I could hardly describe my feelings when we were about to leave San Jose Elementary School after almost two months of Off-Campus Practice Teaching. I remember that middle of January when we ‘got out of the box’ after having our On-Campus at Naga College Foundation, we started face the actual world of teaching particularly in a public school.
Going out of the box is the most challenging part for practicum students. Not just we carry the name of our school but because it is the critical application of all those principles and theories of teaching we have learned in our undergraduate years. We have with us different images of a teacher which we built for almost four years of training to become a globally competitive teacher.
Let me share with you some of the learning, enjoyment and fun we had experienced at SJES.
First, we able to recognize the educational system of a public school for having larger class size and twin engines of political support and economic revenue to cope with better school facilities. Hence, we become aware of the real scenario of teaching life.
We were guided by our respective cooperating teacher during our first and second shifting which help us to develop our teaching strategies and approaches.
In our two months here, we built much intimate relationship with our students and teachers. We also discover how to learn to love other students who made their effort to know each of us. That is the very reason why we find it hard to shall away our heart to our students.
When you look at the eyes of your students and find there deep joyfulness, that would be the most rewarding part for a teacher. Sometimes I realize that we don’t only motivate our students in every teaching-learning activity. In return, they themselves motivate us to do our utmost endeavor in daily teaching preparation and become an instrument of change.
If you would ask anyone of us what are the things we will miss at SJES aside from our teaching experience and congenial students and teachers, perhaps he or she would tell you a long story of his or her involvements in the school activities.
I remember the crying moments of students when we were about to leave them (for our second shifting and for the last time). Because of this, we could not definitely say goodbye, instead, thank you.
In behalf of my co-practicum students (Ma’am Fe, Ma’am Joy, Ma’am Menchie, Ma’am Fennie and Sir Elvis), we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the teachers and most especially to the students of San Jose Elementary School. Now I know how to describe our wonderful practice teaching experience in this school. We were made parts of it. And we able to prove that student-teachers can also make a difference.
