My Students

Hi hi, didn't plan to come up here so soon. But the NIEportal is down. Sigh.... Can't get my homework done. Am actually at a loss what I should be doing next. Hai .....

So, here I am again. To record my experience as a contract teacher since March 05 and my 4 weeks' school experience.

Started off contract teaching with a rather 'kind' timetable. Nothing too heavy. 17 permanent periods per week (Geog + Eng). But of course, there were lots of classes to relieve on an adhoc basis. I had such a wonderful experience then. I could spend lots of time and effort designing my lessons, even making 'models' for students to use (minus the lesson plans since my HOD said that as I was not trained in that, she was happy to receive a copy of the slides I give my pupils - phew!).

While some classes are manageable in terms of discipline, I had 2 really challenging Geog classes. Newer teachers are always 'bullied', and getting them to hand in homework was next to impossible. At that point in time, I was really glad to be of a very big frame, with eyes that can turn murderous in split seconds, and a really loud and shrilling voice. But of course, these only helped to scare some of the more cowardly students into listening in class and getting their homework handed in. I was and still am clueless what I could/can/should/will do to motivate them. Sigh.... If anyone has any clues, please feel free to leave a message etc.

Then, came the holidays. While other contract teachers were having their holidays, I was enlisted to chaperone pupils on some activities/events, eg Kidsfest '05 held in ACS Barker Road, and The Community Drumming Festival '05 held in Simei ITE East. I am really glad that I said yes when different teachers approached me for help. It was during such activities that I really built a good rapport with most pupils involved, including those with discipline problems and who never listen to me in class. I was always barking at them for homework etc during lessons. But outside that context, I joked with them, laughed with them or at them, and encouraged them (I do crack jokes in class as well, in case you are mistaken). And of course, looking after their welfare (their drinking water, their food, their belongings and being there for them) did the most magical trick of all. So, my conclusion - the environment outside the class is more conducive for building rapport and gaining pupils' trust. The picture you see here is one taken during the Drumming Festival, where students had to put up a performance with tambourines. True, I had to handle quite a fair bit of paperwork. But those were time and effort well put in, with the best results ever. And when the term started in end June for my 4 weeks of school experience, I had a better time with the more problematic students. More of them handed in their work and showed more enthusiasm in class. Yippee! I was so so glad.

But then, life was not a bed of roses. My time table for term 3 increased to 27 permanent classes per week. And had other classes to relieve as well. I had less time to put into planning my lessons, which made me really unhappy. In addition to that, I was given a Sec 3 N/T class, for English. I had to rack my brains to get them mentally into the class, although they may be physically around. They were simply not motivated at all. Teachers told me they love coming to school because they can be with their friends. And they come to school with empty bags, with no writing materials at all. Sigh... So, I struggled throughout the 4 weeks. But towards the end of those 4 weeks, I decided that my games and movie-times in class were not done for nothing. They began to warm up towards me and became more involved, although it was still really hard getting them to do any written work. 4 weeks was simply too short. But if you do have any 'express' or 'fast-forward' ways of motivating such students, please let me know. :)

Oh well, this is getting too long so I have better stop.

SW