Everyone has the rights to learn, everyone deserves to be educated. School was considered as our second home while the teachers are also considered as our second parents because of the love and guidance they gave on their students. Upon my journey as an education student I realized that the satisfaction once you’ve been part of someone’s life and contributed something to achieve their dreams is worthwhile and one of the greatest feelings ever. I felt that time that teaching is for me. My students need me and so am I to them because I believe that through them I could also learn. On that moment, they are the one who guided me on the path where I really belong.

            January 17, 2019, after the welcome ceremony, we were deployed to Pelita Nusantara School. We were assisted by Miss Ana, one of the teacher on the said school. Upon our arrival on the school the students gathered on our way and ask for our hand to put in their either chick, nose, forehead or in any part of their face as a hand shake and sign of respect. It was overwhelming for me as student teacher because I really felt that they acknowledge us even they didn’t know yet that we will be a substitute teachers who will render minimum of 20 hours teaching experience. I found it very sweet and kind that’s why I already concluded that this will be a piece of cake for me.

            Miss Ana toured us in the school and she oriented us about it. According to her, Pelita Nusantara was founded on July 2004. They just started with 85 students but as the years goes by the number of students is gradually increasing. The main reason why PNS was founded is to change the perception of the people that Education with a national and international curriculum is expensive and was based on religion. In fact, Ms. Ana said that they have a low cost tuition fee and they are granting scholarships programs.

            Pelita Nusantara School uses National Curriculum from the National Ministry of Education combined with the International curriculum under Cambridge International Examination. This kind of combined curriculum intended to cater the Indonesian learners to value their national identity at the same time they have the opportunity to learn the best innovation of education system around the world. (Ana, 2019).

             We walked around the school to observe. I noticed that they have playgrounds, swimming pools, gym, and computer laboratory. The structure of the school is closely like a home wherein the administration let the student grow, learn and enjoy studying without pressure. Students doesn’t even feel any pressure but instead I can see on their faces the excitement and enjoyment to learn and I can see to their faces also the future of their beloved Indonesia.

            Since we are Filipinos who will teach in Indonesia, Ms Ana gave us a week to observe a classroom setting with international subject such us English, Mathematics and Science to have an idea how they cultivate the future of their students. Ms Ana gave us the schedule when and where are the classes that have the international subject. As I observe English Math and Science subject there are similarities on how they deliver the lesson and teach the students. Teachers are just using the book and the board to explain and teach a particular subject which is not advisable because I do believe that in teaching we should have at least three sources of reference because not all things on the book are correct not all are reliable. As a teacher we must be devoted in preparing and reading materials for are students. We should prepare always concrete examples for the lessons and some visual aids it is for the reason that we do have different kind of learners we have visual learners, auditory learners etc. On the other hand teachers try their best to elicit ideas on their pupils and engaged them to actively participate on the lesson because it is a good sign that you already catch their attention which help them to really understand the lesson because of their intimate focus on the lesson. After the lesson teachers also use the workbook of the student as assessment if they have learned something about the lesson.

            After the observation, I asked my mentor on how they prepare and execute their lesson plans then they answered me “Once you become a real teacher you will not able to follow your plan it will just serve as your guide. The most important is you can think fast about different ways on how you deliver your lesson and think impromptu activities you can conduct during your class” then I ask for the sample of their lesson plans. Unlike the lesson plans on the Philippines which is teacher and students talk and very detailed, their lesson plan is semi detailed one. It only contains the flow of the lesson and questions that the teacher will going to ask.

            In the Philippines teaching profession is known as the noblest profession because they teach 6-8 hours every day excluded the overtime without pay. In that case they also prepare lesson plans, visual materials, every day in our case as General Education major if you have 8 subject to teach in a day you should also prepare 8 lesson plans and visual materials so you really need to devote your time to comply to the curriculum. While in Pelita Nusantara School they have the combined curriculum which is the National based and Cambridge curriculum wherein they only have 5-6 hour teaching hours they taught the subject twice in a week their lesson plans are good for a week and they don’t make visual aids because reference for teaching and workbooks for the assessment and evaluation are provided to the both teacher and students with the ratio 1:1.

            There is no such thing as perfect. But I concluded that Pelita Nusantara School is one of the best school because of the facilities they have, their sincerest concern about their culture and their willingness to adapt and be part of the globalization to produce internationally competent products which is the main concern for the 21st century learners.