On Teaching

We all want everything to be okay.  We don’t even wish so much for fantastic or marvelous or outstanding.  We will happily settle for okay, because most of the time, okay is enough.

-A, Everyday, David Levithan

http://gazette.teachers.net

A teacher always finds solace in the classroom.  As soon as s/he is given the teaching load, nothing can compare the enthusiasm that inundates her or his heart as s/he treads even the tedious hallway going to the classroom.  Because that four corners become an abode. A turf where s/he and the students engage into discourses that sprout new learning.

Whenever I’m faced with uncertainties regarding my teaching loads, I try to curb my mind thinking of all things positive.  I have always been an optimistic person who looks at the brighter side of the world.  And knowing that as an educator placed in an academic-title-conscious “edifice”, my hope tends to dwindle like a water swirling its way out of the funnel.

But no.  I always wish that everything is OK.  At least it will be OK.  I  may not be the best teacher, but the classroom is one big affirmation that I belong in the academe.  That this is all I ever wanted.

School Opening Blues and First Day High

School opening always excites me.  Although at some point, I feel like a paper boat drifting in the pool, still, this enthusiasm to enter once again in the University elates me.  I reckon that it’s a normal feeling for a teacher, you know, seeing those faces of the students ready to rock on.

So today’s the beginning of the new academic year, and for the first time, I woke up early in the morning to prepare myself to go to school and attend to my class at 7:30. My first time in two years coz I usually start like 9:30 or even at a later period.  As I was about to cross the street, the students were forming a heavy line that reached almost up to the gym. Almost like a scene from the mall entrance or a concert. And entering the University, I noticed a very festive and agog mood lingering around while I walked my way towards the Chair Office to get my teaching load.

But, unfortunately, my excitement got hampered when I checked the classroom only to find out that it is being converted into an internet section. Wait, what?? Where am I going to hold my class? So I informed the office and they had no idea, though they told me that they’ll just post the new room assignment.  Ok. I had to let it pass. And so I waited for the next period. Philippine Literature class.

Here’s the thing. The room assignment was again transferred.  From the ground floor to the fifth floor. How amazing is that?  If this is what they call “first day high”, then I literally experienced it myself!  I almost lost my breath climbing the stairs from Aguirre Hall to Mendel Hall.  At least the room was not empty.  And there they were: the students all seated in their armchairs.  Ready to discover what the class has in store for them.  Seeing those timid eyes and silent whispers as I started my orientation, I knew, this is going to be an exciting ride.  I forgot all the blunders.  The classroom once again, becomes my sanctuary.

Today in the Classroom: More than Words

Undeniably, I had a great time in the classroom today although there were few annoying encounters with students in my remedial english class.  Despite feeling a little bit dizzy, I forced myself to attend to my classes.  The dilemma of the delayed contract still preoccupies me, but as much as possible, I wouldn’t let this worry stand in the way of my responsibility being a teacher.  I would always remind myself to think of happy thoughts, and I was glad my students put a smile on my face especially during my Philippine literature class.  I realized that, sometimes, when I find myself paddling in the mud, little gestures of enthusiasm from my students can somehow ease the burden inside.  I try to shift my paradigm, but I couldn’t help but believe that money, though important as it is, can never replace passion.

The blogger and his students during their humanities art exposure

So, here’s a recap of what happened inside the classroom:

• Quiz on the function of noun as a subject.  It’s saddening that most of the students cannot still identify the subject in the sentence.  They earned disastrous scores and they demanded a retake.  I gave the simple rule and they complicated it.  Just underline the simple subject.  They also underlined the modifiers and the prepositional phrases.  What is so difficult about asking “What or who is being talked about in the sentence?”  But the redeeming value of it all?  They realized their mistakes and they wanted to have more exercises. That determination and eagerness to learn are good enough for me.
• It’s more fun in the Philippine literature class.  I assigned my students to choose one hurubaton (proverb) and they had to think of a situation that illustrates the proverb.  Such creative minds.  Such invigorated spirits.  Although one group interpreted the proverb “Together we stand, divided we fall” literally and I was like “Are you kidding me?”  But one group kind of blew my mind.  I think everybody’s mind, and brought us all to giggles.  So their proverb conveyed the message of resilience.  It’s about a couple drawn apart by a tragedy.  As the wife struggles to move on, a man “eggs” himself on the former until his persistence eventually yields result as the wife finally opens herself to another shot at love.  I thought it was cute.  And I really admire all the groups for showcasing their creativity and sensibility to come up with commendable presentations.
• The perks of being a teacher. We talked about books in my English 101 class.  Imagine the excitement of the students when I asked them to share their favorite novels.  Although I came up with a generalization that in this class, there is a group of readers and a group of non-readers.  The group of readers are those who won the Hangaroo game (wherein they had to guess the title of the books/reading materials), and the non-reader groups are those who stayed passive during the game.  In the end, I reminded them that it really pays to read.  What really elated me was one of my students guessed the longest title I had in my list: The Perks of Being a Walllflower.  That made them won the game.

Go Ahead and Teach

I’m tired.  I’m just tired of dealing with people who don’t give a hoot about what a teacher really feels. If life offered me a choice, I would rather stay inside the classroom forever. Within these four walls, I find solace and joy with my students despite their rowdiness.  The exchange of ideas and a bit of laughter on the side stoke the ember that fuels my elan to teach and somehow make a difference in their lives.

