One of the highlights of my internship was building connections with my students. I made it a point to learn their names and understand them on a personal level. This allowed me to build their trust in me and to create a positive classroom environment. However, I learned that being kind and patient all the time is not enough and I learned the importance of being firm with my students. I had always prided myself on being kind and patient with them, I am not the one who gets easily annoyed. My cooperating teacher even commended how patient I am in teaching even the most passive learners. But there was this event when I reached my limits and cannot take it anymore. Some of the boys in the back of the classroom started using inappropriate language coupled with some moaning noises. I was explaining something and they were disrupting the lesson. I raised my voice and firmly told them to leave the classroom if they weren't interested to the lesson. I think I might have shouted and I could feel myself shaking from annoyance. The students immediately stopped what they were doing. The silence that followed was deafening. I had always been calm and composed when teaching, so it might have been a shock to them. I realized that sometimes I have to use a high voice and assert my authority to maintain control of the class. It was a difficult decision, but it worked. I continued my lecture and proceeded with the evaluation. I know that the one who had made the dirty noises was sorry because he even volunteered to answer the first problem on the board. I realized that, as a teacher, it is important to balance being kind and understanding with being firm and assertive.

Another interesting experience I had this month was the surprise earthquake and fire drills. March was the fire prevention month, so there were at least three fire or earthquake drills during the course of the month. During the first drill, I was not familiar with the alarm signal, so I did not know if it was a fire or earthquake drill. Despite this, I still told my students to perform the duck, cover, and hold procedure, and it turned out to be actually an earthquake drill. It was a good thing to have drills like these so that we become prepared for disasters. However, the drills did affect my schedule, and I had to adjust my teaching to ensure that all my sections were still on par with each other. This experience has reminded me that it is essential to be prepared for any emergencies that might happen in the classroom because disasters are unpredictable.

One day before our last day, I gave my students a notecard where they could write their messages, comments, or suggestions for me, whether positive or negative. I told them they do not need to write their names and to be truthful so that I could reflect on myself and it would help me grow. It was fulfilling to read their messages, and I was grateful for their honesty. Some expressed gratitude for my patience in teaching them and said that they had fun learning with me. They even mentioned some of the things that they will not forget about me. It was heartening to know that my patience and dedication had made an impact on them, and I was grateful for their kind words. Some apologized for their misbehaving classmates. They even encouraged me to become stricter more often since they think my kindness was being abused. Perhaps the most meaningful messages were those that really made me reflect on my teaching methods. One of my students said that my teaching was fast-paced, and although they could follow, some of their classmates could not. Another student said that he/she had just understood the lesson, and we were already moving on to the next one. I realized that I may have been moving too fast, neglecting some of my students who were struggling. I always record the evaluation activities and I always give remedial or review lessons the next day if I observed there were many low scores. I had assumed that providing remedial activities before moving to the next topic was enough to help struggling students catch up. However, I now understand the importance of slowing down and giving everyone time to absorb the topic. From this experience, I learned that it's crucial to adjust my teaching methods and pace to cater to the needs of all my students.

On our last day of teaching, I gave each my students a letter and a small token of appreciation, a combination of pen and alcohol spray. I told them how grateful I was to have been welcomed and become a part of their educational journey. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow alongside them, and I encouraged them to keep pushing toward their goals and never give up on their dreams. Some of my students even gave me chocolates and letters of gratitude and wishing me luck to my career. Also, the student who gave me a keychain last Valentine's Day gave me crocheted flowers again. It was a heartwarming day. It was moments like these that inspire me to keep pursuing this career and improving my teaching.

To mark the end of our internship, a send-off program was organized by the Supreme Student Government (SSG) on April 11, 2023. It was overwhelming to see how much effort and thought the SSG put into making the program special for us interns. During the send-off program, we were given flowers as a token of appreciation for our hard work and dedication throughout the internship. It was a simple gesture, but it meant a lot to me. It made me feel valued and recognized for my efforts in the classroom. One of the highlights of the program was when we were given the opportunity to give messages of gratitude to the principal and the teachers, as well as inspirational messages for the students. I expressed my appreciation and reflected on the impact that our internship had on us as aspiring teachers. It was a heartfelt moment as I shared my thoughts and feelings. I will surely look back on my memories at TCNHS with fondness and gratitude. The principal also delivered a message of encouragement to us. He shared insights about the various career options we could pursue as teachers. It was motivating to hear about the potential career paths in the field of education and how we could make a difference in the lives of our future students. One of the most unforgettable moments of the send-off program was when they awarded a sash to the teachers who had made a significant impact on the students. The sashes were awarded based on votes from the students, and I was overwhelmed with joy when I was chosen in the male category. I had mixed emotions as they put on me the sash bearing the phrase “TCNHS King of Hearts.”  It was a testament to how much my students appreciated my teaching and it filled me with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Lastly, the food provided during the send-off program was nothing short of exceptional. It was as if we were dining in a fine restaurant, with delicious food and cozy music. It was an unexpected treat that made the occasion even more special.

As my internship draws to a close, I am filled with a range of emotions as I reflect on the past three months. I experienced moments of frustration, exhaustion, and self-doubt, but there were also moments of joy, accomplishment, and fulfillment. However, through these challenging experiences, I am confident that I have grown and developed as a teacher. I learned to be more patient, compassionate, and understanding toward my students while also enhancing my skills in being assertive, organized, and prepared. I will take these lessons and experiences from my internship as I embark on my journey as a professional educator. These invaluable lessons will undoubtedly be useful in facing any challenge that comes my way as I progress in my career as an educator.