SEA TEA-CHERryline EXPERIENCED

A.SCHOOL GENERAL INFORMATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

  • School profile

Srikird Municipality School 1 or simply called “TESABAN 1” is one of the elementary school in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Tesaban 1 was named before as “Prachaban Skrikird 1” was built on April 18, 1925, but through the effort of the government it was rebuild and renamed as “Tesaban 1” on July 5, 1947. Tesaban 1 is a government school that composed of 4 storey building that can accommodate up to 600 to 1000 students..  Tesaban 1 caters Kindergarden 1, 2, 3 and primary education from Grade 1- Grade 6, but before it caters both primary and secondary education. This students  is served by  43 teaching staff and 7 non-teaching staff.

    Presently, the principal of Tesaban 1 is Ms. Nettigarn Suwanapet and Tesaban 1 has two Assistnat Principal which are Ms. Sirinthorn Kodtha and Mr. Udon Krinchit. The school has 923 students this year. Tesaban 1 has 29 sections from Kindergarten up to Grade 6.

    Srikird Municipality School 1 vision focused on helping the students on developing their languages ability, musical ability, sports ability and together with moral and knowledge following the standard.

    It means that all learners should develop of having the power of the human  with a balanced knowledge of both the emotional and  moral consciousness of the citizens of Thailand and being the people of the world and can Adhere to democratic rule with the King as the Head of State.  That students should develop and enhance their Knowledge, attitudes and necessary skills for learning in order for them to have a better life in the future. Srikird Municipality School 1 is based on the belief that learning is important that anyone can learn and develop to their full potential.

    Learning is an important goal that every student should achieve in any possible way that they can. Tesaban 1 has a philosophy, philosophy that they can used to have a better life in the future. Their philosophy is that learning should be full of activities where in the students are enjoyed and not bored.

    Learning wherein the students are learned that they can apply on the real life situations. That students are the one who make the learning and not the teachers and teachers should act as a facilitator only.

    II.Academic Support System

    Tesaban 1 has 2 semesters per school year which starts from May- October and November- March. The students are going to school from Mondays to Fridays and they must take 12 subjects per week. These subjects are Mathematics, Science and Technology, ICT, Thai subject, Music, Society, P. E., Boy Scout Red Cross Activit, Active Learning, English and Chinese Subject, where in the students must take this  two subjects 2 hours per week.  The class starts at 8:40 in the morning and ends at 11:50 and in the afternoon the class starts at 12:50 and ends at 4:00 in the afternoon. 

    The school has many clubs and activities in which the students can choose what activities or clubs she/he wants to apply that fits her abilities and skills in order for them to develop and enhance this skills and abilities where they can use in the future. This clubs include sports, music, arts and even acting.

    • Teaching System

    Each class of Srikird Municipality School 1 has a seven subjects per day and each class runs around 50 minutes but there last subject runs around 1 hour. Each class has an adviser who always inside the classroom in which the he /she serves as the student’s guide and support personnel to the subject teacher when she/he teaches a certain class. There are also department head of each of the subject area. All of the teaching and the non-teaching personnel or staff is headed by the Principal or Director and supported by the 2 Sub-principal or the Assistant Director.

    Teachers should made 2 lesson plans per school year, so its means that 1 lesson plan s equivalent to one semesters The lessons that are written to the lesson plan should be parallel to the competencies that the students need to learn and acquire in a whole school year. Teachers are reminded to redude the usage of lesson-discussion method so they are advised to discuss their topics more on activities wherein the students are not bored and they want that the students are the giver of the knowledge and not the teacher. Teachers avoid giving students an assignment because teachers know that students are tired after school so they can’t do their assignments at home. The students will do their activities that the teachers give if they have a free time. The teachers in Srikird Municipality School 1 has a minimum teaching load of 20 hours per week and a maximum teaching load of 24 hours per week and teachers are guided by the books and as well as the work and students book as the main sources in teaching and this workbook and student’s book is also distributed to the students in order for the students to have advance reading or they have resources when the teacher are discussing. The school has also an internet connection in which the teachers can utilize and can incorporate to their lessons.  As for the instructional materials, teachers used both the traditional and modern way of teaching, because they used colored paper, white board, white board marker, laptop and projector as their instructional materials.

    • Curriculum

    The school’s curriculum is a learner -centered curriculum that focus on the students learning. In which they are requiring the teachers to used activities in discussing and they don’t want the students to be bored. So they used experiential learning, constructivism as a teaching method in which the students are learned from their own and the teachers acts a facilitator only.. The students are required to attend to school from Mondays tp Fridays from 8:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon. So the students must finished two semesters per year. this school has 2 semesters in which one semesters is equivalent to 20 weeks.

    • Materials and other learning resources

    Each grade level has a both work book and student’s book for the students, these books serves as the guide and basis for the teachers in teaching their respective classes. Teachers can also use the internet for additional information that can be useful that can be used by the students or they can use the internet to have an idea method on how they can teach the subjects in an efficient and effective way that students can understand.

    Tesaban 1 has also many facilities that can be helpful for the students to learn better. Facilities such as library, that they can for other sources of information. There are also two computer laboratory rooms, for the students to enhance their computer literacy and other technology purposes. Music room for music purposes and for different music instruments. Art room for art purposes like drawing and painting. English room for additional information about English language and home economics room for home purposes like garments, carpentry and handicrafts. Each facility has different purposes in order for the students to have additional knowledge and in order for them to study very well and can maximize learning, with the use of these facilities. 

    • Measurement and evaluation system

    Based on my observation, the teachers used formative assessment in order for them to know if the students understands the lessons or not or if the students need a remedial class and in order for the teachers to monitor the students if they are progressing or in what topic does the students encountering difficulties, so the teacher can think many solutions to solve that difficulty. The evaluation system that the teacher used was traditional way through the use of paper and pencil test.  

    The test that the teacher made was aligned to their annual lesson plan and on the topics that they discussed and also to the student’s book.

