embracing

the grand finale

Fourth Week

Indeed, I am very sad. I am now already at the part where I am beginning to get used to the situations, but at the same time, I have to leave. I know for sure that I still have a lot to do before saying my “goodbyes”. Still, I am glad for being blessed with this opportunity.

August 27,2018: finalizing the week

My first class for my last week, the first period. The topic was none other than the Conversation part, Achievements and Regrets. The first thing that I did to the class was to do a game. I had been browsing the internet for a fun ESL activity. I want to start their day with an interesting game that will boost their eagerness to participate in the class.

The game I picked was “Sentence Race”. The mechanics of the game requires students to be grouped. I divided the class in 3 groups since their population is large. Then, I am to write a jumbled sentence on the board. Each group should send a representative in front to rewrite the sentence in its correct form. The remaining members can help their respective representative give the right answer. Before formally starting the game by giving points, it is a necessity for students to have a trial round to be familiar with the game.

After the trial, it was now time for the first round. I wrote sentences that regards regrets and achievements. This will serve as a review for them. At first, it was quite hard for them. It was not the sentences that made them encounter difficulty but it was their cooperation. Since there were some that were absent, I asked some students to change seats to fill the numbers. I was able to observe that there can be some few gaps and probably feuds amongst them. Fortunately, throughout the process of the activity, the students became more and more interested in the game until they were very noisy, again. Since it was really hard to manage them, I just closed the doors hoping that the other classes will not be disturbed.

The final scores were 1-2-1, respectively. It was supposed to be the last round when some of the students asked for another round. Well, a few minutes can still be spared. I told them that the last round is worth two points rather than just a point. This will give groups 1 and 3 a chance of winning. Whereas, group 2 would become more attentive since there will be a chance that they will be kicked off of the top. I gave the last sentence. Naturally, it was the most difficult one. They had a difficult time trying to decipher the sentence when one group was able to get it. With a score of 3 points, group 3 won the game.

I was not quite sure if the game tired them or energized them. I think it was both. For them to take a rest, I made them listen to the conversation on their books twice. It was about greedy Edward who was imprisoned by stealing people’s money and spending it on lavish lifestyle. I noticed words and phrases they had difficulty pronouncing it so I wrote it on the board. I explained the meaning and how it should be properly pronounced. Then, I asked two pairs to read the conversation in front. I picked those students who were not paying any attention. Shyness became their obstacle in reading. It is obvious that students were not being given enough spotlight to stand in front and talk. This is just one of the many problems I encountered. But in conclusion, the game was able to elicit productiveness from the students.

After the warm up activity, we proceeded to the lesson proper. Since it was on Conversation, I made them listen to the audio file containing the content. Before making the students read any piece, it is a must that they should first listen to the proper way of reading the text. It is a wrong practice that teachers would make students read without having any prior knowledge as to the technicalities of the text. Having the students listen once or twice would be appropriate. The first reading for awareness. The second reading for them to follow. The next thing we did was for the class to read as a whole, then by groups, and then by pair. It is not enough that students would just read as a whole or as a group because others will not cooperate. Others would just lip sync. The result? No learning nor efforts. It is through macro groupings would one determine the weaknesses and disadvantages of his/her students. And through this process one would be able to efficiently correct the mistakes.

Since there were only fifteen minutes remaining, we rushed in answering the guide questions regarding the conversation. The problem was that they tend not to participate in this part. They were not productive. Although I have Google Translate to cater the language barriers, it is definitely not appropriate to be utilizing it the whole time for communication. If I would rely on the software for teaching the subject, then what good would it bring for us, then? It was hard, indeed. They would only give me a set of word that are often times unrelated to the question. But it is alright for the fact that they are giving responses in which I can draw questions from. Well, it is an improvement.

My second class was in the third period. They are grade 9 students. The distinct trait of this class might probably be the number of male students. They were all crammed in the last row which I think is very inappropriate. My suggestion? They should also be mixed with the female students. This would create that gap or awkwardness among them which I think would mold a more manageable classroom environment. Also, this arrangement would reinforce a positive relationship between the two opposite sexes, or probably amid the different genders.

