TEACHING PRACTICE
PROCEDURES IN TEACHING
An account detailing how my final demonstration teaching unfolded.
Lesson plans are essential in outlining the teaching processes in actual classroom instruction. However, I believe we can all agree that teachers often deviate from the plan due to spontaneous occurrences and unforeseen classroom situations. Some activities may also take longer to finish than anticipated. Nonetheless, I have always tried to incorporate the standard teaching procedures in my previous teaching activities.
During my final demonstration teaching, I began with the preliminary activities such as greetings, prayer, and attendance checking. To ensure classroom order and a smooth flow of the lesson, I posted and explained the classroom rules that learners were expected to observe throughout the discussion. Following that, I showed a video of someone cooking Ayam Goreng to introduce the concept of procedural text. After watching the video, I asked processing questions to activate the learners’ prior knowledge about the topic. Then, I implemented a Scavenger Hunt activity to break the ice and encourage active participation in the succeeding activities. In this game-based activity, students were instructed to find the missing pieces of the procedural text assigned to their group. While smiling in front of the evaluator and the students, I was actually having doubts about whether the Scavenger Hunt activity would be effective and enjoyable for the learners. However, to my surprise, the students demonstrated genuine enthusiasm. As each group posted their work on the board, they laughed and shouted as if they had won the lottery. Their emotions gave me relief and confidence to continue my demonstration teaching with grace and determination. At the end of the introduction, I explained the learning objectives to guide the learners on what they should be able to achieve after the lesson.
During the discussion, I distributed several packs of Mi Goreng, a local Indonesian noodle product, to the class and held one up in front of the learners. I asked them to look at the back of the packaging where they could find an authentic example of a procedural text. Then, I asked them to imagine: “What if this is your first time eating this and there are no instructions or procedural text at the back? Would you still be able to know how to cook and eat it?” I believe that my use of authentic materials familiar to the students, together with questions that stimulated their imagination, was an effective strategy in establishing the importance of the lesson. It not only encouraged participation but also helped learners realize the practical relevance of procedural texts in daily life. After discussing its importance, I proceeded to the discussion of the concepts, including the definition, purpose, and structure of procedural text.
Following the advice of my cooperating teacher, Ms. Zia, I administered the worksheet before the Content Creators activity, which differed from the sequence indicated in my original lesson plan. This adjustment was made because students might take a longer time to complete the Content Creators activity, which could potentially rush and pressure them while answering the worksheet afterward. If this had happened, it might have compromised the reinforcement of the learners’ understanding of procedural text. To ensure that the learners actively answered their worksheets and avoided unnecessary conversations with their classmates, I guided them by presenting the worksheet on the smart TV and reading each question aloud. Afterward, I conducted the Content Creators activity. I set a timer for 45 minutes since the learners would also present their outputs afterward for 15 minutes. From time to time, I reminded them of the remaining time by announcing updates to keep them guided and focused. While the learners were working on their outputs, I monitored each group and provided immediate feedback so that they could improve their work before the reporting proper. Fortunately, the learners produced creative outputs and delivered their presentations very well.
For the final part of the lesson, I anticipated that the discussion might take longer because the learners were not very participative during recitations. Because of this, I prepared a feedback sheet and provided stickers that learners could attach to express their responses. The stickers included happy, neutral, and sad reactions. I also distributed sticky notes for the learners to answer the reflective and generalization questions. Through this strategy, even the quiet learners were able to express their thoughts and participate in the closing activity.
In the end, I was able to accomplish all the parts indicated in my lesson plan despite a few deviations during the actual teaching process. The experience taught me that while lesson plans serve as important guides in teaching, flexibility, responsiveness, and genuine interaction with learners are equally essential in creating meaningful learning experiences inside the classroom.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
To maintain classroom management and ensure an organized flow of the lesson, I established and explained the classroom rules using the acronym READ, which stands for Respect Everyone, Eyes Here, Actively Participate, and Do It the First Time. Throughout the lesson, I also used transition questions and strategies such as “Are you ready for the next activity?” and “Do you have any questions or clarifications?” to smoothly guide learners from one activity to another. In managing classroom tasks, I implemented proper submission of papers, set timers for every activity to maintain pacing and time awareness, and consistently emphasized the importance of listening to instructions first before beginning any task. Moreover, I maintained a calm yet authoritative demeanor in addressing disruptive behavior, which helped preserve a positive and respectful learning environment throughout the discussion.
TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES
For me, time management is one of the most challenging aspects of instruction. In my previous demonstration teachings, I was usually unable to deliver all parts of my learning plan due to several factors such as poor time allocation, prolonged discussions, and other time constraints. Through these experiences, I realized that time management is crucial because it ensures that every minute serves a purpose—students remain engaged, lessons flow smoothly, and learning objectives are achieved within the allotted timeframe. If time is not managed properly during instruction, students may become bored because of lengthy discussions or anxious due to the limited time left to complete an activity.
For this reason, I structured my lesson plan with careful consideration of the time allotment for each component. Given that I had two hours and fifteen minutes for every session, I allotted most of the lesson time for assessments such as group activities, worksheets, and quizzes. I believe that learners understand concepts more effectively when they are given enough opportunities to practice, apply, and interact with the lesson through meaningful activities rather than prolonged lectures alone.
In organizing activities, I made sure that the flow followed a logical progression from simple to more complex tasks. This was to ensure that students would not feel overwhelmed or anxious, which could negatively affect their motivation to learn. I also tried to minimize lengthy discussions and focus more on hands-on activities and practical applications so that learners could actively participate and construct learning through experience.
PROBLEM-SOLVING WHILE TEACHING
Students were naturally engaged and participative during my teaching sessions. It was as if they already possessed enough intrinsic motivation to learn. However, their willingness to participate was sometimes hindered by their limited capacity to communicate in English. Because of this, I intentionally slowed down my speech rate, even though I was not used to it, and used simple and direct language so they could understand the lesson better. I also incorporated Total Physical Response (TPR) and translanguaging strategies to make both the content and the target language more accessible to the learners. In every activity, I also provided direct Indonesian translations of the instructions and asked the students to read them aloud to ensure that they clearly understood the tasks. Through my first teaching session, I realized that no matter how effective a teacher may be in delivering instruction, if there is a language barrier, students may still struggle to fully understand the lesson.
Anecdote
One memorable experience during my final demonstration teaching taught me the importance of staying calm and flexible during unexpected situations. Before the demonstration started, I hid the pieces of the procedural text around the classroom for the Scavenger Hunt activity. However, before the session began, the students cleaned the classroom and accidentally mistook one of the pieces for trash. At that moment, I honestly felt like my world was collapsing, especially since the evaluators were already seated at the back of the room. I immediately asked one of the students to check the trash bin outside the classroom, and thankfully, the missing piece was retrieved. Still, deep inside, I was already convincing myself that if the piece was truly gone, I would just use humor and confidence to survive the situation and continue the lesson. That experience taught me that teaching does not always go exactly as planned, and sometimes flexibility, composure, and a sense of humor become just as important as the lesson itself.