    • Teaching plan (of your major)

    As I observed my cooperating teacher, I learned that she always check her lesson plan first before going to her class. She always sees to it that the lesson she will discussed is aligned to her lesson plan.   She doesn’t use modern instructional materials like power point presentation because she rather used traditional way of teaching. She always exerts a lot of effort in doing her instructional materials as well as in preparing her lessons and I must say that she is creative teacher because she uses her creativity in making her instructional materials. In my observation, she delivers her lessons in a way that her students will understand She is more on activities rather than on discussion because she told me that she doesn’t want students to be bored and she wants her students to enjoy while learning.

    B. PEDAGOGICAL CONTENTS

    • Teaching Method

    For me, teaching method is a way on how we teach, it is the art and science in teaching that we can used in order to teach effectively and efficiently.

    As I observed, the teaching method that the teachers used in Tesaban 1 is more on activities and experiential learning, because their principal wants the students to enjoy and not be bored. Some teachers didn’t utilize the use of lecture and discussion method. And for me it was the best thing that they do, because when teacher used it the students tends to be bored.

    But some of the teachers have a lot of teaching methods but they don’t know how to use it, they didn’t know how to fit or relate their teaching methods to their subject to teach so it may leads to misbehavior of the students and boredom of the students.

    • Learning Materials And Innovation

    In terms of learning materials, Tesaban I has library, they also have English Café in which it looks like a library but the book all the books are for English subjects only. They also have internet connection that helps not only the teachers but also to the students, in a way that teachers uses the internet for additional references and for students in a way that they can used it for their ICT class. Because Tesaban 1 has 2 computer laboratory rooms and all of the classrooms has a LED TV and HDMI connector, so the teacher can used that for their power point presentations of their lessons.

    Students of Tesaban 1 from grades 1- 6 have work book and student books. In their work book it contains the lessons that the students need to acquire and for the student’s book it contains the activities and worksheets that students need to answer in order for them to supply the knowledge that they learned or acquired in their lesson.

    As for their innovations, the school has a bell that when it rings it is the sign that the class starts or the class will end. They also have speakers around the school that informed both students and teachers when they are sudden announcements. As well as on flag ceremony, 5 minutes before flag ceremony they play their school hymn as a warning song or a sign that informed teachers and students that their flag ceremony will start.

    • Sources Of Learning And Technology

    As for their sources of learning and technology they used internet aside from the books or their annual lesson that their school used to gather other information that can help the students to learn effectively and efficiently.

    Tesaban 1 has a wifi connection that can help the teachers to accumulate knowledge that they can add for their lesson, in order for the teachers not stick on one source only, so the students will not have limited information or knowledge on the certain topic or lesson.

    • Authentic assessment

    Authentic assessment in Tesaban 1 is not totally observed because based on my observation to my cooperating teacher she only used paper and pen test. Just like in their “monthly examination” the teacher will just give students a test paper and the students will answer it.

    C. TEACHING PLAN

    • Curriculum

    The school,s curriculum is oriented the teachers to have an annual lesson plan. This annual lesson plan is used by the teachers as a guide or basis on how they teach their students when they are in school from Mondays to Fridays in a way that they can easily understands the lesson.

    the school’s teaching plan is more on activities, more like experiential learning, because they don’t eant the students to be bored if they teach the lesson with just discussion only.

    • Teaching plan of your major

    As I observed my cooperating teacher, she always check her annual lesson plan and also th work and student’s book of the students  before she going to her class, she always do her instructional materials in a head of time, because she always do her instructional materials when she have vacant or free time. Aside from being a teacher, my cooperating teacher is a head teacher of English too, so she doesn’t want to waste time so she always do that whenever she have a time.

    She is always strict on time, so she is always particular on the time that she was allotted in every lesson that she was discussing, so before she gets in on the classroom she has the calculation of time  spacing on her mind.

    D. Observation On Teachers

    • Planning For Teaching

                    My cooperating teacher plans for teaching is that she always seek her annual lesson plan first before teaching her class. So whenever she have a free time she always see what are the topic she will going to discussed on the next day or next week so she can prepared the lesson and the instructional materials in ahead of time.

    She always see to it that the lesson that discussing is acquired by the students before proceeding to other lesson. Because as a head teacher she doesn’t want that students will just learn the lesson and not digesting it, meaning she doenst want the students will learn that and after how many minutes they will forgot it.

    • Preparing lessons and materials

    So as ive mentioned my cooperating teacher always do her planning and preparing a lesson in a similar manner, because she always seek her annual lesson plan before she is going to her class. She always preparing her lesson and instructional materilas in ahead of time so when she teach that lesson to her students she is not stuttering, and she can deliver he lesson in a way that students will understand it.

    In preparing her instructional materials, my cooperating teachers doesn’t used power point presentations she is more on traditional way of preaparing Im’s like she used colored paper, but she did her instructional way in a creative one in a way that students will enjoying the subject.

    • Teaching in class

    So when my cooperating teacher is teaching, she always utilized  the materials she was using when teaching, like what are the lesson that she will going to discussed as indicated on their annula lesson plan as well as on the work book ans student’s book of the students. Because the work and students book of the students should be aligned to each other, so whenever the teacher was discussing the topic on their lesson plan it should be balance on what is indicated on the books of the students.

    My cooperating teacher uses direct instruction method, experiential learning, individualized learning and the paper and pencil method as student assessment. By using this, I think it was effective because students learned. They learned in way that students are hands on for their learning, they are the one who works on their own. Aside from that she always asked ideas from her students it’s like more on question and answer portion wherein the teacher asked questions to the students and the students will answer the questions.

    My cooperating teacher, is so kind so she is loved by the students, but whenever the students are misbehave she is so strict. But because of her kindness some of the students are not listened to her because they know that she is not bad.

