The document provides a weekly summary of the author's experiences during their teaching practicum. Over three weeks, the author worked to improve their teaching skills, build relationships with students and teachers, and gain valuable experience in managing a classroom. They reflected on strengths and weaknesses, incorporated feedback, and sought to better engage students and enhance lessons. While challenges remained, the author felt their confidence and skills growing as the practicum progressed.

1. Professional statement
Before practicum
On the 10th
July 2013, all the teacher trainees from the PISMP January intake were
called by the Practicum unit regarding our becoming practicum that will be started on
15th
July until 20th
September 2013. Thesetwo months of practicum are the second
practicum for the teacher trainee from the PISMP TESL JANUARY intake 2011
programme.We were given a briefing on the documents that we need during
practicum and what is our focus during the practicum.
After listened to the briefing, there were several questions linger in my mind.
How about the school, the teachers and the pupils in the school? What should I
teach, how to teach English to the pupils if their language proficiency were very
weak? How I want to let them understand my instruction in English. However, I keep
remind myself to be positive and do not put any expectation on that school. I have to
go there with an open heart and mind to learn and gain as much experience that I
could. However, I feel quite ready to face the second practicum because I am able to
picture the true situation during practicum based on my previous practicum.
Thus, my partner and I were going to the school a week earlier to look around
the school and meet a few school staff to get some information about the school
rules and the school culture. Thus, we hope that, during the registration day, we will
not do anything that may be sensitive to the school community. However, I am not
able to meet the school’s principal personally because I gone to the school quite late.
Furthermore, I had met my supervisor lecturera week earlier. During the
meeting, we exchange our numbers and personal information. My supervisor remind
me also to submit my school’s information on the first week of my practicum.
After I did all the preparation for my practicum, now I feel more excited and
nervous to go to the school and hold the title of practical teacher. Moreover, all the
knowledge and experiences I gained in my college were only in theorical aspect.
Thus, I hope, I can use these two months of practicum to apply all the knowledge
that I have during lecture and my first practicum to apply it during my second
practicum. Due to that, I really hope that these two months teaching practice will
equip me with the good qualities that being needed by someone to be called trained
teacher.

2. During practicum
First week
After a week in this school I never thought it will be this tough and tiring. It is
like 180 degree of turning from my college life. The very first time in this school, I
was so pleased that the headmaster to my mentor teacher was very nice to me.
Even though they seem not very prepared to accept us in that school, I can see they
are trying their best to serve us. I am quite pity to the PK HEM because he had do
the PK 1’s work to manage us because the PK 1 was on leave for a week. Plus, that
was the first day of school after a long break. Thus, I can understand why they are
quite busy.
I start my activity in the school by joining the teachers in the assembly. The
theme for that week is ‘Discipline week’. I was mesmerised by the school culture
when the pupils were started to dance while singing the school song. Moreover, the
way they lined-up during the assembly was also a new experience for me. However,
for me, it was a very good idea of asking the pupils to sing and dance while singing
the school song. Besides they can arouse their love toward the school, they can also
enjoy singing it. Lastly, the PK HEM were invited us to introduce ourselves in front of
the pupils.
My first experience walking into class is when I have to replace my mentor
teacher’s class that is Puan Mimi. I am quite blurred on the first day because I really
do not know what I should do. However, I applied my experiences during the SBE to
control the classroom. Firstly, I am doing singing activity in the class 5B. Since then,
I realised that the pupils language proficiency was very weak and even some of them
can’t even spell high frequency words. Hence, I started to plan in my mind what kind
of activity that I can use to cater with their level of language proficiency. I realise this
would be a challenge for me to teach because I need to use many teaching aids to
aid them to understand my lesson.
Then, I also introduce a few class rules to them. One of my rule is they need
to speak English in my class. Suddenly, one of my students, Nabila raise her hand
and said she do not understand English and she cannot speak English. Then, I use
different approach to let them to tolerate with my rule. I am using the direct
translation method where they can speak Malay with me and I will translate it into

