My First Week of Being a Student Teacher

I know it could become more tiring in the weeks to come. The first week was quite overwhelming for many of us. This marks the beginning of what it's like being a classroom teacher particularly in the public school system. There were minor changes to our assignments because most of us chose the nearby high school for our pracice teaching. This school is my Alma matter, I attended here from my 7th grade to my 12th grade so I am acquainted with the place. Many of the teachers here still remember me. I transferred to this school since I live closed by, and it's just a few blocks away.

"You will never get rich by this profession. Unless you're a corrupt government employee."

"Every day is a new day."

"Are you for teaching, or are you lost souls?"

Those are the words I hear during our orientation and they speak out the reality of the teaching in the Philippines. Sad but it's the reality.

We arrived at the school around 5:30 a.m. for the Monday morning flag-raising ceremony. Afterward, we had our orientation in the state-of-the-art building, where the school principal gave a lecture on the proper attitude, behavior, and responsibilities of a student teacher. The Do's and Don'ts are included there. The Master Teacher of the English Department is the one who assigned us with the Cooperating Teacher. We are English majors but we are 48 STs (student teachers) and there are only 25 English teachers who are qualified to be a cooperating teacher (must be 10 years in service).

We have asked if can we have it by-pair but the Master Teacher refused. Therefore, some of us will be teaching Filipino and MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health). We can't refuse or else the school will reject us. So, to make it fair we will be having a rotation after 2 months so that all of us can be able to experience teaching the English subject. We will also be rotated through different grade levels test if are we really for teaching or not. Thankfully I am assigned with an English teacher teaching the Grade 10. But I'm not safe yet, we will switch subject on March but I don't want to think about it. After the assignments were made, the school treated us bananas and camote cue. It was a sweet welcome!

We need to render 600 hours in this school but since the classes will be ending early at the month of March. The school won't issue us a certificate if we don't complete the said hours, so we will be reporting even if there are no students anymore. What we will be doing is that we will be participating in Brigade Eskwela. It's a community service to help clean and prepare the school. They said we will also be assisting in the enrolment. Our on-the-job training will likely end in the first week of May. But isn't it supposed to be focused on practice teaching? Well, nevermind. The public system doesn't even focused on teaching anyway.

My cooperating teacher is very kind and simple. And she graduated college from my school! I feel so blessed because she is my CT. I realized how pitiful the students are due to the system. They are bombarded by left and right performance tasks while the teachers are pressured to produce students academic outcomes. While the classrooms are in shortage and other sources, I wonder what those committees are doing. By the way, my CT is handling my sister in English 8 class! I'm so very surprised because I was kidding at my sister that I will be teaching in her English class and I will keep on calling her to answer in front. Funny how our jokes can turn out. Well, I won't be teaching in Grade 8 sadly but I will be assisting in helping the frustrated readers. My sister is a good reader so I will not be assisting her. (At least I can be able to keep an eye on her on some other things 😉).

For this week, I am not teaching yet since my CT still needs to finish the lessons she started. I will be starting to handle classes next week and that's the last week before their 3rd quarter exams. Months are quick so I have to relax a bit, it will be a smooth journey for me. What I did this week, I checked the attendance in my sister's class, recorded their assignments, and helped with one student's oral recitation in my CT's advisory class. I also prepared a lesson plan for my discussion next week

Every Wednesday they are having Zumba for the Grade 9-10 students and teachers. I enjoyed the music but I am kinda embarrassed to dance and thankfully my classmate is also feeling the same way so I'm not alone, haha. It's fun though and it gives a positive feeling. They also conducted a career guidance orientation for the Grade 10 students on what strand or track should they pick in their Senior High School years.

As part of our teaching portfolio documentation, we took photos during the career guidance session If there's one thing I would tell myself is that keep going no matter how hard the path is. Whether I'll pursue teaching or not, I'll just enjoy the journey. I will also keep in mind what my CT told me that do not let your students win over you, show them that you are the authority. It's kinda challenging for someone like me who is afraid of upsetting people, but as I said to myself, be fearless and trust the process. Eventually you'll get there. Never give up self, and also to you reading this. We got this! The battle is going to be a victory for us in the end.

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading my blog. Until next time! 💕