Journals of Practice Teaching

Daily Journal

OBSEVATION WEEK

DAY 1

This day was the start of our milestone towards being a teacher- immersed in a real-life classroom setting.

Our experiential learning or practice teaching was commenced by an orientation with Mr. Leo B. Asilo, the Erico t. Nograles National High School’s (E.T.N.H.S.) Principal He made some clarifications on different matters such as the status quo of the lives of the students enrolled in the school.

He also made mention of the school policies and systems. He had also emphasized that cleanliness must be observed within the campus. And we, as practice teachers are also subjects for punishments if we fail to follow the proper waste disposal and management in E.T.N.H.S. he had also accentuated certain issues about the students’ standing and performances with relevance to their social and economic status. He’d reminded us that we are teaching students that need to have special attention and so then, our efficiency as teachers will be highly tested. Moreover, Mr. Asilo had also said that any complains that we want to address to his office regarding our stay must be done in writing.

This was also the day that I was able to meet my cooperating teacher (CT), Mrs. Belinda Apolinar, a first year English teacher, and has been teaching for 9 years in ETNHS. And I was assigned to teach English in three (3) classrooms in the first year. My CT or mentor introduces me to the class. And so, I had a sit-in  in the different classes to observe the classroom routine and teaching strategy. I also managed to take more strategy to the students who are doing indifferently. She had also oriented me regarding the class routine and lesson planning.

This day was indeed great.  This is also the start of the sharpening of my skills as a teacher, and the beginning of my official training for the real-life battle towards achieving change among the educational status among of the students.

Day 2

This is the second day if my classroom observation. My CT gave me a tour over the students’ problems regarding their scholastic performances and oriented me with the various approaches that must be customarily applied to each type of classroom.

My CT had emphasized that there is really a problem with the students when it comes to independent learning tasks. Students do not really do their assignments, and she said that it is one of the challenges to the teachers ETNHS. However, she had mentioned that constant encouragements and motivations must be employed to sustain their interests.

            This also was the start of my classroom-handling. I was truly unprepared since it was given to me on-the-spot because my CT has to go to Department of Education’s Office. However, I immediately my lesson plan and fortunately, I was able to carry the lesson.

During the class, I was exposed to the different personalities. I have then observed students who must be given special attention. Then, I applied my learning on the ways on handling different kinds of students. Tapping a student’s back is really an effective way to let the students feel that as teacher, I care for them. Also, calling them by their first names and setting themselves as the examples in the lessons promotes peace and order in discussion of the lesson. And I think that was a good start.

This day was awesome. It made me realize that I will significantly influence the students in all the aspects of their lives. And I’m hoping that I’ll be as effective as how I wished to be.

DAY 3

I continued my observation on this day; I have observed that CT motivated the students to increase their grades. She was able to touch the students’ affective part. She was also able to integrate authentic or real-life examples with relevance to the subject matter. She had also sustained the students’ interests through giving her humorous experiences as examples which attracted students’ attention.

On the other hand, I was again given the chance to handle the last section where I am supposed to hold my observation. It was indeed on-the-spot preparation. However, I had an hour for preparation. It was greatly a challenge, but fortunately, through the learning I had in classroom management and lesson planning, and with the help of Almighty God, I was able to carry the lesson with confidence. It was indeed fulfilling seeing my students participating well and cooperating with the strategies and the activities I have employed. But what’s more rewarding is the fact that I was able to let the students, who were about to cut classes, participate in the class.

The discussion ended asking those students if could they come tomorrow to join classes, and they responded positively. And one of the students approached me, and asked for a “mano”, and immediately, I reached out my hand with so much wonder.