    • Measurement and evaluation

    The teacher used formative assessment as an assessment tool which is indicated on the students’ book. But before she teach she always asked her students what where their last topic it’s like they are recalling their past lesson and it served as a basis for the teacher if the students understand the lesson or not, so the teacher have an idea on what are the things she will do whenever they understands it or not.

    E. Teaching Practice

    • Teaching Procedure

    so after my first week as an observation week, I had my internship at the 2nd week up to 4th week, wherein my 2nd week supposedly my teaching assistant. So when I started my observation, my cooperating teacher give me the topics that I will going to discuss as well as the books that I will going to used, so I have a time on preparing my lesson and also my instructional materials.

    I started my class by simple introducing myself to my students, after that I stated my rules to them. Then, I used dance as a motivation which is aligned to their topic so that I can catch their attention after I asked them question about their last topic. The method that I used was lecture method, collaboration method, experiential method and inquiry method.

    I used different teaching strategies and method to catch their attentions, because as far as I know students nowadays have a short span of attentions, so we need to have a lot of teaching strategies and method whenever we teach. In terms of their assessments I always provide time for that, so that I can give their assessments by using paper and pencil method so that I have a basis on what on the lesson the students not understands or if they not understand the lesson that I discussed.

    • Time Management And Organize Activities

    I used my time wisely and I organize activities in a pleasant manner in a way that before making a lesson I plan first the activities should be done. And after that I make the lesson plans with the activities according to the time that are allocated in my lesson plan, so that all of the activities that is written on my lesson should be done , in a way that students will understand it, but sometimes when I enjoyed teaching and the students are so attentive I didn’t remind the time so  I didn’t follow the things that should be done.  

    Before I give activities to the students I make sure that I give first the directions and instructions clearly.It must clearly enough to avoid questions. I see to it that they are listening whenever I give directions.

    • Problem solving

    The biggest problem that I’ve experienced in my whole teaching practice is “LANGUAGE BARRIERS”, because some of my students don’t understand me. It’s like you are entering on a place that nobody knows you. Especially when the students start talking to me using their language it was really hard because I don’t have any idea what they are talking about. Even my cooperating teacher and other teachers sometimes I cannot understand what they were saying. So whenever I teach I used simple words so that they understands me, I even asked the translation of each word to my students that is used on my lesson so that we can understand each other. And I also search the translation of the English words on my lesson to their language so that I have an idea what can I answer to them whenever they don’t understands it.The other problem that I’ve encountered was the behavior of the students, because they are so noisy and they do things that are not part of the lesson, sometimes they are not listening too. So I before start discussing I always stated the rules and also I give prices so in that way i catch their attention.

    • Classroom managements

    Whenever I go to my class students are always on the hallways and students are sometimes go to the comfort room or sometimes they drink water. So when I entered the classroom and before I teach I make sure that all of them are ready, I give time to my students to do what they need to do. So when I teach it will not disturbed the class. My class is English, so I asked them not to talk in their language whenever I teach English. Tesaban 1 never allowed students to have their cellphones when they are in school so I didn’t have any problems about that.

    E. SUMMARY AND EVALUATION

    • Purpose of the Practicum

    For me, the purpose of the practicum is to gain additional knowledge on how education takes place on other country and to learn how their educational system takes place and also their teaching and learning process, to have an exposure how teachers teach their students on what are the strategies and methods teachers used when they are teaching as well as the technologies they are used. Also to used and impart the teaching methods and strategies that I learned in the Philippines.Also, it serves as the training ground on how to become an effective and efficient a multicultural teacher, on how to become flexible teacher.It’s like give and take in a way that I learn the teaching strategies and methods of the teachers and at the same time i will impart the knowledge that i learned in my country. So all of the participating countries have a connection to each other and learned from each other.

    • PROCEDURES OF THE PRACTICUM

    The procedures of the practicum that I’ve experienced starts at observation and followed with teaching practice. I start my observation by observing how my copperating teach her steudents, by knowing her methods and strategies and also how she do her instructional materials and especially on hoe she handles her class. So I start my teaching practice by knowing my lesson very well, used varied teaching methodologies and strategies before teaching, and the methods and strategies used should be fit to the lesson that i going to discussed. States rules and regulations and most important is that know my students, so that I have a background about their level of intelligence or their learning preparation.

    • OUTCOME OF THE PRACTICUM

    Through this internship I enhanced and developed my knowledge, skills and abilities. I bring out what’s the best in me, I was able to communicate to other people even though we have a different language.  Having this internship I was able to experience how to teach students that have different culture and languages. Aside from that I became more flexible and more sensitive in a way that I must consider the environment of my students, I was able to adopt of their culture. Through this I experienced on how teaching and learning process takes place in other country, I can have a background which I can used in the near future.

    • THE CHALLENGES OF THE PRACTICUM

    The most challenging experienced in this practicum was the language. It so difficult to teach where you can’t understands each other. My subject was English but the major I enrolled in our University was Technology and Livelihood Education, at first day of teaching I don’t how to handle it because aside from the different subject to teach and even the year level was different because I was in secondary high school but the grade level that I teach was in grade 1. I was surprised because I don’t how to teach in elementary, but I just realized that no matter how different your major is as long as you are enjoying what you are doing and I help children to learn it’s worth it. The communication itself its really hard because we cant understand each other especially when the students are starting to talk using their language, but lucky me because there is intern student like me from my Host university which is “CRRU”, who help me in translating what the students say, but aside from that I used body language in order for me to explain the topic where the students understand it.

    • OVERALL IMPRESSION

    Experiencing this internship it’s like climate’s temperature wherein it maybe up or maybe down, but it doesn’t matter because I enjoyed thiss internship and aside from that Im so grateful and blessed for being part of this program. It’s like my dreams are fulfilled, because this program I have this opportunity to present or expressed my knowledge and skills in teaching and also I was able to enhanced and developed. This program was really helpful especially students like me who is a shy typed girl, because through this I became confident enough to face many people, I became more strong and independent woman. This program serves as a connecting bridge to all the SOUTHEAST NATION PEOPLE to establish unity and develop cultural understanding. Aside from that I gain an international exposure where I can use in the near future when I applied.

