Observing Week : Day 3 "Fun Classes"

August 15th, 2018

Third day of my observation week, today I was observed 4 classes because I was skip the second period.

The first period, I and Mam Esie entered the 9-SJF class. Because we already met before so they look more comfortable than before with my presence. First activity must be pray before the class began and after that the teacher check the attendance of the students.

Started the class, the teacher let the student know the topic the will learn and the objectives of they learn that topic. The topic they will learn was about “Law Exponent Zero and Negative Exponent” and the objective was “apply the law of positive integral exponent to zero and negative integral exponent”.

Discussing section, 9-SJF Class

First thing Mam Esie did was gave the questions to the students and asked them to made a partner so they will answer the questions with their partner. When I observed them while they answer the questions, they looked busy communicated each other with their partner discussing the problems. Once in while they also asked the teacher or other friend although he/she not their own partner even they asked me J, it’s mean that there were student just comfort and only understood to asked their friend or just asked the teacher or asked anybody that will help them. I think that was positive thing that showed the student not feeling shy or feeling prestige to asked other people. After the time over to answer the questions, Mam Esie asked representative of each group to answer one question in front of the class by write it on the board for one group. Then, after all the representative of the group wrote the answers, the teacher with the student check it and corrected the answers together. To ensure the comprehension of the student, the teacher gave them individual exercise. They did the exercise individually and at the end they have to collected that to  the teacher although the score will be not recorded but that will be showed how far the comprehension of the students. Because of time the first period was over, so Mam Esie ended the class after they collected their work also gave them assignment and praying. This day, Mam Esie asked me to help her to check the answer of the individuals exercise that done by 9-SJF class. I was happy that she believe me to help her.

The students answer the question in front of the class, 9-SJF Class

After the first period, I had chance talked  a lot with Mam Esie. She asked me how about the class after I observed it also asked me about the the idea that may be I could share to made the student could easily understood about the materials. Then I said to her that so far the class that I’ve entered was so fine, I was excited to see them when they active and always took part in the class. It’s mean that they enjoy the subject and can accepted the material although sometimes they still little confused with the material that they learnt about.

Besides that, we were also talking about little part of education system between Indonesia and Philippines. Such as how long the time they have holiday and the period time they start the school, about the curriculum, lesson plan, about the assessment, also about the lesson they do in a week. From Mam Esie information and her explanation, I could compared it with the Indonesia education system. It was interesting to know the other country education system, all at once it can be my new knowledge that other people don’t know. So I could just share it through this blog  J.

When the second period came, we entered 9-BJHS class. Little bit different with the first class we entered, if in the first class the teacher gave them directly exercise to answer with their partner but in this class the teacher firstly recall the law of exponent with question answer section, so Mam Esie gave the question to the student orally about the the law of exponent.  The strategy also unique, before she gave the question she asked the students to stood up from their seat and who’s could answer it then the teacher let them sat back. She showed the questions on the small sheet. It was interesting idea to make the student compete to answer the questions. After interesting section and made the students excited, the teacher gave them back individual exercise to see how far their comprehension. Then they check it together with their teacher.

9-BJHS Class, Question Answer Section

In the third period, that was 9-FAB class. The first time I came to this class, so I introduced myself to the student. Mam Esie also recall the law of exponent to this class but little different. Mam Esie directly asked them to make group that consist five or six person one group. Then Mam Esie approached each group to ask the question that she had prepared on the small sheet that she had use before in 9-BJHS class. Mam Rita also asked me to helped her to did what she did. It was fun, I had interaction and communication with the students, I tried to help them how to answer it if they still confused by gave them the clues. Then after recall the material, Mam Esie gave them the individual exercise. The same like other classes, they will checked it together and corrected when their answers was wrong.

9-FAB Class, Question Answer Section

Last Period was in 9-SCB class. In this class, Mam Esie gave them quick exercise. When Mam Esie showed the some questions on the small sheet they have to answer it quickly by raise their hand. After this section done, Mam Esie also gave them exercise that they will answer it with their partner or their seatmate. When the times over, so Mam Esie asked them to  write the answer on the board and check it together all at once.

For the third day in my observing day, I concluded that sometimes we couldn’t used the same strategy to teach the students because their comprehension level was different. Also from what I observed Mam Esie focus on to made them understood by gave them exercises. Because she thought that the way you could understood mathematics was by always practice to answer the exercises. From the first day I observed the classes the teacher less on used the technology but actually my mentor was used other media that easier to used it and it could made the students took part of the activity that given by the teacher.