Their curriculum is specific and easy to understand. It’s written in their language-Bengkulu. The contents were divided according to the themes, topics that were needed to be discussed for the whole, and suggested activities aligned with the topics. The topics every week were holistic wherein it tackles all seven major aspects which they believe were needed to monitor as a child grows up. It includes Moral Values and Religion, Motor Physics, Cognitive, Language, Emotional, Art, Character and Self-Development in which the teacher needs to cover everything within two hours. Unlike here in the Philippines, they do not have specifications of subject matter such as Mathematics, English, Science, Arts and etc. in the Kindergarten level. They only have one theme for the week and they should integrate it together with all the topics mixed and combined as a whole.
In preparing my teaching plan, the teachers there asked if I could utilize what we are usually doing in the Philippines since it’s an Exchange Program, they wish to also learn from us. I was able to prepare three lesson plans with different topics and themes. We are trained to make Semi-Detailed Lesson Plans with the English language as a medium of instruction and so that’s what I did. I was told that I would be teaching the same theme and topic for the whole week in different classes. In planning the motivation, I couldn’t integrate technology since they have no resources to project if ever I planned to use it, and so I just prepared songs to primarily engage my pupils in my lessons. In regards to the topic assigned for that week, since it’s already given in the curriculum, I just thought of how I would deliver it in my class. Preparing one song isn’t enough, good thing I know a lot of things and I did prepare a lot of songs. After the discussion proper, it’s up for the synthesizing activity such as giving them worksheets, letting them write on their notebook, doing board work, coloring, or letting them play a game. During which I made use of facilitating a game in reviewing our lesson, doing board work, and giving them worksheets where they would color. In planning the teaching, I did not disregard the fact about the fact of their own skills and capabilities. I made sure all the things I prepared were appropriate, fun, and engaging. When ideas were blowing up on my mind, I compromised and modified which was the best for my pupils.