    Through this I was able to know how to adapt the culture of other country as well as on how teaching and learning process takes place wherein It serves as my training ground to become an effective and efficient teacher as well as a multicultural educator.

    • SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT

    Based on my observations on the teaching of the teachers, for me the things that need for improvement is the utilizing the use of technology because there is built in Led T.v and HDMI where teachers can used it, its not that I eliminating the usage of traditional way of teaching but its ok to have a variations between traditional and the modern way of teaching. Because as far as we know the student’s span of attention is so small, so we must think a way on how we catch our student’s attention.

    Aside from that is that, teachers only limit their lesson on what books indicated, so I suggest that teachers must be resourceful in a way that they must add additional information so that the student’s knowledge will not limit too. Also I observed that some students are not going to library, maybe teachers can have a library research or library work in order for the students to utilized the facilities intended for learning, because sometimes the information in the internet is  not that reliable compared to the information in the books.

    I also suggest that whenever teachers teach English subjects, teachers must not use other language in teaching aside from English language but there is an exception when students, asked questions or when they not understands what you are discussing. Teachers must encourage students to speak in English aside from their language, because when I observed the higher level and when I talked to them they didn’t understands me. We all know that English language is the universal language, so we must encourage students to learn how to speak in English, because it’s the biggest problem that I encountered during this internship the “language barriers and the communications”.Also always motivates your students before you start the lesson, in order for the students to become comfortable so that the student’s mood is set so that they will listen to you when you start to discussed.

    LAST WEEK HERE IN CHIANG RAI, THAILAND

    This week is my last week here in Thailand, meaning I just teach in my school for 4 days because last Friday we went to our host school for our closing program. In this 4 days, the lesson that I taught was “preposition”  the basic prepositions , wherein in our first meeting I used game-based activity for my motivation as well as in discussing the lessons, and after that I gave them an assessment in order to assess them if they understands what I discussed or not. The result of their assessment is so high because almost all of them got perfect.  I observed that when I used this kind of method in discussing the lesson, the students are so active and they are all participative, they are not bored and they are all happy. In our second meeting and the topic that I discussed is all about prepositions again, but this time they going used the basic prepositions to form a sentence. I used again video clip presentation as a motivation and for discussing the lesson I used game-based activity, wherein i present pictures like apple that is under the table, so I taught them in a slowly manner and I used simple words in forming a sentence.  Whenever I asked questions and someone got it correctly I gave them a reward so that all of them were motivated to recite in order to have a reward. So when they already know what is the subject, the verb and the prepositions in the sentence, I give them activity, activity wherein I they form their own sentence using prepositions with drawings. Because all of the students are creative and they always want to draw. After doing that activity, I toke photo with them because this week is my last week in our school.

    Friday ( Closing Program)

                    At eight in the morning my cooperating teacher brings us to our host university “CRRU”, for our closing program. When I leave the school, I am so sad but at the same time happy because I finished my one month internship and I learned a lot in this internships. I learned how teaching and learning process takes place, I learned how to adjust in a culture and environment of my students, I learned to become flexible. We arrived in CRRU at around 8;15 in the morning. The closing program starts at 9;00 in the morning so because we are si early, we wait for other co-sea teachers. When it is already nine and my co-sea techers are all here at CRRU we start the closing program by giving certifcates and souvenir and after that we presents our presentation regarding our experience in teaching as well as our weekend tour. While presenting I reminiscing the experiences that I experienced in this internship because this internship makes me realized that no matter how hard to teach it’s become worth it when you see that all your students are learning as well enjoying. It makes me become resourceful, independent and strong woman. Through this I learned a lot that I can use in the future. After presenting we ate lunch , and the lunch was super delicious. At 1 in the afternoon CRRU brings to the hotel l “Cabbages and Condoms Inn” where we can stay until our flight schedule. When we are at the hotel, we rest and after that we went to the old airport for night bazaar for the last gala or trip together with my co-sae teachers wherein we buy things and we ate food. We enjoyed the last night together, because we got home at maybe 2 in the morning, we just enjoyed the time left because this was the last time that we can see each other and we don’t know if when is the next tine the we meet again.

    3RD WEEK HERE IN CHIANG RAI, THAILAND

    January 27, 2019

    This day was the day that I will never forget, because it is such a great experienced that happened in my entire life. Me, my co-teachers and the buddy of all, “Min” went to “MAE SAI”, wherein we saw the border of Myanmar. From our dorm it takes around 1 hour to 1 and a half hour to get there, because we went their around 3:00 and we arrived there are 4:30, because this day was Sunday there is traffic because there  are many people who went to church and market .  In that place there are also different stalls where we can buy souvenir and foods that we can buy at a low price. We went to the upper part by passing 200 steps, where in at the top you can see the houses in the country of Myanmar. It’s so great experience because it’s like 1 went to the 2 country in one month. After Mae Sai we went to the unlimited buffet, where in we ate unlimited food like sea foods, meat, chicken, desserts, in this buffet we are the one who cooked our own food. It’s so great experienced because it is my first time to eat on a buffet restaurant like that. One person will pay 200 Thai bath, excluded the water or soft drinks, but in that 200 bath we are soo full that I can’t even stand.

    January 26, 2019

    Today I experienced going to the walking street and after that we went to the Night bazaar which is an old airport wherein the place was so big. We went tto the night market at 9:30 in the evening because we went first to the walking street near my dorm. The place was so big that we could not even find the place where we park the car of our buddy. The things that they are selling were so cheap and there are lots of food stall where you can buy, it has also a live band. It also many stall where you can take a photo because the stalls have different beautiful view. It was an awesome night because I’m with my co-sea teachers Anes, Seli, Riga, Izaac and the buddy of all “Min”. It was a great night because we enjoyed and we buy things that have a super cheap price even though we are tired because we walk too long.

