Final Chapter of Journey (Summary and Suggestion)

Pangasinan State University (PSU) is one of the Top performing State University and Colleges in the Philippines. It has a nine campuses namely PSU Bayambang, PSU San Carlos, PSU Asingan, PSU Urdaneta,PSU Sta. Maria, PSU Infanta, PSU Alaminos, PSU Binmaley and PSU Lingayen. All PSU has the same Vission and Mission which are, to become an ASEAN Premier State University in 2020 and The Pangasinan State University, through instruction,research, extension and production commits to develop highly principled, morally upright, innovative and globally competent individual capable mof meeting the needs of industry, public service and civil society. PSU Bayambang is known in producing an outstanding and globally competent Teachers, not just like that but also in producing Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) Topnatchers. The PSU Bayambang is truly capable in engaging community in school which will help the continuous progress of the school and at the same time the community. It has also a great leadership inside the school. The student leaders are also inspired by the Greatest leader of PSU, Dr. Dexter R.  Buted.

The faculty staffs are also a good example of best relationship. This is also a key to keep the good performance of Bayambang. Having a good relationship is not yet enough to meet the expectation of the other school. The teachers are also enthusiast in their own field. They have shown a quality performance in teaching. They will not just teach to give information of knowledge. They are teaching to touch everyone’s heart and to inspire them. This is how they show the importance of education to any students.

The curriculum are aligned with CHED or Commission on Higher Education Designed 

Curriculum. PSU Bayambang is using the K-12 curriculum wherein it will start at kindergarten, 6 years in Elementary, 4 years in Junior high school and 2 years in Senior high school. This curriculum is to achieve the goals of PSU Bayambang.  It has an Institutional outcomes to be achieved  next year after a year or the following year. This is just an evidence on how the PSU Bayambang performed a quality performance among the other SUC or State University and Colleges.

In addition, the PSU Bayambang has elementary, Junior high school, senior high school and college. It has conducive buildings for teaching and learning process. PSU has an accessible Library and Laboratories. It also has enough equipment and resources in improving the physical appearance of PSU. When it comes in facilities, they need to provide more facilities for the students to learn and for the teachers to teach. But this scarcity is not a hindrance to teach students, and I salute those teachers who are not using Instructional materials and still they teach very well. The Teachers of Pangasinan State University Bayambang Campus are truly the best visual aids.

The teaching and learning process are student centered. This is how the teachers engaged their students in learning. The teachers are capable to utilize all the available facilities to sustain the needs of any students and one thing I learned is that there is no such as best method.

Now, this is where I have to say my farewell to my new family who brings my broken pieces of heart with them. This is so sad I could not even say greetings to the readers. Do excuse me, writing this one give me nostalgia that I just want to get back and put my friends in Philippines in my suitcase and bring them along to Indonesia.

Where to begin when I am confused on how to close this chapter?

This journey was, at first, very interesting for me. Going to a new place in a noble goal; to teach. How cool is that? I was nervous, happy, excited and sad the first time I departed to Philippines. It was such a really new thing for me. I haven't gone anywhere without my parents by my side. Yet, there I was, standing in another country airport where people speak language I do not know anything of. And now? Here I am, back in my home, writing this.

The purpose of SEA Teacher is very clear to me. They want the student teachers to experience new things that they will not have in their own country. You have to adapt to the condition whether you like it or not. Whether you like the new lesson plan or not. You do not know anything the first time you got in there. You have to adapt with other dormmates who you will live together with for one month.

Did I face challenges? Tons of it. The weather, people, foods (since moslem has to eat halal foods), away from home, etc. The list is too long to be put attention to. It's just, your world will be turned 360 degrees from your usual normal. And at first, the thing that will cross your mind may be, "I want to go home ASAP."

Darling, it is not that easy. Do remember your intention of joining SEA Teacher. Will it be difficult to face? Very. Will it be frustrating? Beyond frustrating. Yet, will it be beautiful? Painfully beautiful, yes.

