Victoria University Students Join Teaching Practice in Yogyakarta

12 students of Victoria University joined a teaching practice program in Yogyakarta starting from Saturday May 24^th to Wednesday June 11^th 2014. The program, which lasted for two and a half weeks, was conducted in collaboration between Yogyakarta State University and Victoria University. The students participating are in their second year and fourth year of study, majoring P-12 and Early Childhood/Primary Education. They were devided into four groups to teach students at four different schools including Giwangan Elementary School, Sleman-Model- Kindergarten and Elementary School, Percobaan 2 Elementary School, and SMA 9 Yogyakarta (Senior High School). During the program, the students experiencde and learned teaching school students in different social and cultural contexts. “We are excited to have this program and having a good time here. Thank you for having us here,” said Dr. Mark Vicars, a lecturer of Victoria University in the opening ceremony of this program.

Prior to the teaching practice, the students had visited the schools for doing observations. Based on the observation they  prepared the lessons according to Indonesian 2013 curriculum and conducted the lessons in Australian style. “It is different from schools in Australia, but it’s a great experience,” said Adam Devenish, a student whose major is P-12 education specialising in music and English. Almost similarly, Nicole McInerney, who chose Physical Exercise for her Indonesian Project Interest, said that it was a nice experience and found that some students in the first and second grades of Giwangan Elementary School are very good at drawing. “You have some good artists here,” she added.

During the holidays on Indonesian calendar, they participated in 9 Yogyakarta Senior High School graduation and had trips to temples and natural sites around Yogyakarta and Central Java. (oiap)