

Practice teaching in Future School


Trường TH, THCS và THPT Tương Lai
Future Integrated School
Address: 228 Phạm Hữu Lầu, Phường 4, TP. Cao Lãnh, Đồng Tháp, Vietnam
Contact: +84 277 6566 566
Email: info@future.edu.vn
Website: future.edu.vn
As for the vision of Future Integrated School, "Teaching make people, Learning make people."
A school aiming for a generation to be true and real about themselves. Wanting to see learners maximize all their abilities and capacities. Aiming to create a healthy educational environment where the students are respected and guaranteed supported to use their full potential. The Tương Lai group consists of the following: Tương Lai Technology Media Corporation, Mekong Delta Service Company, Tương Lai Social Company and Tương Lai International Group Corporation.
Each group has their services:
Tương Lai Technology Media Corporation
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Future Integrated Schools
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Fairyland Kindergarten
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Applied Linguistics Center
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Mathematics Center
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Practical Center for Natural Sciences
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Informatics Center
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Vietnam-Germany Cooperation Center
Mekong Delta Service Company
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Administrative Office
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Finance and Accounting Department
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Food Unit
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Supplying Unit
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Garment Unit
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Building Maintenance Unit
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Construction Management Board
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Business Trading Unit
Tương Lai Social Company
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Sports - Arts - Media and Events Center
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Intervention Education Center
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Medical and Mental Health Center
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Project Management Board
For Future's Education System
They cater Special Education, General Education, and Gifted Education from Kindergarten, Primary School and Secondary School. They are already looking forward within expanding and opening for High School Grades 10, 11 and 12. Their educational fields are Languages (Vietnamese, English, German), Social Sciences (Ethics Education, History, Geography), Mathematics, Natural Sciences (Life Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Physical Education (Class swimming, optional sports), Arts (Music, Fine Art, Dance, Pottery), Informatics, Technologies and others (Future Citizen).


