Individual Reflection 3

Lam Ngoc Tam Anh

INTRODUCTION

This reflection report documents my professional and personal growth throughout the practicum co-organized by the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, USSH-VNUHCM and the Faculty of Basic Sciences and Foreign Language, Naval Academy. Over the course of the practicum, I engaged in a range of activities including classroom observations, micro-teaching, and a group seminar presentation. Each of these experiences contributed meaningfully to my development as a future educator.

More than a set of academic tasks, this practicum was a genuinely enriching experience — one that placed me in an unfamiliar institutional context, challenged my assumptions, and expanded my understanding of what teaching and learning can look like beyond my own university environment. The memories made and the lessons learned throughout this journey are ones I expect to carry with me long into my professional life.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS I HAVE LEARNT FROM THE PRACTICUM

One of the valuable skills I developed during the practicum was analytical and assessment skills. When observing peers' micro-teaching sessions, I evaluated their performance based on the lesson plan and teaching methodology, paying particular attention to how they delivered instructions and interacted with students. What made this process especially meaningful was that it simultaneously prompted self-reflection. Each time I identified a strength or weakness in a peer's delivery, I found myself asking the same questions about my own teaching — whether I made the same mistakes, or whether I handled similar moments as effectively. This dual process of external evaluation and internal reflection helped me develop a more objective and critical perspective on my own practice.

The practicum also significantly strengthened my planning skills. Designing the speaking activity for the Naval Academy class presented several concrete challenges. First, the subject-specific vocabulary was entirely new to me, requiring additional research to ensure the content was accurate and appropriate. Second, without knowing the students' exact proficiency level in advance, I had to carefully calibrate the difficulty of the survey task — particularly the speaking prompts — so that they would encourage free expression without overwhelming the learners. Third, the interactive nature of the survey activity meant that class size directly affected timing, which I had to plan around carefully. My initial concern about classroom dynamics was also addressed through prior observation: seeing how actively and enthusiastically the students engaged in class reassured me and allowed me to proceed with greater confidence. Beyond the micro-teaching itself, my group also prepared and delivered a presentation for the seminar, where I contributed to developing the content, refining the slides, rehearsing the program, and serving as a facilitator — an experience that further deepened my understanding of purposeful academic planning.

In terms of communication skills, I found that the most meaningful growth came from an unexpected direction. As someone who is naturally introverted, communicating with unfamiliar people in real-life settings is something I find challenging. Yet in the classroom, the teacher-learner dynamic provided a clear framework that made connecting with students feel surprisingly natural. One practical moment that stood out was at the start of the micro-teaching session, when I needed to set up the laptop, projector, and speaker under time pressure. I turned to the students for help, and their immediate willingness to assist created an early sense of rapport that set a positive tone for the lesson. I was genuinely grateful for their support.

Regarding cultural competency skills, teaching at the Naval Academy offered a distinct cross-contextual experience. The students were notably disciplined and well-behaved, yet the classroom atmosphere was far more lively and engaging than I had anticipated — dispelling the assumption that a military environment would feel rigid or formal. What struck me was how, beneath the institutional differences, the students shared the same youthful energy and curiosity as learners anywhere. In response, I maintained the professional demeanor expected of a teacher while making a conscious effort not to create unnecessary distance, allowing the interaction to feel approachable and human.

Finally, although I did not serve as the group leader, I took an active and contributive role that called upon my leadership skills throughout the practicum. I regularly offered input on lesson content, suggested revisions to improve the flow of the seminar program, and provided support to group members during their respective teaching segments. One moment that called for quick thinking was just before the seminar began, when we were informed that the audience's proficiency level was lower than expected. I immediately proposed and carried out a revision to one of the warm-up questions to make it more accessible — a small but meaningful adjustment that helped the session run more smoothly.

CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR AND PERCEPTION

In many ways, this practicum reaffirmed rather than reversed my existing beliefs about teaching. I have always understood that teaching is inherently unpredictable, and that a teacher's core responsibility is to remain adaptable in the face of variables that cannot be fully controlled. What the practicum did, however, was give concrete shape to that belief. Experiencing it firsthand — navigating unfamiliar environments, adjusting to real learners in real time, and collaborating under pressure — transformed an abstract conviction into embodied professional understanding.

What I came to appreciate more deeply was the value of teamwork as a skill in itself. Before the practicum, I regarded collaboration largely in terms of task completion — who does what and by when. Through this experience, I began to see it differently: as a dynamic process that requires active listening, timely contribution, and a genuine investment in others' success. I contributed meaningfully across multiple aspects of the group's work — from refining lesson content and seminar materials to supporting teammates during rehearsals and making last-minute adjustments when needed. Looking back, I feel a quiet but real pride in the role I played, not because I led from the front, but because I showed up consistently and contributed where it mattered.

Perhaps the most personal discovery this practicum brought was a clearer understanding of my own collaborative strengths. I learned that I work well in team settings not by taking charge, but by offering steady, thoughtful support — observing what is needed, filling gaps, and helping others perform at their best. This is a form of contribution I had not previously named or valued as explicitly, and recognising it has given me a more grounded sense of who I am as both a learner and a future educator.

CONCLUSION

This practicum was a meaningful chapter in my journey toward becoming an educator. It offered me the opportunity to step outside the familiar boundaries of my own university environment and engage with teaching and learning in a genuinely different context. Through the process of observing, planning, teaching, and reflecting, I gained not only practical skills but also a clearer sense of my own professional identity.

What I take away most from this experience is not any single lesson or activity, but the understanding that growth as a teacher is ongoing and cumulative — built through every observation made, every plan revised, and every moment of uncertainty navigated. I am grateful to the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature, USSH-VNUHCM and the Faculty of Basic Sciences and Foreign Language, Naval Academy for creating this opportunity, and to my group members and supervising teachers whose support made this experience as rewarding as it was. I leave this practicum with greater confidence, deeper self-awareness, and a renewed commitment to continuing my development as a thoughtful and adaptable future educator.