INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU, KAMPUS PERLIS
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL WRITING
FIRST WEEK
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
(13 JULY 2014 17 JULY 2014)
Problem(s):
This week was the first week for me to have my practicum at SJK (C) Keat Hwa (
H ) , Alor Setar, Kedah. For this time, I have to teach major subject English for 4 periods
and elective subject Language Art for 4 periods. During this first week practicum, I had
faced a tough obstacle, that was the occurring of classroom out of control during
the teaching session. I realized that most of the pupils did not pay attention to the
lesson. Most of them were not listening to teachers presentation and instruction, they
also talked to their friends and making some undesired behaviour such as throwing
pencil case while the lesson is carried on. Last Tuesday, I was entering the class and did
some introduction and diagnostic test. During the stage of introduction, I asked them to
introduce themselves one by one. At the beginning, the class still in control but after a
few pupils done with their introduction the other pupils starts to make noise by talking
with their friends.
I realised that the pupils are unable to sit down quietly when the lesson was
going on. They tend to talk with their friends, and some of them even throw the pencil
case. The situation became chaotic and I even could not handle it. I wondered if I was
too friendly to them or it was my mistakes for not stating the rules and routines clearly,
that it leads to the failure of classroom control?
Problem Analysis:
(a) The focus issue
Class out of control phenomenon occurred. In class, most pupils did not
pay attention to the teacher during the teaching and learning session.
They love to make noise and some of them love to their own things.
(b) The cause of the issue:
For this issue, I realise that there are several reasons for this problem to
occur. The first one is I did not state the rules in my class clearly to the
students. I was just telling them what is acceptable behavior and what is
not. Basically, there will be punishment and reward as their feedback. But,
I forgot to mention about that to my class. They will assume that was not a
big deal for them. The next one is my strategies during the pupils
introduction stage that was just according to the desk order cause them to
misbehave because they already know their turn to introduce themselves.
(c) The effects and consequences of the issue:
I know that bad things will happen if I do not take positive action to
confront some of the following issues. Among the consequences is after
this phenomenon occurs, I feel helpless and slowly began to lose
confidence in me. They think I am intern as the teacher, because I do not
know how to control the class effectively. Later, they do not take my word
seriously and they do not even concentrate in class. It also will cause the
expected learning outcomes are not effectively fulfilled. As teachers have
problems in controlling the class, teachers will spend a lot of precious time
in requesting them to give cooperation. If this situation continues to
worsen, the pupils progress will be greatly affected.
Suggestions and Ideas designed to solve the issue
In order to solve the problem of classroom control continues to deteriorate, I have
put my solutions and recommendations. I hope that through these measures can
solve my problem. For the classroom rules matter, I will establish a clear
expectation for behavior in two ways by establishing clear rules and procedures,
and by providing consequences for student behavior. Past research has stressed
the importance of establishing rules and procedures for general classroom
behavior, group work, seat work, transitions and interruptions, use of materials
and equipment, and beginning and ending the period or the day. Ideally, the class
should establish these rules and procedures through discussion and mutual
consent by teacher and students. I also should acknowledge students behavior,
reinforcing acceptable behavior and providing negative consequences for
unacceptable behavior. For the pupils introduction strategies, I will select them
randomly so they will not able to prepare or to do something else. It will make
them concentrate on the learning because their turn could be anytime. It can
attract their attention on the lesson. I also will try to remember all of their names
so I can call straight away any pupils who are not pay their attention in my class.
The Fixed Period:
I hope that I can manage to control the classroom. I hope that this will be
improvised during the second week 20 th July, 2014 to 24th July, 2014.
