PROCEDURES OF PRACTICUM

The month-long exposure to the learning environment of the receiving school, VRU Demonstration School surely underwent a series of careful planning and evaluation aiming for the achievement of its own goals. The entire practicum went through a series of thorough orientations, class demonstrations, and feedbacking. Each process has its own internal processes which helped us along the way.

MOTIVATED. The 7th Batch of SEA-Teachers together with the VRU administration.

It started with an orientation attended by the respective personnel of VRU, the Faculty of Education, Office of International Relations, and the rest of the individuals coming from the different participating colleges and universities across Asia. The orientation placed more emphasis about the receiving school, VRU, providing less about the SEAMEO SEA-Teacher project itself. After the formal gathering, we were able to meet our Thai buddies and had some time for refreshing ourselves for the remaining activities in the afternoon. The SEA teachers were sent to the respective cooperating schools accompanied by the teachers and mentors from VRU. Well the, I was one of those who were fortunate enough to be assigned and remain at VRU. We had a campus tour in the afternoon and were able to meet the wife of the VRU president, the Head of the English Department of the VRU Primary Level, and some of the foreign and Thai teachers of the institution.

During the first week, we were instructed to wait for the instructions about the formal observation as well as the distribution of our time tables. However, the week passed by, but still we were not given instructions and final class assignments. It was quite disappointing for I was already expecting something productive to happen and yet we ended up spending how many hours in school waiting for nothing. It was only during the second week, Thursday, when we formally received our time tables, given the names of our cooperating teachers, and placed on our rightful places.

As I started teaching, I got confused when I found out that my cooperating teacher was not the one that I was intended to observe. It was uncomfortable, having the feeling like something was wrong and I couldn’t even do something to figure it out. But, I didn’t allow much negativity sunk into me. I started having my classes and everything went well despite the occurrences of some unexpected problems. Every now and then, I would look for some references regarding the lessons that I was assigned to discuss. Though it was difficult for no one was stood as my interpreter for the sake of making my students understand what I am saying, I still pushed myself beyond what I foreseen as my limitations and eventually succeeded.

Before my final demonstration, I had a meeting with my VRU mentors for the checking of the lesson plan and final instructions for the what I considered the big day. I went through a lot for more classes were added to my usual load just to meet the requirement given by the SEAMEO. Luckily, I seemingly got the best support system I could possibly get including my family, friends, and teachers back in the Philippines as well as my new-found friends in Thailand whom I considered then as my family.

The practicum was never an easy endeavor. Its beauty was never placed outside for it took a whole lot of effort and passion to uncover its fairness that lies within. It was something that I will always and forever keep within, something that will never get lost, something that will never fade.