1st WEEK

Jan 22: Opening of the program and Orientation

Today is the first day that we met all the participants of the 5^th batch SEA Teacher Exchange Student Program, in Saint Louis University. There are 11 of us, 9 from Indonesia and 2 Thailand. In the morning we gathered in front of the dorm, and met some of our buddies. They brought us to saw the SLU main campus. SLU main campus was a big campus that has a lot of stairs. In the beginning, it was tiring, but later I will get used to it.

The main agenda for today are opening of the program and orientation. At 8 o’clock the opening ceremony and the orientation was start. I am so happy because SLU was very welcome to us and finally I met Maeriana, my buddy. My buddy name’s is Maeriana. She is student of SLU in Mathematica. She is very kind, helpful and care buddy.

In the opening of the program and orientation, every Director, teacher, and staff from SLU that will accompany and guide us during this program gave speech and welcomed us very warm. SLU also presented us with a beautiful and very interesting performance of choir and culture dance of Philippines. At the end, we introduced our self and we closed this agenda with took a picture together. 

In the afternoon, we went to SM Mall to eat with our buddies and bought some stuff that we need for teach and others.

Jan 23: Campus tour

Today we had the campus tour with Ma’am Lagos. First we went to the other campus of SLU, Mary Heights Campus. From this campus, we can see the beautiful of Baguio. Ma’am Lagos brought us to see what is in this campus.

Next, we went to the SLU Elementary School. This was the place that Dinda will teach. This school named every classes with the positive world. It was like a suggestion for the student to be a positive person.

 After we went around the school we continued to go to the SLU Laboratory High School. In this school all of us, except Dinda will teach. We also go around the school and we met our cooperation teacher. My cooperating teacher is Ma’am Isican, math teacher in grade 7. So, I will teach math in grade 7 too.

To go back to the dorm, we used jeepney. Ma’am Lagos showed us how to use jeepney and where should we take off from jeepney.

Jan 24: First day of the class observation

This program was start today. We woke up early and got ready to the school. My buddy, Maeriana companied us to the school. She showed us where we can get a jeepney and the jeepney’s name that goes to the SLU LHS. For the first week in this program we observed the class that we will teach. From class observation we would know how the teacher teaches at the class, the student character and other things that teacher and student usually do at the class before and after the lesson.

We started the school activities with the flag ceremony. They do it every day at 8 o’clock and after that the 1^st period of study will start at 8 past 10. There are 7 periods of study a day, one hour in every period.

My first impression about students here, especially grade 7 was they are so active. I saw that when the teacher asked a question or discussed about something. They didn’t be shy to answer and show their opinion even if their answer wasn’t correct.

About the teachers, my first impression was they are very discipline about class cleanliness. Before the teacher start the class, they always make sure the class is clean from any litter.

As a muslim we have 5 times a day to pray. I am very grateful because the SLU LHS allows us to pray at chapel. It is make us able to praying fervently.

Jan 25: Second day of the class observation

Like yesterday, I did the class observation. I saw how creative the student is. I saw it from their project in the class. They made a pop up about the story from the Bible. They did it in group or individually. Some of them drew the picture for the pop up but some of the other printed the picture.

Today, we only had half day school. After school, Mila and I visited the Burnham Park. This place was beautiful and good for refreshing. There was a lake in the middle of the park. You can play many attractions like cycling, riding the bout or just enjoying the view. Many people came to this park. What I like from this park was the sun flowers. The sun flowers grow very beautiful.

Jan 26: Last day of the class observation

Today was a teacher’s day. Many students gave something to their teacher. But it didn’t happy in 7E, in the class that I observed and where the Ma’am Isican being the homeroom teacher.

Today in science class, students drew the typical of the cell. They worked in a group. Some of them did it very fast and some other didn’t fast. They colored and named every part of cell that they draw. Even they did it fast but 1 hour was not enough for them to finish it. They will continue it on next meeting. 

