If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job. ~Donald D. Quinn
Teaching is leaving a vestige of oneself in the development of another. And surely the student is a bank where you can deposit your most precious treasures. ~Eugene P. Bertin
INTRODUCTION
In the month of December of 2009, Samtse College of Education sent the trainees to various schools for teaching practice till mid-term examination. I got the placement at Peljorling Middle Secondary School, which is in Sipsu, Samtse dzongkhag to teach the students to get experiences in teaching field. Our government considers the education as an important root for the developmental activities. If we ask ‘What is school?’ to anyone, the answer would be definitely ‘school is the place where the learners come to learn and teachers teach them. But I would say that it is not only that but they to learn how to interact and participate in the co- curricular activities where they learn the whole some education. Teaching as a profession is precious to every individual because it is updating the knowledge in every second.
Teaching practice (T.P) gives us an opportunity to explore and experience real classroom situation, under the guidance and moral support of the principal and an associate teacher. During the six months of teaching practice we experience so many things which are important in our teaching profession and also got lots of benefits from the school learning many valuable moralities.
Therefore, I enjoyed every second of my teaching practice. It is we, the teachers’ responsible to educate the learners (tomorrow’s nation builder) and glorify the future of nation builders in our country. So from here I will talk about what I taught, how I taught them and what are the experiences and contributions to the school.
Brief History of my teaching practice school
The present Peljorling Middle Secondary School is located on top of a raised land of Pinjuli village of Sipsu Gewog under Sipsu Dungkhag. It is connected by a 250 meter feeder road from Samtse-Tendu highway.
The school was first established on January 15, 1959 as a community private school. It was run
in a hut in Pinjule. Sipsu Junior School (locally known as Gola) is a bit far away from Pinjuli Village. It was difficult for children to attend school. So, the community people arrived at a common agreement to established school.
This school was shifted to the present location in 1960 with classes from Lower Kg to class II. The school was further upgraded to a fully-fledged primary school in 1962 with the initiative of Lyonpo Dawa Tshering. The government then appointed teachers to the school.
The school has to close down in 1990 due to the political unrest in south. However on April 4, 1992 the school re – opened as a primary school. The school was upgraded to Lower secondary School in 2003.
The first head teacher/teachers at the time of establishment of the school in 1959 were Mr. Laxmin Prasad Ghimirey, a resident of Ghumaney. He was appointed by the community. The Community paid him in cash or kind monthly.
The first head teacher after reopening of the school in 1992 was Mr. Tadin Dorji. He served school till1996. He was succeeded by Mr. Jamyang in 1997. He served for two years till 1998. He was again succeeded by Mr. Bumpa Tsheriing who joined the school in 1997. The present principal is Mr. Sonam Jamtsho.
The school is benefiting the village of Pinjuli, Girigoan, Belbotay, Hangay, Sabbotey and Jogimara.
In 1992, there were 98 students and 6 teachers. Since then, the student and teacher strength has grown drastically. Today there are 1900 students and 54 teachers. Besides school has 12 supporting staff. The school greatly benefits the children of RBA, RBP, Civil servants, re-settlers and three large gewogs of Sipsu, Biru and Lhareni.
The school over the years has developed good infrastructural facilities. It has permanent or semi-permanent buildings. The three gewogs have constructed two-three unit semi-permanent structures between 2000 & 2004 on cost sharing. This is to ease class room shortage in the school.
VISION OF THE SCHOOL
The school has a vision to ensure quality wholesome education through optimum utilization of resources available to produce responsible citizens.
The school shall strike to impart education relevant to the needs of our times and equip our learners with knowledge, skills and values prepare them for the service to the king, country and the people (Tsawa Sum).
MISSION OF THE SCHOOL
The school strives in pursuit of building a school culture that has at its core, academic excellence, and value education system, professional and collaborative leadership.
FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL
We arrived at our placed school before 10th February, 2010 to settle ourselves. It was two hour journey from Samtse town to Sipsu. The journey was very interesting, in fact, it was quite fun to travel with friends.
