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Purpose of Practicum

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The purpose of the practicum was clearly stated from the beginning before I was accepted as a participant in the SEA-Teacher Project. The SEA-Teacher Project, also known as the Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia, aims to improve the quality of education in Southeast Asia. It provides pre-service student teachers from Southeast Asian universities with the opportunity to gain teaching experience through a practicum in schools across different countries. The program allows future educators to develop their teaching skills, adapt to diverse educational systems, and experience different classroom environments.

 

My host university, Universitas Pekalongan, gave us a warm welcome upon our arrival in Indonesia. They invited us to an opening ceremony, where I met my mentor, Miss Amalia Fitri, M.Pd., along with our assigned buddies. After that, I was introduced to my cooperating school, SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan, where I met my cooperating teacher, Mr. Nur Yahya, S.Pd. 

 

At SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan, I was introduced to the Grade 8 and Grade 9 students, whom I would be observing and teaching. I also learned about the Merdeka Curriculum, which the school follows. Through classroom observations, I saw firsthand how my cooperating teacher applied the Merdeka Curriculum to conduct his lessons. This experience gave me an understanding of the curriculum, teaching strategies, and classroom dynamics used in Indonesian schools.

 

With proper guidance and advice from my cooperating teacher, I was able to teach my students successfully. He provided me with valuable feedback, helping me recognize areas where I needed improvement. I am truly grateful for his support and guidance throughout my journey at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan. Through this experience, I learned to adapt to diverse educational system and experience different classroom environments, helping me grow and improve as an educator. 

 

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Procedures of Practicum

 

At Universitas Pekalongan, we were introduced to our weekly schedule for the student teacher exchange program. After that, we were deployed to our respective cooperating schools. I was assigned to SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan, where I was introduced to my cooperating teacher, Mr. Nur Yahya, S.Pd., and my mentor, Miss Amalia Fitri, M.Pd., who inteoduced me to the school.

 

The first week was dedicated to observation, allowing me to familiarize myself with the teaching methods and classroom environment. Through this experience, I was able to witness how the Merdeka Curriculum is integrated into their lessons. I also observed how my cooperating teacher conducted his classes, and I learned a lot from his teachings. He is very approachable, which makes it easy for students to ask questions whenever needed.

 

During the second week, I gradually took on teaching responsibilities under supervision. I took the initiative to assist my cooperating teacher in class, helping with instructions and facilitating activities. This experience allowed me to apply what I had observed while still receiving guidance.

 

By the third week, I was fully responsible for teaching the classes, applying everything I had learned from my observations and practice sessions. My cooperating teacher provided valuable advices and constructive feedbacks throughout my teaching experience. His guidance helped me improve my teaching skills and adapt to the classroom environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Outcomes of Practicum

 

The practicum experience has truly helped me grow, not just as an educator but also as an individual. Teaching in a different country with a different educational system was challenging, but overcoming these challenges allowed me to see myself on another level.

 

One of the challenges that I faced was adapting to the Indonesian educational context. With the guidance of my cooperating teacher, I learned to adjust my teaching methods to meet my students’ diverse needs and align with their national standards. This experience taught me flexibility and helped me develop the ability to adapt to different teaching environments.

 

This experience also reinforced the importance of English as a global language. It was fascinating to see how English could connect people from different backgrounds. Although I am not a native English speaker, speaking and teaching in English daily greatly improved my communication skills. They say that using English in real-life conversations with foreigners helps in fluency, and I can confidently say this experience proved it to be true.

 

My practicum at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan was a life-changing experience and an eye-opener. It was a journey of self-improvement and professional growth that I will forever cherish. 

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Challenges of Practicum

 

I encountered many challenges while teaching at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan, but there is one biggest challenge that will always stay with me—the language barrier. 

 

One of the biggest challenges I faced was the language barrier. Some students were proficient in English, but many struggled to understand or speak it. This made communication difficult at times, and I had to think of the best strategies to bridge this gap. With the guidance of my cooperating teacher, I learned to adjust my teaching methods to meet my students’ diverse needs. I incorporated translations in my presentations, used visual aids, and encouraged students to express themselves in both Indonesian and English. These experiences helped me become more flexible, and adapt to diverse teaching environment.

 

Another challenge I encountered was creating my own lesson plan. The lesson plan format used in the Philippines is different from the one used at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan, which follows the Merdeka Curriculum. Since I had to teach students based on this curriculum, I needed to adapt my lesson planning to align with their standards. At first, it was truly difficult because I was unfamiliar with the format. However, my cooperating teacher always supported and guided me in many ways to help me understand. He provided me valuable feedback on how to structure my lessons and to improve my teaching.

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Overall impression

 

My overall impression of SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan is that the teachers are truly dedicated to meeting their students’ unique needs. They apply various teaching strategies to improve their lessons for students to learn effectively.

 

I experienced this firsthand while observing my cooperating teacher. Whenever he saw opportunities for improvement, he adjusted his teaching methods to make his lessons even more effective. This inspired me to do the same. For me, he is not just a teacher but a passionate educator and a role model worth following.

 

Throughout my practicum, my cooperating teacher guided me to become a better educator. His support and advice helped me adapt to diverse teaching strategies and different educational environment. With his valuable feedback, I improved my teaching and manage my classroom effectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Suggestions for future improvements 

 

I noticed that SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan lacks some facilities that could better support students’ learning, especially visual aids. Visual aids are very important because they help students understand lessons more easily, especially those who learn best through visuals.

 

Having more visual materials in the classroom would make lessons more engaging. It would also help students stay focused in the lesson better.

 

The teachers at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan do their best with the resources they have, but I believe that adding more visual aids in class would help students learn better.