My special part of my life.

HELLO, My name is Kittithat Bophimai. NRRU student English major bachelor of education, SEA Teacher Project Batch 9 2023.

First Step

      This is the first time for me to go abroad and also the first time for me to be a part of the SEA teacher program 2023 in Indonesia. I’ve stayed there for 1 month in Semarang. On my first day at school, at SMP2 Negeri Semarang, My first feeling about the school was that they were really, really welcome. I think it gave me a feeling of warmth and calm. I felt the people in the school were really willing to help us with everything, not just the teachers there but also all the students. After our supervisors from UPGRIS take us there, we talk with the teachers and our mentors. My mentor, Mr. Hanung, told me not to worry about staying at the school; just try to adapt yourself here, and if you need any help, you can call me or walk to me in the teacher room. I felt the people here were so friendly and willing to help; they are really kind; they just smile every time we walk by.

      As my personal character, I like to join every activity that I can because I love the feeling of doing and being a part of something. When I arrived at the school, the first day we said hi and introduced ourselves to the students. They were really excited to meet us, and I met such this thing before in Thailand, but here is much different. They come around us, scream with the teen energy, glowing hundreds of eyes, try to communicate, ask for taking photos with them, shake hands, and take our hands to touch their heads. All of these make me think in my head, "Woah" or maybe “wow” or maybe both. I think we know we have our values in ourselves, but to meet them makes me feel more different. The first week at school, there was a day that the teachers would compete in singing on Independence Day. Mr.Hanung , my mentor asked us “Can you be our jury" We don’t have a jury here. I said “Yes, we will" I talked with my friends; this is a surprise and it's quite challenge.

We don't know what we have to do because we have never been the jury in singing before. But I remember in my head, between the feelings of surprise and the feeling of don’t know, there was another thought: “Why not”? Let’s take it. Then we became the jury of the competition, and it’s something we never did before. And I like the taste of doing this thing in different countries. So new and a good feeling.

I’ve tried the food at the school’s canteen, and there was one that I still miss while I wrote this blog. It’s “Ayam Geprek" fried chicken with rice and spicy paste sauce. I really love it; I’ve tried it maybe 10 days at school. The first time I went to buy it, the sailor showed the price with his fingers. She can’t speak English, and I don’t know much in Indonesian. So we understand each other by a little bit of Indonesian and fingers.

I honestly don’t feel it's hard or uncomfortable to communicate, even if we use different languages. She said her English is bad, but I said no, because it’s not bad in my mind. She smiled every time we went there. And I just feel a simple positive feeling between us. Another thing I want to share and really appreciate is that the students invited me to play football with them. And again, I join them because I love playing football, but who knows? I will play football with my students in Indonesia. I love it so much because I know it’s not just playing, but it can connect us together and bring us closer together, between me and my students.

         These are some examples of me while I was at the school. After 4 weeks, I think the important thing is not about perfect living or things that have to go according to plan, but the most important thing for me is to try new things and give yourself new chances; maybe you can be better than you realized.

A.School Profile

School Mission

       The SMP2 Negeri Semarang school wants the best for the students not just in the classroom but also in real life. They enhance the quality of learning through the active way of teaching they teach and train the students in an active way to light their creative thinking in a practical and to have them behave cheerful manner these are the things that the school carried out. They provide extracurricular activities with meaningful and effective quality for the students and nurture the spirit of being superior to all the members of the school both in academic fields and non-academic fields.

To develop the character of the student according to the school mission, the students have to be qualities in their own lives with an honest and polite heart. They don’t forget to be polite and to be responsible. To establish a continuous quality coaching system in the school. The school shows that they are transparent through all the involvement to the school to be credible. To give the loving spirit through their behavior love of motherland and have them know how to be tolerant when they have to face the struggling in their life.

In my opinion, the school mission of SMP2 Negeri School is not just about to develop the students in the school but also, they create the quality population which they can be a quality and powerful force to drive the country in to the way of prosperity and advance. It’s not just about the abilities, because if we create an excellent mindset in the people from, they were young age, then they can grow more beautiful minds themselves. Moreover is not just about that, it’s affects as a big area in the social if you do good things then some people will follow you, therefore the worth investment is the investment with education, I’m not talking about the income or the money but I’m talking about the human resources development by using the school as the fields of growing experiences alongside to the brilliant critical thinking in the proper way of behaviors to each different level of age.

Teaching System

Learning process of SMP2 Negeri in the class they put the students as a center of learning, which has a teacher as a guider. They use the resources learning from Pancasila Education printed books. Which contain the Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations among representatives. Teacher draw the students attention while learning in the class, give the students values to proud of themselves  with excessive creativity and focused on the contents then the teacher can see the results of learning at the end of the class by the students handwork of performance such as mind mapping.

The teacher open wide opportunities for the students to ask or share questions, problems, or ideas, Then the teacher can reflex with the appreciation to correct students and they can share it with their friends in a kind and polite way so their can be positive in a class even they don’t have the right answer but they don’t feel less values in themselves. It’s the process of building their confident in learning.

