Four students from Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) gained a valuable international teaching experience in Manila, Philippines, through the Lantip Internasional program. From July 20 to August 18, 2025, they joined classrooms and discovered firsthand the differences in educational culture, while also strengthening UNNES’s partnership with Philippine Normal University (PNU), The National Center of Teacher Education.
Valda Nafila and Najwa Rahima, both Mathematics Education students, taught eighth-grade mathematics at Manila Science High School (MSHS), one of the country’s top science high schools. They were impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and academic performance.
“The students are very active, always asking and answering questions. This pushed us to be more creative in keeping the lessons engaging,” Valda said.
At the same school, Ika Rizki Refima Putri from Indonesian Language and Literature Education introduced Indonesian as a foreign language to seventh graders. Despite the challenge, she applied interactive methods.
“I used fun learning activities games, quizzes, and creative tasks so students didn’t just memorize vocabulary but could practice it in daily conversation,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Norita Agustina Subagyo, a Primary School Teacher Education student, taught fourth graders at Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School. She brought an Indonesian classroom touch by introducing ‘Tepuk Good Job’, which quickly became a favorite among the children.
“They were so enthusiastic, making the class atmosphere even more interactive than what I usually experience in Indonesia,” she shared.
Beyond teaching, the students also faced challenges such as adapting to school prayer routines, adjusting worship schedules, and navigating different interaction styles. Yet, these challenges became valuable lessons.
“We realized that being a teacher means being ready to face diverse backgrounds and classroom dynamics. Education knows no boundaries,” Najwa reflected.
The program highlighted that teaching abroad is not only about imparting knowledge but also about learning from differences. “This experience showed us that education is always evolving. As future teachers, we must be ready to adapt anywhere. We return home with valuable lessons, not only as teachers but also as learners on the global stage,” the four students said together.
