January 29,2024
DAY 1
Today is our first day to be deployed as student teachers in the Cebu Institute of Technology
Elementary Department. I am assigned to the kindergarten section, Love. As I entered the room, I put
my things in the corner and started observing the students. I am not new to dealing with small
children and students at a very young age because I have already experienced it during field study and
I am assigned to a nursery classroom. My goal now as a practicum is that I am expected to teach most
of the time. So I have to observe students' behavior for me to be effective when it comes to managing
the class, as I am teaching young students that are four to five years old. And I should apply strategies
that suit them, catch their attention, and are also effective. So what I've done now is assist the
students in answering their workbooks, and I also approach those students who don't listen and do
unnecessary things like talking, playing, and not listening. My observations are that when teaching,
you should be strict—not so strict, but to the point that students will also respect and obey you as you
teach in front of them. That's what I observed in the teachers' teaching in kindergarten. Teachers'
emotions are like making eye contact with the students and name-calling for those students whose
attention is not in the class. Also, teacher Theresa used a reward system. She gave students candy
every time they could answer hard questions. As she is rewarding, she also makes sure that all can
answer and get a reward. Students' attention in kindergarten and pre-kindergarten is determined by
how the teacher manages the class. For them to be active in class, interactive lectures and activities
should be used. Most of the teachers in kindergarten give activities to the young learners that suit
their age and can meet their needs as well. It's an advantage for me that I have already experienced
teaching preschoolers and intermediate grades because, with that experience, I'll be able to adjust my
teaching strategies and my activities to fit their needs and meet the different skill improvement
needs. And also, with my experience, I'll be able to adjust to the students' behavior and attitudes. It
may be hard to handle, but I'm slowly learning the effective strategies for effective classroom
management through or by observing my mentors.
January 30
DAY 2
Today is Tuesday, and Teacher Janabel discussed with us a few things regarding our
deployment in the CIT-U Elementary Department. Before we went to our respective classrooms,
student teachers met first, Teacher Genabel. As I entered the room, they just started, and the
students greeted me with a very loud voice and a happy face. Their first subject was mathematics,
taught by Teacher Sheila, my mentor, and the topic was Roman numerals. As I observed, the teacher's
strategy is to have a short discussion, and then after that, they'll question the students. In
kindergarten and prekindergarten, they only have 30 minutes to finish a topic, even though the topics
are easy. For me, it's also important that students understand the lesson being discussed. The art of
questioning after the discussion is very important because, as I observed, students can answer the
teacher's question. After all, what they've learned is very fresh in their minds, especially when the
teacher also gives rewards to the students who can answer. It will motivate the students to
participate and listen. For me, while doing the discussion, it's not effective when the teacher keeps
talking and not involving the students in the discussion. They will be bored and will not pay attention
anymore. Also, playing videos without explanation is useless, because even though the teachers are
watching them, the information they've seen will not sink into their minds, for they don't understand
what they are watching. Most of the teachers in kindergarten and preschool mostly discuss, but in a
very interactive way, and then apply the art of questioning to test if the students have learned
something or not. Students are also very participatory in every discussion. During their mathematics,
science, language, Filipino, and writing classes, they always cooperate and answer every time the
teacher asks questions. Having an intimidating look and approach towards the students is also very
effective, not to scare the students but for them to have respect for you and treat you seriously as
their teacher. Also, I have observed that in each subject, teachers always include an activity where
students will be able to improve and develop their speaking, thinking, reasoning, problem-solving,
and fine motor skills. Dealing with students' behavior and their different attitudes also presents
challenges on how to handle them as I conduct my discussion soon. I enjoyed my experience today,
and I'm able to get to know more about the kindergarten and preschool students. When I talked to
them, I realized that communicating and also being open to what students like to express or
communicate gives me an idea about them. At this point, I can say that students do really improve
towards the class and also their attitude and behavior, especially the prekindergarten students'
behavior. Those who are shy are now very participative in class, and those who have separation
anxiety are now okay and enjoy the class without the presence of their parents or guardians.
January 31
DAY 3
Today is Wednesday, and I arrived at school very early. I'm the one who also opened the
room so that when the teacher arrives, the classroom will be ready for her first subject, and the
students can already feel comfortable with the temperature of the cold air inside the classroom. I also
arranged the chairs and tables and fixed things like the books and workbooks so that it would be
pleasing to the eyes of the students and would set an example that things should be arranged
properly. Since it is still very early and the students have not arrived yet, I will go with my mentor to
the school's gate to wait and meet the students and let them line up for them to go together here
inside the classroom. The first subject is mathematics, and teacher Sheila reviewed her lessons
yesterday, which are all about Roman numerals. As she reviewed, she also let her students write in
their notebooks the different Roman numerals of numbers from 1 to 10 for them to practice and
familiarize themselves with. Kindergarten students are very smart, and they might not adopt or
understand the lesson immediately, but they can give the correct answers when it is explained by the
teacher. I observed that there are shy students, who cry when they don't get what they want and are
also very hyper, but even though they are like that, they respect their teachers and even me. When I
reprimand them and tell them to behave, they listen. Then, during their other subjects, they use the
workbooks and answer the activities that fit the lesson. In Filipino, teacher Judy had an oral activity.