3. English and have to repeat after me. I use also Skinner behavioural theory that is I
am using reinforcement. I will use discipline table and if they follow my rule then they
will get reward at the end of the month before I am going out from the school. After a
few days, I can see the changes in the students’ behaviour. Even Nabila the one
who is very shy to speak English at the first day I teach the class, now she is brave
enough to speak English with me. I cannot explain how happy I am when I can see
my students are getting better and want to learn English even they are very weak in
that language.
Then, on Wednesday, we have the Co-curriculum day which I am joining the
school’s Scout. I can see the pupils are excited watching me in my full scout’s
uniform. During the scout’s meeting, I am just shadowing the scout teachers and
learn how to conduct a scout meeting from them. Usually their meeting is not much
different from my scout meeting during my schooldays. Then, the pupils move to the
school field and learn about marching. Here, I get the opportunity to see and learn
how to teach the pupils to march. I never expect that the way the pupils will march.
Firstly, the pupils march very bad and funny. After the teacher teach them the correct
way to march and listen to command, I can see the pupils gradually improve in their
marching towards the end. I did also ask the teacher what I should do if my students
have the same problem in future. Then, the teacher said we cannot expect them to
be perfect at the first meeting. Thus, as a teacher I need to teach them and give a lot
of opportunity for them to practice.
Next, I got also an experience to teach the 2A class. I am teaching the KSSR
and the focus skill for that day was listening and speaking. I am very glad because I
am able to do all the activities that I had planned and the pupils also give a very
positive respond to me. Plus, the pupils were also look very excited when I am using
my teaching aids in the lesson such as picture cards and the hand puppet. However,
one of my learning objectives cannot be achieve because of my own fault. I forgot
my steps and I had skipped a few steps that cause the pupils to confuse. Thus, I
learn that I need to prepare my lesson very well and I will be more concern about the
steps that I had plan because I do not want this problem to happened again in future.
When it comes to Friday, I feel like time flies very fast. Suddenly I had come
to the end of my first week of practicum. My lecturer came to the school for her social

4. visit. However, I started my glorious Friday with a misunderstanding with my mentor
teacher. I feel very sad and frustrated because I do not prepare anything to teach the
year 5 B yet because I thought I can do shadowing with my mentor teacher before I
teach the class. however, this is my fault too. I do not inform my mentor teacher
earlier that I want to shadowing her and she thought I will enter the class and start
teaching the pupils. Thus, after this, I wanted to have more conversation with my
mentor teacher and I will move on and will learn from my mistakes and I do not want
to let it happened again in future.
Lastly, I end my week in that school by reflecting myself. I had list a few
weaknesses and what I should do to overcome the problems. These are my
weakness that I can identify and few suggestions that I can do to overcome the
problems. Plus, I list also all the strength that I can identify and I will use it wisely in
my teaching in future.
Strengths Weakness
Have I
learned
from the
mistakes?
1) Use interesting
teaching aid
-picture card
-songs
-hand puppet
2) Set rules earlier and let
the pupils know my
style
3) Have a good
relationship will all
teachers
1) Do not meet mentor teacher and discuss about
my task during the practicum
2) Do not write my reflection everyday
3) Do not wrap my record book
4) Do not fill all the form that I need for the
practicum
5) Mess up all my forms and document
6) Do not do my weekly and monthly S.O.W
7) Cannot remember all my students’ name
8) Do not assertive enough to discipline my
students. I have to be more strict in applying my
rule
9) Come late to class
10)Do not practice the pupils to work in group
11)Do not know how to give attention to all pupils

5. evenly
12)Do not complete my portfolio
- Professional statement
What I should do to overcome the problem? Done
1) Be more organise – buy separator to keep all my documents and file
2) Come to class 5 minute earlier
3) Set a date to meet my mentor and prepare a file for her to put all my
documents that she will needed
4) Write my reflection every day before I go back
5) Wrap my record book
6) Fill all the form that I need for the practicum
7) Prepare weekly and monthly SOW
8) Prepare a name tag to be put on each pupil’s table
9) Do not bias and be more strict in applying my rule
10) Practice the pupils to work in group – a mix ability group
11)Give attention more evenly – do not bother little misbehaviour
12) Do my professional statement

