Teaching Practice

Procedures of teaching

Classroom procedures are important in maintaining an effective learning environment. They serve as a routine that guides how teachers manage their classes. As I observed my cooperating teacher, I noticed that he is always punctual, arriving before the class schedule to prepare for his class. One of the things that stood out to me is how he starts each class. He warmly greets his students, and they respond with the same enthusiasm.

After greetings, he checks the attendance and then begins the lesson by reviewing the previous topic. He connects past lessons to the current one by asking students questions, encouraging them to think critically and understand the lesson better.

Through this experience, I realized how important classroom procedures are in creating an organized and engaging learning environment. I also observed similar practices with my cooperating teacher in the Philippines before coming to SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan. This reinforced my belief that having classroom procedures makes a difference in how students learn and participate in class.

From these learnings, I decided to establish my own classroom procedures based on what I observed. While teaching at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan, I followed a routine similar to my cooperating teacher. I always started my class with a warm greeting and asked my students about their well-being. After that, we began with a prayer, as I believe it is an important part of the routine before starting the class.

Next, I took attendance, but my cooperating teacher suggested that I could let the students handle this task themselves during class. Like my cooperating teacher, I made it a habit to review the previous lesson before introducing a new topic. This allowed students to connect their prior knowledge with the new lesson.

I also made sure to start each class with a motivation activity to engage my students and energize them for the lesson. However, I found that it can be quite challenging to come up with interactive motivational activity daily. Despite this, I realized that having well-structured classroom procedures helps create an effective learning environment.

Time management and organizing activities

Time management and organizing activities are important part of the class. A teacher must know how to manage time to ensure that the lesson is completed within the given class period.

My cooperating teacher, Mr. Nur Yahya, S. Pd. introduced me to his teaching schedule, which also became my basis for following my own teaching routine. I observed that he uses his time wisely, from the introduction to the end of the lesson. He always finishes on time while still engaging students with activities. He starts with a motivational activity, such as questions, to encourage critical thinking and comprehension. At the end of the class, he also provides an activity. If it involves writing, he allows students to complete it in Indonesian first and then translate it into English as homework to submit the next day. I noticed that students from different sections, such as Sections A to F, have varying levels of English proficiency. This strategy helps them improve their English skills and expand their vocabulary.

Following my cooperating teacher’s schedule, I observed and taught different sections of Grade 8 and Grade 9 every day. Each class lasted for 40 minutes, though the schedule sometimes changed due to events like heavy rain, making lessons shorter than usual. Because of this, I learned to adjust my time to ensure I could complete my lessons while including activities.

To manage my time, I set timers for each activity. This included the motivational activity, formative assessments, and summative assessments. This approach helped keep the class on track and allowed students to complete their activities on time. Through this experience, I realized that time management and organization of activities are important in teaching learning process.

Classroom Management

Classroom management is one of the most important parts of a lesson. I always start my class by clearly stating the classroom rules to my students and reminding them about these rules throughout the lesson. This helps them understand what is expected of them and improves their behavior.

I have also noticed that some students have a short attention span. To keep them engaged, I include questions and activities in my lessons. These activities help to energize the students and make learning more fun. My cooperating teacher always advised me that adding activities encourages students to participate and learn better.

Problem-Solving while Teaching and Staying in the Designated School

Staying at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan has taught me valuable lessons that I will always cherish. People around me, including my buddies, often asked, “How’s school?” I would always reply that teaching in another country is truly challenging.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was the language barrier. Some students did not understand English well, while others were more proficient. This made communication difficult, not only with students but also with some teachers. Teaching in this environment was very different from what I was used to in my home country, but I learned to adapt. This experience became an eye-opener, an important part of my educational journey, helping me grow as a teacher.

I always held onto the quote, “Ad astra per aspera”—which means “Through difficulties to the stars.” It reminded me that challenges lead to growth. Instead of focusing on the struggles, I looked for solutions. I listened to the advice of my cooperating teacher and did my own research on how to handle this kind of classroom environment.

To help my students understand better, I started adding translations to my slides in both English and Indonesian languages. My buddy, Salma, also assisted me by translating for students who struggled with English. This made lessons more accessible and, at the same time, encouraged students to use English. I believed that by doing this, I could help them improve their English skills and expand their vocabulary.

I am truly grateful for the guidance of my cooperating teacher and the support of my buddy. Their help made my teaching experience smoother and meaningful. Through this experience, I learned that every challenge has a solution, and with determination, we can overcome any obstacle.

Final Demonstration

My final demonstration was one of the most memorable experiences during my stay at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan. I had been teaching classes there every day, but this lesson was special because it was the last time I would be teaching my students. I wanted to apply everything I had learned from my cooperating teacher, so I carefully planned my lesson, considering all the guidance and advice I had received.

I started the class with warm greetings and asked about my students’ well-being. I then reintroduced myself and reminded them how they should address me throughout the class. After that, I allowed one of my students to take the attendance, following a routine I had established in my previous lessons.

Next, I introduced the classroom rules and reminded them throughout the lesson to ensure they understood what was expected of them. I started the lesson with a motivational activity, asking introductory questions related to our lesson. The students actively participated, sharing their thoughts and experiences. It was great to hear their different ideas, and this helped them connect to the topic.

During the discussion, I asked questions to encourage student interaction and relate the lesson to their experiences. I also used pictures and videos as visual aids to keep them engaged. As part of my lesson, I conducted a formative assessment to identify their areas for improvement and determine what I should focus on to help them learn better.

For the summative assessment, I encouraged students to share in front of the class, helping them build their confidence. Like my cooperating teacher’s strategy, I gave a written assignment and allowed some sections to write it in Indonesian first, then submit it in English the next day.

I ended the class with warm goodbyes, feeling grateful for the experience. This final demonstration was not just about teaching, it was a reflection of everything I had learned at SMP Negeri 4 Pekalongan and an experience I would always cherish.