When I entered the classroom, they looked at me with an indescribable face—they want to play. Well, there is no saying NO because that will only discourage them because their teacher, yours truly, is not being friendly. I asked them if we had ever played Message Relay. “No, teacher.” Thanks goodness, I thought. I divided the class in two groups and made them form a line. While I was explaining to them the mechanics, some of them were talking. Probably, their excitement was greater than them listening to the instructions. While some were hushing their classmates, others were still persistent in making noises. Of course I still explained to them the instructions. The activity might be simple but I was worried on how they can cope with it. But rather than talking in front explaining how to play, I made them play a trial round that could explain the mechanics. It worked.

As expected, the students were again shouting at the top of their lungs. Since I cannot afford to disturb the other classes, I went in front of the class after the second round. I just stood there without doing anything. It took them a solid 9 seconds (Yes, I was counting.) for them get the vibe and kept quiet. I waited for another 5 seconds to make sure things will be in place. Affirmative, they got the message. As for the third round, I was glad they were playing in a more respectable manner. The game lasted until the fifth round because group 2 wanted to catch up. They did not.

After the game, we went to the Conversation part. The topic was on Accidents Happen. The sentences used in the game were actually accidents such as, I burned my hand, I slipped on the floor, etc. I then explained what the sentences are and asked them for more examples. Fortunately, they were able to give some good responses. After the first reading and the second reading, we went to the questions. Again, their interests faded away. Since it was very hopeless getting their attention, I explained to them the details and the contents of the conversation. If they are not interested in learning the subject matter itself, then perhaps I can redirect the learning in an another aspect—reading.

I thought that asking for volunteers would be a difficult task. I pointed two students to go in front and act as Kevin and Abby, the characters in the dialogue. Since it was a boy and girl, they were trying to refuse but to no avail. Their classmates were actually saying stuff. I think they were teasing them. But it was probably normal since the two readers in front just kept on reading until the rowdy audience gave up distracting. I was about to point the next pair but to my surprise, I saw raising hands. They want to read. The problem is that most volunteers were pairs of girls. But I want the students to at least collaborate with their fellow learners. So the reading activity was a pair of a boy and a girl. I am not being a sexist here or any kind of person related to that. I only wanted the students to be more open with their classmates regardless of their sex. There were even times when the boys would play as Abby while the girls would take Kevin’s role. The result? Upright.

If I had just continued on the questions and focused more on the contents, I might have been spending my time hushing them and begging them to listen something that does not stir their interest. So to compromise, we did something everyone, if not all, want to do. Sometimes, a teacher needs to be flexible. He/she should not only limit himself within the boundaries of the manual or textbooks. He/she should adopt as to the needs and interests of the students, not his/hers.

August 28,2018: this is it!

Here it is. Today is finally the day. Well, it is not just an ordinary day. It is the day. For today is my evaluation day.

Since the time for my evaluation is 10:10 A.M. and I have no classes before that, I was able to prepare and rehearse. Actually, I am not the kind of person that do a massive preparation. I believe in the art of letting things settle. Still, I also reminisced some important notes and factors that I have learned during my days of teaching and observing. There are the do's and the dont's inside the classroom. Of course, I need to study the lesson well. What will I teach them if otherwise. Anyway, it is my mentor that will evaluate me. Sir Potjanat, the head coordinator from Suratthani Rajabhat University, will not be able to come. My mentor told me that he would just take videos of my presentation and sent it to him.

As a reminder to myself, it is okay to make mistakes. It is a factor of learning and gaining insights. Well, mistakes make us human anyway.

Now, it is the time. I do not want to feel any nervousness or anxiety. I do not want to think of this period as something different from my previous time teaching them. It will only make me uncomfortable. To simply settle the case, I will only teach them the way I used to. I went to the class ahead for me to start preparing my very simple materials. We were there waiting for my mentor to come. While waiting, I was explaining to my students the situation. I did not tell them much but what I said was, “Let us have some fun.”

Then the time came. As usual, we started the lesson with a game. The name is Telephone Charades. It is somehow similar to Message Relay but instead of words or phrases to be passed around, it is action. The last person in each group, the representatives, will be given an action to relay to his/her group mate. The person in front has to guess the action and write it on the board as soon as possible. The first one to write wins the point.