6. Second week of practicum
The second week ended very fast. Now, after two weeks, I was quite
comfortable with the school environment. I could feel that I could work smoothly and
my relationship with the pupils was starting to establish. However, my confidence in
teaching still not satisfied me. I could feel that I lost in developing my lesson.
I do not know why I feel like I never learn anything in my college. Not to say,I
am among the top students in my class. However, when it comes to applying what I
had learn, I felt like drawing in a big sea. My big concern was to my year 5 pupils. I
am sorry for them for not being a good teacher and I was not creative as my partner.
I saw her bringing her big teaching aids every day for her pupils. Thus, I need to
learn from her and this week, I have my own target. I want to use teaching aids like
pocket chart and substitution table to teach my pupils in writing.
Furthermore, this week I gain a new experience. That is how to manage my
pupils during the fire drill. Even though I had experience fire drill before, it is different
now because I become the teacher. I need to ensure my pupils are safe. For me, it is
quite scary to manage the pupils during fire drill because they tend to injurt when
running down the stairs. However, all my pupils are safely arrived at the field and
they really enjoy watching the fireman performance.
This week also was my first observation by my mentor teacher. She really
helped in improving my teaching because she told all my weakness and strength in
my teaching. I have to be open minded and receive her comment positively. Thus, I
feel really lucky to have a mentor teacher who willing to help me as a teacher
student. I hope, I can learn more from her while I am in this school.
Beside all the great moment in that school for this week, I am quite sad with
some of the teachers during the fire drill. This is because, I am the only teacher who
use umbrella to cover myself from the hot sun. This is not what I want but I have to
do it for my own good. I am a SLE patient and have to protect myself from the UV
light because it can cause me to sick. Then, I feel like they are insulting me because
of I am using the umbrella, one of the male teacher call me to remove the fire.
Seriously, I feel really disappointed to them. But then, I just ignore them and just do
my work because I believe they will stop talking after I left out the school.

7. Hence, I really hope I can get a better idea on how to improve my teaching
and I hope I can be strong enough to face this last two weeks in the practicum month
and enjoy myself very much being a practical teacher.

8. Third week of practicum
This short week ended very fast. The biggest change that I could feel was my
level of confidence to teach. However, I just have another week left before I end my
practical for this semester. How I really hope I could have a longer time in this school
to correct all my mistakes in teaching in this three weeks back.
In teaching, I could feel my teaching skill was still very weak and a lot of
things that I need to improve. For example, my teaching strategy that I found really
dry and have to creativity. Thus, my target was I wanted to read the 500 activities
book from my friends and get a look any activities that suit in my 5B classroom
activities. Plus, I need to improve my portfolio too. Compared to my partner, she was
really efficient in her work and I need to learn from her.
I also feel very happy being in this school since I could feel my relationship
with my mentor teacher were getting better and we have a lot of conversation. I was
really thankful for having her, as my mentor teacher because she really wanted to
help me to get good grades for my practical. Hence, after all, it depends on my ability
to teach because there were no more barriers for me to give my best in teaching.
Moreover, I had had my PR1 observation with my mentor teacher last Tuesday. My
teaching was gone out very badly and as a result, I had very bad grades in my PR1.
Deep in my heart, I am quite disappointed with the marks. But, I know that was my
own mistakes and I deserved to get that marks. After the PR1, I have a meeting with
my mentor teacher and I accept all her comments with an open heart as I am still
learning and all the comments could help to improve my teaching skill in future.
After I have my PR1 with my mentor teacher, I have my PR1 with my lecturer
on the next day. I am quite glad because of the comments that given by my mentor
teacher had made me realise my mistakes and I am able to correct my mistake in
the PR1 session with my lecturer. As a result, I got a much better marks for my
teaching and I really happy for that. Even though there were a few weaknesses in
my teaching, I always believe that there were always a room for improvement.
Hence, I hope I could improve my teaching strategy and be a better teacher in future.

9. Moreover, I think this week was a special week for me because the school’s
action song team was won in the Language Carnival that had been held in my
school. I felt very proud of all my pupils whom I help Madam Chin to trained them
and I feel satisfied because I had contribute something good for the school while I
am in the school.
Besides teaching wise, I could feel that there were conflicts between my
friends and I, the practical teachers with some of school teachers. The issue was
about the air-conditioning in the staffroom. I could feel the double standard that
happened to us because we were not allowed to turn on the air-conditioner before
10. However, all the teachers in the staffroom use the air-cond at their place since
the morning till the evening. I am quite sad for this to happen. We were human too
and we need to be in the stuffy air in the staffroom while they could enjoy the cold air
at their place. Why there must be double standard in the same human being? Plus,
they were not the one whom needs to pay for the bills. So, I am really disappointed
to some of the teachers’ attitude in that school.
In conclusion, I really enjoy myself in the school this week and I could feel the
time flies very fast until I do not even realise it has come to the end of the week.
Thus, I hope I could improve on my weakness and enjoy myself whilst I am in the
school. Plus, I really hope that I could have a much better grade for my second PR1
with my mentor teacher and the PR2 with my lecturer and my mentor teacher.
Amiin..