I am back in Saratok. TT Monday Tuesday Back to school blues.
Still no timetable for now. And guess what I did the whole day.. Read Carol Read’s 500 activities from 7:00am till 1:20pm, over and over again! *puke*
The only sure task I got is that I’ll be in Science Club for my KOKU. So much for avoiding Science for 6 years in college & uni. ==
I actually brought some hands-on work to kill time. It’s some Q&A cards I planned for my board games for the kids. I know new teachers always invite unwanted attention, so I did expect other teachers to start getting curious and asking questions. And they did.
Teacher: What are you doing?
Me: Just finding something to occupy myself. *reluctant to explain*
Teacher: Oh what is it? *dying-to-know look*
Me: Errr… some Question cards I plan to do for the board games in class…
Teacher: Oh… Yea better do it now before you get busy. *Adding quietly* Anyhow you won’t find the time/chance to use them… *chuckled*
At that moment a bucket of icy cold water drenched me from head to toe. It was such a great blow!
I’ve heard of how older, experienced teachers telling me how in reality a fun-filled class full of exciting language games and activities does not exist. Yes, when you just begin teaching you’re gung-ho about making the lessons interesting and conducting games and songs and all, they say, but ultimately you’ll revert back to drilling and chasing time to complete syllabus because all the others care is the academic result, how many A’s your kids score and that’s it.
And I do believe that new, inexperienced, fresh-from-college/uni teachers like me could sometimes be so naïve and unrealistic and we dream of changing the kids and the world while others scoff at our so-called passion. And I don’t know, and am actually afraid that a few years down the road later, if I will be the one writing here ridiculing some new teachers’ gung-ho-ness to do likewise.
And yet we complained of our education system being too examination-oriented and that kids nowadays study not for the knowledge but the certs.
Despite the ‘reality’, I think I still want to give it a try. So that the kids would learn to love the subject, and that interest will bring them a long way, to go on learning even when they continue on in sec school or college.
I miss you girls.
I know if you guys were here, you’d stand by me and scoff back at the teacher. Hahahah.
I really do miss our times together!
