a. Purposes of practicum (meets or not meets your need)
The best part about this program is that it gave me the opportunity to improve my teaching techniques, enhance lesson planning, and adopt effective classroom management strategies. I've actually learned so much from this program that I can't even begin to tell you! So much of it has really helped me improve my teaching techniques.
I'm so happy to say that this program really helped me improve my English skills! I learned a lot from all the wonderful people I interacted with during my time there. My cooperating teacher, the staff at the program, my friends, and all the lovely people I met around me—they all taught me so much. I was even lucky enough to learn some basic Tagalog!
As if that wasn't enough, I also got to experience a new culture. I was lucky enough to be in a new educational environment that is very different from Indonesia! I feel like I have a broad and new view of all things, especially education! I would really love to know what the differences are between other countries, because it can be challenging but it's also a great way to gain experience and knowledge!
b. Procedures of practicum
Orientation
In the first week, when we first set foot in the Philippines, we got to do an Urdaneta campus tour. The lovely staff there showed us around and explained all about the rooms on campus. We even got to meet our cooperating teachers for the first time, Miss Roda Kaye and Miss Beverly, who will be helping us during our time there.
Class observation
To get a good feel for what it's really like in the classroom, we observe some of the lower grades, which included kindergarten all the way up to 6th grade. In this observation activity, we took a look around the classroom and noticed all the different things that make it special. We saw the students, who were so engaged and excited to learn. We saw the teacher, who was using a variety of engaging learning methods. We saw the learning materials and other resources that were available. We also noticed the facilities in the classroom, which were well-maintained and conducive to learning. We didn't just observe the class, either! Miss Roda and Miss Bevery also invited us to join the fun at the preliminary stage with the kindergarten and grade 1 students.
At this point, we also got to see the format of the lesson plan that our co-operating teacher uses, as well as the one we will be making later. They were also super helpful in explaining step by step what activities should be included in the lesson plan series. For example, at the engagement stage, there should be what activities. They were also super helpful in explaining how to make an effective lesson plan in line with the guidebooks for each curriculum.
c. Outcomes of practicum
I got a lot of results from this program. I have new knowledge about how to manage the class well, how to manage time well, how to control the class and the students, how to choose the right strategy for each material, and how to respect time well. In a nutshell, I feel that I have upgraded myself and improved my skills. Thank you to teacher Roda, teacher Beverly, teacher Alyssa, teacher regie, teacher lovelyn, teacher charlie, teacher nicho, teacher winnie, teacher mark, and all the teachers that I can't mention one by one, thank you for the knowledge you have given.
This program was really helpful for me! I got so much out of it and learned a lot. I've gained lots of new knowledge about how to run a class well, how to manage my time effectively, how to maintain control of the class and manage the students, how to choose the right teaching strategy for each subject, and how to respect time management. In a nutshell, I feel so grateful to have upgraded myself and improved my skills. I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from such an amazing group of teachers, including Thank you to teacher Roda, teacher Beverly, teacher Alyssa, teacher regie, teacher lovelyn, teacher charlie, teacher nicho, teacher winnie, teacher mark, and all the teachers that I can't mention one by one.Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for being there to support me on this journey.
d. The challenges of practicum
The thing I find most challenging is being able to adapt quickly. It's so different from my life in Indonesia! I had to get used to lots of different things, like the culture, the environment, the food, and so on. As Muslims are a minority there, it was a bit tricky for me to find a mosque, and I had to be super careful when buying food.
In teaching, the difficulties I faced were the common difficulties that many intern teachers face. I found it especially challenging to handle crowded and uncooperative students. It's a different experience than what I was used to back in Indonesia!
e. Overall impression
I'm so grateful to have been selected for this program! It's an amazing opportunity, and I'm excited to see what the future holds. I feel so lucky to be able to join this amazing program for Batch 10! I can't even begin to describe how amazing this program is! It's absolutely incredible, totally legit, and so awesome!
f. Suggestions for future improvement
I don't think I have any suggestions for this program because it's already so useful for prospective teachers like me. I really hope this wonderful program will continue to exist and be available to everyone so that everyone can benefit from it. I'd like to send a big, heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in making this program a reality. A special thank you to SEAMEO for making it all happen!