While playing, cheating was inevitable. But thankfully, it was managed by simply telling the students that whichever group that cheats, they will automatically lose the round. Through this, the game went on. Unluckily, I was not able to check the markers early. Two of the markers do not have any ink. There was a change of instruction. I just put one marker in front of the board and whoever grabs the pen and write the correct answers gets the point. Fortunately, it worked well. Unfortunately, the students keep on fighting over the pen (not in a harsh way, of course). But in the end, everyone was happy and Group 1 wins.

After the motivation, the next one was the meat and potatoes of the whole lesson. It regards, Great Expectation. I explained to them what the words Great Expectation mean and how it connects to their own personal lives. The topic revolves on “a feeling or belief how successful, good, etc., someone or something will be (Meriam-Webster Dictionary).” I started in asking, “What do you want to become in the future?” They gave me not-so-varied answers. Most of what I heard is, “I want to become a doctor to help sick people.” If not doctor, it would be nurse. Well, it is their choice, to begin with.

Then we proceeded to the content of the book, as usual. I made them read the texts and corrected their erroneously pronounced words. I then tried to explain, in context, the details of the text. The moment I am seeing confused faces, I would act it out for them to understand. Then I would hear their long “ooohhhhhh” in which it denotes their comprehension towards the pieces of information I was imparting to them. Then, I asked them questions regarding the topic. Fortunately, I was able to elicit some few good answers.

With a few minutes on the clock, we proceeded to the final activity—Jeopardy. The game needs a grouped class. I divided the class in 4 groups. The fewer the members, the more would they exert their own effort rather than depending on their classmates. They will be presented with a table in which the topmost boxes are written with categories. As for our activity, Profession (Column 1), Language Check (Column 3), Expect It! (Column 5) were put in its respective column (refer to the image). Under each column are boxes of designated scores. Each group will take a turn in choosing a box. A group might say, “Expect It! 50 points”. All the groups will give their answers. If correct, the point goes to them. If otherwise, the score will be deducted. (Yes, negative scores are possible.)

First, I explained to them the mechanics. Fortunately, one of the students was able to understand it and translated it to her classmates. Of course, it is to be expected that they will still experience difficulty in coping with the game. But that was only in the first round. The following rounds were done with ease. Obviously, a game like this the element of surprise would be quite boring, right? There were rounds in which I added some twists. Instead of simply raising their answers from the cut-outs given, they will write the answer instead. The thing was, the game should have been more challenging for every team. But I know that in every class, there were those who are proficient and those who needs more help. During the activity, there was a time when the score were -5, 125, -5, and -75, respectively. I can see that group 3 was already discouraged because of the score gap. At this moment, it feels like there is no competition to spice up the activity. But still, all teams just played happily until all boxes were completed at 11:12 A.M.

Note: You can view the flash game, Jeopardy, in the Know More page.

I thanked the class for their utmost participation. My mentor and I went back to the office for his feedback. I know I did well but I am well aware of my shortcomings which my mentor discussed to me. Here are the main points:

First, he told me that my activities were great in stirring their interests for the discussion. The problem was that my motivation was not quite related to the main topic in which it is about occupations and jobs. If you have been reading my blog, there were a lot of times in which I mentioned that the motivation should be acquainted with the main topic. Initially, my plan for the Telephone Charades regards the use of professions rather than simple actions. It was just that I was concerned as to ability of the students in knowing occupations. Though, I was able to ponder on the fact that instead of having the game be the first activity, I should elicited first from my students the profession they want in the future. We will be discussing the details of those professions and it will be used for the game. At least the students now know what and how to act the given jobs.
Do not sacrifice the other part of the lesson proper for the games. This was when I was not able to give a good conclusion of the lesson because we completed Jeopardy. I was able to remember what one of my teachers in the Philippines told me. “Sometimes, it is hard to cut ‘fun’ in the classroom especially if the students are enjoying. At times, you are enjoying to that you tend to forget the objectives of your teaching.” Mentor William told me that I should have stopped the game even with four or five remaining boxes. This is to give space for the conclusion part and clarification of the content of the lesson.
Make sure the instructions are clear. I am always reminded of never being scared to try something new. Well, the activities are not new for me, but it is for my students. One problem I encountered was that I should have let the students experience the game on the previous days before actually using it on the evaluation date. I read an article in which students love games and activities that they are well fond of. At first, the learners will be having a difficult time trying to configure the activity. But for the second time of encountering it, they will gain confidence because they already know what to do and how to do it.

