No of Journal : 2

Practicum Week : 2

Incident date : 1st August 2016 – 5th August 2016

Title of Journal : Seating Arrangement

1.0 Problem

This is the first week I start to teach my Year 3 Yakin pupils. I even entered all the
relief classes for Year 3 Yakin because I want to spend time with them and get to know
each and every one better. Eventually, I have been informed by the Senior Assistant
teacher that I would be teaching Year 4 Yakin too. So, I entered 4 Yakin as well to get to
know them. I observed few things that I see as a problem in the class during the first week
of teaching itself. The matter that I considered that could cause major problem is the
pupils seating arrangement that effect their socializing with each other. The weaker pupils
sit with the weaker one meanwhile the clever one sit with the clever one. The development
of interpersonal skills between them didn’t happen at all. Furthermore, the concept of peer
guidance also didn’t occur there. If the pupils sit with partner that has different level of
proficiency level, they could help each other. For example, if the clever pupil sit with the
weaker one, the clever pupils can help the weak pupil by assisting him or her to read a
passage, write a phrase and etc. The seating arrangement also can elevate their level of
socialization, this is because due to their seating arrangement, they tend to just
communicate with their level of peers, thus the clever one will feel that they are superior
meanwhile the weaker one could develop the sense of inferiority. Chomsky had said in
his book, children inferiority complex is very dangerous for their development as that
could effect of how they behave in the future. Hence, a simple classroom seating
arrangement could affect too many of matters in the life of a group of pupils.
2.0 Analyze the problem

In my point of view, I couldn’t pinpoint anyone for the cause of the problem as I
haven’t taught the pupils yet. The seating arrangement could be arranged by the teachers
or even the pupils by themselves. There is no any fixed or image of seating arrangement
that been laid out for Year 3 Yakin and 4 Yakin, thus I felt that this seating arrangement
might be changed by the pupils itself based on their own interest. I noticed the weak pupil
in 3 Yakin, like Syafrina seat at the edge of the class, in which it is very difficult for me to
notice him as he is quite hidden. And it is normal for a teacher to focus on the pupils who
sits in the middle because they are easily seen. Thus, when I’m teaching at the front, he
tend to do other works such as coloring, looking out the window, and even lying on the
table. I do not want to pinpoint him for each of my lesson, thus I know that I need to find
a way to help these type of pupils who are somehow effected by the seating arrangement
itself.

3.0 Ways to overcome

The way to overcome this problem is to change the pupils seating arrangement.
As I know the pupils level of proficiency through their teachers explanation as well as my
observation, I can identify each and every one of the pupils level. Hence, the changes in
the seating arrangement could settle down all the issues that occur to the pupils as well
as to ease the flow of a lesson. I have my own sketch of their seating arrangement based
on their level of proficiency as well as the level of hyperactivity. This is my plan of their
seating arrangement.
 Blackboard

Teacher’s
Table

Balqis Ain Afwan Amru Zikri Faruq

Ammar Hazim Alif Danish Ira Muna

Intan Nurin Amjad Hakimi Fifi Adam

Alya Umaira Tiqa Dyna

4.0 Time frame

1st August 2016 – 5th August 2016

5.0 Further Action

I should change the seating arrangement of my pupils, in such a way that the bright
pupils sit with the weaker one at the right and left side of the class, meanwhile, the pupils
who are weak and quite mischievous I should change their place to the middle row, in
where I could give more attention to them during the lesson. This is to ensure that they
are able to learn from their peers who are excel than them in education and to ensure
that the weaker ones are always been helped even though it is not from the teacher, but
through their peers instead.
Checked by Mentor: Checked by Lecturer:

Signature : Signature :
Name : Name :
Date : Date :
(Journal 2 = Seating Arrangement)

5.0 Further Action

I changed the pupils seating arrangement on Sunday, 15th February 2015 as I want
to make the changes as soon as possible to ensure the pupils can get use to their new
seating arrangement as well as their new peer beside them. As I had paired up the least
proficient pupils with the better proficient pupils, I can see how they help their friends
during the teaching and learning session. Besides that, I also asked the naughty and
daydreamer pupils to sit in the middle row as I can always have my eyes on them.
Somehow, I managed to have all the pupils under my control with the new seating
arrangement.

6.0 Conclusion

Through the end of the third week, this new seating arrangement had helped the
pupils to get used to the changes and each time during the English lesson, they know
that they have to change their seating arrangement. I can see improvements in most of
the pupils, for example, Syafrina who was seated by the window at the beginning, and
now I changed his place to the middle row so that I can always have an eye on him. He
is a daydreamer and now in this a week time; I can see that he is now focused to the
lesson even though I have to keep calling his name in order to ensure he need to
concentrate.

Checked by Mentor: Checked by Lecturer:

Signature : Signature :
Name : Name :
Date : Date :