SEA-Teacher Project was established to provide one of a kind opportunity to many aspiring future educators from different South East Asia countries. This project gives pre-service student teachers chance to participate in an international teaching internship. It aims to develop the participating pre-service student teachers’ pedagogical knowledge and skills. Exposing them to actual teaching environment is one of the aims of this project. Another objective of this project is to hone the participants’ English speaking skills which will definitely benefit them in their future teaching career.
Consequently, it gives the participants a broader world view of various things in life. It widens their horizon as an future educator and as an individual. Furthermore, it opens one’s mind to diverse culture of the country he or she will be residing. The participants will learn how to contemplate and appreciate the uniqueness of other person’s beliefs, ideologies, culture and traditions.
5.2 PROCEDURES OF PRACTICUM
Through the coordination between SEAMEO Secretariat and our International Affairs and Linkages Officer we were given a chance to participate in the SEA-TEACHER Project 2019 Batch 7.
We were oriented that we’ll be deployed in Padang, Indonesia for a month to have our teaching internship there. With the partnership of our institution and Universitas Negeri Padang as the receiving institution, we were welcomed and well-accommodated throughout our one month stay in their lovely place. Pak Ananda and Miss Ari accompanied me in my assigned school where I will teach which was SMAN 10 Padang. In my assigned school link, my mentor informed me all the necessary things that I should do and prepare during my teaching practice.
Here listed were the things my mentor tasked me to accomplished:
- Class Observation
- Teaching Assistant
- Teaching in Classroom
- Evaluation
- Reflection
With the one month teaching internship in Padang, Indonesia, I have learned various things which significantly opened my eyes to broader view of the world. First, I can confidently say that my pedagogical skills have improved. My philosophies in teaching and techniques in managing the classroom were then put into test. I have applied all my learnings from past semesters into an actual teaching field. Also, I have gained new teaching strategies and approaches which I can surely use in my future teaching career. Furthermore, I learned the differences of educational system between my country and Indonesia’s kind of education.
My English speaking skills were then improved due to the fact that it served as the bridge of communication between me and other Indonesians. In the classroom, we used English language as medium of instruction. With that, my English speaking skills were then practiced and improved. I have also learned Bahasa words which really helped me during my stay in Padang where most people use Bahasa in communicating.
Lastly, I had an opportunity to act critically in every teaching circumstances and addressed learning problem situations wisely. Significantly, with the exposure to different environment I learned to adapt with new things particularly with Indonesian culture and traditions. I have reflected that cultural appreciation is important for a person to manifest in order to have a worthwhile journey in a foreign land.
5.4 CHALLENGES OF PRACTICUM
During my teaching internship, I had a minor challenge in going to my assigned school. The dormitory where we stayed is quite far from the SMAN 10 Padang which I am problematic about. With that challenge that I have encountered, I told myself that I really must wake up early to come to school early. From then on, waking up at 4:30 am had been my routine until our last day in Padang.
In terms of teaching, sometimes I encounter challenges in communicating with some of my students. Most of them are good in speaking English language although there are few who cannot speak fluently but can comprehend what I am saying. So, when I am explaining an important yet difficult science concepts I tried speaking slowly than usual to consider some of my students who are still adjusting with our medium of instruction. According to my coordinating teacher, they normally utilize Bahasa as their medium of instruction so I can understand the challenge of language barrier. I addressed the challenge of language barrier by also letting students use Bahasa in explaining. When someone explained in Bahasa it was an agreed rule that one student should explain in English in return.
For more effective instruction, the topics to be taught during the teaching internship should be given beforehand. In order for qualified participants to prepare his or her needed instructional materials. With the mentoring, it would be easier for the participants if the assigned coordinating teacher and mentor are well-acquainted with the due phasing of the practicum and put emphasis on monitoring the Pre-service student teachers.
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