PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

UNIT CODE: ECT 213

UNIT TITLE: TEACHING PRACTICUM (OBSERVATION)

Teaching practicum is a programme inferior to teaching practice. It involves student teacher

aligning himself/herself to a teacher teaching his/her core units and observing his/her

presentation and assessment methodologies. The student teacher accompanies the cooperating

teacher to class just to observe what he is doing and how the learners respond to his

methodologies. The student teacher does not stop there but can assist the cooperating teacher

in assigning group works, aiding students in revision especially on topics not well understood

during normal class time, marking assignments and doing research on various topics with an

aim of putting what is learnt in the university under communication department in practice

and gaining teaching experiences.

In this programme, I was lucky to be appointed and accepted at Nyabohanse Girls school

where I was attached to a potential cooperating teacher, Mr Domnic Odera of English and

Literature, who guided me under a strict and checked supervision throughout the term. He

later awarded marks on my performance as directed by the university in the teacher student’s

progress chats. In this paper therefore, I am going to give a detailed report on the events as

they took place in the field, objectives of the programme and whether they were met or not,

it’s challenges and strengths and finally, a few recommendations for future practicum

improvements.
 PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

1. ACTIVITIES DURING PRACTICUM

In this section, I am going to explicate the gist of this programme by presenting the major and

minor activities that took place in the field from the onset to the stop.

a. Pre practicum activities.

I would like to acknowledge that this programme did not began and ended abruptly. Since it

is a fieldwork event, it had a series of preparations not only by the teachers student but also in

the university faculty (department of communication and technology) and the school where it

was to be carried, that is Nyabohanse Girls High School form my case.

The department began by informing student teachers about this programme and giving them

chance to select schools of their choices within their regions. This was followed by

identification of regional coordinators in each region (county) who were expected to guide

the student teachers on what they ought to do while in the field alongside representing the

university in the various selected schools. In their wisdom, the coordinators held online

orientation at different times to shed light on what the student teachers were expected of. In

my region, Migori county, the orientation took place fairly a day to reporting.

The orientation was not only important in psychological preparation but also physical

arrangement for the long journey that would run harmoniously for eight weeks. Through it, I

was able to identify materials I needed to carry both for the course and personal assistance. A
file for keeping the records was the most essential followed by other materials such as

smartphone, a laptop, formal clothes and a suitcase.

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

Following orientation was conducting a reconnaissance. This was important as it enabled me

to interact with the school principal prior to reporting and knew that I was accepted for the

programme in Nyabohanse. I also managed to familiarize with the immediate environment

though I did not had a direct contact with it.

b. Reporting (week one day 1)

I reported in the school on the 25th day of July, 2022 in a company of my colleague, Chacha

Range, who also went for the same programme with different subject combination, which are,

Geography and Business. Together we walked straight to the principal’s office immediately

after the morning assembly for official acceptance and resumption of the course. The

principal, madam Deborah Amuka welcomed us with a large heart and a smiling face then

asked us to feel free in her school. Her warm reception did not only remove our fear and

doubts but also gave us the morale and enthusiasm to conduct our study with vigour and

eagerness of attaining the best result from the highly ranked girls school in the region.

The principal did not stop there and left us like academic orphans. Since the official assembly

time had passed, she took the initiative to introduce us to her staff members and vividly

explained why we were in that school. Despite her simple and understandable explanation, a

few senior staff members caught up with her while a greater percentage greatly doubted the
so called teaching practicum. The doubting group harmoniously argued out that we were not

in for shadowing but for a hidden inspection of their day to day activities. Since they are of 8-

4-4 system, in their quench to understand the new system’s teaching practice, they mocked

and laughed at us carefully; not to annoy “ministry of education ambassadors.’”

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

The principal then introduced us to specific teachers whom we later learnt that were heads of

our respective departments. This marked the separation of two of us since we would operate

from different branchs which are the departments from the same stem which is the school

administration headed by the school principal under the remote control of the school board of

management. I was officially handed over to Mr. Onyango, head of department of linguistics

in Nyabohanse Girls. He took me by hands to the department where I met specific teachers

whom we cooperatively worked with throughout the term as will be illustrated later in this

report. We had a brief introduction before embarking on the normal activities in the

department.

