1st Year Teaching Experience
Subject Teacher
Academic Year 2018—2019
St. Joseph’s School of Mactan Barangay
Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City
Teaching Load
·
Junior High School Araling Panlipunan
8 (Kasaysayan ng Daigdig)
·
Junior High School Araling Panlipunan
10 (Konteporaryong Isyu)
·
Senior High School (Humanities and
Social Sciences)
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Discipline and Ideas in Social
Sciences
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Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social
Sciences
-
Philippine Politics and Governance
-
Introduction to World Religions and
Belief Systems
-
Understanding Culture, Society, and
Politics
School Organization Handled
·
Social Studies Club Moderator
Prelude to SJSM
To
start my teaching journey, I have applied to some schools in Cebu City, Mandaue
City, and Lapu-Lapu City. The journey isn’t an easy one because I have to
prepare my resume, certificates, and other documents needed to impress the
schools where I wish to work. The interviews I have with universities and small
schools are the first steps in my journey to become a teacher who aspires to
teach social studies. Some of the schools have requested me to do demonstration
teaching after my interviews. However, among the schools that I chose to do my
demonstration was my alma mater school, which is St. Joseph’s School of Mactan.
Choosing SJSM over a university school to teach has something to do with my
neophyte experience in teaching and practicality. I have never taught before,
and SJSM was my alma mater, so adjusting to the physical and social environment
will be easier than at the university that wanted me to teach. SJSM is a better
option since it is near to where I lived.
The First Touch
It's strange doing my demo for the first time in SJSM
because I'm doing it in front of my former high school instructor. Despite my
lack of experience and lack of LP in my initial demo, I was recruited. After
that, I have to conduct interviews with the new school principal and work on
the job specifications.
Meeting the Teachers of SJSM 2018-2019
Meeting the teachers at SJSM for the first time was thrilling as it allowed me to learn more about the field. Despite the fact that the majority of the teachers were recent graduates and younger than me, I was hopeful that I would gain valuable experience in the classroom.
June and The Start of the School Year
The school day has commenced, and students are now making their way through the gates to meet their peers and teachers. My first class was in SHS HUMSS, and the experience of entering a classroom as a teacher for the first time was exhilarating. The prospect of instructing social studies filled me with excitement, and introducing myself to my students and getting to know them during our initial meeting was just the start of my journey as an educator. It was a joy to discuss with my fellow teachers their own experiences with the students during their first encounters. Teaching is a collaborative endeavor that encompasses not only the actual work but also the spiritual and psychosocial aspects.
The Beginning of Actual Teaching
The honeymoon phase of teaching has come to an end, and the reality of the profession has set in. Working on my first lesson plan and other paperwork has been a confusing and stressful experience, feeling akin to a baptism by discouragement. This sentiment is shared not only by me but also by my fellow novice teachers and even the tenured ones. The paperwork experience takes away from the joy of teaching students, and most of the time spent as a teacher is focused on planning and fulfilling bureaucratic requirements rather than on what happens in the classroom. This situation makes a teacher more like an office staff member rather than an instructor in their subject matter. Another challenge is meeting the deadlines for paperwork submission. I have witnessed teachers crying and arguing about submitting forms and lesson plans. Some teachers lose their passion within the first month of teaching and plan to leave, but they cannot because they are tied to a contract. Failing to obey the contract will lead to more problems, and those who wish to transfer and end their contracts will have to pay the penalty. Despite this, only one teacher has pursued the transfer and paid the penalty.
Teachers and Students
Chaos did not only occur in the faculty office but also in the classroom. As you may have noticed, I have witnessed some negative vibes in my first teaching experience, which is the dominant topic among teachers during our conversations. Many teachers enjoy discussing their students' behavior in their classes, and most of their reports are about how the students misbehave.
However, my perspective, as a new teacher, is different. While there are moments when students misbehave in my classes, I do not view it as a severe problem, but rather as part of their human nature, which I need to adapt to and address as a teacher. Engaging with my students is a memorable experience, as it offers me an opportunity to reflect and grow as a teacher.
Entering the classroom feels better than entering the faculty office, as it is where I can feel my purpose as a teacher and the reason why I teach social studies. Discussing social studies and listening to my students' ideas about the subject matter is a rewarding experience. Despite the students' disorderly movements, there is joy in the classroom.
The System
In my first teaching experience, I have come to the conclusion that a good system is an important element of any work, particularly in a school setting where a well-functioning school system is crucial for the welfare of teachers, which can ultimately affect the students. At SJSM, the organizational hierarchy of the teaching process is composed of several parts, which can make the teaching experience confusing due to the many subdivided parts in the system.
What I mean is that a single teacher who teaches multiple subjects in different grade levels has to follow and seek assistance from multiple subject coordinators. For example, as a teacher who teaches Grade 8 and 10 AP, I have to follow the standards of my JHS coordinator, who is a non-social studies major. Then, I also have to follow a different set of standards from an SHS coordinator. An aligned system of standardization for lesson planning, TOS, and other paperwork would benefit teachers because it reduces confusion about how things should be done.
Takeaway
My first teaching experience proved to be a blessing in disguise, despite the unpleasant chaos that teachers encounter. It taught me the importance of staying focused on my lesson plans during classes. As a teacher, I have realized that this profession demands the best of me, and I must sharpen my content skills, classroom management skills, and paperwork skills. I specialize in teaching social studies, and it is crucial for me to find ways to make my students love and learn from the subject. Although it is a strenuous process, I value the opportunity to connect with my students and make an impact in their lives.
Furthermore, I have come to the realization that in teaching social studies, I have a responsibility to help my students see the role of Christ in society.