SEA Teacher is one of out of my comfort zone, truly. I have to make friends, which I am bad at, and here I am. Having more family, out of my expectation. I bonded with everyone. With my dormmates, my students, my student teachers, my mentor, my supervisor. Difficult to leave them is an understatement. More like reluctant to leave. How can you leave something when your heart is attached to it?

I stepped out of my comfort zone and overcame many obstacles. I grew. I developed.

This event is not a waste for me. Even, if I am given the chance to go back to Pangasinan State University, I will take it.

This post is getting emotional. Oopsy.

Though, I do hope that the future student teacher will get, at least, the format of lesson plan of their receiving university. So, they will not be surprised when it comes to use it.

I have so many photos in my gallery, but looking at it making me (truthfully) sad. So, I guess the pictures will be my personal collection only. Sorry not sorry.

Yours always,

Suci Layla Utami

Student teacher of SEA Teacher Batch 6

Who hopes to go to Bayambang PSU again someday.
(Which I mean very soon. I miss my friends there)

Student Teacher on Action

Hi, you. Yes, you. You are the one who is still loyal by reading my blog.

If in previous entry is about mentor, now it is about me who was in action. Was I nervous? Ha! Duh. Of course I was. Just imagine, you were being watched by forty sets of eyes and mindset you have to form in order to make them having open minded. I was more worried whether my purpose of teaching would not be understood by students. I was worried that I would be stuck and I could not speak at all. Oh, well.

Here are my pictures when I was teaching.

Teaching Procedure

And if your memory is still functioning well (because mine is not that good), there are 40 students in one class. Can you imagine teaching that many? I was teaching 40 teenager students whose attention still like to wander around in the imagination land. It was not easy to handle them, especially in dividing groups. The class was so noisy, sometimes you could not hear yourself talking.

In the beginning, I will  ask the students to play a little game for make them enjoy in the learning, and then I will review the lesson to make sure pupils understand. After that, I will give some motivation to pupils, like give them pictures or something interesting to make pupils curious. And after that teacher will do question-answering until pupils understand and they can guess topic of lesson. The pupils will not immediately be able to guess the topic of learning, so teacher should repeat the questions, but the questions should be from the others objects. After that, I will ask pupils to give some others example, if they can give others example it indicates that they have begun to understand. In the learning I will give rewards like give score, or say “very good” accourding to the situation. In the end of lesson, I give a worksheet as an evaluation. And sometimes, I give the students assignment for homework.

Time Management and Organizing Activities

When the class was noisy, I asked them for their attention. However, if that method was not working, I would be the one who was silent and watched them slowly understand the situation. It was amusing but also exasperating to experience. I choose former than latter, though.

My supervisors give me some tips how to control a class as follow:

1.      If there are pupils who are not paying attention teacher can:

·         give a question to certain students about the lesson today.

·         give them warning like when the teacher said “Hello”, the student should answer with “Hi” and so on.

·         stand in front of the students, so they will be more alert.

2.      When the teacher is writing on the board, teachers should not turn their backs on pupils, so that teachers can write while paying attention to pupils

3.      Write on the board should be fast

4.      Do not over give a score

5.      Rules write on the board is write start from the left to the right

Problem-solving

First time I’m teaching in the class, I'm very afraid because the students are very active, so I am afraid that I couldn’t make the students understand about the lesson when I teach. But, my supervisor very help me to solve my problem. He always guides me and I am very thankful because of that. Besides, I always believe to myself, because this is my choice to join the program. I am the one who has to finish what I start. And the hardest time for me is when first time I made Philippines lesson plan. Sometimes, I want to give up, but I just think that the important thing is how to make the students understand and they can got the knowledge and they could applied in their life.

Also, it is very recommended for the future SEA Teachers to move effectively as possible when you are sticking the manila paper or cartolina on the board. Because clock is ticking and you have to finish your material in time! This is very important.

Do always have a back-up plan in teaching. It was raining hard when I taught the last class that my voice could not be heard by students, hence their divided attention. So, I gave them exercise that was meant to be given near the ending of the lesson.

Mentor on Action

Hello. Hi. Hai. Greetings for whoever you are.