    January 24-25 2019

    Today was the most important day that happened in my entire life because it is my birthday (January 24). It is a great privilege for me to celebrate my birthday here in Thailand because not only it is my first time here but also it is a great experienced to celebrate here even though I’m very far from my family because there are not only Filipino teachers who were there for me to celebrate it but also my students. Even though it is a simple celebration I am very thankful because I met them, even though I just met them for a very short period of time it makes me feel that I am special. That I will going to miss them when I go home.

    Today, I taught “pronouns” to the grade 1/4 and grade 1/3. It is such a nice day because as time goes by I enjoyed teaching here because they always make me smile. They easily cope up the lesson but there are some students who are not easily understand the lesson with the lesson but they are doing their best to understand it. Due to different language that we are using, students experienced difficulty in speaking in English and me experiencing difficulty in speaking their words but students are trying their best just for me to understand what they are saying. That’s the lesson that I’ve learned today, that no matter how hard it is you must try because the more you tyr the more you will learn, and the more you learn the more you succeed. So I will do my best just to teach them in a way that they can easily understand it.

    January 23, 2019

    Today I have no class but I need to go to school to finalize my lessons and instructional materials and also to help for making props for their Chinese New Year celebration on February 4. Even on my vacant period as long as I am not doing anything and I finished my lessons I always helped them in order for me not only to enhanced my creativity but also to helped them, because as a teacher we must be flexible, and we must be creative in our own way.

    January 21 and 22, 2019

    This week I discussed PRONOUNS and I used dance as their motivation and after that I discussed the pronouns and I used games in order for all of them participated, because as I observed their listening span is so short, so I learned that I must be innovative in a way that all of my students are listen to me. a

    My First week as a Student Teacher and my second week here in Chiang Rai, Thailand  (January 14-18, 2019)

    This is my first day of teaching so I was very nervous but at the same time excited because it is my first day to teach in front of the students and this is my first official teaching. Today is Monday ( January 14, 2019) was the day where I start handling the grade 1 which have 4 sections and the subject that i teach was English and the lesson that I discussed for the whole week was  “ON THE BEACH” because my schedule of the whole week was 8 subjects and I just meet my four class 2 times a week and each subject last around 50 minutes. I introduced myself and I set rules and regulations for the students, and after that I started to discussed my lesson I started it with motivation with the used of dance. Every Monday I have one class only, while in Tuesday I have 2 classes, in Wednesday I have no class, in Thursday I have 3 classes while on Friday I have 2 classes, but this week we don’t have class last Wednesday  because it is there Teacher’s Day celebration.

    This first week of official teaching I have difficulty with language because I don’t know if they really understands me or not but when I give them activity about our lesson that we discussed  I observed that they understands me. The students are all cooperative and participative and they are easy to learned, but the problem is they are noisy and they misbehaved.

    I just meet my class two times a week so on the first meeting I teach about what are the things that they see on the beach, I teach about the difference of  trees, suns, beach and sea,. On the second day of meeting I teach them the colors of the trees, suns, beach, seas and their spelling. Every time that I meet my class I start the lesson with motivation and ends with evaluation, so that I can have a basis if they understands the lessons or not.  I used activity when I discussed because students as I learned that once the students are bored they will not listen to you. So I used my creativity in discussing my lesson so that all of them will listen.

    (WEEKEND EXCURSION)

    January 19, 2019

    This day me, my buddy, our two Indonesian friends which are Anesco and Isaac and also Anesco’s buddy, we went to the Singha Park and in the White temple. From our dorm we pick up Anesco and Isaac on their dormitory at Chiang rai and from their it takes around 10- 15 minutes to the Singha park.  We went to the inside of the Singha park in which when I saw what are inside the park I was mesmerized because I saw the wide green tea plantation and the view was so beautiful. This day it was so very hot but for me even though it’s so hot I felt cold because of the cold breeze of the wind. And we went also to the sports and recreational park of Singha Park, I saw that they have zip line that cost 300 bath, they are also a renting bike that you can used as a service in touring the whole park. After that we went again to the white temple. In the evening me and my batchmate went to the walking street where in i bought a souvenir like magnet and wallet and I bought also food like Japanese cake and Strawberry shake and fried chicken. Japanese cake cost 5 bath, even though it is not that big it so delicious and tasty, while the strawberry shake it is a fresh fruit that and it is so delicious also because it is my first time to have a fresh shake like this that cost 30 bath.

    January 20, 2019

    This day we went again to the Blue Temple, Huay Pla Kang temple and on the Singha Park together with pur Filipno friemds which are Liezel, Krizia, Christina and her buddy , Min. we went their even though we already went because we accompanied Krizia and Christina and we also want to be there with them.

    Observation week

    I was very excited because it is my first week to my receiving school which is “Srikird Municipality School 1”. Their flag ceremony starts at 8:00 in the morning wherein they are singing their national anthem, praying, meditation, one vocabulary word each day and some announcement. They are always having their flag ceremony.  The class starts at 8: 40 and ends up at 11:50 in the morning and in the afternoon it starts from 12:50 to 4:00. Each subject lasts around 50 minutes but this week their each subject lasts around 40 minutes because this week was their children’s day celebration. I learned that both students and teachers have a free breakfast and lunch, and they are also free milk for the students after flag ceremony.  With regards to their school uniform, there are 4 which consist of their school uniform, P.E uniform (if they have P.E subject, girl’s scout uniform (during Wednesday) and lastly their national dress (during Friday). The students used socks only when they inside the classroom and even during they are going up to their respective classroom and as long as they are inside the building, because their school has a 4th story building they just carry their shoes when they are going to their class and when they reach their classroom they put it on the designated place. When it is already lunch break or time to go home they carry again their shoes and when they are already outside the building they can put on their shoes.

