EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED: THE REALITY OF TEACHING

BY LALAINE ANTIGO

Stepping foot into the gates of reality, it was not what I expected to see or feel

One of the reasons teachers chose the teaching profession is to pour out their passion for the learners and the school It is not easy to imagine how this objective will be achieved when you are still learning about the course you are taking, much less when you are bombarded with academic and co-curricular activities Fortunately, one of the prerequisites before graduating with a teaching degree is the Internship course. What about it? What should you expect (or not expect)?

In this course, graduating students are tasked with experiencing teaching firsthand with actual student-to-teacher interactions, discussion of lessons, preparation of teaching and learning activities, monitoring student progress, and conducting assessments, among others All of these are, of course, done with the guidance of cooperating teachers assigned to each student-teacher

Excitement and nervousness are just part of the cacophony of feelings you will experience the moment you enter your first class. All of the students’ eyes will be on you as soon as you enter the classroom because you will be a new sight to them. Nevertheless, rest assured that they will treat you as they treat their current subject teacher While most students will do so, expect that some will not There will be duty These, plus the local and final demonstrations, are what you need to prepare for. Take note that submitting these requirements, being in the school to teach, and submitting other things required by the school or cooperating teacher will most probably take place while you are attending another subject after your internship hours Believe me when I say that that will not be easy However, if your heart is filled with passion and love for the teaching profession, then not even these things will hinder you in your path.

It is true that teaching is the noblest profession Even though many think that this field is not as difficult as claimed, only those who personally experienced it in practice would know how challenging it is Thanks to teaching internship, I can consider myself as one of the few who braved the calling to become a teacher. Through this experience, one would realize that teachers are indeed underrated for their hard work and the efforts they exert just to impart knowledge and instill values to learners

So, for those who aim to become teachers in the future, my advice is to push through be brave enough to face the challenges and strong enough to survive them all Your future students need you in their lives, and the future is counting on you to keep education alive.