Extracurricular Activities:

The school provides additional activities outside the class hours. They planned to encourage student’s potential and talent by using the activities that listed in the programs according to condition of school. In SMP2 Negeri School, Extracurricular activities designed by students’ interest and talents. because the school want student to be develop both in the physical and  social interacting.

Academic Support System :

The school know that the students come from different diverse but all of them have the same right to access and obtain the quality of educational services in the school. The process of learning give the precedence as the children centered. So the teacher always know their abilities in teaching by evaluating the students.

SMP2 Negeri produces the students who have the abilities  in able to compete in both national and international stage . It’s the vision that they carried, 1.The target are to understand the balanced and broad of the curriculum , 2.to know how to show the students in guidance by contemporary and successful, to raise the values of nation,cultural, and religious, 3.to give the  knowing of profession abilities to school members. 4.Enlarge self-development activities in choicest, 5. To know sufficient facilities and  essences of educational, 6.To know the attitude that there is always competition in everything in the life and to manage the appropriate school based.

More important thing for me is the support system it’s sense of security with the bullying, they don’t allow it everyone is they  treated equally and no distinction, they upholds gender equality by the strategic such as let the female be the leader of the class and they can join extracurricular activities if they want to join.

The last is Parental support, In this system parents can suggest the suggestions to the school.

B. Pedagogical Contents

1.Teaching methods of the teacher that I observed.

My mentor Mr.Hanung at the school whose I observed the English class for one week use a Genre-Based Approach method to teach the student, he use the content from the book to teach the students, he let the students work in grouping after teach following the content in the book. Then students can provide and share their answer with members in the group.

Then the students come in front and share the present about their work. In the processing of working in group or in the learning session the teacher will open the chance for the students to ask any questions with positive gestures and words.

So if the students want any help they can feel free to ask him to help them solve their problems. The process of teaching emphasizes on the thinking and learning as groups. The teacher wants to increase the participation in each group. Then the atmosphere in the classroom will be more active. Whether the students have the right or wrong answers, they were still treat equally and receive the praise from the teachers and classmates. The teacher don’t show the negative gestures to students, so they don’t afraid to ask.

2.Their learning materials and innovation

-Active learning- Students learning by doing practice.

The teacher let the students search for the information from the Internet and work as group. They used textbooks, sticky note paper and dictionaries.

3.Sources of learning and technology used by the teachers

-Google and Ika Lestari Damayanti, et al. English for Nusantara for Class VII SMP/MTs. 2022. Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.

4.Authentic assessment used by the teachers

-Rubric Scoring in reading, speaking, and writing.

C.Teaching Plan

ENGLISH TEACHING MODULE PHASE D CLASS 7 INDEPENDENT CURRICULUM

By: Kittithat Bophimai NRRU Student under the project of SEA Teacher

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

School name: SMP Negeri 2 Semarang

Subjects: English

Phase and Class: D class 7

Compiler: Kittithat Bophimai NRRU Student

Students: Regular

Learning Approach/Model: Genre Based – Approach

Pancasila Student Profile: Independent, Creative, Critical Reasoning.

B. MAIN COMPONENTS

1. Learning Outcomes - Elements of Outcome: Writing – Presenting

At the end of Phase D, students communicate their ideas and experiences through simple, structured paragraphs, showing progress in the use of specific vocabulary and simple sentence structures related to descriptions of people. Using examples, they plan, write, and present text describing people using simple and compound sentences to construct arguments and explain or defend an opinion.

2. Learning Objectives:

Writing – Presenting

1) Students can identify various types of hobbies and identify their members families.

2) Students can list appropriate vocabulary to describe their hobbies and vocabulary about their families.

3) Students can answer or compose a simple descriptive text to describe someone doing their hobby and their family work.

4) Students can write down and present their hobbies and their families.

5) Students can present their hobbies and their families in front of the class.

3. Total Time Allocation: 2 x 40 Minutes (1Meeting)

4. Sparking Questions:

-What is hobby?

-What is your hobby?

- What do you call an activity that you like to do in your free time?

- How many member in your family?

-Who are they?

-What are they do?

-What are their hobby?

5.Learning activities

MOT

(Modelling of text)

Students are given trigger questions about 'hobby'.

- What activity do you like to do in your free time?

- What do you call an activity that you like to do it in your free time?

-Could you give me some example of hobby?

-How many people in your family?

-Who are they? 

-What do they do ?

-What are their hobbies?

The teacher conveys the Learning Objectives.

Core

Illustrated text is presented, students are asked to study the materials carefully.

Students do exposure to the text presented by the teacher.

JCOT

(Joint Construction of Text)

1. One student come in the front and face to the friends.

2. The rest of the students given hints or gestures by English language .

3.If the students answer correct he/she can choose the next one to come in the front.

THE NEXT ACTIVITIES

1. Have students write their own hobbies and the members of their families.

2. The students write about their own family and their hobbies.

3. Random the students to present.

4. Have the students find words about family from the alphabet table.

Student representatives convey what they have learned today.

Students answer the questions.

