Week 1
10 July 2011 – 14 July 2011


It was a start of our practical training in SK Chabang Empat, Tumpat with my peer, Raba’atul Shahera. We reached the school at about 7.20 a.m. and met the Penolong Kanan 1, Ms. Pauziah Abd. Rahman at about 7.30 a.m. As we expected, a little misunderstanding happened due to our situation of practical venue exchange with our other two colleagues. It seemed that the Unit Praktikum did not inform them about the exchange as she seemed a little surprise with our presence as two ladies while she expected two gentlemen. We explained the situation to her and she understood.

After a few minutes of briefing, Ms. Pauziah invited us to join the assembly. We sat on the front row of the teachers’ seating. It was a long assembly. It ended at about 9 a.m. The teacher on duty reminded the pupils about the class cleaning. She also reminded them about the Program Bulan Membaca Julai 2011. All pupils should have a book in their hand to be read when they are in the school area. The pupils are also reminded about the suitability of their Physical Education (PE) attire. She reminded them that they can only wear black or blue-black track bottom with school t-shirt or white plain t-shirt and sport shoes or school shoes for the PE attire.

Then, Sir Maloni Wesley Matupang announced to the audience of the sports that are going to be held next week. Sukantara for Year 4, 5, and 6 will be held on 19 July 2011 on Tuesday. Pesta Sukan for Year 1, 2, and 3 and Field Tournament for Year 4, 5, and 6 will be held on 20 July 2011 on Wednesday. Sports trainings will be held this week at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. He then read the schedule for the trainings according to the sports’ teams.

After the assembly, the PK 1 asked us to wait for a moment while she looked for an empty space for us in the staff room. After she found one, she invited us to our table. Me and my peer shares a table as other tables are engaged with other teachers. We met other teachers and introduced ourselves to them. We mingled with some of them.

After a few moments, the PK1 asked us to follow her to meet the headmaster of the school, Encik Che Awang bin Che Mat. Along with us was our mentor, Ms. Parah Zahani bin Ab. Wahab. We discussed about our timetables in the headmaster’s room. Ms. Pauziah handed over our temporary timetables. She said that they were not really clear with the timetable allotment to us. Therefore, Ms. Parah will need to attend the mentoring course first before they could give us our fixed timetables. For a time being in our first week, we will be replacing Ms. Parah’s English classes, which are Year 5A and Year 1D. We informed them that we should probably not to accept any Year 1 and Year 6 classes. They agreed as it would only be temporary. Ms. Pauziah and Encik Che Awang also agreed if we need to perform pair teaching for this week.

We also told them about our minor class – Science. They seemed surprised as they told us that they have no idea about that. We explained to them about the minimum and maximum periods we can accept for a week, which includes English and Science classes. Ms. Pauziah then said that for our first week, we will only be teaching English classes. I have been assigned with Year 5A, while my peer will be with Year 1D.

On Monday, 11 July 2011, we have started our class sessions. As for me, I do not have any classes with Year 5A. Raba’atul Shahera had to attend her Year 1D class. I joined her for our pair teaching. We have been informed by Ms. Parah that those students are hyper kids.

The class was at 11.30 a.m. until 12.30 p.m. Before that, we have prepared our teaching materials where we planned to teach them names of fruits. Ms. Parah was right indeed. The kids are very hyperactive. They ran around the classroom, disturbing their classmates, jumping on the chairs and tables. We tried our best to control the class. But two of us can only control only half of the class. We tried the strict manner, they did not listen. We made our fierce voices; they played tags with their friends. We instructed them smoothly, they played plastic bottle soccer at the back of the class. I guess we need to read more on pedagogy for hyperactive kids.

One more thing. The kids complained to us that one of them had pooped in pants. I walked around and found out that it happened on a girl. I asked her if she had another clothes. She said no. Since the day was about to end up, I asked her to hold on. I can see tears in her eyes. I believe that her other classmates teased her badly.

I observed that they were streamed into three groups; the bright group, the moderate group, and the slow group. I am not trying to be biased here, but I can see that the slow group appreciate our lesson much better than the others. They did not make much noise. They approached us every time they have any questions or need anything. I feel grateful that such kids exist in that class.

On Tuesday, it was time for my first class. But first, I joined my peer, Shahera for a pair teaching in Year 1D class at 11.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. As expected, it was chaotic as usual. We did our best to control the class and perform our teaching and learning activities as planned. We taught them some names of fruits.

Then, at 12.30 p.m. to 1.00 p.m., I entered my first class in Year 5A. I supposed to enter the class at 12.30 p.m. But the previous teacher of the class only got out from the class at 12.45 p.m. Therefore, I only have very limited time to proceed with my lesson. Since it was my first class, I did an ice-breaking session with the pupils along with my peer. The time left was only sufficient for me to conduct the lesson up to Step 2. I have decided to redo the whole session the next day.

Nothing much happened on Wednesday. I and my peer went to my class of Year 5A at 8.10 a.m. to 8.40 a.m. I was a little surprised to see the total of the pupils that was reduced into almost half. I asked them where were the rest of the class. They said that they have gone to a visit to Terengganu as they are librarians and the visit is for them. It was a 2-day visit which include tomorrow.

As planned, I redo the whole session that was supposed to be completed on Tuesday. It was about ‘Inventions’. Everybody gave full cooperation to the lesson. The girls were a lot faster in completing their exercises compared to the boys. I urged the boys to move much faster.

At 11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., I and my peer went to Year 1D class. As expected, it was chaotic as usual. We did our best to control the class and perform our teaching and learning activities as planned. We taught them about colours and performed some group activities. We prepared letter cards, jumbled them up and asked them to arrange the letter cards to form words on colours. Then, we asked them to paste the letter cards on a flip paper that we have provided.

On Thursday, I and my peer started our day with Year 1D class. As expected, it was chaotic as usual. We did our best to control the class and perform our teaching and learning activities as planned. We still taught them about colours and performed some group activities. We gave each of them a piece of paper and asked them to write the colour words on the paper.

At 11.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m., I entered Year 5A class. As planned, I continue yesterday’s lesson that was about ‘Inventions’. Everybody gave full cooperation to the lesson. Some of the pupils were very fast in completing the exercise given. Some of them were pretty slow. I advised them to focus on their works rather than sit around and stare at the book.