Also, there is this technique that would check if the students understand the instruction. It is simply through asking a question. An example scenario would be the first activity, It is not enough to simply say, because they will still do it. To make things clearer for them, ask questions such as, "Did I instruct you to make noises? Should you work by pair or by three's?" Of course, they would give the desired response. And the instructions will sink in their minds if they themselves will say it from their own mouth.

To conclude, I would like to say one thing that I was able to generate. SEE LITTLE THINGS HUGE. I think I mentioned that sometimes, I underestimate my students’ capability towards learning. That is one of the factor in which, I think, I am not challenging them enough. Also, there are things that I fail to see. I fail to recognize that the class is made up of different and unique students. And I utterly failed to see that. I teach the class as a whole without making any distinct mark to each student. A class cannot grow and improve if the each student will not.

Well, that ends my evaluation.

August 29,2018: EMPTY

On this day, I did not do anything.

It was for the first time that I simply sat on my table and did nothing other than do my blog.

It was my nothing-to-do day.

August 30,2018: the last print

The following text is my final message that I delivered after the flag ceremony.

I asked help from one of the students to translate my speech.

First, let me express my gratitude to the Director for accepting me to be in this school.

It is indeed a privilege.

To my students,

I want to give my greatest thanks to you.

My 1 month stay here could not have been at its best if it wasn’t for all of you.

You made me experience something I am grateful for.

Throughout the days of my teaching, we shared laughter with each other.

Still, you offered me difficulties.

There were times when you would rather use your phone than listening. You prefer putting make up than participating.

Also, I know that you like sports better than studying.

But, I am not angry with you.

I know that each of you possesses a unique talent and trait.

I know that you can do better.

But please, do your best in school.

You have your supportive parents who only want the best for you.

Please, make them proud each day you step on ground of this school.

On my first day here, I said my “Hello”.

But today on the 30th of August, I am saying my “Good bye”.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MEMORIES.

August 31,2018: THE FINALE

I woke up early that day. There were many things running in my mind. I did not know how to react when every thing began to end. Was I excited? Was I in grief? I really cannot tell. It was only on this day did I realize that each day passed do fast. Anyway, today is our final day. We will be heading to Suratthani Rajabhat UNiverity for our final task in which I will directly discuss to you.

Today, let me share to you the thoughts and ideas I discussed in front of my fellow SEA Teacher delegates and mentors.

First is that I introduced the Academe. Wiengsa World Class Standard School is one of the most famous secondary high schools in Suratthani. It was established in 19721 (B.E. 2514) that was 47 years ago. There are more than 2,000 students and 150 teachers. I would have to skip some of the details as it was already provided in some of my daily narratives.

Second, I discussed my teaching procedures.

1. Preparation.

Under this one, routine and warm up are included. Greeting them and do the routine activities are things I need to do before starting the class right. It is not about plainly doing it for the reason that these are the typical actions. We do these to ensure that our students are ready. Picking up pieces of litter, arranging their seats, and instructing them to go their proper places are made to instill discipline in them. Small tasks, but great values.

2. Lesson Proper.

The first thing to do is Discussing the topic. But along discussion comes classroom management. I cannot just talk in front knowing that other students are not paying attention. At times, they can also distract their fellow learners. What happens then? Minimal learning. Also, participation is a must in the classroom. I always try to remind myself that without my students' active involvement, everything would be useless.

After the discussion, the Application comes next. This is the part where I would test the students' learning of the topic in a more casual way. This is a separate part from the Evaluation. Mostly, Application comes in a form of questioning the students or activities.

Next one is Summary. It is always significant to remind teachers, myself included, that the summary should always be given by our learners. It is not us that give the learning and ideas of the day's lesson. We let our students give their own grasps of the topic to further promote learner-centered approach in the classroom. For me, I try to give more chances for my students to express and share their own thoughts. I do not want to end my day without them trying t say anything. One goal of mine that I carry each day that passes is for my students to, at least, learn something from our topic. If my students had not learned anything from that day, I fail as a teacher.

