Purposes of Practicum
This program aims to:
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Provide hands-on classroom experience to develop effective teaching methodologies.
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Encourage the use of English in diverse educational settings.
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Expose future educators to different cultures and educational systems.
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Prepare teachers to thrive in varied teaching and learning environments.
Procedures of Practicum
This program spans to an almost one (1) month international teaching which reflected to a year’s worth of teaching experience. The exchange period encompasses four (4) weeks, following a schedule of: Orientation and Class Observation, Teaching Assistant, Teaching in Classroom, Reflection and Lesson Learned.
Upon arrival in Indonesia, a welcoming program commenced in Siti Walidah of the University of Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), having the opportunity to introduce the receiving school SMP Muhammadiyah 7 Program Unggulan Colomadu.
Outcomes of Practicum
Completing this program was indeed a memorable experience. I gained valuable teaching experience that inspires me to be more passionate in the field of teaching. Joining this makes me feel confident in teaching students with diverse needs and backgrounds. It is also an opportunity to improve my communication and pedagogical skills in engaging with others. Further, witnessing how the students actively participate in class and ace the short assessments makes me feel more appreciated and effective as a future educator.
Challenges of Practicum
During the program, I encountered a few challenges that tested my ability as a student-teacher. One of which is the language barrier as there are students in the receiving school who are not fluent enough in conversing in English, this leads me to learn a few Bahasa words to communicate with them. Another challenge is adapting pedagogical approaches and strategies while dealing with limited instructional materials, which maximizes my ability to become resourceful and efficient in teaching.
Suggestions for future improvement
The SEA Teacher program remains well-structured and continuously meets the objectives effectively. However, I have a few suggestions for future improvement of the program. One of which is the longer duration of the program for the participant to fully immerse themselves in the culture of their receiving country, as well as to develop their skills and capabilities while adjusting to a new environment. Another suggestion is the orientation for the student exchange buddies and receiving school to further discuss the details of the programs such as expectations to meet.