SUMMARY & SUGGESTIONS

My participation in the pre-service teacher student exchange programme of SEAMEO was primarily motivated by the drive to gain necessary skills and experience to polish pre-existing knowledge.

 

This practicum was met with utmost preparation, open-mindedness, and flexibility. It all began with two days of observation—establishing a sense of the cycle and culture of the practicum school at which I was deployed. And for the subsequent three weeks, the actual teaching practicums were executed. Each practicum, sharing similar structure had a 5-minute recall or motivational activity, a 35-minute lesson proper, and a 20-minute assessment of each learner in regards to their pace in the lesson as it was delivered.

 

Primary challenges during the practicum were language barrier and the polarity in classroom culture in comparison to what is familiar in the Philippine setting. These however, have been adapted to and have been overcome as the programme progressed.

 

In its entirety, this cultural exchange programme has been a profound experience. This time away from the fast-pace day-to-day life of a Filipino student has been a complete refresh. Engaging with locals of a foreign land, experiencing astonishing cultural immersions, basking in the beauty of a majestic country, experiencing the workplace in a totally alien place, and—without regrets—trying authentic and delectable food in Indonesia all remain as pieces to an experience of a lifetime.