3. Evaluation.

Obviously, assessment should be a priority throughout the process. This is one factor that can determine the students' level of performance. Unfortunately, I do not give much more of this kind of activity because, as what I had mentioned in some of my daily narratives, the procedures in the class follows the steps and guidelines in their textbooks. That is why I would rather have my students to a performance-based activities than writing on their books. I want to make them experience other interesting things that I had been doing and encountering in the Philippines. Exchange of knowledge, indeed, is one of the goals I want to achieve. I think I was able to reach that goal.

NOW, unto the meat and potatoes of my talk.

I do believe that experience molds an individual to become better. For a teacher, there are specific encounters that we need to truly develop and mature. We need to expand our perspectives in the broad teaching and learning process. In my teaching encounters, I was able to identify three factors that would complete the formula of EXPERIENCE. Let me elaborate on the following:

1. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

"When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower."

-Alexander Den Heijer

When we talk of the learning environment, it refers to the diverse physical locations, contexts, and cultures in which students learn. I was actually glad on the facilities the school has. Most of the classrooms have enough space to accommodate students. In the MINI ENGLISH PROGRAM building, there are air conditioners and ceiling fans. In a class of 35 students, there are even satisfying spaces. In the Philippines, there are schools having limited classrooms. In one room, there are like 60 students all crammed. By this, learning is not even conducive. The teacher may have a hard time catering all the students' needs and attention. Without adequate facilities and resources, it is extremely difficult to serve large numbers of children with complex needs.

Also, the learning environment does not simply regard the physical aspect of the classroom. It also denotes the atmosphere revolving around it. A positive learning environment for learners, especially in a particular course, is one of the most creative aspects of teaching.

Thus, if I will relate the quotation provided by Heijer, we should give utmost importance to the proper condition of the learning environment as it serves as an arena for the students' progress and development. If our learners are not productive, we should initiate the task of furthering their physical and emotional needs. We should not simply blame a student for not being able to read a book that is already a century year old.

In developing a conducive-to-learning classroom, I gave three pointers:

A. Establish a supportive learning atmosphere.

In every classroom, each individual who partakes in the teaching-learning process should not drag each other down. We should not restrict our students' actions if it has the resolve to help him/herself. When I was teaching my students, if there is someone who would commit mistake, I try not to put a disappointed face. I actually thank him/her for trying his/her best in answering. It is important to note that students can be very sensitive when it comes to failures. Rather than always pointing out their flaws, let us keep those words of insults to ourselves and let us lend a helping hand. Supporting each other than initiating competition is much more beneficial and vital to students.

B. Keep things positive.

If every time a teacher comes in front with a frown, the students will also feel the same. Emotion actually plays a huge part throughout the process. Optimism and enthusiasm are they keys for a productive learning. Simply making the students smile and happy can be a start before proceeding with the discussion. I try not to get mad when students become noisy. I always try to think that it is their nature. Tho sometimes, we should not tolerate this kind of behavior. Discipline must still be instilled to our student.

C. Celebrate Success.

It might sound a bit too much, but at times, I give utmost appreciation to my students if they do the given tasks well. "Give yourself a round of applause", I would tell them. Why? Because our students deserve to be appreciated even at the slightest things. Not being over-reacting, but I was able to note that students become more active when they are appreciated for accomplishing tasks. They feel more motivated in doing the succeeding activities. When they feel that their efforts are being set aside, they tend to become discomforted to it to the point that they will be passive learners. Thus, we should take note that by celebrating our students' success, we also celebrate our students' effort in doing it.

2. RELATIONSHIP

“It’s the little conversations that build the relationships and make an impact to each student.”

-Robert John Meehan

No teaching-learning process will exist without a harmonious RELATIONSHIP between learners and teachers. Right now, I will present 3 students I was able to meet and encounter although I showed 5 students during my final discussions. Some of them are my students in the classroom while some were not.