So. This is it. This is the end. Okay, no. That is just me being dramatic. Okay, move on, shall we?

This time, this entry is dedicated for my mentor because he deserves a place in this blog somewhere. Somewhere as in here. This was the time when I was observing my mentor teaching grade 8 and 9 junior high school.

This was when he was teaching in grade 8.

This was when he was teaching in grade 9.

The lesson in grade 9 was about genres in poetry such as, epic, tragedy, etc., if I am not mistaken... We were informed to attend his classes by this schedule. Pardon the rain drops, it was pouring down and the paper was the victim.

Suffice to say my mentor's teaching method was up to my liking. How he taught, it was very easy for students to understand what he was saying in front of the class. Teaching appeared to be easy as you watched him. Take a note, because this was how to attract students' attention from what I had learnt.

As you teach students, you have to make the students realize that the material is related to their daily life. Sure, in teaching there are some things students have to remember. However, in teaching literature, students cannot simply just remember what they have read. They cannot just remember what they have been learnt. Students have to understand what is the meaning behind the literary piece.

How many of English material you remember after you read it than the material that you use in life?

Mentor's approach in teaching literature is how to relate students' emotions through literary piece. A lesson will give a bigger impact when students understand the condition of the material. How Grendel's mother was not a villain, simply because she avenged her son. How King Arthur was loved not because of his title, but because what he had done for kingdom. How it was very human when they were being greedy over things they want. Students will learn better when teacher gives them a new perspective to see.

Lesson Plan: Turn Out To Be Not My Thing

Magandang whichever time you are reading now, my dear readers!

The title of the content fits like a glove with the title. Trust me, it does. However, before we dive in further into the thing-which-must-not-be-named-unless-it-is-an-emergency, I will explain very shortly about what it is about so I will not lose you in the maze of misunderstanding.

First and not last, lesson plan is what you do before teaching. Basically, in the future lesson you will teach, you have to plan it first. Like, what you will teach, what the material is, what the method you will use and others. Now, you may think, "ah, it's easy."

Like "Le Morte D'Arthur", it's full of lie.

To be very and perfectly direct, it is not easy. Though, it is not that difficult, I suppose? (Do note the hesitance)

You also have to know that lesson plan in every country is different. Like, total different. It is not the same from one to another. There are maybe some same things. Or a few things?

Anyway, I will let you be the judge which one fits you well. Indonesia lesson plan or Philippines lesson plan.

INDONESIA LESSON PLAN. (Note: I used this to teach "Beowulf" for the first time teaching alone. I love it too much.)

Curriculum of Teaching

Hello, again! This is Suci Layla Utami reporting about the curriculum of the class that I teach.

How are you for today?

Anyway! Since I have told you about how PSU looks like, let's look deeper at the curriculum they use, shall we?

First and foremost, PSU uses K to 12 curriculum for teaching the younglings. The name is K to 12 because the curriculum covers students' education for 12 years from kindergarten to six years primary education, four years of junior high school until two years of senior high school.

In PSU, I teach grade eight to nine. The goal for teaching students, the government tries to shape their young generations as such:

Credits to: https://www.spideylab.com/k-12-philippines-curriculum-guides/

PSU Bayambang has different format in making their lesson. Their lessons were written in two
ways the semi-detailed and detailed lesson plan. The lesson in the Philippines are divided in different parts. First is the objective, it is your aim  or goal to be achieved after the class discussion. Your objective is divided into three: cognitive or knowledge, psychomotor or skills  and affective or attitude. Preliminary Activities, this include the prayer, checking of attendance and review. Presentation of the lesson, this a time that the teacher presents his or her new lesson. Next is the discussion wherein the teacher engaged his or her students in learning. Generalization, this is a part where the students give their own understanding to the new lesson.  Not only that but also the  summary of the topic. Evaluation, where you are going to assess the students. This is a part wherein you are going to achieved your objectives. In assessing your students you can use a rubrics. Most of the teachers use Performance Task to assess the students. Last, the assignment. The purpose of assignment is to maintain the learning even outside the school.