        OBSERVING THE CLASS

        So while I was observing, I observed that teacher used dancing or singing as a motivation. They integrate also games while they are teaching and they both used the tradition and the modern way of teaching. They also used constructivism in a way that students are the one who construct answer to their own questions and teacher acts as a facilitator. On their evaluation, teacher used pencil and paper test. And I learned that students here are good in drawing so they also integrate drawing on their evaluation. They have a rules also in which each number from 1-5 has a correspondent rules, but even though they have a rules, some students are still noisy and not listening to their teacher.I learned also that students are informing their teacher first before entering their classroom when the teacher was already inside the classroom same through when they are going to the comfort room or going outside they informed first their teacher. And students greet and respect their teacher all the time and they are always smiling too like they have no problem. That was the best thing that I’ve learned while we are I’m here in Thailand. Greet and respect the teacher and always smile.

        FRIDAY, FUNDAY( CHILDRENS DAY CELEBRATION)

        It is my first time to attend to their   We did our flag ceremony at 8:00 and after that we parade around their school. When the parade is done, we went to their gymnasium because it is where we held our children’s celebration. I’m overwhelmed because I became part of this celebration and I witnessed how they celebrating it. I’m happy that I saw their once in a year celebration of children’s day, because they don’t have a Christmas here so they have children’s day in order for the students to enjoy. I was amazed because I saw the different games that they played that even the teachers played too. Their games is unique because it is new to my eyes, but some of their games was almost the same with the games in the Philippines. They played the games like “chair ball” which is composed of two teams that has 5 members and 1 member who will carry the basket, it is like basketball but the different is that they going to shoot the ball on the basket which was carry by their one member, the team got the highest score will be the winner. next is Kick Bal “the ball kao goal”, where in the students will kick the ball inside the net, the team who got many ball that is kick inside the net will be the winner. Sack race ” sak ka yer”,where in they put their feet inside the sack and they going to walked as fast as they could with the use of sack, the fastest team will be the winner. The other games that they played were ball relay” kring ball yak”. watermelon ball” wing taeng moo”. their are many games that they played but sadly I don’t know what are the names of that games. When its already lunch break, we went to canteen to eat. The lunch that I ate was “Nam Yiew”, it is a pork stew with pig”s blood and noodles. After that I ate ice cream because Teacher Louie told me that they are always free ice cream during children’s day. So I was very lucky because I became part of this once in a year celebration.

        At exactly 1:00 in the afternoon the next part of the program begun. In the afternoon there are cheer and dance competition and the teachers played too. they played the same games that the students played. After playing all the games, they announced the 3 winners on the different games thay they played, and lastly they announced the over all champion which is” Blue Oceans”. The program ends at 4:00 in the afternoon, so we arranged first the thing that used and cleaned the surrounding before we went home. I went home, did the laundry, eat and went to sleep.

        Children’s day Celebration Part 2 ( January 12, 2019)

        It is a cold Saturday morning at 6;30 in the morning, when I got up from my bed, it was our free time actually but we insisted to go to this Children’ day celebration at “Queen Srinakarindra Hall, Chiang Rai in which some of the elementary schools are here, where in each schools are going to give the children with free foods and toys. Teacher Funny and Teacher Louie Picks us up o the front of our school in order to get to the place where the children’s day was held. when we arrived on that place I was shockedt because they give the children what they want for free. That only the students have free foods but also they have free food for the teachers and parents. So I’m very happy because I ate many Thai foods like , jelly salad, fried rice, sticky rice (khao neow), banana fritters ( kluay kliek}. All of the food that I ate were so delicious, that I like to eat again that my body wants to eat that food again.

        At 10:00 in the morning , the English Department Teachers , tour us together with my batch mate. I am so excited about it because it is my firts Time here in Thailand specially here in Chiang Rai so I want to go to the tourist attraction of Chiang rai. So I am very thankful because they fulfill my dream. The first we went through was the blue temple, it is not that far from the place where we live. I was mesmerized because my favorite color was blue and all the things that I saw on that temple was filled with blue color and at the same time I saw many monk their. I learned that we girls must not Touch any parts of the body of the monks, because for them it was a sin. We went to the “Huay Pla Kang temple” that has a style that looks like a Christmas tree, inside that temple has many statue of Buddha I saw also many monk. In this temple they celebrate also the children’s day so their are a lots of people their. they even give some food to the children and also rice and cabbage to the parents who is their. I saw also the big white Buddha their who has an elevator inside. We not went inside that white Buddha because their are fee when you use the elevator. The white Buddha is so tall. You have to passed by first the stairs that has a lot of steps before you reach the white Buddha, The view is so beautiful it looks like you are see everything. the wind is so cold too when you are their.Next is we went to the “Elephant Camp”, from the “Huay Pla Kang Temple” we arrived to elephant camp about 30 minutes, while we are near in the Elephant camp I saw already an elephant who used as a service in touring the people. I was amazed because I didn’t expected that elephant is so big in person, because in movies elephant is not that big. It was my first seeing an elephant so I was blessed because of that. When we already at the elephant camp I was so shocked because I saw many elephants their. We buy a sugar cane that cost 20 bath, because sugar cane is one of the food that elephant eaten. I experienced also on feeding the elephant and I observe that elephant used their trunk in getting the food and transferred it into their mouth. Elephant makes sound too and one thins that makes me amazed is that I witnessed one elephant knows how to say hello and how to kneel using their parts of their body. When I saw that my mouth turns into letter O and the only words that comes from my mouth was “WOW”. I will not forget this experienced on my entire life. But as I observed elephant has a chain in their feet and they are so much strong because they can carry 4 persons and their teeth is so strong because they even eat the trunk of the coconut tree. After staying how many minutes we left, because we have 2 more destinations.After Elephant Camp, we went to the “Singha park”. We ate our lunch across the “singha park” on the mini stall and I ordered “Stir fry pork with basil leaves”, the foods taste so good. After we ate we went to the Singha park and i learned that they also celebrating children’s day here. As the same to the others they giving free foods and toys to the children. This park is so big that you cannot tour it around in a small time and they have a shuttle bus their that can tour you around inside the park but it has a fee, we didn’t tried riding that but Teacher Mae told us that the inside of the park is so beautiful that they have a plantation of tea their. Singha Park has a souvenir house where you can buy souvenirs like bag, dress, shirt, key chain and many more and there are also a cafeteria their if you want to eat. After almost a whole day of excursion, we went again to walking street even we are so much tired because walking street happens Saturday night only from 5:00 to 10:00 in the evening, so we want to see to see how it looks. They called it walking street because the walking street located at the street that is in front of the flower festival. When we already at the walking street, my mouth turns into “Letter O”, because there are a lot of people and theirs are many things that they are selling in a low cost. There are also many food stall where they sell different kinds of food like street food and even exotic food. They also sell dress, toys, accessories, shirts, souvenirs and many more. I bought a Laptop bag at 100 bath only, the bag that I bought is super durable and affordable. After walking street we went home. I rest and have a smile on my face when I fall sleep.

