Teaching Practice

(These photos were taken during my practice teaching in SMA Negeri 2 Padang)

1.    Procedures of Teaching

Before the day of my discussion, I already submitted my lesson plan to my cooperating teacher for some corrections and revisions. But thanks God, I never got back my lesson plan and work on it again. I started my discussion by seeing first the classroom if it is clean or not. I ask my students to pick-up a piece of paper and plastics under their chairs and throw it in the trash bin. After that we pray, and checked their attendance. To maintain the enjoyment inside the classroom, I ask my students if how was their day (apa kabar) putting myself to them is a one way or another to catch their attention, after a minute of chitchat we will going to recall the lesson that they already finished last week. To start my proper discussion, I always ready myself to have some motivation. Motivation serves as the introduction of the lesson by catching their attention, self-activity or a group must have done in this activity but at the end you’ll going to ask your students if they already have the idea of what the topic for that specific day. But make sure that your motivation is not very time consuming.

2.    Time Management and Organizing Activities

As a teacher, communication skill is the most important weapon that we need to possess in the teaching profession. That’s why if you are very talkative in a good-manner, just like me, during your discussion you really need to manage your time.

A night before my discussion I always prepare the sequence of my lesson for the other day. I dropped it in a piece of paper from the cleaning of the room til’ the end by giving my students home work. Just make sure that my discussion was well-organized. Even though that I already had a hard copy of my lesson plan but for me it is not appropriate to scan my lesson plan during proper teaching just because I forgot the next part of my discussion. That’s why I always prepare an outline for every day’s discussion just to make sure not to have a cramming mistakes.

3.    Problem-Solving

Everything bad has something good to give. I encountered two problems during the duration of my practice teaching in SMA Negeri 2 Padang. First, is the language barriers. I am always reminded by the notion “Expect the Unexpected”. At first, I conducted a lot of research about the Indonesian Community, Culture, and Educational System but I never found out that most of the people there didn’t know how to speak and understand English. That’s why it’s very hard in my part to communicate and have something conversation between my colleagues and other teachers in the said school. The amazing part is that, my cooperating teacher was very eager to learn English just to ask me if I am ok, if I am hungry, or if I wanted to go somewhere. And it is a one way or another also to learn different languages. If my cooperating teacher was having her very best to learn English just to accommodate me, well, I am also learning bahasa Indonesia and Minang language just to understand and response to my cooperating teacher without looking to my Google Translator. Sometimes I and my mentor was having a tutorial. I am going to learn from her and she will going to learn from me. I didn’t see any problem with the language when it comes to my students, they’re already a Grade 12 students that’s why even somehow they can understand and they can interact with me during my discussion. Second, is the technology. I knew at the very first time that not all school have the HMDI cord (even my school) that’s why I brought a 2 meters HDMI cord just to prepare for that scenario (because my laptop is not suitable for the other chord only HMDI). But sad to say that the projector was already fixed in the ceiling and it’s very high to connect the HMDI cord. So, my very supportive cooperating teacher asked our students if they’ve a laptop and if I can borrow it just to have my presentation. And my discussion goes well.

4.    Classroom Management

The set plan was very organize. Boys were separated to the girls. That’s why it’s very easy and not time consuming to have a group activity. I can easily divide the house with the same number of members. I don’t have any problem with the classroom management. Even though that some of my students are very energetic to participate in our discussion but somehow they manage the noise and discipline inside the classroom.