She called the students one by one to go in front and read some Tagalog words that she provided.
Teacher Sheila and teacher Teresa also play videos during their discussion, especially teacher Sheila.
When she finishes her discussion very early, she will let the students dance. Today, teacher Teresa
also let the students draw the parts of a fish and bird because they were not in their workbooks. She
also provided it with labels so that students would be able to study it for the upcoming exam. I enjoy
assisting the students when it comes to answering their workbooks. In drawing and also assisting with
how to write, because by helping them, I'll be able to know who needs more attention when I'm
giving my activities during my demonstration, and I'll be able to check on them to see if they
understand or not.
February 1
DAY 4
Today, Teacher Sheila is absent because she is going to attend a seminar, so I'll be the one to
substitute her with the assistance of the working students, or the NAS. For the first set of students in
kindergarten, every morning it's a routine that we will go to the gate to meet the students and let
them line up as they walk to the classroom. This morning, very few students arrived early, so we
decided to go back to the classroom and wait for the others to arrive since it was still very early. So,
we started the day with a prayer and the singing of the National Anthem. Students participated
properly as we prayed and sang all together. This morning, the students are also very good. They are
not very hard to handle and know how to listen to teacher's instructions. The working student's
assistant, Ate Jaz, told me about the activity that the students will do this morning. It's a coloring
activity, and after that, we distribute the activity or the printed worksheets to the students, along
with the pencils and crayons. Then I gave the instructions to put their names on the upper portion of
the worksheet and also to put the date. For their guide, I also write it on the board. Then, as they
started coloring, I kept roaming around to make sure that they were doing it correctly and also to
reprimand those who did unnecessary things, which may have caused them to not finish their work
on time. As I roam around, the students proudly show me their works in progress, and I also give
them positive comments on their work. The kindergarten students under Section Love already know
how to color neatly and properly. They already hold the crayons properly and are very creative when
it comes to choosing what colors of crayons to use for their work.
After that, there is their clubbing. So what teacher Sheila handled was the Home-makers
Club, and what I'm going to teach them is how to wear their shoes properly and how to tie their
shoelaces. It's not that easy to teach the students how to tie their shoelaces because at home, as I ask
them one by one, their parents are the ones who put on their shoes for them and tie their shoelaces.
So what I did was demonstrate how to wear a shoe and let them observe. Then next, I let them do it.
For they already know how to wear their shoes, I proceed to tie the shoelace. I demonstrated it from
the student's point of view to make sure that they knew how to hold the shoelace, tie it, and make
the ribbon. Teaching them how to wear shoes is easy, but tying shoelaces takes time. I'm very proud
that even though a short period is allotted to clubbing, they still learned how to do it. The two
students thanked me for teaching them how to tie their shoelaces so they smiled on their faces. After
clubbing, it's nap time. The kindergarten already knows what to do. The first one to line up to wash
their hands is followed by boys, who also use a place mat to cover the table while they are eating.
During snack time, I help with opening their snacks and drinks because some need assistance with
that. Then I also roam around and call out those students who keep on running and walking and tell
them to go back to their seats. When snack time is over, I let them settle down, clean their places, and
throw their garbage in the trash cans. The next is a computer. They went to the computer laboratory
to learn some things about computers and how to use them. After that, as we waited for dismissal
time, we let them play clay.
Then, as dismissal time came, I helped the students get their bags and accompanied them
while walking towards the gate to meet their parents and go home. The students are very excited to
go home as they hug their parents and also ask their parents if they can play in the playground. For
those students whose parents haven't arrived yet, we stay and wait for a few minutes, then go back
to the classroom. So the students will just put their bags in the classroom and go to the library as they
wait for their parents to arrive. Some of what the preschoolers had during the afternoon. They have
coloring activities, clubbing, snack time, and then playing clay while waiting for dismissal time. There
is only a very small difference between kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students in terms of their
behavior, attitudes, and way of learning. The kindergarten students can speak clearly when they
approach me; I can understand them right away. While pre-kindergarten students, some of them
can't pronounce the words properly; that's why I have to listen to them carefully. Sometimes I let
them point out what they mean or ask them questions so that I can address their concerns. Both pre-
k and kindergarten students listen when reprimanded. Their behavior is controllable, and it depends
on how I manage the class. But in my case, I'm able to let them stay well-behaved and quiet. I gave
them a chance to talk to other classmates but with a soft voice. The difference is just that
kindergarten students are more mature and easy to manage, while pre-kindergarten students are still
more focused on playing, but both of them are manageable. I also enjoy dealing with the students as I
am learning what classroom management techniques I will use by the time I demonstrate, making
sure that in my discussion they will listen, their attention is on me, they will respect me, and they will
also enjoy the lesson at the same time.