Summary and Suggestions

The purpose of the practicum is to immerse ourselves, SEA Teachers, into the new teaching and learning environment across Southeast Asia. I acquired not just knowledge about the Indonesian culture, traditions, beliefs, and values, but an appreciation of the hospitality and kindness of the Indonesian people. From our fostered parents, our student buddies, UMBY faculty and staff, Kinderstation management, and even in the community, we were accommodated with deep respect and genuine warmth, making my experience more meaningful.

 Another purpose is to observe and learn from the local educators about their teaching pedagogies, classroom management practices, and values. Kinderstation did not fail to provide us with the knowledge and experience of what an Indonesian classroom is.

Our host university, Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta (UMBY), deployed us in Kinderstation, giving us the experience that will be remembered and shared as we become full-fledged educators in the Philippines. I spent 4 days of class observation and teacher assistantship at Kindergarten, 2 days of classroom observation in Primary, and 2 days in Junior and Senior High School. After the class observation, I taught in Grade 5 for primary and Grades 8,10,11, and 12 for SMP and SMA.

 Every Saturday, together with us, SEA Teachers, the UMBY with Miss Naela and our student buddies went for a cultural trip. We have gone to different museums, cultural heritage sites, and other places like Malioboro and Towilfiets.

This journey in Indonesia's kota pelajar had significantly contributed to my personal and professional growth as a pre-service teacher. The following are the outcomes of this practicum:

1. Acquired knowledge about the different teaching practices and values of Indonesian classrooms.

2. Gained insights about the culture, traditions, language, and values of the people of Indonesia.

3. Improved my teaching and English communication skills.

4. Made strong connections with the students in the cooperating school, as well as with the teachers in Kindergarten, Primary, and Junior and Senior High School.

5. We built friendships not just with our student buddies but also with the locals, such as the vendors, drivers, security guards, and others.

One of the major problems I encountered during the practicum was the language barrier. The locals, the drivers, vendors, and even our fostered parents could not understand English since it is not their native language. In our kost putri (boarding house), we often use one word to communicate with out parents. For instance, we would say "sekolah" the word for school when we ask permission to go to our cooperating school. The same with the drivers, we use "kanan" or "kiri" to say, left or right respectively when we tell direction. However, I overcame this challenge and was able to communicate with them by using Google translator and with the help of our student buddies. This experience also made us realize that even though we could not communicate through words, we could still connect through our hearts. 

Moreover, the distance between our boarding house and the cooperating took 45 minutes to 1 hour drive. We woke up at 5 AM and prepared to leave at around 6 AM.

The SEA Teacher Project paved the way for cross-country and cross-cultural connections across Southeast Asia. This program has made a significant impact in my life as a pre-service teacher. I was introduced to a new teaching environment and a new group of students and was exposed to advanced teaching pedagogies. Through this, I was able to expand knowldge on the different instructional strategies that I could use in the Philippines. This program has also helped me in building relevant and meaningful connections with the people I met in Indonesia, our fostered parents, the local educators, curriculum developers, Kinderstation students, and especially my friends from UMBY.

 This exchange program has been beneficial not just for Capiz State University, Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta, and Kinderstation, but also for me as a pre-service teacher. The learning and experiences I have gained are truly invaluable. With that, I would like to thank the people behind this project, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), our lecturers from UMBY, and Kinderstation, to Mr. Patric and Ms. Moli,  and our student buddies. You all made this exchange program a dream to come true. Your commitment and support have provided us with enriching experiences beyond the classroom, with the friendships we built, and the connection with fellow educators abroad. This journey has been transformative, and I will carry these lessons with me as I continue my teaching journey.

This project has been instrumental in forging global connections among the countries in Southeast Asia. I look forward to seeing more participants join this exchange program to foster personal and professional growth in the field of education. However, I would suggest that the universities or the organization itself cover some of the expenses of the students to alleviate the financial burden of the future SEA Teachers. Through this, the participants can focus on exploring the educational system of the host country, learning from it, and sharing insights upon returning to the Philippines. In addition, it would be better to extend the exchange period from 28 days to 2 months or 3 months so that the students can full adapt and explore the educational system, as well as the culture of the host country.