20+ years to go
Ever since the switching from EPF scheme to pension scheme,
my colleagues and I are complaining about the years of service we going to have.
Most of the female colleagues can't wait to opt for early retirement.
I hope I can opt for early retirement too provided I have enough money.
If not, may be I want to switch to another new working environment.
I think I rather face paper works than students.
I know some of my readers are going to be sad to hear this.
I know I told everyone that I am currently enjoying my teaching.
I am teaching a group of students who really want to study and aim to score well for their STPM before entering university.
Oh yes, my second badge of Form 6 students are going to receive their STPM result soon.
It probably will be annouced by the 2nd week of March before school holiday.
Anyway.. back to my story.
This year I was given a harder task.
The school has reduced the number of Form 6 classes and I have no choice but to teach a class of Form 4.
This is really a difficult task.
They are a group 33 students who only scored not more than a D in their PMR.
This is not last class yet.
This is 4B students.
I expect 4B is still 'teachable'.
But they refused to study in class.
I don't have to say about homework.
They don't even want to copy whatever I have on the blackboard.
Nowadays, I only show them one example, followed by a few exercises (exactly like the example) on the board, yet not many response.
Some of them who want to study yet they act like a primary school's students.
You will be hearing them calling,
"teacher, teacher, ..."
(oooppssss... I guess that is the only english word that they can master.)
Then.. followed by,
"Cam ni buat? Kamek sik paham?"
Gee.... I can't even tell them to speak in proper Bahasa Melayu and how can one expect me to teach them in proper English?
I have no choice.
Either I teach in English and let them all fail their SPM or
I have to teach in BM.
(preferably local Sarawak Malay.. but too bad I can't understand it as well)
Sometimes, I add a few words of English here and there.
This only works for those who want to study.
But to the rest of them, they shut their ears.
They rather sleep or talk in the class.
I talked to one of the students and asked about his ambition.
He told me that he wants to be an army and bomb Gaza.
See...
their mentality is so low.
They don't understand a single thing about the war in Gaza.
I don't know much too about Gaza though I heard a little bit about who is right and wrong, here and there.
But I didn't laugh at him.
I told him that he needs to study to pass his SPM before he can be an army.
But he told me straight away that he just needs to pass his BM.
That will be enough to become army of police.
Sorry for my ignorance, but is my student right?
Another student of mine who is more coperating one, asked me,
'I only need 4 credits in my SPM to enter university, right?'
Gee...
I told him I am not sure.
But I think 4 credits in STPM and not SPM
May be 4As in SPM to enter university.
I have to make him study harder.
hahaha...
It has been more than 3 weeks teaching this class.
I taught the same thing for the pass 3 weeks.
I have never do this kind of thing in my life as a teacher.
I am not teaching according to the textbook/syllabus.
I teach according to the situation.
4 questions per day.
The same format.
Over and over.
Trust me.
More than half of the class still cannot do it.
-3+4=-7
-3+4=-1
-3+4=-12
You can get all sort of answers because they cannot count well yet they do not want to buy a calculator.
When I discuss the answers with them,
they just simply shout out the answers (like barbarians).
I heard some of them just shout without any idea.
They just want to have fun.
They are so happy doing that till it irritates the teachers of the two classes beside us.
I totally lost my class control.
I dare not stop them till I have my lesson done.
I told my colleagues that I start to see more responsive gestures from them and gain their confidence in me.
If I start to scold them again, they might shut themselves away from me again.
Oh... I still have 9 months with them.
I really hope that the school will add more Form 6 science classes next year so that I don't have to teach Form 4 or Form 5 anymore.
If I still cannot cope with it, I think I have to start to change to another new environment.
I will start to apply to work in the office, though many advice me not to.
*sigh*
I still have more than 20+ years to go!
Most of the female colleagues can't wait to opt for early retirement.
I hope I can opt for early retirement too provided I have enough money.
If not, may be I want to switch to another new working environment.
I think I rather face paper works than students.
I know some of my readers are going to be sad to hear this.
I know I told everyone that I am currently enjoying my teaching.
I am teaching a group of students who really want to study and aim to score well for their STPM before entering university.
Oh yes, my second badge of Form 6 students are going to receive their STPM result soon.
It probably will be annouced by the 2nd week of March before school holiday.
Anyway.. back to my story.
This year I was given a harder task.
The school has reduced the number of Form 6 classes and I have no choice but to teach a class of Form 4.
This is really a difficult task.
They are a group 33 students who only scored not more than a D in their PMR.
This is not last class yet.
This is 4B students.
I expect 4B is still 'teachable'.
But they refused to study in class.
I don't have to say about homework.
They don't even want to copy whatever I have on the blackboard.
Nowadays, I only show them one example, followed by a few exercises (exactly like the example) on the board, yet not many response.
Some of them who want to study yet they act like a primary school's students.
You will be hearing them calling,
"teacher, teacher, ..."
(oooppssss... I guess that is the only english word that they can master.)
Then.. followed by,
"Cam ni buat? Kamek sik paham?"
