Finally, I have finished my demo teaching for grade 8 high school students at Iponan National High School. It is indeed exhausting to prepare a lesson plan, instructional materials, PowerPoint presentations, etc. A teacher's job is really tough and it can suck all your energy. This is why I salute all the teachers who managed to keep their momentum going despite all the challenges they have faced in their teaching journey. Anyway, who says being a teacher is easy?
If you would ask me what part I find most tiring, it is the creation of visual aids. This is a traditional method, but most schools nowadays use PPT to deliver the lesson. As for us, we have to learn the two. I am not creative when it comes to designing visual aids but that's okay because I'll be teaching secondary students and not elementary.
It is difficult and challenging for me to write on a piece of Cartolina. I have to make sure it is readable for the students sitting at the back. My handwriting can sometimes go up and down so I have to create a line using the ruler. It's taking so much of my time, to be honest. I can make my penmanship very nice in the notebook and on paper but in large visuals such as Cartolina, I struggle to do so. I still have to master it. I guess it takes time.
This is included in my discussion and I really don't like the result of my writing. My back hurts and my leg numb from sitting for long hours on the floor. I enjoy what I'm doing though but I want to scream, "I want to surrender!" For real.
We also have to integrate technology into our discussion, so I created a few slides for my presentation. I am teaching English for Grade 8, and this is the first lesson for the fourth quarter. I made the title bold and readable enough for the entire class.
These are the learning objectives I created using the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains of learning from Bloom's Taxonomy. If there's one thing I am proud of about myself this year, it is that I already know how to properly create a learning objectives in the lesson plan. It's challenging actually because there must be congruence between your learning objectives and learning assessment, which I overlooked before. Teaching is not just about discussing any lessons to your students but also measuring their learning assessment accurately.
The purpose of our demo teaching is for us to learn how to integrate technology into teaching. Our subject by the way is "Teaching for Technology and Learning II" also called as TTL II. This is a good experience because we will be able to practice what we have learned in our classroom. We are using gamification presentations to engage our learners in the lessons we are teaching.
Motivational rewards
I choose to give prizes and rewards to my students to encourage them to actively participate in the class. The flat-top chocolates are for the group who will win from my motivational game in the gamification, and the ballpoint pens are for anyone who shares ideas in the discussion.
I want to say that I'm really happy that these young students participated in my demo teaching. They are not supposed to be the students I will be teaching but something out of nowhere happened. My scheduled date was April 4 of Thursday, but when I arrived, I saw the classroom empty and I was worried that time. I have asked the teachers and they told me the students went home after their exam. I don't know how I would describe my emotions after hearing that. Was I late that they chose to go home but I am not late yet. I keep calling my Cooperating Teacher (CT) but she is not answering. Was she mad at me and decided to dump me? I was thinking what went wrong that time.
I talked to the teachers there and they were shocked why my CT had not informed me and I told them I felt like crying. They told me, No, do not cry and asked where I'm from. After they know where I'm from, they understand my emotions because I have commuted far just to come. A teacher then offered me to teach in his class instead since his grade 8 class schedule is in English as well. I felt a quick sigh of relief but when I asked him to critique me instead of my CT, I found out he was not an English teacher. He's an adviser to the class teaching different subject. He told me to call my CT and asked for her to observe me in his class. During that time, I feel like life is testing me. I don't know what I'm going to do but I have to keep calm. It will be resolved.
After searching for my CT, I finally found her in her classroom. I don't know why the students went home, she must be aware of it. Things happen quick, the CT told me to return tomorrow April 05, Friday in her class. She can't sit in a different class that are not her students. So I agreed and found hope, I thought my CT didn't like me. Instead of getting disappointed after preparing so much for this day, I told myself everything happens for a reason.
I'm blessed to meet her.
Sometimes our intuition doesn't go wrong. My CT looks strict but she is kind deep inside. She told me to always incorporate spiritual thought into my lessons as this is the most important thing in life. She asked me what's my religion and I don't feel bad at that question, it's normal to ask just so she is aware of my religious affiliation. I told her I'm a born-again Christian, and she told me the same. Wow, this is what amazes me so much every time I encounter born-again Christians. Their moving in life is so different.
She's a cell leader managing a cell group, that is something I didn't expect to know from her. I have then told my CT that maybe the reason my name was picked in a raffle by her is because we have a spiritual connection. I was teary in front of her because I was joyful after knowing we have the same paths in life and I feel that God has synchronized my demo teaching. We have exchanged phone numbers and she told me we're now friends. This is so much of an emotion for me.
If I have to reflect on my demo teaching experience, it's quite challenging and exhausting. I can't imagine how much more when I begin my practice teaching next year. I have to prepare myself emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually. This will take most of my time but I hope I will make it. I know the Father will provide me with everything and I have to keep myself optimistic most of the time. This opportunity to practice teaching outside our classroom has given us a glimpse of what it feels to be a teacher preparing lessons, discussing them, and managing the class. Now I understand how painful a teacher's job is, yet they still managed to put a smile on their faces.
Thank you for reading. See you on my next blog! 🌸