Teaching Procedures
One of the things that stood out to me during my student exchange in Indonesia was the teaching procedures of my cooperating teacher. She started every class with a warm greeting to the students, which set a positive and welcoming atmosphere. This part of teaching is imperative as it provides students with the motivation they need for learning. After the greetings, she ensured that the classroom was clean before beginning her lesson. This small yet meaningful act made students more conscious of their surroundings and helped create a pleasant and conducive learning environment.
She would then take a moment to ask her students how they were doing. I admired this practice because it showed that she cared not only about their academic progress but also about their well-being. This establishment of a personal relationship with the students is essential, as it gives them the impression that their teacher is someone they can feel safe with and that everything she teaches is significant to their personal growth. It fostered a strong teacher-student connection and made students feel valued. Only after these routines did she proceed to the lesson proper, seamlessly transitioning into the topic. At the end of the lesson, she always reminded students about the next topic they would discuss, which gave them a heads-up and allowed them to prepare for the lesson ahead.
My Teaching Schedule
During my teaching and observation experience, I followed a structured schedule that allowed me to manage my time efficiently. I spent four hours a day observing in preschool. The teaching style in preschool is simultaneous, so the students' learning is nonstop for four hours, with breaks and recess in between.
On the other hand, I spent 7–8 hours per day in Junior and Senior High School. As you may notice, I am not talking about observation or teaching at the primary level. This is because, at that time, I was hospitalized due to dengue fever. I stayed in the hospital for a week, and how I wish I had been able to observe or teach at the primary level.
Moving on, each class in Junior and Senior High School lasted 80 minutes, which was also the time given to me when it was my turn to teach the students. This gave me enough time to execute the necessary activities while keeping my students engaged.
Time Management and Organizing Activities
Just to share a short story—before I was admitted to the hospital, I had just finished observing the preschool level. Right after that, I was hospitalized. As I mentioned above, I was admitted for a week.
When I was discharged from the hospital, I was still recovering because my platelet count was just beginning to stabilize. Imagine roaming around the school with a platelet count of only 17,000, while the lowest possible normal count is 150,000. I still experienced some symptoms of dengue fever, such as dizziness, especially when standing for even five minutes.
Even though I was still in recovery at that time, I encouraged myself to go to Kinderstation School because I had missed a lot. However, even though I was present at school, I couldn't teach right away because I was still mentally and physically incapable. My last day at Kinderstation School was also my first and last time teaching the students. So, most of my stay there was focused on observation, unlike Keneth, my co-participant, who was able to teach at the primary, junior, and senior high school levels (I'm kind of jealous—just kidding, haha).
Now, let’s move on to how I managed my time and organized my activities during my actual teaching, which also happened to be my final teaching demonstration. With only 80 minutes for my class, I had to ensure that every part of my lesson was well-planned and purposeful. I can say that I was able to deliver my lesson correctly, effectively, and efficiently.
After the discussion, I conducted a recitation using an online tool called Duck Racing, which randomly selected students to answer my questions. It was a fun and engaging way to encourage participation, and the students truly enjoyed it.
For the evaluation part, I divided the class into two groups, gave them 15 minutes, and assigned them jigsaw puzzles. Once completed, they had to form active and passive sentences based on the images. This interactive approach made learning more dynamic and reinforced their understanding of the lesson on active and passive voice.
Balancing different activities within the allotted time was challenging, but I learned to manage it efficiently by keeping track of each segment and ensuring smooth transitions.
Classroom Management
Handling a classroom full of students from different backgrounds was a learning experience in itself. I noticed that setting clear rules from the beginning helped maintain order and discipline. I made sure to establish expectations while also being approachable. Engaging students through interactive activities also contributed to better classroom management since they remained focused and involved throughout the lesson.
I also learned that addressing disruptions calmly and professionally helped maintain a respectful environment. Rather than reprimanding students outright, I would redirect their attention to the lesson.
Problem-Solving while Teaching and Staying in the Designated School
The road isn’t always perfect—it sometimes gets rough. Along my internship in Kinderstation School, I encountered a lot of problems, which I envisioned as challenges that would eventually teach me valuable lessons. Defective facilities made it difficult at times to conduct lessons smoothly, as I had to adjust to these malfunctions. These experiences taught me to be resourceful and creative in delivering lessons. Cultural differences also posed a challenge, as adapting to new customs and traditions required a level of flexibility and open-mindedness. Despite this, it helped me broaden my perspective and become more culturally sensitive.
Religious beliefs also played a role in shaping my teaching approach. Since students had diverse religious backgrounds, I made sure to be respectful and inclusive in all my lessons. Perhaps the biggest challenge for me was the language barrier, which initially made communication with students difficult. However, I learned to overcome this by using gestures, visual aids, and simplified English to ensure that my lessons were understood.
My stay in Kinderstation School gave me countless lessons and memories that I will treasure and cherish forever. It was made even easier because of the assistance of Mr. Patricius Alvio and Miss Moli Maulida, who always supported and helped us despite their busy schedules.
My Final Teaching Demonstration
My final demonstration was a mix of excitement and nerves. I started the class by greeting the students and introducing myself. Out of respect for their diverse religious backgrounds, I chose not to initiate a prayer, ensuring inclusivity for everyone.
After that, I ensured the classroom was clean before presenting the classroom rules: listen to the teacher, respect each other, sit properly, raise your hand before you talk or if you have a question, and share your ideas with one another. Establishing these rules early on helped set a structured and positive learning environment.
In the lesson proper, I followed a step-by-step approach: motivation to engage students, presentation and discussion of the topic, recapitulation to reinforce key points, and evaluation to assess their understanding. To conclude the class, I gave them an assignment to deepen their learning beyond the classroom.
Though I had faced challenges along the way, including my battle with dengue fever, I stood in front of my students that day with renewed energy and passion for teaching. My journey had not been easy, but it was filled with valuable experiences that shaped me as an educator. This final demonstration was not just the culmination of my internship—it was proof of my resilience and dedication to the profession I long to be—a teacher.
Here are some snapshots from my final teaching demonstration.
