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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Practically Teachers

"But it never seems to be there when you want it," Black Treacle by Arctic Monkeys.

So I'm undergoing my prac right now. Three weeks in and I would say that I'm adjusting well to the teaching life.

The class that I got is great. They are on-task most (if not all) of the time. Misbehaviour among the students is rare. And in this I am very fortunate to have received a very well-behaved classroom.

Hearing stories from friends who got other schools (especially all-boy-schools. Not to be sexist, but yeah) and the trials they have to go through every time they enter class can truly shake you.

An example would be the situation in one class where, whenever she turns her back on the class to write on the board, a fist fight would almost certainly break out. What would you do and how would you continue the lesson?

Friends have admitted to wanting to quit teaching altogether because of the challenges they go through when entering classes. But these friends, it's not that they feel like the students cannot be helped. Not at all. It's just that they feel that they aren't doing a good enough job to be seriously considered in the profession. One friend expressed that she feels bad for the students for getting her as their teacher, since she doesn't feel that she is what the students deserve. The students deserve better. The students deserve the best. And she didn't feel that she was anywhere near good enough.

And to be honest, I sort of feel the same way too. The students in my class are good. They're great, even. They would go on to achieve great things in the future, I'm sure of it. But will I be a teacher who pushes them to their limits and help them achieve things they never thought they could? Or will I be just some other teacher who they'd forget the name of as soon as I/they leave the school? And if I look in the mirror and see the latter, then I may as well not be in this profession altogether. Let someone better suited to become the former lead the way.

But realistically, as our lecturers are quick to point out, it's still early days for us. Three weeks into the job is nowhere near a long-enough period to determine whether or not you'll be a good teacher in the future. They tell us to give it a few years. And as long as we pass this prac duration, we'll have a chance to prove ourselves to ourselves. That we'll be better teachers than we thought we would be, and still want to improve, for the sake of our students.

It is within my hopes that in a few years I will be able to be that teacher who inspires my students to greatness, to bring them to the thresholds of their own minds, to invite them to challenge their notions of what is right and wrong and develop their confidence to speak their minds, but not before honing those minds to understand that the world works in mysterious ways and that asking questions and looking for the answers is more important than the answers themselves.

I'm asking a lot of myself. Whether it's too much, we'll see.

May peace be upon you.

Cheers!

9 comments:

Akmall Razlan said...

Reading ur entry makes me inspired to write in english. Thanks.

Ryuzaki Ruziah said...

Student tend to be more misbehave espc when they had a new teacher, to be exect a practical one...as time pass..they will and definately listen to you..anyway..good luck with ur practical week..:)

Sarah said...

A teacher ain't just deliver knowledge from syllabus. When I was in school, particularly primary & secondary school the teachers brought me up so caringly eventhough they were so cold at the beginning. Every students has different background. Some students were served with straight path but some are not. Nobody wanted to be left behind no? They just need some elder people to understand and lead them to the path with the method that they able to bear. Btw, may Allah ease your noble doing. May you find peace in your job.

And also teacher, sorry english saya teruk. Haha ^_^"

Jem said...

http://www.businesscircle.com.my/the-secrets-of-the-most-improved-school-in-malaysia/

I hope this article will motivate you Anwar. Amin. :)

ViSiTmE@FaTiN CoRnEr said...

all the best!

Anonymous said...

I bet you've came across this one before, but just a little reminder:

Bukan saja-saja Allah meletakkan anda dalam bidang itu
Bukan saja-saja Allah memberi anda ujian sebegitu
Bukan saja-saja Allah mengurniakan anda kepakaran itu
Bukan saja-saja Allah memasukkan kelemahan itu
Bukan saja-saja Allah membiarkan anda mengemudi dalam keadaan begitu

Melainkan Allah tahu anda akan memberikan sesuatu dalam bidang itu
Melainkan Allah mahu menguatkanmu
Melainkan Allah tahu anda akan membiakkan ilmu-ilmu tersebut
Melainkan Allah mahu menemukan kamu dengan insan-insan yang ikhlas membantu
Melainkan Allah mahu kau tahu betapa tingginya kasih sayangNya kepadamu

Miss Eryn said...

This post really inspired me.
I'm doing my teaching practice too.
Thanks! ^^

jasliza said...

keikhlasan menjadi penguat diri....

jasliza said...

keikhlasan menjadi kunci utk seorg guru membuka pintu kejayaan ank didik mrk...