Education 15 or Practice Teaching is truly a challenging one. It is the subject where you will apply all the knowledge that you have gained in the four years of studying at school. It is the time where you will be exposed to the real macoy in teaching in the cooperating school where you are assigned.

                I really felt nervous back then before the time for my off campus teaching. I think that I cannot do this. I think that I’m not that ready to face this task especially that I am assigned in the School of the Future. My classmates said that the pupils in this school are English-speaking so I got nervous again.

                Then the day comes November 24, 2014, the day when we went to the school to present ourselves personally to the Principal as the Student Teachers from CBSUA. I felt nervous that time because I don’t know what will come next. We have our simple interview and our Principal said we present ourselves in front of the pupils during the Flag Raising Ceremony. Then we were introduced to our own Cooperating Teacher. My first Cooperating teacher was Mrs. Estenily D. Teran, MT-II. At first, I can feel that she doesn’t want to have a student teacher (as I thought). But I can’t really tell because I didn’t ask her. Ha-ha. I am not a talkative person that’s why I don’t speak with my teacher for too long but the main reason is I am a shy person. I don’t know how to overcome it. But later on, I realized that she is kind. She shared to me the times when she was then a practice teacher. She experienced a very difficult one. She said that she was crying to Sir Botor that she can’t do this anymore but of course, knowing Sir Botor, he still encouraged Mam to continue her chosen track. Then there it was, an Outstanding Teacher in 2014. 

                My first shift was in Grade 3-Mabini. The pupils are so energetic, intelligent, naughty and playful. My first week of staying at school was for observation of the class routines and the likes. I adjusted myself to the routines and policies at the school. I am so careful on not breaking the rules and make a commotion. So after a week I started to make lesson plans and conducted the demonstration teaching. At first I was so nervous. I thought that the pupils will not listen to me or will not obey me as a teacher but I was wrong. The pupils participated during my demo teaching and I was shocked on how they responded to my questions. It is true that the pupils in SOF are so smart. No questions about that.

                So to cut the story short, my first shift went well. There were no encountered big problems or whatsoever issues. Thanks God. I enjoyed teaching the pupils and their funny questions about me. I will never forget the moments with my dear pupils. And to my Cooperating Teacher, Teacher Teran, Thank You! 

                Let’s come now to my 2nd shift which is in Grade 6-Rizal. My Cooperating Teacher was Mrs. Rachel G. Vales, MT-II. I don’t want to go to grade six because teachers say that this is the worse section because of the naughty and noisy pupils. Then the time comes that I realized that I was in front of them teaching them different subjects. I felt nervous on the first time I conducted my demo teaching. I was just adopting to the atmosphere and to the pupils and teacher back then. And the next demo teaching went better than the first. I started to enjoy teaching in front of them.  I realized that not all of them are that noisy or naughty, but I observed that some pupils really don’t listen to the teachers very well.

                My second shift was done so fast that I didn’t realize that it was now my final demonstration teaching. Of course, I felt nervous because the Principal will be one of the panels in observing me on my final demo. So the result is, I forgot to rate the performance of the pupils using the rubrics. Yeah, very funny. But in the end, it went well though I thought I got lots of errors in my mind. I admit that I didn’t make my best shot during my final demo and that I don’t know why. And I thank God that I’ve finished my practice teaching without any incidents that made me cry or made me punish the pupils because I didn’t control myself.

                I realized that teaching is not only inside the four corners of the room but also it is inside every child’s mind and heart that will guide them to be a better person. A teacher really influences the pupils, so as a future teacher with a license, I should not influence the children with bad attitude or bad personality because when they grow up and adopt it, it will be with them through the years.

                Teaching is tiring, if you don’t love what you are doing. And I admit the teaching is fun. Love your work and then you will not experience tiredness. And one thing I kept in mind, as Teacher Deyto said, “You can be an architect, but you will not build houses, you will build young ones to be a better person.” Thank you very much! To our Lord, to my parents, to the SOF Family and to the CDE Faculty, Thank You!