On the teaching plan here in the Philippines is quite different. They do not have this core standard and are instantly broken down into specific learning objectives. And it's all based on their curriculum guide.Their teaching plan provides detailed learning resources, varied learning activities, and learning assessments. I have observed that the procedure or flow of the lesson are student-centered, while their assessments are performance based which asessed by rubrics or mechanical ratings.

Both grade I taught really focused on how the students understood English by its culture, not just the grammar. In Philippines, they taught grammar for elementary students. Afterwards, they started teaching literature to relate daily life with the literary piece. I taught "Beowulf", "Africa" by David Diop, "Le Morte D'Arthur" and "The Pardoner's Tale". Those pieces were surely valuable to be taught to the children as the moral value was timeless.

The teaching of literary piece was not merely for the students to know about it. It also was taught for the students to remember what was the story about and what kind of consequences they would have in case of having similar problem. The story might be old, but the lesson we can get is timeless.

Students were always given evaluation near the end of teaching. It was done, to make sure students understood (not remembered) about the material that had been taught by the teacher. (Details can be seen from my lesson plan that I will upload later)

Here are the books:

Observation on Teacher

Planning For Teaching

               The teacher before teaching in her class. She is arrange the lesson plan. What are the activities in the class as long as her teach.

Preparing Lessons and Materials

               Teachers always preparing lesson before their teaching like preparing lesson plan, preparing materials, making materials, so when teacher teaching step by step is complete. Teacher use media learning like chart, pictures, video and that’s all is helpfull in learning.

Teaching In class

               In preparation step, the teacher will make a little game to interesting the students to learn about the lesson or give them motivation, and after that teacher will explain and discuss about the previous lesson. Ask students about previous lesson, to check student understanding. Quick recap of past topics before start main activities.

In presentation step, teacher will give pupils pictures and ask to pupils. The questionsand the pictures will lead to the topic of learning. But in this step, teacher not telling the what the topic about.

               In development of the  lesson teacher will give the others question and pictures again, and teacher will ask to pupils to make an example. Teacher will repeat the questions or ask to pupils to making an another example.

               In generalization teacher will ask to pupils, “what is the topic about?” And the pupil can guess what the topic of lesson. And after that teacher will ask to pupils explain or what the meaning of the topic. The student will conclude the lesson of the answer he or she has answered.

               In application, sometime the teacher use cooperative method. Teacher divide the student become a small group and woorking together in cooperative groups. Or teachers will provide interesting activities to find out how far students understand learning. And then, teacher will repeat again about the topic, teacher will ask again to pupils what the topic is about.

In evaluation step, teacher will give pupils worksheet for evaluation.

Measurement and Evaluation

      Teacher will give pupils evaluation like worksheet, or activities in their book. Teacher seldom gives an assignment to pupils.

Pedagogical Contents

Teaching Methods

               The methods in Juior High School based on questions, the teachers always ask to pupils. The question is always connected with the environment theirs know. And teacher always repeat the question. It causes the students to understand quickly. Also the teacher always say “very good” to pupils if their correctly answer, and said a name of pupils. That’s can make good feels for pupils. From the questions, pupils can guess what of the topic in the lesson. The method is like inquiry learning. Sometimes, the teacher using Teacher Center Learning for elaborate student’s knowledges.

Learning Materials and Innovation

               The materials based on curriculum, book. Teacher can add other materials like pictures, chart, video, story telling, etc. For innovation, teacher using qeustions and cooperative or inquiry learning.

Sources Of Learning and Technology

               For sources of learning the teachers at PSU – High School using from K-12 curriculum, and the others sources is from subjects book. Use learning media with technology such as projector, video, etc. In additional can use work sheets.

Authentic Assessment

               The foundation of authentic assessment revolves around evaluating a students’ ability to apply what they have learned in the lesson. Authentic assessment to measure students' understanding and to measure teacher learning success. Authentic assessment in the classroom based on my observation are performance assessment, questions-answers, self-assessment, worksheet, observing assesment.