It's another teaching practice.

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I remembered when I first did my teaching practice in year 2015 in the college and I chose a Primary School to do my practice. Thank God I went to the college of education to obtain this certificate. If you want to go for teaching and you do not have this certificate, even if you graduated from the University or Polytechnic, you won't be employed until you produce this certificate in Nigeria and it is NCE (Nigeria Certificate in Education). This is a certificate that will qualify you as a professional teacher. I was given this NCE Certificate after my three years course in Early Childhood Education. I did my teaching practice for three months as a classroom teacher and I took Primary 1 and 2 classes. This really prepared me for teaching and it was an easier task for me even when I was employed as a teacher to take the nursery classes (1 and 2). It got to a point, a colleague of mine asked me how come I find teaching so easy and interesting? I laughed and told her, I already went to the college of education and was taught and prepared to be a teacher. She was still a part time polytechnic student in business administration then and now she has graduated. According to her, she found the profession so tiring and difficult. Lol

So, I finished my teaching practice and the teachers were so happy and at the same time sad because we were leaving (I and my two friends) but they gave us many things as gifts and appreciation to us. During our stay, we were treated so nicely and they welcomed us well. We were permitted to come and become a teacher there but we also need to further our Education and we told them if time permits, we will surely come and we parted ways. I finished my Education then in June 2015 and I became a teacher.

What is teaching practice?

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Teaching Practice is an activity given to students after being taught in the school and are posted to different primary or Secondary schools to go and unleash everything they have been taught and to prepare them to become a professional teachers after school. Teaching practice is also called "Micro Teaching"

Definition of Micro Teaching, "It is a simplified training system designed to enable to my teachers to practice and acquire teaching skills under a supervisor."

In every teaching practice, there is a supervisor assigned to each student to monitor and supervised till they finish the three months program and if a student is not committed to this practice, he or she would have to repeat the program in the coming session and that's automatically an extra year in the college.

After some years, I entered into the University under a college of education as a Counselling and as a degree student. All degree students would have to undergo teaching practice twice (6 weeks each) while those in the college that are going to obtain this NCE CERTIFICATE would enrol for three months. So, as a Counselor, we don't need to teach but to counsel and so, when we go to our various schools for the training, we are being seen as counselors not as teachers.

So, in January last year, when I was in 300 level, I went for my first teaching practice in a secondary school to counsel students. We were 5 students as counselors in the school and we were given a different office apart from the NCE students that also came for theirs. We had to decorate the office and the environment and also did some directions to alert students that there is a counselor around for them. We did seminars and individual counseling for the students and sincerely, they felt our presence. Our supervisors came to supervise us and at the end of the 6 weeks, we organized a program called "CAREER TALK". Without this, there will be no mark for us and that is the reason going for teaching practice, which we call it "Practicum".

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On that day, we called different personnels to talk depending on their professions. Teacher, Doctor, Engineer, Lawyer, Farmer etc. In fact, we spent a lot to hire these people and we all contributed among ourselves. The students were so happy and I was really happy because for the first time, I hosted a classroom seminar where I talked on the title "Sexual Abuse".

Here comes another practicum as I am already in 400 level and the last training for all students in that level. I and my friends decided to change environment and we travelled down to another city for the program. Thank God one of my friends has a family house there which won't cost us any money to rent a home. We are starting this week (today precisely) but we can't resume today as we are going to our school to collect our log book (this is a book where all counselling sessions would be recorded and all test materials to be administered for the students are included). Once we have collected the book, then we can resume the school tomorrow (Tuesday). I believe it's going to be a beautiful moment as we would be visiting the main campus (OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY) during weekends to enjoy ourselves. As time goes on, I will be updating you guys on how we are carrying out our assignment for a grade.

Have a lovely day guys