        Sunday, Rest Day

        After a tiring Saturday, I woke up at 8:00 in the morning (January 13, 2019, Sunday ). I fixed my bed, wash my face and eat breakfast. After that I was laundry my clothes and the laptop bag that I bought in the walking street last night. After doing all of that, I did my lesson for tomorrow, I need to finalized my lesson because tomorrow was my first day as a practice teacher, because my observation was done. I was excited for.

        THE REALITY IS REAL ( January 7, 2019)

        7:00 in the morning when me and my roommate woke up. We take a bath and we went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. When we arrived at the cafeteria all of our co- sea teachers are their too, so they asked the two of us to joined them, so we joined while we are eating we took a photo and chatting to each other in order to us to have a bonding time and also to know each other. After we ate, we went to our own room to fix our things because today we are heading to our receiving school

        ORIENTATION DAY

        At 9:00 in the morning (Friday, January 7, 2019), our coordinator picks us with the use of their school service in the hotel and accompanied to the Chiang Rai Rajabhat University (CRRU) , I’m very excited because it is our orientation day and at the same time the turnover ceremony. We arrived at the school around 9:05 in the morning , it is only 5 minutes because the hotel that were they booked us is near to the university. When we already arrived at the CRRU, we went to the Division of International Affairs, because it is where the orientation was held. After how many minutes , teacher Natthaphon Santhi arrived and he welcomed us and after that we took a photo together and at the same time they are giving our I. D, that we can use while we are here in Thailand. After that we wait again on the conference room for the orientation, and after a few minutes, they started the orientation. This orientation is helpful because it serves us our guide on how to live well in this country. After the orientation, they introduce us our buddy, They are the one who guides and help us to make our everyday life easy while we are in Chiang Rai. So I met my buddy and his name was Ariyapoom PoonPhol, I learned that he is a first year student major in English. The Division of International Affairs of Chiang Rai Rajabhat University prepared a lunch for us, so me and my co-sea teachers eat together. I don’t know what is the name of the food that they prepared because it is a Thai food but the one thing I’m sure is that it is delicious, especially the fruit which are mangoes and guava it taste sweet, even though you didn’t put salt or any condiments. All of the buddys tour us on their university through the use of their school service. While we are touring around the university I was surprised because their university is too big, that you cannot tour it around for only few minutes. There are also many buildings in their university. I learned that having this tour will increase my knowledge about how this school works. And I was very happy because they welcomed us in a very warm way.

        TURNOVER CEREMONY

        After the tour, me and my co- sea teachers went to the conference room near the office of the President of the university. When we arrived at the conference room, we saw and meet the President of Chiang Rai Rajabhat University and the different teachers that comes from different schools and we know that one of them will be the one who can we work with and picks us up. the President of the university introduced his self and welcomed us in their university, after him he asked us to introduce our self. After that the President turnover us in our receiving school. There are 3 teachers whom I met in my receiving schoo and the name of my receiving school Srikird Municipality School 1. After that we says our goodbyes to my co-sea tachers. Teacher Pai and Teacher Son accompanied me and my co-sea teacher who is a Filipino too like me to our dormitory. Teacher Pai tour us around on their school, our school is 3-5 minutes’ walk away from our dormitory so it is very near. While we are touring around the school we met 3 teachers and one of the will be the cooperating teacher of my co-teacher, while my cooperating teacher was teacher Son. The teachers in our school is so kind and they accommodating us. Teacher Son, accompanied us in the city in which it is served us a way to make us familiar on the city in a such way that we know how get in the market to buy our basic needs and at the same time we can roam around, so that we can go to the places that we want go. Teacher Son also tour us in the golden tower and on the flower festival. i was amazed and surprised because the golden tower is so tall and it is located in the center of the city while the flower festival is so beautiful and smells good and I was shocked when we learned that the flower is alive and not plastic. After that we went to “Timothys”, because teacher Son treats us on dinner, me and my co-sea teachers ordered spaghetti and fries. The food is so delicious and it is plenty and especially it is affordable. after we eat teacher Son accompanied us to our dormitory. This day is a tiring yet memorable day, because I met many people whom I can be with while I was here in Thailand and I was very happy because they are all kind.