Since it was my first day in the department, I appeared naïve and followed everything I was

told without much questions. This was to help me identify myself with the members and if

possible identify the most competent and contented teacher for shadowing. It was quit

difficult since the department operates cohesively with members embracing each other and

speaking almost the same language. During this period, I worked under all teachers equally.

Some gave me class assignments to mark, others test papers which were to be done by
candidates that day to pin while the rest had short messages to be passed from one desk to

another.

The minute observation of the department’s ended well when I left at 4 o’clock to look for a

suitable residential site for settlement for the short period I would take in that school.

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

(Week one day 2- 5)

The second day marked narrowing down to the major intention or rather objective of the

programme. I held a brief meeting with the head of department, Mr Onyango purposely to

identify the most suitable teacher to shadow me in the best standards possible. Being an

informed HOD with a good understanding of his juniors, he directed me to a well

experienced teacher who through our day in day out interaction I learnt is a former student of

Kenyatta University and assesses a good number of students in teaching practice within the

region ,as an ambassador of the institution. I had no otherwise but to count myself lucky for

getting someone who I share with high academic standards and principles.

He introduced himself as Mr. Domnic Odera and showed me the number of classes he teach,

the materials he uses and his progress in the classes I would accompany him to for shadowing

or rather observation.
CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

Due to limited time against numerous activities in the school, we did not waste much time

defining so many irrelevant things but rather prepared for attending lessons from day two

onwards. The cooperating teacher brought to my attention the topics that were to be covered

throughout term two. I then had an opportunity to go through his timetable which has a total

of thirty three lessons per week across form one to form four. The lessons seemed too many

to be handled by one personnel but to him they were just a handful of activities.

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

He then proceeded to show me how he organizes how to teach the numerous lessons with so

many topics to be covered in each. Covering all the topics before the end of term assessment

was possible with the aid of his well-drawn schemes of work and a lesson plan. The

traditional or 8 4 4 schemes of work and lesson plan had slight differences with the current

one used to teach in CBC. While the traditional schemes of work had eight columns and

topics, the current schemes of work has ten columns, strands and sub strands instead of topics

and sub topics. Each class had a distinct lesson plan and schemes of work since the concepts

presented in each were completely different from another. That is, strands taught in form one

were completely different from those in form two, three and four.

After the short review, we took some text books or rather teaching aids and headed to form

one Gold. He first greeted the learners, asked them some questions outside learning context.

After allowing the learners to settle, he introduced me to them, explained why I was in at that
particular moment, the duration I would stay with them, gave me a chance to introduce

myself then gave me a chance to go and sit at the back to do the observation.

The first lesson focused on love song under oral songs. He shortly wrote the topic and date on

a white board using a white board marker then turned back to students who he asked randome

questions about love. The students were very active and responded to his questions with a lot

of morale and vigour. To strengthen the foundation of the strand, he directly involved the

students by asking them to sing particular love songs and then played some in his

smartphone. All these took place in the first ten minutes of the lesson after which he began

dictating notes and writing difficult terminologies on the white board while the learners were

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

taking the note on their exercise books. After twenty five minutes of dictation, the teacher

asked students to air out their questions then later gave them an assignment in KLB book1

English. This marked the end of lesson one of day two.

The second lesson took place in form 2S with the same teacher but different sub strand,

learning resources and lesson plan. This time, after a brief introduction, he directly introduced

the sub strand which was riddles. He majored on riddling process, giving examples as part of

notes then asking questions at the end as normal. The assignment at the end was student

centred in that they were asked to illustrate the riddling process using any riddle from their

community. The other lessons were in senior classes and the cooperating teacher asked me to

mark assignments instead as he was going to deal with set book analysis.
The pattern was regular for the first three days and on the fifth day, instead of accompanying

the teacher, he asked me to go and help learners in revision prior to mid-term examination.

However much tensed I was, I gathered enough courage to face the girls head on. In form

one, I had to do an integrated revision since they had not began majoring on specific areas of

study. To make the revision smooth, I asked the teacher the topics he had covered and did a

rough research before attending to students. I perused KLB book one, advanced English and

Marking Scheme (books) to make my revision effective and understand the areas I had

doubts in. since it was a revision hour, I did not bother to carry a lesson plan nor well

prepared learning resources. I walked in and as normal, greeted students, informed them on

that day’s activity and proceeded with revision. The class had a total of fifty five learners.

