Chapter 5 | SEA Teacher 2019

summary and suggestions

1.1 Purposes of Practicum

The SEAMEO Sea Teacher Project has given millions of aspiring teachers a rare opportunity to explore the teaching profession further than they already know. And in my perspective, it has the following purposes:

Expanding horizons – it gave student teachers a chance to explore the teaching field outside their boundaries. It was an avenue to see how teachers in other countries teach and let students learn.
Learning different methods and strategies – the practicum provided a chance to observe the different teaching methods and strategies used by foreign teachers and somewhat learn from those for the betterment of teaching. It is indeed true that each teacher has his own way of letting students learn and I, personally, was lucky to observe and witness how my mentor teaches the class.
Gaining confidence and independence – being away from your home for one month is tough job and the SEA Teacher Project tested the student teachers’ ability to be on their own. It also aims to enhance the confidence within the student teachers in terms of socializing with the foreign teachers, and communicating with new students.
Understanding cultural differences – what you’ll experience in the foreign land would be really different from your own country. The practicum would let you see how foreign people live their lives which would be very different from yours. Starting from their food, way of getting dress, respecting people, house etiquettes, and etc. – it will be different. And the SEAMEO expects the student teachers to cope up and embrace the diversity because that would be the best thing the teachers should do – to acknowledge the diversity of learners and still instill knowledge in their minds.
Knowing one’s teaching versatility – in spite of the diversity, the practicum requires the student teachers to adapt and teach comfortably in the foreign school. With all the differences and challenges, it aims to develop teachers’ versatility to shift from one teaching method to another to make the learning easy and conducive.

1.2 Procedures of Practicum

The Suratthani Rajabhat University of Thailand prepared a schedule for the SEA Teacher exchange students. The schedule covered all the activities that student teachers should undergo during the one month stay.
We arrived in Thailand on January 13, 2019. Our program started on the 14th of January, 2019 and ended on the 8th of February, 2019.
Below is the schedule given to us by the receiving university.

I, together with my fellow exchange students, religiously followed the abovementioned schedule to complete the number of hours needed for the internship.
However, our internship didn’t end during the week 4. It would continue until we finish the all the requirements of the SEAMEO Secretariat including this blog and other necessary forms.

1.3 Outcomes of Practicum

This practicum has taught me many things. It cultivated ideas and knowledge in my mind that will remain there forever. It gave me wisdoms in different aspects of life that will change my life in any way possible. It will be hard to explain what this practicum has brought because it changed not just my way at looking at the teaching profession but also the way I look at life and living. But I will try my very best to put into words the outcomes of this internship that I have in mind and these are the following:

Embracing diversity – it is true that the people I encounter in my own country are different from what I would encounter in the foreign land. And I have come to adjust comfortably with that diversity. I have learned to acknowledge their culture and their way of living. In terms of teaching, I have come to accept the fact that my students will be far more different from my students in the Philippines in terms of language, age, grade level and personalities. There will be barriers and I was able to break those barriers in my goal to let the students learn from me.
Standing on my own – when I was in the Philippines, every time I had a difficulty in teaching, I had a great deal of help from my family, friends, fellow teachers and professors. But during my one month stay in KJST, I had to do everything on my own. I had to do my lesson plans without anyone who would check if I was doing right or wrong. I had to do my learning materials without my friends who would often do the work for me. And I did it. I was able to finish and accomplish everything. I was able to show independence in a foreign land and I believe it is really needed if you want to become a teacher.
Developing flexibility – I was able to do different strategies and methods in teaching. This was for the reason that students’ level or learning is different from in my country. The contents that I taught were very far from what I used to teach. Thus, I had to adjust and shift from one method to another.

1.4 The Challenges of Practicum

Challenges and hindrances will always be present as one tries to reach his goals. This practicum was an enjoyable ride with many bumps on the road. And here are some of the following:

Language barrier – it was hard to teach when students do not speak the same 1st language as you and when they, themselves find it difficult to speak in English. When I speak in English in a normal rate, students all have the shock faces. So, I have to talk in a slower speed and let every word sink in to their minds. I also had to construct simple sentences for them to understand because when I say complex sentences, they wouldn’t get the meaning of what I said.
Content of the Lessons – in my home country, I would usually teach advance lessons in English like structural analysis, creative writing, grammar, literature, and the like. And I was shocked that the topics that I had to teach in Thailand were the basics of English. Their lessons are offered in the elementary level in the Philippines. At first, I didn’t know how to teach the lessons because I didn’t have any background knowledge of its methods and approaches. But as I observed my mentor, I was able to get some tips on how to properly execute the lesson and successfully, I was able to do it.
Information on learners – I was taught by my professors that as a teacher, I had to know my students first – their learning abilities, learning styles, personalities and classroom behavior. In that way, I would know what strategy to use inside the classroom. The challenge of this practicum was that I had a limited time knowing the students so I wasn’t sure if what strategy would best suit in their class. I also didn’t know the names of the students which created distance between us.

1.5 Overall Impression

The SEAMEO SEA Teacher program is one of those rare opportunities for students teachers like me. It gives us the chance to widen our perspective in the teaching profession and living the life in general. It is such an honor to be part of the batch 7 of this program.
   With this program, I was able to know myself more, the life beyond what I normally see, the people who enjoy other culture than mine, and many more wonderful things. It was a month of self-reflection and self-realization.
   It has tested my limitations and boundaries. It has challenged my weaknesses and strengths. It questioned my ability to teach and mingle with other people. But at the end of the day, it has given me a better view of myself – of what I am capable of, of what I still have to improve, of what I am best at, of what I can do amidst challenges, and many more.
   This has been a roller coaster journey with bumpy roads and smooth sailing waves. Despite of all of those, I was able to finish the ride and arrive safely at the shore.

1.6 Suggestions for Future Improvement

As someone who went through this practicum, I can say that it is almost perfect in terms of enhancing student teachers’ skills and abilities. However, there will always be a room for improvement. The following are my suggestions to further improve the program:

Make the internship more than one month – I think one month isn’t enough to make a change in the students’ learning. I taught for only two weeks based from my schedule and it wasn’t enough to fully capture the students. The student teachers weren’t only the ones who adjust in the learning environment but also the students who don’t know the foreign teacher. Thus, it is justifiable enough to extend the internship for more than one month.
Familiarization of the receiving country’s language – almost all the participants of the program face the challenge of language barrier. In order to address this, I think it will be best if before they go to the foreign land, they will have some knowledge about its language.

My above mentioned suggestions are only viewed in my perspective and were in regards to what I went through during the internship.