6.Source/Material

Source: Ika Lestari Damayanti, et al. English for Nusantara for Class VII SMP/MTs. 2022. Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.

Media: Canva,Devices,Notebooks.

Example of materials

D.Teaching Practice 

I observed the class in SMP2 Negeri for one week. I prepared to teach the students the concept that the best thing about learning is that all the students try to learn and have participants in teaching and learning.

My mentor, Mr. Hanung, told me that not all the students can communicate in English, but if you approach them, they will feel more comfortable, and then it will be easier to deal with the class. So I try to be the teacher who they can easily talk to or ask questions to. I try to let them know that the most important thing is that all members take part in my teaching, and they all learn by trying to cross the wall of language. So am I. Then, when we were trying to reach each other, cooperation happened between us. And that makes the atmosphere so happy.

All the teachers in the school treated us like we were their sons or grandchildren, and I felt since the first day that we'd stayed there that all the people in the school smiled at us, and their body language was like that. They were telling me that this school is your place; please feel free to be here.

So I want to do my job the best, and I want to talk to them in every chance that I have in the most humble and positive way, because I want them to know that I feel really happy being here. They are one big part of helping me so well to adapt myself. So it makes me feel like they are an evergreen part of me in SMP2 Negeri Semarang.

1. Procedures for Teaching

1.1 I greet the students to begin the class. I checked the members, then asked them some simple questions, such as, What did you have for lunch? or Do you know what we are going to learn today?

1.2 Then I let them play some warmup activities, such as guessing the words from the picture, and let them try to speak or answer.

1.3 Then I lead them into the lesson, and after that, I let them come in front and present what they have learned.

1.4 After that, I let them play the activities again, such as finding the vocabulary in the table that I drew.

1.5 When the class finishes all the activities, I review the lesson and ask them what they have learned.

2.Time management and organizing

The time that I have in each class is 40 minutes, so I designed to teach them about 15 minutes; another 15 is for the activities in the class that I designed to let them all join the same activities. It can be at the beginning of the period, after the lesson, or before the class ends, and I will spend 10 minutes giving their feedback and reviewing the lesson and activities that they have done.

3.Classroom management

One of the most important things in teaching is how to control the class. I tested the class 7b, and I know they have some mischievous behavior according to their age. So I decided to use the activity that could make them pay attention as much as possible. I use strategic methods such as randomness by number, choosing the next one to come out.

4. Problem-solving while teaching and staying in the designated school

The first day we went to school, and while we were waiting for the car, we could not find it. Then one of my students, "Wary,” is going home. He walks to me and asks what we are looking for. I show him my phone and say we wait for the Grab. He says I can talk for you. I let him help us, and then the driver could pick us up. From this story that happened since the first day at school, I feel really appreciated.

Even Wary cannot speak English, but he still tried and help me. And that shows me the good things since the first day. There was a day that I had a class. Before my class, I already had my materials, which were Canva, but before my class, the electric went out. At first, I was going to use a white board with a whiteboard marker to teach the students instead, because I thought the electrics were out of control, but I could still teach. But before my class began, I only had a few minutes. The electrics come back, and I feel happy with it and will continue to use my materials,

Also My supervisor Miss Cicik and my mentor Mr.Hanung they are really helpful and kind on me.

I know one thing from this: “things can happen," and if they happen, you just need to keep going and do your part for the best.

Summary and Suggestion

1.1 Purpose of practicum

The purpose that I expected is experience I can gain during practicum both in the class and the days in the school. I want to feel things as much as I can.

1.2 Procedures of practicum

The first and the second week I've observed the class of Mr.Hanung, Then the third and the fourth week I taught the students 4 times a week.

1.3 Outcomes of practicum

The outcomes was very great for me, to learned and get experience how to teach in different language.

1.4 The challenge of practicum

The challenge in my opinion for me is about how to communicate with students when not all students can speak English. but it's not that hard actually. Because we tried to communicate each other both in Indonesian and English. So that's really helpful for us.

1.5 Overall impression

This is quite hard for me honestly, I got impressed almost everything, school, my mentor and supervisor, teachers and students, even the seller at the canteen and especially I really impressed these things. It's not the little things for me all of these gave me very good impact feeling.

1.6 Suggestions for future improvement

To be there for 1 month at SMP2 Negeri, I’ve had so many experiences. Not just about teaching, but the beautiful people I’ve known show their beautiful and kind minds to us; they help us a lot with everything. My student buddies, students, teachers, my supervisor bu Cicik and my mentor, Mr.Hanung, even the seller at the canteen. They are just so wonderful. And to join this project never made me regret it once. Not just about teaching in a different country, but also how could you live in a different society and give good things back when you receive them.

I really appreciate being in this project. It's pushed me to the next level of development. Things come and go in a lifetime, and this is unquestionably one of the most valuable things I've ever possessed. If life is a searching for something, then this is undeniably inestimable one.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this wonderful story. I have no any suggestions for this I just feel it's so priceless.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/95d082_b705378597844f2387bebf8db794a1c5/360p/mp4/file.mp4

Kittithat Bophimai, NRRU, SEA Teacher student batch9.