Observation
During observation in Future school, I was with my fellow sea teachers majoring in Elementary Education from Guimaras State University in the Philippines, Universitas Kristen and Universitas PGRI Semarang in Indonesia. Before we got deployed in our respective classes, we were assigned to a supervisor from Dong Thap University. Let me introduce to you Ma'am Hồng Diễm Thúy. I am very thankful for her guidance and support throughout the process and of course, to my team for the whole observation wouldn't be as great if it weren't for our teamwork and collaboration.
I observed that in Future School, they find great value in inclusive education. Before students enter the room for class, they play, shout and get all loud but the moment they know the teachers are ready, they form a line and keep quiet. They wait for the bell to formally start the discussion. The first session we observed was a Vietnamese class-the teacher spoke their language all throughout. I saw both teacher and students' discipline and respect for one another inside the classroom. When students raise their hands, they specifically stand up in the right side and answer. I love how the teachers in Future school promote good teaching strategies. They start off with motivation, allowing students to sing and dance then relate it to the lesson proper. I commend Future school's interior and design too. There are both traditional and online materials that they can use to maximize their time and learning. There is a blackboard, a whiteboard and a big tv for better visuals.
The second class we observed was with Ma'am Ana, a Filipino English teacher in Vietnam for 6 years already, who was also my evaluator. I admired her strength and perseverance because teaching in a country where there are barriers in language is very difficult, yet she managed, and she continues to manage to teach and love teaching up to this day. Thus, I gained a more complex level of hard work and creativity in managing a class especially in the lower levels. In her class, there is always another teacher inside who will translate what she is saying when the students have a hard time understanding. However, she says that the goal in the class is to teach and be understood. Thus, as much as you can, try to teach them how you are supposed to teach them by yourself.
In conclusion, Future School's Teaching Methods are more on the life skills rather than merely memorizing concepts. They teach the lesson but eventually focuses on what students understand. Clearly a student-centered where they allow the learners to express themselves by answering the questions being asked of them instead of providing the answers readily and easily. For the materials they used as mentioned above are both blackboard and whiteboard, big TVs, and books. Everybody Up Student book and Workbook are one of the materials I encountered during my observation in Future School. It is a book consisting of objectives to help students learn how to read, think, and speak. Not focusing on what they should remember, but what they should do about it. Future School uses authentic assessment through the activities they engage students in. They allow them to learn but enjoy at the same time too. I am very happy to have witnessed the way teachers in Vietnam teach.
Practice Teaching
Teaching Plan
All Sea Teachers Batch 9 were assigned to have 4 demo teachings. I was assigned in English Grade 4 sections 4B, 4R AND 4V. My topic was all about The Skating Lesson Unit 1 - Lesson 3 Reading and Unit 1 - Lesson 3 Reviewing. We referred to their book Everybody Up Student book and workbook by Authors Patrick Jackson and Susan Banman Sileci. I felt grateful because the Grade level was aligned to my major- I handle Grades 1-6. However, I felt kind of pressured since the content was about a story unlike the lessons I create back in the Philippines. I also needed to think of a way on how I can deliver this in 40 minutes. Thankfully, I was able to think straight and got a perfect idea. I decided to use both traditional and online materials for my demos. I came up with using pictures, flashcards, PowerPoint Presentation and pocket charts to avoid students feeling pressured and bored. All my observations, learnings and experiences were a big part in helping me create the lesson plans I did. What struck me the most when planning was to remember to put myself in the shoes of my students and reflect which are clear and appropriate. Grade 4 students are not babies anymore, but they are also not yet adults. Thus, creativity and flexibility are a must.
I still used the same template in the Philippines with all the parts including greetings, checking of attendance, class agreement, reviewing the previous lesson, the lesson proper, activities in between, evaluation and assignment. But what I realized is that a lesson plan is your guide inside the classroom, but it will never be certain that it will specifically, in-detail go according to plan. Thus, you have two value both-not giving one more attention, but giving everything, you are doing your best.
That is why when I plan, I also prepare myself physically, mentally and emotionally. You can have it all written and planned out, but what's important is the outcome. Have confidence, be committed and love what you are doing and everything will fall into their right places.
Procedures of Teaching
As for my procedures in teaching, I made sure that I target all skills such as reading, writing, speaking, individually and as a group even if my topic was mainly focused on reading. My main goal was to build relationships and motivate students to learn while at the same time, teaching me how to become a better teacher too. It is not the teacher who is the priority but the students. Here are the procedures of my teaching:
- Greetings
In which I projected my voice and its tone to be loud and clear. Not demanding, but not boring too. I put a smile on my face to lessen students from getting pressured since I am a new teacher and of course I gave consideration to my body language as well, as a teacher, I want them to see how confident, excited and happy I am to be with them.
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Remind them rules inside the classroom
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Motivation
This is one of the most crucial parts in class because they are all different students with different likes and dislikes. We, teachers, have to think of a way that will engage them in participating throughout the day thus a good first impression is a must! I used my materials which are pictures to engage them in recitation. I walk around the classroom and support them in answering.
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Lesson proper
Repetition of words during class is very important. We must make sure that they are truly understanding the topic given to them.
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Activities
This is where I see if the lessons we are tackling are being acquired by the learners. I used a True or False game and recitation for this part that enabled me to gain their trust and confidence. Through these activities, they happily participated.
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Evaluation
After the lesson, I evaluated them through the use of instructing them to answer their workbooks.
Time Management and Organizing Activities
As a teacher, being punctual is important. It speaks more of you and how you are as a person. When you arrive early, it means that you value maximizing your time and not wasting opportunities. I always come early than expected because I want to be prepared and avoid problems such as forgetting this, forgetting that, stressing this and stressing that. I believe that as an educator, when you know how to manage your time personally, you'll know how to manage your time in the classroom. Thus, having this mindset allowed me to use my time well during my demos. I wasn't in a hassle; I wasn't feeling anything rather than excited and well-prepared. I came early in the room, prepared my materials, waited for the bell to formally start the class then I made students stand up and dance to make sure they're ready for my class. It was hard because I was a new and foreign teacher, but I know that once you allow them to be comfortable, they will be comfortable. I didn't spent so much time in the motivation part but expected that when I ask questions, it will not be as quick for them to respond so I considered that too. I made sure that it wasn't me who's only speaking but gave them the chance to share and express. For the activities, a factor one must consider is the instructions. Especially as a Filipino teacher teaching English to Vietnamese students is tricky, that is why we must be slow and clear when delivering. Thank God I was able to use my materials well.
Teaching Practice
Classroom Management
It was hard handling different sections for the first time since I haven't clearly gotten to know them all. I don't even know their names, but I am so grateful for Ma'am Ana for giving me a heads up about them. The thing about managing a classroom is that it's never going to be perfect. There will always be unexpected situations that we have no control of, and we have to be quick to decide and take action. What I did to manage Grade 4 was to present myself well from the beginning-not a teacher they can be naughty with, but not a teacher who is very strict. I delivered the rules from the start and made sure I am also alerted to remember the rules. When they were getting too noisy and chaotic, I reinforced a clap to get their attention back too. It wasn't easy but we compromise. Here are some of my rules during my demos:
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Sit properly
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Listen and participate to the discussion
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Raise your right hand if you want to ask question/s, clarification/s or answer.
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Enjoy our class!
Problem-solving while teaching
One of the hardest parts during my demos was lesson planning and managing the classroom. There are really factors to consider before creating and executing these things as an educator. I found it very difficult to start my lesson plan without a curriculum. Yes, it is easy to create objectives for the day but without a basis, and since I got used to the template in the Philippines, it will really take some time and effort to decide on the most appropriate. Teaching in Vietnam is rewarding but very challenging as well. There are cultural differences, language barriers, difference in how the educational system works and lack of familiar resources. But indeed, this is how you grow. Through this, I was able to not just teach during my demos, but actually learn.
As for the difficulty in managing the classroom, aren't we all experiencing these, teachers? Everyday you wake up, go to school and you don't know if the students got up on the wrong side of the bed. They all are different and go through different situations thus it takes a lot of patience, strength and creativity to be as one inside the classroom. That is why we must value the rules to be implemented and the preparedness a teacher must have in order to achieve the goals for the day.