        First day in Chiang Rai, Thailand

        January 6, 2019 at exactly 7:00 in the morning I woke up. I take a bath and when to the Canteen to eat my breakfast. While I was waiting for my breakfast 2 persons were staring at me, i don’t know why they are staring at me, so they head near me and they introduce their selves. At that moment I realized that they are my co- sea teachers so, I introduce myself too. After that I finished my breakfast and I said goodbye to them because my coordinator chatted me that we meet at exactly 9:00 so I went to the lobby to wait her. After a few minutes she arrived at the hotel and she told me that “my baggage is already on the airport”, so we went to the airport to get my baggage and at the same time to pick the other sea teacher that came from Philippines and Indonesia. we arrived at the airport at 9:30 in the morning, so , we went first to the booth of Air Asia to get my baggage and after that we went to the exit side to wait them. At 10:15 in the morning we went to the hotel. My companion on my room is a Filipino too, because each room has a two bedroom. When we get in on our room, we rest. After how many hours, i chatted gain my coordinator that i didn’t exchange my money so she said that” we can exchange your money at the airport” so we went again on the airport to exchange my money and to pick the others too at 1 in the afternoon . At 2:30 in the afternoon, we arrived at the hotel and i went to our room to sleep. At 8 in the evening I woke up because I feel hungry, and at the same time my roommate is hungry too, so we chatted our co-sea teachers if they want to buy food, and then two of them said yes. So 4 of us went to the 7 eleven to buy food. when we finished buying, we went to the hotel and we asked the two Indonesians if they want to eat their food in our room, so that we can bond to each other. When I started to eat my food, I thought it is not spicy, but i was wrong it is too spicy, my e companions laugh at me because I am sweaty, i drank a lot of water to lessen the spicy. After we ate our food, my 2 co-sea teachers went to their room and sleep, so we sleep too and rest. Lesson learned, asked first before buying the food.

        2 airplanes to be with you

        January 04, 2019, 11:00 in the evening me and my batch mate, Jaycher travelled from our university to Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 (NAIA3). We arrived at NAIA 3 at exactly 2:00 in the morning. Because it is our first time, we don’t know what to do, so we went to the information desk to ask and they said that “we must self-check in first to get our boarding pass and after that we must pay our travel tax which is 1620 php and after paying we went to the baggage drop wherein we check in our baggage and on that step Air Asia officer told me that I can get my baggage at Chiang Rai International Airport, my last destination because I have a connecting flight. After that we went to the immigration. After immigration, we went to our terminal gate at 4:00 in the morning and our flight was 8:45 in the morning (January 5, 2019), so we wait about 4 hours, but suddenly Air Asia announced that our flight was delayed and our flight will become 10 in the morning. When it is already 10 we get in on the airplane but then again they announced again that our flight will be delayed again due to the gas maintenance so we wait again until 1;45 in the afternoon. As a first timer, this thing that I’ve experiences will not be forgotten. We travelled together in one flight, but we have to separate our ways after that one flight! It’s my first time riding an airplane, it’s like I’m gonna touch the sky.

        My First destination

        At 3:45 in the afternoon, we arrived at Don Mueang International Airport. After we step out in the airplane an Air Asia officer was already there, he was asking people if they have a connecting flight so I said yes and then he gave me an sticker (international baggage claim) and after that I went to transfer desk . when I arrived at the transfer desk they asked about my passport, boarding pass and arrival card, after that I Asked them if where is my baggage, but they said “I have no baggage”, at that moment I feel like it was my last day on earth. So we went again on the officer who gave me the sticker but she always says that “go to the transfer desk”. At that time my batch mate’s last destination was this airport so I say goodbye to him. At that time I feel helpless, but I need to be strong and independent, so I went to the transfer desk again and after I went to the immigration. After immigration I find my terminal gate. Sad to say I don’t know where is my terminal gate so I went to the information desk and asked them to help me to find my gate and I asked them again to help me access the wifi connection. After that I went to my terminal at 5 in the afternoon and my flight was 8:45 in the evening so I wait again about 3 and 45 hours.

        My Last Destination,

        My flight to Chiang Rai was 8;45 in the evening, so when the gate is open I rushed myself to get in, in order to make myself comfortable because I was very sleepy so I when I already in my seat i got sleep and when I woke up our airplane was slowly landing and I were already see the city. So, I was amazed because I see how the city looks like when you are above. at 10:05 in the evening we touch down the Chaing Rai International Airport. Due to having a connecting flight i was separated and went to the international arrival . When i was about to scan my things, i asked the officer about my baggage, and she said “wait here”, but 30 minutes after I didn’t see any baggage. So, she asked me again to go to the Air Asia booth. When I already on the booth, I asked the officer about my baggage but she said “boarding pass and passport” so I give it. After how many minutes she said that “I don’t have any baggage”. At that moment I froze, I don’t know how to react. So i chatted my coordinator here in Thailand to tell about that because the driver is already there to pick me up. My coordinator said that” give your phone to the officer and I talk to him”, I gave my phone. After they talk, the officer made an irregularity report and after that she said she just contacting my coordinator if they already find my baggage. After that we went to the hotel were they booked us. While I was inside my room I felt like I’m lost, it feels like no one loves me but that time my family from the Philippines called me so my emotions suddenly change and it turns to become confident, they make me feel strong. After they called i sleep . From this experienced I learned to become independent, don’t   lose hope and by always think positive.

          Cherry is in Thailand because…

          Hello! I am Cherryline A. Selga, a 19 years old small but terrible girl and a 4th year student of Tarlac Agricultural University taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE).  Cherry is a simple girl who once dreamed to become a part of SEAMEO SEA TEACHERS PROGRAM, a dream that turns into reality. A dream that she in not expecting to be happen in her life but it is happening right now through her dedications.

          Now, I am currently participating in Sea Teachers Program of SEAMEO in Chiang Rai, Thailand for one month practice teaching internship. Through this program, it brought me an opportunity to present my skills in teaching. It brought me a chance to enhance my knowledge and skills in teaching and also in managing a class, a class wherein I can develop the sense of trust, inclusiveness, a cooperating and a learning environment, where students feel that they are safe, that they are included in the class and at the same time enjoying while they are learning. This program also serve as a way in order for me to develop my full potential in teaching. also to learn how to become flexible, because as a future educator it is important that teachers are flexible and especially become independent woman.

          As a future teacher, having this program will become beneficial to me because it can develop my skills and knowledge to become a multicultural educator. That the students will learn from me and at the same time I will learn from them. That even though we have a different culture we can bond as one for a one goal which is “to have a better quality of life”. >

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