December 1, 2026, was the day we were deployed to Upper Bicutan National High School, my alma mater. I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as we were welcomed by the principal, Dr. Gil M. Teodoro. After the orientation, we proceeded to our department head, Mr. Ronan A. Rubi, who assigned us to our respective critique teachers. It felt surreal to return to a place I once studied in, but this time as a student teacher preparing to step into a new role.

I was assigned to Mrs. Dolly Ann G. Quilinguin, my critique teacher, who warmly introduced me to the class. She gave me my schedule and guided me on the tasks I needed to accomplish, including the remaining lessons for the third quarter, such as textual evidence and prewriting. I prepared my lesson plan and PowerPoint carefully, wanting to do my best in every session. After teaching, I checked the students’ activities and assignments and recorded their performance, which helped me understand their learning progress better.

As the “Ber” months continued and Christmas was approaching, the classroom became more lively and meaningful. The students were tasked to create Christmas cards for their loved ones, which made the activity more personal and heartfelt. Eventually, we celebrated a simple Christmas party filled with exchanging gifts, fun games, and food sharing. In that moment, I felt grateful because beyond teaching, I was able to build memories and connections with my students that I will always cherish. 

My journey in the whole month of January began with recording late activities and organizing student outputs. This was also the month when I prepared small tokens and short messages for the students who consistently earned higher “chips” during my class. I gave these to them before the exam as a simple reward to appreciate their effort and participation. It made me happy seeing how even small recognition motivated them to do better in class.

I was also tasked to facilitate the third quarter examination. I was the one who gave the instructions before the exam, making sure that everything was clear and organized for the students. After the exam, I assisted in checking their papers and correcting responses on another day. During this time, there was also a festival dance competition for Grade 9 held in the school grounds, which made the school environment more lively and energetic.

At the start of the fourth quarter, I began my first lesson about the types and parts of a letter. I also continued recording their activities and monitoring their performance. Whenever we had extra time, I gave them a task to write their first impression of me. Some of them described me as stern and strict, which honestly made me laugh when I read their responses. Despite that, it made me reflect on how my students perceive me, while also building a more meaningful connection with them.

My teaching internship journey in the month of February began with a new lesson on language register, focusing on formal and informal language. After discussing the topic, I asked my students to perform a short roleplay related to the lesson, which allowed them to apply what they had learned in a fun and engaging way. After that, we moved on to modal verbs, where I followed the same routine of giving activities, checking their work, and recording their performance. I appreciated how my students gradually became more confident in participating in class.

During this month, our professor also announced the schedule for our micro demo. I used textual evidence as my topic, and I prepared well for its presentation. The following days were quite busy, as I continued checking notebooks and managing class routines, even with a shortened period due to prom night. The next day, the students had their long test, which added to the pressure of the week. Knowing that our final demo was approaching, I made sure to prepare my materials as early as possible to lessen the workload and avoid cramming.

As the leader of the English department among my fellow student teachers, I also conducted a short meeting to discuss the schedule of our demos. This responsibility helped me develop my leadership and organizational skills. I was also given the opportunity to facilitate the Grade 10 “Salik-Sine,” where we guided the students in watching a short film. It was a meaningful experience to be part of that activity. Lastly, the month ended with the awarding ceremony for Grade 10, which was a fulfilling moment as I witnessed the achievements of the students. 

For the last month of my teaching journey, I began by giving my students a task to write a letter about my teaching, and in return, I also wrote letters for them. This activity became very meaningful for me because it allowed us to express our thoughts and appreciation for one another. At the same time, I was preparing all the materials I needed for my final demo. I felt a lot of pressure and even experienced moments of breakdown, but I reminded myself to keep moving forward despite my fears about the results.

During this month, Upper Bicutan National High School also conducted an earthquake drill, and we helped clean the library so it could be used for our post-conference. Then came the most awaited day, our final demo. I was very nervous, but I tried to stay positive. Before my demonstration, I received letters from my students wishing me good luck, and that truly boosted my confidence. Because of their support, I was able to successfully finish my demo. In the following days, I focused on collecting and recording requirements such as notebooks and portfolios.

As the final periodic exam approached, I was assigned to different Grade 8 sections, where I facilitated the exam and gave instructions. I also handled my class advisory, where I took charge of administering the test. After checking the papers, we conducted the correction of responses and continued the Phil-IRI. Since we still had a few remaining days, I used that time to bond with my students and slowly say my final goodbyes as their student teacher. The month ended with our classroom recognition, which was both a proud and emotional moment for me.