Gee.... I can't even tell them to speak in proper Bahasa Melayu and how can one expect me to teach them in proper English?
I have no choice.
Either I teach in English and let them all fail their SPM or
I have to teach in BM.
(preferably local Sarawak Malay.. but too bad I can't understand it as well)
Sometimes, I add a few words of English here and there.
This only works for those who want to study.
But to the rest of them, they shut their ears.
They rather sleep or talk in the class.
I talked to one of the students and asked about his ambition.
He told me that he wants to be an army and bomb Gaza.
See...
their mentality is so low.
They don't understand a single thing about the war in Gaza.
I don't know much too about Gaza though I heard a little bit about who is right and wrong, here and there.
But I didn't laugh at him.
I told him that he needs to study to pass his SPM before he can be an army.
But he told me straight away that he just needs to pass his BM.
That will be enough to become army of police.
Sorry for my ignorance, but is my student right?
Another student of mine who is more coperating one, asked me,
'I only need 4 credits in my SPM to enter university, right?'
Gee...
I told him I am not sure.
But I think 4 credits in STPM and not SPM
May be 4As in SPM to enter university.
I have to make him study harder.
hahaha...
It has been more than 3 weeks teaching this class.
I taught the same thing for the pass 3 weeks.
I have never do this kind of thing in my life as a teacher.
I am not teaching according to the textbook/syllabus.
I teach according to the situation.
4 questions per day.
The same format.
Over and over.
Trust me.
More than half of the class still cannot do it.
-3+4=-7
-3+4=-1
-3+4=-12
You can get all sort of answers because they cannot count well yet they do not want to buy a calculator.
When I discuss the answers with them,
they just simply shout out the answers (like barbarians).
I heard some of them just shout without any idea.
They just want to have fun.
They are so happy doing that till it irritates the teachers of the two classes beside us.
I totally lost my class control.
I dare not stop them till I have my lesson done.
I told my colleagues that I start to see more responsive gestures from them and gain their confidence in me.
If I start to scold them again, they might shut themselves away from me again.
Oh... I still have 9 months with them.
I really hope that the school will add more Form 6 science classes next year so that I don't have to teach Form 4 or Form 5 anymore.
If I still cannot cope with it, I think I have to start to change to another new environment.
I will start to apply to work in the office, though many advice me not to.
*sigh*
I still have more than 20+ years to go!
6 comments:
"They don't understand a single thing about the war in Gaza." Ask the students in the best class! They are not much better. All they can do is memorise - memorise - memorise and vomit everything out in the exam and score straight As.
I had lots of Chinese students - they're really good at memorising. For the oral English exam every year, I would have a group of over 40 students from a private Chinese school. They would do SO well - full marks, but later I found out they did not even know the name of their own school in English! Duh!!!
I would rather have my own not-so-good students (exam-wise) but more balanced...and they should do much better when they go out into society!!!
Teaching is a noble profession
In the years of yesterday
When the advancement of many things
Students know better as they say
Teachers are just painting wall
For them to shoot blindly
Teachers want their charges prosper
Learn something of value in their lives
Yet the frustrations become headaches
When students become ‘drug induced zombie’
Look at them turning mentally retarded persons
Believing only in their world of dreams
Ganging up to show strength
The teachers can’t do much only ignore them
Gang fights in schools
It is nothing new today
It is happening…….
I had my share of those drug induced zombie
Teachers knew about my classmates then
The rowdy and teasing crowd………..
Homework was throwing into the dustbins
Yet in those years
There were concerned teachers who took the trouble
Showing concerned and talking about the future
Some just gave up let them had their way
It wasn’t their future; it was the students
I had my share those years ago
Only a few teachers took the trouble
Cikgu Rokiah brought me back to school
When I had quit earning money in the world
The late Lloyd Tan Pau Chan
My scout master who shared with us
About religion about motivation
God has everything for every one of us
Do the simple things first
Get the momentum then hit the hard tasks
In this way life doesn’t act so complicated
I know how you feel
Like I was telling my staff what to do
Advice and penalties it didn’t work
Some just don’t bother
They think they are the basket case
The goners when they breathe into life
Yet you have the advantages
Mould them into upright students
Now it may look a daunting task
Years to come these students
They remember you always
hahaz..jia you sensei! good luck in teaching them. If you need help on sarawak language, i may somehow assist u.lol. just msn me. good luck!
STP: I also feel that well balance plays much important role rather than scoring all As. I can see a few of my not-so-bright students will be able to do very well when they go out into society. But no doubt, if possible I do hope that they will be able to score all A. But if they have put in their effort, whatever turns out is ok. That is already their very best.
Caravanserai: Thanks for the encouraging words. I need that for the moment. I need the ummph to do the daunting task.
Elvin: Thanks.
hey teacher, do not expert too much on the gaza, most of the university student also don not know much also. no need to expect too much la.
i think u just one of the best teacher i ever meet, don worry, things will going to be ok .
just more patient i think.
Sotong Boy: Thanks for the compliment. You have met the best teacher ever, but that is not me. hahaha... You know who is the one that I am talking about.
Post a Comment