6. SUMMARY & SUGGESTION : TIME TO KNOW

6.1 BACKGROUND

Figure 22. Inbound SEA-Teacher Batch 10 at DThU

        According to the SEA-Teacher program guidebook, in October 2014, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education through the SEAMEO Council adapted the SEAMEO Education Agenda of Seven Priority Areas for SEAMEO to work together in Improving the quality of education in Southeast Asia. "Revitalizing Teacher Education" is one of seven priorities in achieving educational equality in the Southeast Asia Region. So in carrying out this mandate, the SEAMEO Secretariat presented a project called "Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia (SEA-Teacher Project)".

6.2 PURPOSE OF PRACTICUM

        The SEA-Teacher Program (Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia) is a program that aims to provide opportunities for pre-service student teachers from universities in Southeast Asia to have teaching experience in school in various countries in the Southeast Asia Region. Specifically, the objectives of this program are divided into 4, namely as follows:

1. To enable pre-service student teachers to develop their teaching skills and pedagogy.
2. To encourage the pre-service student teachers to practice their English skills.
3. To allow the pre-service student teachers to gain a broader regional and world view.
4. To expose future teachers to diverse teaching and learning situations and opportunities, and the value of flexibility.

        Through the SEA-Teacher Program Batch 10, I can really feel the achievement of the practical goals that have been formulated by the SEAMEO Secretariat. Preparing for learning by creating and arranging Lesson Plan, revising processes from input provided by supervisor, preparing learning media via the Canva platform, preparing student worksheets based on lesson plan, and learning processes in class that are in accordance with the scenarios in the lesson plan are prepared and designed in such a way that they can approaching a curriculum that is in accordance with that implemented in Vietnam. Of course, abilities like this really help me as a pre-service student teacher to see the opportunities in creating learning spaces that are in line with the demands of today's challenging world.

        Through this one month trip, it provides a meaningful experience that the world is very wide and we can navigate it in education. I came to know that in this world there is a province called Dong Thap Province, I came to know that in this world the is the city of Cao Lanh, I came to know the real forms of a river that I had only seen in Social Studies books when I was in elementary school namely Mekong River. This one month trip is very meaningful with increased knowledge and experiences that not everyone can experience in a lifetime.

        The differences in culture, religion, and education between Indonesia and Vietnam also gave me another perspective on the importance of tolerance and natural adaptation. One month is too short but it fills the empty glass I brought from the province nicknamed "Bumi Anoa" (Anoa Land).

6.3 PROCEDURES OF PRACTICUM

Figure 23. First Time Go To Future School

        The implementation of teaching practice in the SEA-Teacher program at Dong Thap University in Batch-10 is divided into 5 steps, namely:

Step 1: Orientation (Onboarding)

Normally, before each program is implemented, orientation needs to be carried out in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding that is in line both participants and program organizers. The SEA-Teacher program orientation activity at Dong Thap University was held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at DThU EHC-H1. Activities start at 08:00 local time with a Campus Tour agenda. In this orientation activity, all inbound SEA-Teacher Programs consisted of 32 participants from 8 campuses in the Philippines and 7 participants from 3 campuses in Indonesia. There are several activity agenda carried out during the orientation activities, namely: welcome from the Dong Thap University campus, introduction of participants, conveying hopes by participant representatives from the Philippines and Indonesia, symbolic handing over of souvenirs, and distribution of supervisors, and closing with a group photo activity. On the same day we had a meeting with the supervisor to discuss the plans that needed to be prepared during teaching practice. After that, we also have a welcoming meal agenda at DThU Staff Canteen which can strengthen relations between participants from two countries. In the afternoon we took part in the Cao Lanh City Tour activities as the closing agenda for this orientation day by touring several places such as the grave of the father of the First President of Vietnam, visiting the temple, city park, and shopping at the supermarket.

Step 2: Observation

Figure 24. First Class Observation

Before carrying out individual classroom observations, on October 2 2024, we first together took part in a welcoming activity at Future School as a symbol of accepting students to carry our teaching practice at school. After the initial meeting with the school, we began carrying out individual and group classroom observation once for each participants according to the predetermined schedule. My observation schedule is Friday, 04 October, 2024 for individual observation and Saturday, 05 October, 2024 for group observation. After carrying out individual and group observations, on October 7, 2024 all inbound participants took part in the First Day of Wee Class Meeting Observation agenda in the afternoon at Future School. The final output from this second steps is that each student fills in the observation sheet that was distributed by the supervisor on the first day so that students are able to prepare learning strategies that are in accordance with the results of their observations.