The very first day at school on 10th February, we went to Principal’s office and the day started with welcoming three of us to Peljorling Middle Secondary School. After having introduced with him, he introduced to our focal person Mr. Karma T. Gyal and then he escorted us into the staff room and asked about our subjects. Then he introduced us to our Associate Teacher and I talked with my AT about my elective subjects and help needed from them. Then, the next day on 11th I started making the yearly plan with the guidance from my associate teacher and in the afternoon we attended the short teacher’s meeting about time table and school rules and regulations. On the 15th February , students reported to school and in the gathering, principal welcomed all the students and teachers irrespective of new or old teachers to the new academic session 2010 and also we were introduced to the students and teaching faculty. When I saw about more than one thousand and nine hundred pairs of eyes staring at us, hungry for knowledge, and my heart beat became faster. But I took it as a challenge. It was a battle I had to fight and win by any means. We could not start our teaching until the end of birth Anniversary of 5th King, Druk Gyalpo Jigme Kheser Namgay Wangchuk. Only on 25th February our teaching started. In the very first class as a saying goes, prevention is better than cure I told them some ground rules and to get the cooperation from them I told them “I am a simple, friendly and frank teacher, so feel free and be open in my class. Never hesitate to raise any questions and clarifications in the odd hours. If I know I will clear you then and there but if I don’t know I will ask some other teachers and help you. To make our teaching and learning meaningful and effective, your cooperation and participation is very essential”. This indeed had a great impact on the students and paved the way for the success of my teaching practice. At first I was nervous and quit excited to face the challenges of teaching life. I feel that teaching practice is the motivation for the trainee teachers where we could experience real classroom situations and we get the chance to practice the teaching skills, teaching methods, and teaching strategies that we had learnt in the institute. I felt that more than the problems, it was a benefits and rewarding experiences to us.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As someone has rightly said “The teacher is the role model for the students” and I worked hard to prove this statement true. Right after the arrival to the school I eased the burden of my Associate teacher as I was taking his subjects and also some other works like collecting the fee and filling up the form. Since I was shouldering the responsibilities of subject teacher and it was a sincere challenge because I was responsible for every success and failure of the students. Since I taught his subjects and took over his half of responsibility, in every field I was guided and got due moral supports from him. Beside this I was also a subject teacher of class VIII A teaching Science and Physics in three sections IX A, IX B and IX D.
I also enjoyed being myself a assistant house master of Tango House. There were many co – curricular activities coming up since it was the first half of the academic session. Being a assistant house master I showed enthusiasm to take part in every bit of activities held in the school, that is I steered and guided my house members with the help of my house master Mr. Nima Tshering. I supervised the morning cleaning work. I geared every morning for this work and made sure that the area under my share was kept neat and clean. Besides that on Saturday’s right after 3rd period we are supposed to do the social work in our respective areas, there also I supervised the work.
During the club hours, that is every Wednesday from 3: 15 pm to 4: 30 pm, since I was a club coordinator of cross – stitch and knitting club. I and two other senior teachers go there and whatever we knew we taught them and I feel that I have imparted some knowledge other than bookish knowledge.
On April 25th the cultural night was held in the school, it was not exactly a cultural night but it was an awareness of some health issues. It was a colorful event and those times provided me the opportunity to handle the cheerful crowd in a convenient manner. Thinking of that merry moment and the sound of the clapping hands from the crowd are the moment to be cherished in future because those times taught me how linked is the school administration with the community.
Apart from those mentioned above we also carried out the roles of teacher on duty. The very first T.O.D in the school is carried out by Principal, vice principal and followed by teacher colleagues. The very first role of T.O.D amongst the trainee teacher was carried out by our friend Mr.Sonam Tobgay, followed by myself and the last roles was carried out by our friend Ms.Kunzang Wangmo. Being a T.O.D we have to look after all the matters that are happening for the whole day. That is from morning assembly till evening prayer and when there are co-curricular activities.
Not only these we also played a role of permanent teachers like we attended the meetings, helped serving during the school Rimdro, in the school sport day and so on.
EXPERIENCE FROM TEACHING PRACTICE
I felt that teaching Practice is the most important practice that trainee teachers required to undergo in real classroom situation before becoming a full- fledged teacher. Although we had very little experience of teaching that was gained during our apprenticeship but I came to know that wasn’t enough. We learn and become expert through our experiences. So, during this six months period of teaching practice I learnt many things, in particular teaching methods, teaching strategies and dealing with the students. In the beginning, I was quite afraid and nervous to introduce myself to the senior teachers and to face the crowed and teach in the class. Later on as we mingled with the school staff and shared our enthusiasm in the work we do, we are in general very proud our profession. Sharing our views and seeking help from the senior teachers really helped me to arm and equip me with various Strategies and measures to take myself into this profession.
To be frank, I felt like crying when students performed very low in the Physics test. At that time, I felt that work of teacher is not an easy job. It required all the good qualities in front of the students and need to know all the things that students expect. Sometime even though I knew, I got confused in front of the students when there was observer and felt so much embarrassment, and again not to happened same things I used to prepare a lot. Sometime I felt satisfaction when students understood the lesson, if not, I used to teach again. Even though I faced lots of difficulty, I took it as a challenge in developing my career. I enjoyed every moment with the students teaching them and learning myself from them as well as from the senior teachers.
In the beginning, I felt lots of problems but later on I could do away with all these teaching barriers-shyness, stage fright. Thought it is very difficult to justify how far I have been successful in the work I did but those days which I spent with the students were meant to be counted. From them I learned the concept of friendship between students and teachers. One important lesson I learnt was that methods and strategies for teaching lower class and higher classes is different.
This teaching practice gave me the kind of satisfaction and confident. It leads me to think positively whether it was good or bad situation, it was my part of learning experience in the journey of teaching career.
This five months teaching practice prepared me to become a confident teacher and I got full satisfaction in teaching practice that I underwent. I made best use of available teaching resources in the school to teach the students effectively and also got good support from Principal sir Mr.Sonam Jamtsho, Focal person Mr. Karma T Gyal ,my associate teacher Mr. Dawa Tshering and Mr. P.I Raja and other senior teachers and non teaching staff. They provided me teaching materials and guided me to become a good leader in the future times to come.