager in my later
career. And most importantly, I will understand the psychology of the current
students to have appropriate ways to work with them as a teacher in the future.
Through this course, I have accumulated more soft skills for myself. I have
learned to listen more while other students are presenting, I also know how to stay
calm to find a way to explain if any student disagrees with my point of view. One
of the best things I've learned from this course is that my reasoning is very
coherent, most of my opinions are correct and if there are mistakes, the teacher will
help me correct them.
As a friend, I recommend you enroll in this course as it will equip you with the
knowledge you need to become a teacher in the future. During the course, we will
be practicing situations that may arise in the classroom and the teacher will provide
different effective measures for us to handle the situation. In addition, we will hear
from the teacher about lesson plans to help us improve our annual lesson planning.
Besides, we can also practice speaking skills through discussions with the teacher
and other students. The specialized vocabulary is increasing day by day and is
markedly improved. Each individual is allowed to present his or her point of view
throughout the course and is always awarded a bonus for each presentation. After
each lesson, the teacher always systematizes the lesson knowledge to help students
remember the main ideas of the lesson so that students always remember the lesson
easily and rarely forget it. The tests that you will take in class are also suitable for
your ability. Most of the tests tell you to reflect on the knowledge in class, so it
doesn't cause many difficulties for students. And the presentations are made in
groups, so the number of questions is divided evenly and always ensures the
quality of the presentation.
Reflection Evaluation Criteria (the rubric)
Criteria Superior (30-40%) Sufficient (25-35% Minimal (15-20% Unacceptable (0
points) points) points)
Depth of Response demonstrates Response demonstrates a Response Response demonstrates
Reflection an in-depth reflection general reflection on, and demonstrates a a lack of reflection on,
on, and personalization personalization of, the minimal reflection on, or personalization of,
of, the theories, theories, concepts, and/or and personalization the theories, concepts,
concepts, and/or strategies presented in the of, the theories, and/or strategies
(40% of strategies presented in course materials to date. concepts, and/or presented in the course
TTL Points) the course materials to Viewpoints and strategies presented in materials to date.
date. Viewpoints and interpretations are the course materials Viewpoints and
interpretations are supported. Appropriate to date. Viewpoints interpretations are
___/15 insightful and well examples are provided, as and interpretations are missing, inappropriate,
supported. Clear, applicable. unsupported or and/or unsupported.
detailed examples are supported with flawed Examples, when
provided, as applicable. arguments. Examples, applicable, are not
when applicable, are provided.
not provided or are
irrelevant to the
assignment.
Structure Writing is clear, concise, Writing is mostly clear, Writing is unclear Writing is unclear and
and well organized with concise, and well and/or disorganized. disorganized. Thoughts
excellent organized with good Thoughts are not ramble and make little
sentence/paragraph sentence/paragraph expressed in a logical sense. There are
(30% of
construction. Thoughts construction. Thoughts manner. There are numerous spelling,
TTL Points) are expressed in a are expressed in a more than five grammar, or syntax
coherent and logical coherent and logical spelling, grammar, or errors throughout the
manner. There are no manner. There are no syntax errors per page response.
___/15 more than three spelling, more than five spelling, of writing.
grammar, or syntax grammar, or syntax errors
errors per page of per page of writing.
writing.
Evidence Response shows strong Response shows evidence Response shows little Response shows no
and Practice evidence of synthesis of of synthesis of ideas evidence of synthesis evidence of synthesis
ideas presented and presented and insights of ideas presented and of ideas presented and
insights gained gained throughout the insights gained insights gained
throughout the entire entire course. The throughout the entire throughout the entire
(40% of course. The implications implications of these course. Few course. No
TTL Points) of these insights for the insights for the implications of these implications for the
respondent's overall respondent's overall insights for the respondent's overall
teaching practice are teaching practice are respondent's overall teaching practice are
___/10 thoroughly detailed, as presented, as applicable. teaching practice are presented, as
applicable. presented, as applicable.
applicable.