Step 3: Make Teaching Material

The time gap between making teaching materials and each students's teaching schedule is different. Like I have 3 days of preparation time. In preparing teaching materials, I made a lesson plan then worked on the revisions given by the supervisor, then after the revisions I made a Canva Presentation as the media used during the teaching practice process. Apart from that, I also prepare worksheets for students as learning evaluation material at the end of each class meeting.

Step 4: Teaching Demo

Figure 25. Demo Teaching Day 2

After the teaching materials (Lesson Plan, Canva Presentation, Worksheet) are created and revised, they are ready to be demoed in class. Each student gets the opportunity to teach 4 times during the program according to the schedule that has been distributed. I myself teach on Wednesday, 11 and 18 and Friday, 13 and 20 October 2024. In this demo teaching we will teach in class for 40 minutes each meeting and the output of this steps is an evaluation for students given by the class teacher.

Step 5: Evaluation

Evaluation is the most important part of a process so that this evaluation can reflect the points need to be improved or maintained. The observation sheet that has been filled in by the teacher is then handed over to the supervisor to be given to the organizer as the party responsible for providing the results of teaching practice to practice to each participants, The output of thus step is a certificate given as proof of valid participation and competency that has been completed by students and evaluated by the teacher.

6.4 OUTCOMES OF PRACTICUM

        After traveling the world in the name of Education in Vietnam through a long journey of 6614 km, several results were finally achieved which were also hoped for by the SEAMEO Secretariat which were outlined in the SEA-Teacher Program guidebook. New life experiences are of course the main thing gained from the overall results of this program. Creating and compiling learning tools and then having the opportunity to teach in foreign schools is an extraordinary achievement in my life. Learned many things from Vietnam, whose people are always disciplined and friendly. This 28 day story is a story that will be very long and will be continued in the future and many people. Haw can the son of a farmer who lives in the village be able to set foot in other people's countries and spread goodness, that is the realization of a dream that can definitely be achieved with faith and perseverance. Fear of differences in language, religion and culture is not a bad experience but rather an outcome from which important lessons can be learned, especially mutual tolerance and respect for these difference. In the end, hopefully these expected results can continue to be implemented for the better in the future as a pre-service student teacher.

6.5 THE CHALLENGES OF PRACTICUM

The main challenge in teaching practice at Future School is the language barrier because many students are deficient in English so that when the materials is explained the students are still confused but to overcome this obstacle, I added a translation into Vietnamese so that it can make it easier for students to understand the meaning want to convey. Apart from that, some teachers also lack English so to communicate we need the help of our buddies to translate the conversation. Another toughest challenge is how to ensure that the scenarios created in the Lesson Plan can run according to the time allocated.

6.6 OVERALL IMPRESSION

Figure 26. Inbound From Indonesia at Farewell Night

        I am very happy to be a part of this program. This program is very important in giving me meaning in life, about how we migrate, far from family, dreams for the future, good friends, a supportive environment, friendly society, and about the importance of education. Many thanks to Mr. Truc, Mrs. Loan, and lectures who are the core organizers of activity at Dong Thap University for all the kindness and hospitality given to us while we were in Vietnam. Thanks to Mrs. Yen my supervisor and Mr. Qin as a cooperative teacher who supported and provided input to me while I was taking part in this program. My friends from mathematics who always support and help me prepare teaching tools, invite me to discuss in the mathematics club, thank you very much Hieu, Quyen, Tien, Lam, Thanh, Hong, and all my mathematics friends who I cannot mention. Sharmy my partner, a mathematics student from the Philippines and all inbound Philippines thank you so much. Also to my room mates, Kiettisack from Laos and Tan from Vietnam, I am very proud to have had you all this time who have always made a good impression on me and help me, sorry for this time I have troubled you. Thank you so much my buddies Harry, James, and Mark who supported me in this program. Also no less important my brothers and sisters from my homeland, Yogi, Naya, Naja, Hana, Umi, and Ara thank you for your support all this time. Let's meet again at the best place and the newest program. Thank you SEAMEO Secretariat for creating this program as well as my beloved university, Halu Oleo University for providing full support to take part in this program. And the most important of all is the prayers of my parents who always accompany me every km I travel, always healthy and happy.

6.7 SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT

        We hope that educational campuses that have not yet collaborated with this program can immediately collaborate and realize the importance of this program in preparing professional teacher graduates. Hopefully SEAMEO can hold more cooperation partners in various countries so that this program can be inclusive and enjoyed by many people. Thank you Vietnam, thank you SEAMEO Secretariat, and thank you Halu Oleo University for this valuable opportunity.

6144 KM: THE STORY OF TRAVELING ACROSS THE WORLD IN THE LAND OF PEARLS FROM THE FAR EAST, VIETNAM