Sixth week only 3 days are school days and the other 2 days is public holiday (vesak day and nuzul Quran).

Seven weeks passed by. how time flies..

now I am taking over the class for grade 7,8,10. grade 9 is still under a teacher to cover the lessons. the curriculum, the syllabus, the flow of this education is clearer to see and understand. having mentoring session was works on me. however, still have many things should be learn slowly, step by step. the lessons are already covered for this semester and 7th week is the week where i can do revision lesson with the students before they are having their examination that is summative assesment in 10th week.

As we know, teacher is not only to teach, but also be able to complete certain task assigned by higher department in schools. For me, I already being assigned to write a lesson plan for two weeks (G10 students), head of event, unit plan and monthly/weekly duties. it is a good starting for me as a freshie. I wont get any knowledge if im not being assigned to anything.

Mentally always need to be ready. this week is a week where G9 students having midterm exam, meanwhile G7 and G8 are starts to submit their IDU assesment. all lessons are covered and they need to have revision lesson.

Every grades and quarter having one unit plan that design by the assigned teacher in order to complete it. as my induction task, I was ask to design one complete unit plan as a started for me to get familiar with every element in the unit plan. basically, unit plan are made up from inquiries, objectives, key concept, related concept, global contexts, what approach of teaching use, the content of the lesson and reflection for one particular topic of lesson in one quarter. the lesson plan are following the unit plan.

CCA stands for Co-Curriculum Activities, are held every Tuesday and Thursday. for me, I am involved in CCA on Tuesday. the activities and things cover in the CCA is first aid, CPR etc. it is handled by Mr Alladin, Ms Seema, Ms Sannthini and other teachers and I am assist the teachers. it is interesting activities where the students are exposed to the extra-cocurriculum.

For Hari Raya celebration, I was assigned as head of event and also performace. I am really excited to get involved in this event. based on my experience during studies, I was involved so many events for college and committee. I will do my best in handling event at schools. may everything will be going well and smoothly.

(cont.)

My knowledge getting strong on what the curriculum is. It is not an easy things to understand the new thing in short time. For me, I need more time to adapt myself into this new education curriculum. I am starts taking over the classes as instructed by my own mentor. She gives me opportunity to be familiar with the class and students since I will be observe with MYP coordinator soon.

I have enter the CPD session and learning about the type of inquiry which are having four types and there are structured, controlled, guided and free inquiry. For the structured inquiry, the teacher and students are engage together. All the students will gain their understanding of the same essential question, using the same resources. In structured of learning, teacher who the one control the learning with the aim to help the students strenghten their understanding. Next inquiry is controlled inquiry. This type of inquiry is not much different with the structured inquiry. In controlled inquiry, teacher is still control the learning but the resources is given or decided by the teacher. The students may use the resources in answering the question. Guided inquiry is the students are given more independent where the teacher only choose the topic and the students will explore by themselves. The students will design their product by themselves and this will happen during doing their project paper. Last but not least is free inquiry. In this type of inquiry, the students are given freedom in chosen the topic and also the product. All of these types of inquiry will be having its own challenge where we the teachers will identify during the lesson.

This week is the week where I designed the lesson plan for G10 students where I am so interested doing it. Even though I am familiar with lesson plan but this time the lesson plan is unusual. I am just being ask to design 2 weeks for the start and will assist by other collegue in completing this lesson plan.

The induction is went so well. It is the platform to gain as much as knowledge about IB and this school. A few task is given to generate understanding about what have been briefed and manage to complete it.

(to be cont.)

A teacher must realize that it is not an easy things to be a teacher. One should adapt with multi duties other that teaching.

As for me, I was assigned for weekly and monthly duty where as canteen duty and arrival duty respectively. It is nothing much to do but only giving cooperation and full commitment as a teacher. Assist and guide the students other than sharing knowledge in classroom.

While I am gaining so much experiences, I’m also being assigned to design a lesson plan for 10th grade students (standard mathematics) for this quarter that will assist by Ms. Saanthini (my mentor). As my first time in IB curriculum, I am not familiar on how to design the lesson plan however, with some guidance, I am surely can do this!

(cont.)

It such an lovely weeks when I become a new teacher in this school. I was introduced to all the teachers and students in an assembly. In front of all these cute students, I introduced my self – Hi everyone and very good morning! I am Nurul Syazwani Ali Hassan and your new Mathematics teacher.

I was having induction session with assistant coordinator where she briefs all about the curriculum. This school is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school where the curriculum is based on IB curriculum from Cambdrige. This school also having IGCSE examination for the only for 11th grade students. As a teacher, it is very important to know all about the curriculum and also co-curriculum activities in the school that we are working. I can see the different between national and international education and that is the most interesting part where I am now can see the other side of education. As my first experience, I will gain so much of it to become the best teacher some day.

In this early weeks, I was given a mentor who will replace by me on the next semester. In IB curriculum, there is two semesters in a year where each semester consist of two quarter (6 months each quarter). I need to observe my mentor teaching and learn from it how to teach an IB student. What I notice is that it is only slightly different than usual where questioning session is a lot in teaching IB students.

I went through all the documents and read all the information carefully so that I did not miss any important information. As my second week in this school, I am familiar already with IB curriculum and how is it going. I also familiar with the school’s calendar and the duties. With the helps from the teachers and my mentor, I am able to get adapt in the environment shortly. I have tour the school during these first two weeks.

I will teach a Middle Year Programme (MYP) students where it is 7th to 10th grade of students. To teach IB students, a teacher must highlight “What I am Learning To (WALT)” & “What I am Looking For (WILF)” on whiteboard for the entire lesson so that the students and teacher are keep on ‘track’ on what are the topic is. Recap session is very important since the lesson is relate with the previous lessons. To end the lesson, teacher should giving exit task to the students and it could be a questions in a text book or questions from the teacher that summarize all the lesson for that topic.

I am very excited and cannot wait to take over a class and how it looks like. I am also was given to relief a teacher who not able to come to school. For now, I need to relief a 4th grade class. For me, to handle lower grades having different challenge with the higher grades in terms of their age and attitudes. Definitely there is much different to handle. However, that is the things that a teacher must prepared – multi tasking! Be as much multi tasker as you can and it will helps you to become an excellent teacher.

Lots of things to share. Wait my next posting!

So as my first week become a teacher in an International School was a very exciting. I really want become a teacher since I was kid. To reach at this level was not an easy things. Many challenges need to be face first as the experiences to reach at higher level.

Some people might ask – Why choose International? I choose an international school as my first experience after graduating is because I want to go deeper into the education itself. A teacher is not only to teach, but also an educator.

What is inside the education that beyond my current knowledge? – That is what I want to find out so my knowledge is not end yet. I am a fresh gradute and always willing to be someone on someday and definitely as a Teacher. I want to see the all angle of education and knowing the students at all different level of attitudes, performance and even in their backgrounds. What is the difference of the education inside and outside the country? What is happening? – These questions are always inside my head as far as I learn about education.

Many things to share as my journey is beginning.