WEEK 8

BEING OFFERED WITH MORE OPPORTUNITIES

As a practice teacher, I couldn't deny that I really craved for a face to face interaction with the students. For me, it is the core of the internship program. With face to face interaction, learning becomes more fun, bonds are strengthened, and the experiences are far better than what is felt with virtual encounters.

However, all these thoughts are being kept away for the current status of society limited us from realizing all of it, not until the school's effort on being given the authority to hold limited face to face class was granted just before I could start my 2nd shift. Here, I witnessed another justification of how responsible the school administration is. As I indicate in last week's journal, the school surpassed the requirements for holding limited face to face class. By which, in the whole municipality and even in the First Congressional District, San Joaquin School of Fisheries was one of the first few schools that have passed the different levels of evaluation from district to regional.

I was excited when it was announced by the School Principal during the Flag Raising Ceremony weeks ago. After all, it is the top of my list as the things which I wanted to experience. After the announcement, every teacher went busy preparing for the start of the limited face to face class. I and my mentor rearranged the room which is to be used as an isolation room. So we went busy moving our things from one room to another.

Teachers and staff including the practice teachers hold a conference weeks before the start of the face to face class for the orientation about the things to secure including the schedule of classes, the number of students, the rooms, the hygiene kits, and the lessons. During the orientation, various concerns were addressed including my query with regards to the set up of online learning.

The School Principal clarified that with limited face to face, there is no need for a teacher to do online lectures, only to continue with the distribution of learning activity sheets.

The 2nd set of learners went to school this week for their class. As a practice teacher, I was given the task to monitor Group 4 from Grade 7 Learners. As the room in-charge, my responsibility was to make sure that learners follow health protocols, assist them in their handwashing and toothbrushing, guide them on moving from one room to another and keep the discipline inside the classroom.

While doing these tasks, I observed teachers that are having classes. On my observation, I can feel the nostalgia of the pre-pandemic era of learning.

The same tasks are done from Tuesday to Friday as these are the schedule of learners. Their Mondays are intended for module distribution, lesson preparation and other school works. And in my case, I have to wait for the schedule of the Grade Level where I am assigned for my 2nd shift (Grade 9) before I could hold a face to face class which happens to be next week already.