All about First (Week date: 22 – 26 Jan 2018)

 I.         My Significant Experiences

Monday 22 Jan was the first day of our activities. On that day we attended the welcoming program of Saint Louis University, in the morning we were fetched by our buddies and that was the first time I got a Filipino friend, named Polon, Mia Grail T. and I called her Mia. She is my buddy here. Also on Monday I met the teachers of Saint Louis University at the welcoming program. I tasted the food named halo-halo. It was a bit same with Indonesian food named kolak. Then that day I knew that the most famous mall in Baguio is SM and I went there with our buddies.

Picture 1.After the welcoming program with teachers of SLU

Picture 2.With some of our buddies 

 

Tuesday 23 Jan, we had tour to SLU Maryheights, SLU LES and SLU Navy base campus with Ma’am Lagos and she told us how amazing the building of SLU because of its anti-earthquake stucture and I loved the pine trees in Baguio. Then Ma’am Lagos invited us to meet Ma’am Balmeo the assistant principal of SLU LHS. After that Ma’am Balmeo brought me to meet with beautiful young woman named Ma’am Donna Marie Alcantara. She’s my cooperating teacher, and told me that I would handle or teach in grade 9. I was a little bit shocked and felt challenged to teach grade 9 because I thought they were not children anymore. Then I learned to take Jeepney to go to SLU Dormitory (main campus) for everyday’s activity.

Picture 3. Tour at SLU Maryheights Campus with  Ma’am Lagos

Picture 4. Tour at SLU Navy Base Campus

24 – 26 Jan (Wednesday – Friday) was my observation days.

On Wednesday I attended the flag ceremony at SHS ground/yard. After that I entered Ma’am Donna’s advisory class, 9D (Mapagbigay) and I introduced myself to the students there. They gave me a warm welcome and I was happy. I got to know the schedule of Junior High School in the Philippines, they have 7 subjects a day with allocation time of one hour per subject. It’s different from Indonesia which only has 4 or 5 subjects a day with duration more than one hour per subject. I also felt amazed with how the lesson modeling is in that school because it makes students to increase their creativity. I stayed in that class until 04:30 pm and observed the teachers’ modeling on each subject.

Picture 5. The Students of 9D were doing the quiz of  Social Studies  Subject (Economics)

 

Thursday, again I stayed at 9D classroom and still observed the lesson activities a whole school day. The teacher of Filipino subject asked me to explain about Islam, my religion. The students were listening carefully and still accepted me although we have different religion and cultures. I love them so much. They were so nice and friendly.

Picture 6. Together with all students of 9D

Picture 7. With some of female students of 9D  (Lianne, Jhulyn, and Ashleey)

Friday 26 Jan, 08:10 am – 04:30 pm I still stayed at that class but it was my last day of observation. On that day, the students of 9D celebrated the Teachers’ day. They gave all their teachers surprises, performances, poem, paper crowns and also flowers and didn’t forget the words of thanksgiving and apologized for all their mistakes. They were so creative and so sweet. A female student of 9D named Clarence A. Del Rosario, gave me a gift of her hand-painted, and I was so happy and gave thanks to her. That was my first time to receive a gift from a student of SLU-LHS.

Picture 8. The students of 9D were giving surprise to a teacher in their class

Picture 9. A gift (hand-painted by Clarence)

II.            Problems Un-conferred

• The first time I arrived at Baguio City, ladies dormitory of SLU, I was shocked with the weather that very cold for me. Because in my city Lampung, it was so hot and I was little bit worried about my health because of cold weather (I never felt). Also because of the weather I felt lazy to wake up, and made me and my friends go to school not really early.
• To walk up and down the stairs was very tiring, because at the first day I used heels so it was difficult for me to step the stairs.
• Then couldn’t find the jeepney easily if we want to going back to dormitory because there were a lot of students and teachers also riding the jeepney.
• I felt bored in the class because I should stay and observe from 08:30 am until 04:30 pm and sometimes feel sleepy.
• At first day of observation, I still didn’t have the lunch box so for the first day lunch, we bought in the canteen but I should take a line because so many students also bought the lunch meals.

 III.            Problems Hurdled

After a week then I could handle myself to adapt the cold weather, by taking a bath using hot water, so I accepted the weather and now I love the weather. In the morning, I always set my mind to be positive if I can go to school early and tell my body not to feel lazy. And slowly but sure, I could enjoying my routine activities those are wake up early, steps up and down the stairs, walk to the jeepney and then go to school (SLU-LHS). And evidently, the teachers and the students of SLU-LHS are very kind and friendly also warm to welcoming us. I was very happy, enjoyed and thankful was assigned in SLU LHS because I got a lot of family, knowledge and experiences. The last for problem of getting jeepney when we want to going back to dormitory, we should walk up so far and waited until get the jeepney which not full.