Observation
Pedagogical Content
During my stay at Lazuardi, I had the opportunity to observe grades 3,4,5 & 6. Throughout my observation, one of the notable realizations is the employment of a more teacher-centric approach or traditional way of teaching as compared to the Philippines. The teacher provides learning material and then starts the discussion by expounding the content of the topic which then straight to an assessment based on the provided book.
Grade 5 & 6
In the higher grades of 5 & 6, the teachers revolve more around discussions and letting the students marinate the content through reading and examples toward their learning while expressing their learning on an activity afterwards.
Grade 3 & 4
On the other hand, in lower grades such as 3 & 4, where their comprehension and criticality are still developing, the teaching relies more on active learning and the essence of collaboration of students by providing engaging activities such as drawing, groupings, presentations, etc.. which aligns more to a student-centric approach.
Special Needs
In terms of students with special needs in the classrooms, given that there are therapists, the teachers provide differentiation of contents in order to accommodate the varied skills of each learner such as providing a specific worksheet or letting the students express their learning through art.
But nevertheless, despite the differences, it could be seen how each of the teachers in each class employ their own effective and appropriate approaches based on what they think fits the learning style and abilities of the students.
In terms of learning materials and technologies, they utilize their lessons using the provided " My Pals are Here" science book and activity book as the main material while supplementing and keeping the interest of students through the use of PowerPoint technologies of images and videos relating to that topic through the help of a projector.
Moreover, the school also ensures that the students do not only resort to the standard discussions within the classroom. The teachers also promote the health and wellness of students in activities such as going to the court to play sports/ exercise or dance routine. Furthermore, they also enrich their knowledge and experience about their surroundings and Kendari as a whole by going on educational field trips at the national library, national bank, police stations, etc.
In terms of the learning environment, the classroom itself is decorated with various visual aids such as their names, motivational quotes, religious posters, and informative and educational information about Indonesia. But one of the most interesting concepts is the use of a name board in the shape of the stars to display the individual collected stickers. It is fascinating how the teachers utilize the interest of students on stickers as a way to engage and motivate them in activities and discussions.