This boy here is someone I met during dismissal. He is not one of my students. Still, he told me that he wants to know me better. Also, he told me that he really wishes to learn English, although knowing that it is really hard for him. He desires to improve himself. I gave him my piece of advice when wanting to learn the language. By that, when we would meet every dismissal as he waits for his mom to pick him up, we would chat with each other. By doing so, he is having his practice in speaking the language.

Last but not the least is this little fellow here. Although he is short in size, his minds go beyond that. My mentor would tell me that he is quire spoiled for having a lot of money for day. Unfortunately, he is known in their classroom as a bully and a disruptive classmate. I, for one, quite fails to see that. Just like the guy above, he is also industrious in trying to listen to my explanations while giving their answers. He wants to do something even I cannot tell. One of the teachers in the office said that creativity lingers in him.

Like I what I said to my listeners, all of these brought and young children have something in common. They all desire to accomplish something. In order to do so, our help as educators are needed in unlocking their true potentials. Each of them has a unique dream they wish to conquer even at their current pace and state.

Not only do teachers should be teachers, but we go beyond that. Actually, I went beyond that restrictions during my stay. I acted as a brother to my learners. When they would come at my place for studying, my formalities fade off. I act as someone they feel comfortable with. I acted as family. Relationships should never fade away in the bond being shared between teachers and students. Positive relationship has the capacity to strengthen the trust both parties are sharing. It is our sole responsibility to keep that bond firm and sturdy, Without our efforts, our learners' will to learn can also deteriorate at the process.

There would be times when I would walk around the school and students would greet me. It is actually a thing that greatly makes me happy. A simple act like that can change my mood from sad to glad. If a single student can give this kind of impact to me as a teacher, how much more can a teacher's smile and respect affect the students? Our words and fine gestures can instill something to them. For us, it might be a lesser valued act. For our students, it is treasure.

3. CONFLICT

The number one problem in the classroom is not

the lack of discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routine.

-Harry Wong

Here, I simply emphasized my five common problems.

Language Barrier. I think this one is the most obvious obstacle I had faced since the day of my arrival here in school. The first time I tried to teach in a class, I tried to talk slowly and clearly so my students can understand every word that I am saying. When I was still on observing classes, I was taking note of the proficiency level and the progress of the students regarding the English language. Communication is indeed a prevalent obstacle in the classroom between me and my students. There can be some situations in which the value of my message is somewhat being lessened because I need to pick simple words that they can understand. Well, I do not have any permanent solution for this. I only have three main solution: students who are good in English to serve as my translator, Google Translate, and gestures (also known as exaggerated acting). Through my stay here at least for a month, this trinity helped me jump through the obstacle. As for Google Translate, it is quite known that the translation is not that precise and correct. There are still erroneous words. But it is better to have it than otherwise. As for the gestures, I think this one needs no further explanation, right?

Accent. You might probably be wondering that this one should be included in Language Barriers. There is an article in 2012 by Jon Visaisouk saying that accent affects communication, which I think is blatant enough. “But I do not have any accent!” you might say. Even if you do not have any accent, the way you still pronounce something affects the listener’s perception as to what you just said. Since all accents are not equal, it would be hard trying to understand what one is trying to say. For Thai people, their accent is quite inclined with that of the British. Filipinos’, on the other hand, are based on American English. It is apparent that both of us, teachers and students, are having the same trouble deciphering what the other one is saying.

How I coped with it? I just got used to it.

Age Gap. The first time I said to my classes that I am 19 years old, they wear a shocked expression on their faces. In Thailand, the age of 19 in Thailand is the average age of college freshmen students. The thing is that my grade 6 (also 12) students have ages near mine. They are 17-18 years old. It should not have been a problem but the fact that my students were not treating me as a teacher made it so. There was this particular grade 6 class that was hard to cope with. To be honest, it was only in that certain class did I have a problem teaching. I also had another grade 6 class. Both of these classes have the same English proficiency level. They were in the Gifted Department. It is a department that aims students’ proficiency in Science and Arithmetic. What made the difference? Simple, the attitude. One class sees me as a fellow student with no authority at all. One class sees me as a teacher that deserves respect. I was not able to fix the problem with the former class since it is not I that can mend them. It is their own selves.

