REFLECTIONS ON THE FIELD STUDY AREAS OBSERVED

in the lenses of a pre-service teacher

Instruction: You were deployed to your assigned school to see what teaching is in the actual classroom. This experience is integral in aligning instruction and theory with what the real classroom demands. With that, write a reflection paper about the five biggest lessons you’ve learned during your observation. Touch on different areas of the teaching profession such as classroom management practices, building rapport with students and parents, preparing for the class, relating with colleagues, etc. Your reflection paper must not be less than 300 words.

The teacher is a tailor that measures the unique contours of students to create a perfect fit for instructional strategies. Just as a tailor takes pride in creating a suit that perfectly fits and flatters their client, teachers take pride in creating instructional strategies that perfectly fit and challenge their students. Just as a good tailor acquires resources and garments across borders, the teacher also asks for support from his colleagues, the parents, and the community. Hence, during my classroom observation experience at Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School (DVRMNHS), I gained valuable insights and enlightenment.

Among all the things I learned, the first lesson I realized is that the actual learning process starts with classroom management From a simple direction of “Tayo ay manalangin”, “Iayos ang inyong mga upuan” to “Keep your things from your desk aside from your notebooks and pen”, I learned from my observation experience that classroom management begins with establishing a routine in the classroom through providing direct and simple instructions.

Meanwhile, the second biggest lesson is about building bridges with your students. Just as a garden requires sunlight and water to thrive, students require positive relationships with their teachers to grow and flourish academically and emotionally. For me, establishing relationships with students is like being a gardener. You prepare the soil which is the classroom through management. Then, you water them with praise and attention to create a supportive classroom environment. Like a gardener, a teacher must also be patient and flexible, willing to adapt to the changing needs of their students and the unique challenges of each growing season. For this instance, the prevalence of technology as a postpandemic consequence and the sudden shift to modular due to summer’s heat. While establishing a positive relationship with your students matter, you should do so in a manner that makes them understand boundaries.

Thirdly, as I have observed in the faculty room, I learned that a teacher should have a good connection with her colleagues. Aside from the break, it gives you comedic chatters, you can also know your students better since students and matters around the classroom are often the hot topics discussed by a faculty of educators. Moreover, your colleagues can share ideas, resources, and best practices, collaborate on lesson planning, and provide valuable feedback and support. Having a good relationship with colleagues also promotes a culture of trust and respect, which can help to reduce stress and create a sense of community within the school. The success of a school depends on the quality of the relationships between its teachers. When teachers work together as a team, they can create a learning environment that is both effective and enjoyable for their students.

To create a beautiful symphony, each teacher has a unique instrument and role to play. Together, they create a harmonious and powerful sound that resonates with the realization of the school's vision and mission.

The fourth biggest lesson that is marked in my mind is the importance of making the physical environment of the classroom conducive to learning. Just as a warm and welcoming home can make us feel relaxed and at ease, a comfortable classroom can help students to feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. I have seen how students are distracted from having to furiously fan themselves and some removing their Polos to beat the heat.

Lastly, the fifth lesson is the importance of tailoring and consistently readjusting your teaching strategies and not depending on the learning theories I have learned. The theories and concepts about the teaching-learning process I learned for the past years seemed to be too idealistic and hard to realize. In practice, these theories and facts may not reflect the complexities and realities of actual classroom environments. The diverse needs an backgrounds of students, the influence of external factors such as culture, socioeconomic status, and politics, as well as the limitations of time and resources, can all make it difficult to apply these theories practically. While teaching theories and concepts may not always be directly applicable in every classroom situation, they can provide a valuable foundation for understanding the principles of effective teaching and making informed decisions.