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

The above activities marked the end of week one. Week two was left for mid-term

examination which I also took part in as one of the invigilators in form two. The invigilation

took the whole day as was organized by the timetable.

The rigorous classroom activities ranging from content presentation to assessment in

company of the cooperating teacher helped me learnt a lot of skills that I indicated

categorically in my practicum log book or the daily diary. The skills are not limited to

speaking and listening skills, classroom management skills, collaboration skills, content

presentation skills and research skills.

Listening and speaking skills which involves two parties, that is, the speaker and the audience

was learnt effectively in the department, classroom and staffroom as I interacted wuith both

teachers and students. The teacher portrayed fluency and confidence in delivering content to

the learners who would attentively listen and respond appropriately. Their listening skills

were vivid through asking limited questions at the end of the lesson, especially those

requiring the teacher to pardon a point, and also taking notes when need aroused among other

many requirements. The teacher in turn was ever ready to listen to the learners request and

provide satisfactory responses.

Classroom management skills were very open in how the teacher handled learners from the

start to the end of different lessons in diverse learning environments. For instance, as

recorded in the log book, greeting students and at times asking questions outside learning

context was a normal routine and boosted rapport between the two parties hence smooth

presentation and understanding the topic on the table. Also, students who showed

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

mischievous behaviours like making noise during the lesson were punished by canningt of

the spot. It did not end there. Learners who gave correct responses in class were

congratulated while those who missed were corrected politely. For instance, that’s a good

trial but not the answer.

Another aspect closely related to classroom management is assessment of learners to

ascertain whether the lesson or term objectives were met or not. In the classroom, formative
assessment was rampant in that no lesson would go minus any. The teacher used to ask

random questions related to the topic of the day amidst learning, giving students assignments,

marking and doing revision at the end. It was my pleasure to engage the learners in revision

especially during extra hours or remedial to enhance effective understanding of certain topics.

Assignments that were given in the group were revised in groups while those done

individually were facilitated by I, the student teacher. The students in lower forms did two

tests during the term, that is, mid-term tests and end of term exams in which I participated in

as an invigilator and a marker. Marking in a bench in the department enhanced my

understanding of the need of coordination and cooperation skills in the field of teaching.

Outside learning environment, we went for music festivals at different levels beginning from

zones to regionals competition. Even if I missed the national competitions, the first three

levels helped me understand better the need of social interaction and co-curricular activities

among learners and teachers.

STRENGTHS

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

Teaching practicum is a good idea that came in its own time to help student teachers

preparing to go and facilitate learning in the competency based curriculum.

Firstly, it provided me with a prior orientation which boosted my foundation in getting or

rooting myself in the teaching profession. Through interacting with teachers within and

without side my station, I was able to learn some current techniques applied in content
delivery. Among these were modes of presentations, instruments or materials and the

logistics in teaching profession.

It also unearthed the idea of limited vacancies which has been demoralising me as I take the

course. I came to realize that a good number of schools beginning with Nyabohanse to those I

went for marking in had limited teachers of English and Literature. This realization gave me

the motive, hope and courage to take my course diligently in readiness to occupy the

available vacancies.

Another major strength is that it deepened my network in the country. I identified myself with

a lot of teachers in and outside the school, built a good rapport with the students I met, non-

teaching staff and the external community at large.

It also eroded the idea that teaching is a tedious profession and has a lot of challenges.

DRAWBACKS

The greatest challenge I faced is suspicion by the senior staff members who for many reasons

did not understand what I was in the school for. Their limitless questions about CBC almost

PETER WAFULA OF GREAT FOCUS

0708835047

pissed me off. Their greatest worry was whether I was sent by the ministry of education to

inspect their performances and relations with students. Learners on the other hand at times

did not feel free to express their views in my presence.

Failure to get support from the university almost made me view this programme as a scum.

The personnel we were allocated was very adamant and never bothered to supervise our

progress.

RECOMENDATIIONS

The university should inform the practicum stations about this programme early enough to

avoid too much unnecessary questions from the existing staff.

Adequate competent personnel should be put in place for effectiveness.

The student log books should be wide enough to accommodate more content not observation

and skills learnt alone.

CONCLUSION

Since my advantages outweighs the disadvantages, this programme would help many student

teachers garner more if the above recommendations are put in place.