classroom management. According to Jeremey Wilder, classroom management is really a relationship building skill. I really had a hard time trying to manage the class because of their activeness. One difference I noticed from our norm in the Philippines is that when the teacher would go in front, all students will already be quiet. But in the scenes I witnessed, it was otherwise. The students still go around the classroom and still be noisy even when the teacher is already in front. How did I cope with it? I always try to get their attention. If there is even the slightest chance that I am not prepared in front, they will get the opportunity to create noise. That is why I must continue on talking about the topic. Dead air should be nonexistent.

relationship with other faculty members. My mentor told me of the SEA delegate who came before me which means that he is part of Batch 5. He said that this student was not that cooperative with them. He would only play with his phone and do nothing. The mentor of this students is not teacher Wanchai, my mentor right now. To cut the story short, he other teachers are not quite fond of him because there are too much restrictions on his part. Also, there is an attitude problem with this student-teacher. For me, I do not have much any comment because I do not know the story well. The problem is that their impression to my predecessor was carried to me, I think. My mentor told me that because of their experience with him, no other teachers want to be the mentor this time. That is why he volunteered. The fact that the other faculty members are also not fond of me, I had a hard time conversing with them. I cannot ask them questions because of this issue. It is like there is a gap. But still, I cannot blame them. Either way, they are very friendly to me. I am sure of that.

Final Thoughts

LIFELONG

GOAL AND OBJECTIVE

The role of a teacher goes on and on. It is a cycle of inspiring, teaching, and learning. For me, it is to one day see my students on top of their own achievements. I want to see them glad and blessed. Teachers also have feelings. They are beings with emotions. They can also cry, laugh, get mad, get tired, and other things students also feel. I think there are words that teachers also quench from their students. It is a simple two-worded sentence known to all mankind--Thank You.

You see, when teachers hear this sentence from their students. It means a lot to them. For me, when I bid my farewells, a lot of students said this sentence to me. It was heartbreaking, overwhelming. It was a blessing. To me to hear these words from them means that I was able to achieve my goal to impart them my knowledge and understanding. Thus, we are helping them improve their life to reach their dreams and aspirations.

"Assign projects that promote uncertainty."

-Angela Maiers

If there is one thing that I greatly emphasized in my discussion is this quotation by Maiers. In actuality, we are gravely scared of trying something new to our students. What we want to employ in our classroom is something that we are very familiar with. We want to do activities that we know the end-result of. That should not be the case. Although I had been stating here that I desire my students to practice different and innovative deeds, there were also some case that I fear that things will not go according to plan.

It is okay if what we wish to happen will not. It means that we are doing our best not just for our students, but also for our own selves. It is a sign of thriving hard in achieving our accomplishments. We give path to discovery and innovations. We quench our thirst for curiosity. By doing such, we open ourselves to endless possibilities of learning. Let us not be chained by the traditional and typical norms of the school system. Rather, let us aim forward towards positive change and progress. Hindering our capabilities as teacher because of the fear of failing will only prove that we are not made to be the molder of dreams and aspirations of each individual across the globe.

As a teacher of this project, I am very glad for being a part of this program. If it was not for this, I would have been stuck in a cage of pondering and limitless thinking as to which it will never be answered. I would not have applied my strategies and techniques and learned if it is applicable or otherwise. I would not have been educated and be inspired. Because of this prestigious opportunity SEAMEO had given me, I was able to know myself more as a would-be teacher and inspire-r of many blessed learners.

In light of this, it is plainly right and just that we should build a concrete bridge between students and teachers

unto the path of betterment.

Our next guy here is the lone wolf in the pack, if I might say. I was not able to teach his class, but he is one of those who come in my place for tutorials. He is reserved and shy, maybe. His mother is actually concerned for him because she thought that he is lagging behind in school. But, I, as a tutor who had been with him, will disapprove of it. Actually, he is the one who only tries to give his own answer when I would be helping them with their assignments. Tho he is slow in answering, he is taking his time to come up with a better and definite answers compared to his colleagues that only follow the format I am giving them.

the farewell

So there, each delegate gave his/her own reports of their experiences.

After that, we were given our certificates from the University denoting our utmost success.

If there is a

SINGLE commonality among us participants, it is the mere fact that we enjoyed every moment of IT!