Teaching is so much as an investment. You pour a lot of energy and resources, and then expect good results from your investment. And if your investment goes down the drain, we wonder whose at fault here... Normally I blame the students and sometimes, the parents..... But this entry is not about pointing fingers.
Thousands of years of paedagogy, yet many children always chose the wrong path, and it was the responsibility of teachers and good parents to pull them back from the dark side. What's with bad things that made people fascinated? Does long hair, not wearing your uniform properly etc made you cool in school? Personally, I am amazed and couldn't understand why the same students keep doing them. (Ok, ok. Actually I know the reason, but I decided long ago that 'If you don't ask for help, I will not help you.').
Focus in class, and lock-in the information you got by reviewing it later. That's the gist of smart studying. Last week, on Thursday morning, I sat with some students before the assembly started, watching them reading some textbooks. Ok, ok 'reading' is definitely a lie. They PRETENDED to read. Yes, I saw their eyes skirting and gazing the books, but they read without comprehension! And it dawned on me that the few hours of study that are worth it are the ones they got by remembering what the teachers said, not by reading books.
Are we doomed? Oh yes we are. If this continue to plague the younger generations. But it's so hard to cultivate the reading culture when children are more interested in games and irresponsible past-times....
.... why must I bother with this anyway.... I'll do my job as the very draconian teacher I am. Cut the losses and care for those who are promising. Those who cannot cope (or refused to join) will be left for the wolves. Life is war. Don't let anyone tell you different, comrade! :v
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9 comments:
Your post disheartened me. I would like you to consider that there are students in your class much like I was as a student. I remember consciously giving up. I had trouble reading and in the 10th grade when I was tested, I read at a 7% comprehension level. Science, especially History, English and Math, all felt hopeless to me most of the time. Not all students don't care, some have just realized they cannot compete with the smart students and yes, to their shame have given up. Don't you give up! The good students don't really even need you. They will learn anyway. It is the struggling student who is truly in need of a teacher. I dare you to schedule one on one times with the struggling students and see if you can make a difference. Then we can decide if you are good teacher.
Grayquill; I half expected someone to react like you did. The greatest challenge a teacher faces today is not the ignorance of students, but their ARROGANCE to receive help for their own good. I am not saying many students are too stupid or beyond help, they are only a few percent from all. But have you witnessed a bad seed in class, provoking and inciting others not to study and play? And how about the hardcore children who will only treat your instruction as suggestions? I DO try to help those students who need help. But as we know, we cannot help all. I will try to put up another entry soon about this, and of your suggestion. Thanks for lenghty comment :)
i think it is the old style teaching/educational method that needs to be taken into account... Students nowadays are different.. but we are educating them by referring on how past students have been educated.
-just an opinion
WAY TO MAKE TEACHING YOUR BITCH! It ain't easy. I did a two year stretch teaching foreign students English, and the only thing that saved me was my newly created tradition of taking the students out for donuts after Friday class if they would just "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ WHEN I ASKED THEM TO". That tradition has stuck around with some of my students, even after I left the school. Teaching IS tough work, and sometimes pretty thankless, but keep fighting the good fight with all your force.
Maybe a change in the system will be a good time, for 2010 vision sake...
fairul; The aim is to fill the glass, but there are already so many rubbish inside it.... Only the owner can take the rubbish away, if he / she wished it. If they won't, how could we help them further?
Eveline; Nice tradition you have there :) And yes, I understand the THANKLESS part very well. Were you are good teacher?
Tenchi; Our education system is one of the most dynamic in the world. Meaning, we ALWAYS do some changing in it.
A pretty good one, i'd like to think. Since I had a lot of students who would then ask me to teach their friends too. I haven't taught since I got myself a corporate job. But, props to the people who do it every day.
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