It’s called the nature of
life in which is so full of ups and downs. Joy, satisfaction, regret, and
discontentment – all of ‘em, in sub-consciousness, have always kept us company. Like our
best companions. Anywhere. Anytime. Every second/min. And each single day. As
though this life seems utterly incomplete without any of them.
Frankly speaking, I’ve no
idea to what extent our present teachers truly see this particular thing. All I
ever care is its utmost significance. FYI…I’m talking about ‘teaching
reflection’ – which ought to get written out by the teachers just after each
lesson is finished. And it is every teacher’s to-do duty to reflect
his teaching at the end of each teaching session. Because it’s so real IMPORTANT!
Should there be a number of teachers in school today taking
reflection for granted, I shall be the first to condemn this
unforgiveable negligence. How embarrassing ‘cause they had been trained
to habitually do some teaching reflection back in college or university and I
know that. And school is an institution whereby they are to utilise all the
knowledge, skills and whatever they’ve acquired at. Or otherwise they’d better
get fired! There’s tons of unemployed graduates dying for this job, okay!
How vital is a reflection? My answer is simple. Without
doing teaching reflection, a teacher can never identify his weaknesses or
strengths, ever! So, there won’t possibly be any enhancement and
improvement in the end, let alone students’ themselves! Our today’s society is
more like ‘the pot called the kettle black’. Oh…please! Stop it. Whereas teaching
reflection assists the teacher in gradual teaching improvement, not to
mention so are the students’. Wouldn’t that be good news for all teachers
worldwide?
Presumably, to some people, a part-time tutor like
me isn’t supposed to be obliged to do this teaching reflection thing – but,
sorry, I choose to! And reflection, obviously, does make me a much
better tutor, doesn’t it? Finding my weaknesses as well as strengths out all on
my own. Doing reflection can be done on the weekly basis. Doesn’t have to be in
black and white. Sparing your little time contemplating on your preceding
lessons will do!
Just bear in mind ONCE you get appointed to be a tutor
or teacher, that’s yet to axiomatically prove to the world out there,
allegedly, how awesome your teaching is, or how good you are. If this is
what you’re thinking at the moment, then all I can say is, “Well…in your dream!”
I would rather view this reflection thing as the
beginning of a learning process. Upon teaching, I can be learning something
new. In addition to learning from the mistake I might’ve screwed up during the
previous class, perhaps. Mind you, only if you’ve never missed out teaching
reflection would all that transpire. Thus, DEAR TEACHERS out there, reflection
is a must and I have to say! Besides, I dare to assure, you’re such a fantastic
teacher I’ve ever known on earth whether doing teaching reflection is constantly
a part of your daily routine. Well done!
My tutor life, for the record, isn’t all about
entering classes, distributing dull three-page worksheets
to school kids and discussing the correct/incorrect answers and whatnot. Could
be some other tutors’ class routine – however, at least, not mine! It’s
actually more than you might think. Since I’m sorta perfectionist (I guess), certainly,
each of the tasks I’m gonna do has to be pretty well organized. Well prepared.
Such as having all teaching learning resources (or teaching aids) ready so things
won’t turn a complete chaos when it’s time to teaching. I should’ve completely
known the things I wanna do.
Right after doing a quick sum in my head, oh God,
can’t believe my eyes I’ve long gone myself into this quite tough career for the
last 11 months! Every so often, I felt psyched. Ecstatic. Occasionally,
delighted. Ironically, some other time, I too got bloody devastated, dizzy,
shaken up and, probably, rather taken aback. What’s often on my mind is to keep
up the good work, as best I can.
Seeing that I’m teaching Malaysia’s second language
i.e. the English language, needless to say I’m longing to get my pupils take to
this international language. And several years later, they get expected to have
mastered English a lot better. Still, the question is: How?!
Well…I’m a teacher who hardly ever feels contented
with my teaching just like that. Most of the times, seems like there’s something
missing in my teaching. I can tell. I do try to come up with super cool
ideas, though. Not only that, I regularly do a great deal of reading as well,
in the hope of discovering something called a ‘secret recipe’. Like the secret
recipe of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). The recipe which is likely to stimulate
my pupils’ interest in education – yet, I can still reckon myself that
something’s missing in my own teaching ingredients all this while. What
is it, then?!
In either class I’m in charge of, there’s a Year One
girl named Izzati. And the rest of the class are respectively in Year Three and
Four. That means a different teaching module is wanted whilst carrying
my teaching out. The Year One girl can never be taught the same module as for the
rest. Hence, I’ve been making endeavour so as to make sense of Standard Year
One English exam question formats. In the hope that I can impart info relevant,
appropriate with a Year One pupil’s needs.
But nevertheless, I ain’t teaching the English
language as an exam subject like in school. This is called Intensive English
class. Should be a little more different with any other typical subjects in the
way I teach. On top of that, a tutor must be somebody all creative and brainy
– who’s able to come up with a wide range of inspiring, engaging, attractive
teaching pedagogies. And THIS is what I’m doing now!
More significantly, a pupil is hoped to be able to bring
some knowledge home. Even if 10% of the entire lesson can be considered more
than enough. At least, this pupil, evidently, has learnt something within
a one-hour lesson, rather than none of it, right? I still regard this a ‘triumph’
though I know, ‘the more they learn, the more they understand’.
My lecturer used to insist that assertion really
counted. This kinda characteristic requirement I find it somewhat tricky to
make it all the time. Just because I don’t look as fierce as a roaring lion I
think. I love children, for sure. Moreover, they’re just kids, you know. By attempting
to approach them much closer, they’d feel appreciated and loved.
They’d realise somebody else really is
concerned about ‘em. Somebody else who CARES about what the hell they’re up to.
And there’s somebody else currently looking after ‘em. Such things make them
tend to be very honest with you, sharing with you whatever they reckon, ponder
about something, etc. More importantly, I enjoy this way so much. Miserably, some
people out there would thoughtlessly evaluate it a big failure. That I’m not
good at class organization, am I?
Even so, I strongly object that remaining firm toward the
pupils makes things better. They won’t be enjoying every second of my
teaching at all, to my mind. Let alone engaging with the foreign language being
taught! Sense of humor, jokes, friendliness, accountability, affection – these
are, practically, a quarter of the whole required ingredients in teaching. Please…no
moody faces but cheerful looks.
Can’t deny that some pupils mainly males assume as if
my class setting is somewhere at the playground – where they can move around anytime
and do whatever they please. Playing soccer in class? Um…they never have, as
yet. Argh! That makes me feel like whining, “God, I can’t take any more of
this!” But then again…say, the class appears all silent, I’m not even enjoying
my teaching either, am I? – dilemma.
I'm telling you today's classroom phenomena appears as terrible as in the picture!
Teachers are terribly under pressure... please lend them a helping hand!
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