Because it was Friday, the 7^th period was the club time. In the last class I am surprise that 7E was preparing something for Ma’am Isican. They bought flower and chocolate. When Ma’am Isican entered the class for teach math, 7E surprised her and gave the flower and chocolate. It was so touching.

Problem Encountered

a)   In grade 7, I see many students still childish. Sometimes they can’t being silent during the lessons. Probably because they are still adapting to the school environment, from elementary school to junior high school.

b)  Students are easily bored if the teacher given too much exercises.

c)   It is very difficult to get a jeepney when it's time to go home from school.

Problem Handled

a)   Students should be aware that they are in high school. They can be told in a subtle but firm way. It depends on the condition of the students. Advising loudly continuously is also less effective. It can make the students do not give respect to the teacher because they feel it is usually done by the teacher.

b)  We can first provide them with easy exercises and with small amounts. Then the exercise continues to be improved in both the difficulty and the amount. Because of the difficult and many exercises is needed to be better understood with what has been learned

c)   We walk up or we walk down from the school. Because when we wait the jeepney in front of the school, jeepney will always have been full. If we walk down, we can take other name of jeepney that go to the same place.

Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School

The school is located at C.M. Recto Street, Navy Road, Saint Joseph Village, Baguio City, Philippines 2600; 

telephone number: (063) (74) 442 4816; 

website: http://www.slu.edu.ph/index.php/slu-lhs-about-us.

Background

Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School is the high school unit of Saint Louis University, a private, Roman Catholic, CICM university in the Philippines. The school is located at Navy Base Road, Baguio City; it was originally at the Gonzaga campus.

The school started operations in 1921; the first graduating class was that of 1938, the school was closed during World War II, and reopened in 1946.

Vision-Mission

The SLU Laboratory High School is envisioned as a competent, missionary and transformative educational institution committed to the formation of creative and active Christians who give witness to the gospel values through the development of their God-given talents, skills and attitudes in the service of the school, church and society.

Junior High School        : Grade 7-10

Every day, they have flag ceremony started from 8 AM and the teaching and learning activity started from 8.10 AM to 4.30 PM. They have 7 subjects every day, one hour in every subject. For math subject, they have 4 classes a week. They are very discipline. They should had a letter of permit to across another building or to do something else while the learning time. They had the cleaner and prayer schedule in every class.

My journey begins

Today I was so excited. This was my first time go to Philippines. At the airplane I met the other participants of SEA Teacher Student Exchange Program, but we went to a different university in Philippines except Mila, Dinda, and Irwan. They went to Saint Luis University (SLU) in Baguio like me. Besides that, I felt a little bit nervous. This was my first time to teach in a class so I have not prepared anything for teaching like the lesson plan, teaching method, etc, even I do not know what is that. But I will try to do my best so that I can learn and get many this through this program.

Soekarno Hatta International Airport

Ninoy Aquino International Aiport

We visited The Lion Head

From Manila, we continued our journey to Baguio by van around 5 hours. In Baguio, we stayed at the SLU dormitory. Everyday, the chefs in SLU dormitory cooks three meals a day for us. The food was very good. 

Introduction

Hi everyone! My name is Danti Ardianti Soesanto. You can call me ‘Danti’. I am a student of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Surabaya, Indonesia majoring in Mathematic. It is a honor for me that has been chosen as delegation SEA Teacher project batch 5. This is the first time that my university join SEA Teacher project so it means that I am also the first delegation from ITS join this program. In this opportunity, I do student exchange at Saint Luis University (SLU), Baguio, Philippines for one month from January 22 until February 18, 2018.

I think many people do not know about SEA Teacher Student Exchange Program. SEA Teacher Student Exchange Program is a project that aims to provide opportunity for pre-service student teachers from universities in Southeast Asia to have teaching experiences (practicum) in schools in other countries in Southeast Asia. I am feel so proud to join this program. Because I can experience teaching in a real class and get a lot of knowledge.