My Internship at the Erasmiaans Gymnasium Paper Editing (Research Paper Sample)

Abstract
Working with highly intelligent (gymnasium 5) students can be challenging. Intellectually advanced students learn quickly and process material in greater depth, which also makes them vulnerable to become bored. This research is aimed to redesign lessons from passive into active learning to increase motivation in class; therefore, the research question strived to answer: How can I design my lessons so that my gymnasium 5 students are motivated and active during the English lessons? In this study, the answer to this question is being researched by implementing interventions concerning the content of lessons, active learning, developing independency, and by changing the role of a teacher into a coach who assists students during class. The results show that these interventions have a positive influence for getting back motivation and active participation in class.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Almighty God for giving me strength and dedication for not giving up and the ability to understand, learn and finish this research.
Second, I would like to thank my parents for their unconditional support, patience and having confidence in me and also for all the times of babysitting and taking care of my children.
Third, I would like to give special thanks to my supervisor, Stephanie Edwards, for her valuable feedback at all stages during my research.
I am further grateful to thank my supervisor Eva Gelsema for her unwavering support, collegiality and mentorship throughout this research.
Last but not least I would like to thank friends and well-wishers for believing in me and supporting me.
Table of contents
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
1.Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
2.Theorethical framework…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
3.Methodology………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10
4.The results…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
5.Conclusion/discussion….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22
Bibliography…..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..24
Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………25
A. Active learning lessons…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………25
B. Study guide with teacher notes………………………………………………………………………………………………….37
C. Study guide for students………………………………………………………………………………………………………………40
D. Quizlet…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………44
E. Classroom observation list 12………………………………………………………………………………………………………47
F. Reflection questions (students)………………………….………………………………………………………………………..49
G .Student survey……………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….56
H. Results in-depth interviewsstudents……………………………………………………………………………………………57
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Context
This year I started my internship at the Erasmiaans Gymnasium, which is a school situated in a historical building in the centre of Rotterdam. The school consists of 1100 students and 80 teachers, and offers various subjects like art, philosophy, Spanish and Chinese. I have been teaching a gymnasium 5 class of 22 students, eleven of them are girls and the other eleven are boys. Their age vary between 15 and 17 years. The students have 3 hours of English per week, in which we use the book Cambridge English Proficiency Masterclass and learn about different literary periods and movements.
During my observation period I noticed that students were inactive and bored, they were sleepy, speaking with each other, eating and not listening to the teacher. During the lessons the teacher was the main source of information and according to the students, the book dealt with uninteresting topics. Above all students had very low grades for the book tests. Consequently I tried to find out why the students were inactive during my problem analysis.
1.2 Results from the students’ survey
After interviewing two female teachers who both have taught classes 5 and 6 for more than 17 years
Almost all the students and both teachers agreed that gymnasium students are smart and have a broad interest in all kinds of subjects, but they can get bored very fast.
Students gave a similar answers to the question: ’Why do you get bored in class?’. 48% said they are bored when the lessons are not interesting, 34% when they are tired or hungry and 18% when the teacher talks continuously. It can be seen in the diagram as well.
 EMBED Excel.Chart.8 \s 

After going through the answers...