Week 1, 26 June 2018:
Nothing special. Thought it was fun, standing at the gate greeting & being greeted by students.
Week 2, 3 July 2018:
Bunch of Form 3 broke a glass window pane. Found out that it wasn't their first time doing so. A few prefects complained that that bunch of students have been playing around that same area for days. Sent the bunch to the disciplinary teacher.
Week 3, 10 July 2018, which is also today:
A young man came to the school around 8am, asking permission to bring her sister home as her mum is hospitalized. Asking which class is the sister in, he say he don't know but claims she is in form 5. Posted an announcement in the school's Telegram group, and a teacher responded that the particular girl is actually a Form 4 girl.
Feeling suspicious, the school's admin and teacher started probing the boy more. There were cases where students were taken "home" by their so-called "siblings" or "uncles" and it did not end up well.
After some probing, the boy claims that they don't have a dad, and the mum was hospitalized the day before, not on the same day. And the reason why the girl came to school is because she wants to take her attendance. School admin got suspicious and asked for the boy's IC and we found out that he has a different surname than the girl. The boy then claims that he is the girl's step-sister.
By school policies, any individual who are not the students' parents are not allowed to take the students home. Hence, the boy was turned away.
And after some investigation by the teacher, we found out that the boy is actually the boyfriend of that girl.
Nearly fell for that one. I wonder am I too naive.
An hour later, I got a call from the school's admin to send a kid home (during school hour) because she is not feeling well and her mum can't drive.
After school, a Peralihan boy approached me with a bleeding hand asking for plaster. He was drenched in sweat, which probably means he got the cut by running around or something, which he admitted in doing so.
And on the same day, a lesson that I planned meticulously did not went well. These kind of things happens, but somehow the feeling of failure is just rather amplified today. Students weren't in the mood to do things, or perhaps I didn't present the lesson well. Or could it be that I am too "soft" to them, and somehow students think that they can get away easily by doing minimal work in my lesson?
--
My school mentor pointed out I was being too soft to one of my English class (Class X, yes the same Class X I wrote in this blog post), which is true. I thought that they are a good class that don't need me to scream and shout to do their work and I realize recently they did not take my work seriously.
And now it seems to be affecting my other English class (Class Y!)?
(Or my emotions are just highly volatile today. Calm down Jia Qi your lesson with that Class Y is fine, it is just today. Just today. Just that it is extra hurtful given the amount of time I usually spent planning lesson for that class)
--
But on the positive side, Class X took my work seriously today. I wonder if my mentor talked to them, or they themselves realized it, or it is because my change of tone today (being more firm in what I expect them). I wanted them to complete their work in class, but in the end I had to let them complete it at home, not sure if that is a good move or not....
And on the other positive side, a few students from Class Y came over to help me carry my projector and stuff because they realize I am always clumsy with my stuff. So that's something to be grateful about.
--
It hurts a lot thinking about my "failed" lesson at Class Y. Dwelling over it wouldn't help but I can't help but to be very upset, upset that the lesson might seem stupid to the students, sad because they just wasted one hour of their life gaining nothing at all. And also because I spend hours preparing that lesson.
I can't expect all lesson to be smooth sailing, and after all to the students, it is just another lesson, like any other lesson in their school. 2 out of 10 (or 12) lessons they have to sit through a day.
Maybe I need a new hobby. Or at least something I can enjoy doing, other than teaching, or any thing that has to do with my students.
Let me take a break from lesson planning today.
--
So much things happened today, my third week as a guru bertugas. But somehow the one that hurts the most is the failed lesson. WHAI.
No comments :
Post a Comment