Thursday, April 20, 2006
4th day.
And the day when I was forced to really shout at the students for the first time. I was giving my class a mock test in preparation for their CA next Thursday.
After giving them the instructions and distributing the papers, some of the students kept asking me whether the test scores will be considered for their CA.
See, never listen to instructions.
Always busy talking among themselves, only to ask the same questions again and again. Never mind.
2 or 3 guys strolled in after the test started. I either have not seen them before or had not recognised their faces yet. I was half right. One of the guys has just came back to school after being suspended. He was very tall and looked malicious. I later learnt that he was 2 years older than the rest as he had been retained in his primary school before. He had came from a boys' home. He introduced himself to me and that he was a student of this class. I gave him the test paper and asked him to do it quickly as he has had less time. Soon, as I was doing my rounds in the class, I found this guy sleeping at his desk. So I waked him up. "Do you know you are supposed to do the test now? Do you have any difficulties?" He said he did not know how to do. I admitted that the test was hard this time round as it was a Sec4 Normal (A) paper and anyway it would not count towards his CA scores. So there is no need for him to do it, he said simply, and went back to sleep. I pestered him. "Having a hard question paper doesn't mean you do not have to try it. See your friends, they are all trying their best." This time round he flared up. " Why do you all (teachers) keep pestering me one? Can leave me alone or not ?", looking at me in a menacing manner as he complained. I gave up and went away. Never mind still.
The noise level is rising. That's the problem in this class when you turn your attention to a few students; the others would start talking away. Hello?! This is a TEST right? No doubt it's a mock one, but that doesn't mean you do not have to follow the rules. Aha! This is some new to me--- I see some people DISCUSSING answers!! And BLATANTLY! WTH?! "Teacher, very hard leh.."was the oft-cited reason to justify an act that can be deemed as cheating during the exams, accompanied by a 'pitiful' expression in the hope I would let them off.
The group of guys at the back are starting to talk again. But this time round, they were not discussing answers. Some of them have either completed the test or given up on it and started fooling around with their friends. But who cares? " Whoever makes anymore noise again jolly well gets out of the class and do his test!!!" I shouted at them. " "**** and ******, you want to get out?"
Things are getting tougher.
I was exhausted at the end of the 2 periods, which I initially thought (giving them a test) was the easiest.
You cannot be more wrong than that.
-sobs- -__ ;
In the afternoon, I went out with B! She said she was meeting her students at the airport to give them remedial (or extra help) in their History. B is a fellow relief teacher who has been with the school since the start of the year. But she is only nineteen-- that means she just graduated from JC last year! What a big change in the role she's playing within the past few months. From student to teacher! And to a full-time one since she had to teach half a year's syllabus to her students. Luckily for them she was a History student in JC and luckily for them, she really went the extra mile to give students extra lessons during her own free time. Outside school as well. She would make a good teacher, I told her, as she is currently applying to the MOE teaching award and may very possibly become a full-fledged teacher some day.
All these aside, I find that she is a very approachable person to talk to and share problems with. No wonder we have become such good friends in such a short span of time. The reason she is giving up her free time to help her students is that according to her, relief teachers would have much more time and thus flexibility to provide students with extra help outside school hours. So she's contributing her part to it. And she had even conducted such small-group discussions on public holidays like Good Friday! She's such a dedicated teacher that her students were lucky to have.
Anyway, we went to the airport staff food court to have lunch and help the students with their work. The pasta stall was great! I would not have eaten pasta if not for her recommendations and I did not regret it.
Of the 4 students, 2 were from Taiwan and 2 from China. As they had just arrived here early this year, their command of English was still far from proficient and we had to translate the history text to Chinese for them to understand better. Interesting experience I had. And it was fun and fulfilling. B also introduced me to Suduko during the short rest intervals when she gave the students a little work to do. Haha. All six of us had fun and laughter this afternoon. Being a teacher is so fun.
:p
Posted by charles at 9:24 PM