But every time I leave the classroom, I am suddenly transported into a different world. And as I step out, I feel like being prostrated to the ground. And everything just becomes  ordinary.  The laughters turn to gripes. The mitzvoth vacillate into suspicions.

Now, I found myself on the verge of exasperation.  People can be so inconsiderate sometimes. On my end, I am fully aware that I’m just an ordinary voiceless teacher who has to follow whenever his righteous superior curb him with chain of ill-considered decisions.  But then again, must I understand that academic policies cover such decisions? Must I hold back compassion when directives keep me away from being a real teacher? Must I throw myself into a bottomless pit and be swallowed by threats of incompetence?

Some people think that it’s easy to become a teacher.  Other teachers think that preparing for a lesson happens overnight.  “Give him the load, he can do it.”  Easy for them to say.  Unless they equate teaching with film showing or library work or bragging about their academic titles.  Being a teacher takes more that that.  It takes more that just sitting behind the table and read the handouts verbatimly to the class or performing a stand-up comedy that boosts the ego.

This day, I had to give up one of my classes and replace it with another subject.  A major subject.  The boss explained the reason behind the decision and honestly my ears were plugged figuratively.  Simple as that.  Whatever his explanation was, it’s clear to me that I had to sacrifice those weeks, those times, those lessons, those discussions, those learnings I and my students shared for weeks.  It left me no choice.  Who am I to complain?  Despite my aversion, I still subjected myself to say Yes, when in truth, the teacher in me says No.

That’s the irony of it.

Today in the Classsroom: A Matter of Delicate Balance

I wish to thank my bosses for the teaching loads packaged with diverse students–from rawdy to retentive, from gaudy to well, a little bit reserved.  Really, I’m not complaining, except for one minor concern.  When can I have my ‘effin class lists? I haven’t completed filling out my load form yet coz I haven’t figured out how many students are in my classes. Don’t leave me broke until the end of the month. I still have to feed myself and my savings get thinner and thinner.

This day, it’s all a matter of delicate balance,  as the line from the poem “Fruit Salad” by Jaime An Lim posited.  Indeed, other than life itself, classroom is one big bowl of fruit salad.  It’s sweet, it’s sour, it’s fresh, it’s rotten.  Just when I thought that one class would stay as good as I expected it to be, how now, a disaster loomed over.

Here’s a wrap-up of what happened inside the classroom the whole day:

• I gave a quiz to my remedial english class this morning.  I don’t know if it was all my fault, dictating the choices, but the quiz turned into a disaster.  Most of them got very low, probably because they didn’t know the spelling of certain words like nitty-gritty, secretary-treasurer or even the name of their teacher (yes, I even asked that one).  So, to save them from the debacle, I let them think of a word that if linked to the words I wrote on the board, would form a compound word. And my throat almost popped out from explaining.  What word can you connect with lamp, script, and mark so that each word would form into a compound word? One answered birth. Seriously?
• In my Philippine literature class, I discussed the use of sensory language in poetry through the poem “Fruit Salad.”  After culling out the essential elements contained in the poem, I let my students prepare the fruit salad based on what the wife has prepared for her husband. I just thought that they enjoyed it and captured the real taste of life through the flavor of each ingredient. I’ve been doing the activity since last year. I hope I won’t be dubbed as the fruit salad teacher.
• I wasn’t sure if my students in English 101 were awed watching Freedom Writers, but as soon as I cut the movie, they were all dumbfounded and I had to say, “Guys, it’s time already.”  Or maybe because they didn’t want to go out.  The speechlab is airconditioned.
• A Pakistani student in my other remedial english class just stole my attention.  My students kept asking him and he was really gracious to entertain them.  At least, among my well-deserved students who take the subject, someone interesting stood out. This bunch is kinda rawdy especially that they’re acting like elementary kids.  I kept on reminding them to behave like college students already. But one who came from a special education school really showed how special she is.
• And my day at school ended in a ballyhoo inside the speechlab.  It was my first meeting with my students in my other English 101 class.  I had it right when I followed the activity as stated in the skillbook.  Effective enough, and I had fun with my students actually.  Except that when I asked them to describe themselves, most of them used the same adjectives– black hair, brown eyes, skinny, talkative.  Surprisingly, they could recognize one another.  Yeah, we played guessing game inside the speechlab.  They had to guess the name of their classmates who fit the descriptions.  My own way of introduction.

Just a parting note, whoever encoded the first part f the skillbook, kindly check some grammar and spelling lapses.  Be sensible.  Not sinsible. Thank you.

Today in the Classroom: Paranormal Activity

So I woke up early this morning although my class was still at 8 am.  Since classes began, I’ve been an early riser. It’s a good thing I think.  As usual, Wednesday always excites me.  It’s creative writing day! I’ve been prepping up my lessons since yesterday and I already borrowed some reference materials from the library.  Here’s a wrap-up of what happened the whole day:

• Surprisingly, remedial english seems to be a fun subject to teach.  But I think it always depends on the students I’m dealing with.  Fortunately, I have a bunch of responsive students this time.  I let them share their learning on the history of the english language and they really did their assignment.  Happy teacher here.  And when I discussed word formation (compounding, clipping, etc.), I got amazed when one of my students actually told me that there are still many ways of forming words (since I only gave four).  It’s really a good sign that I’m up to something good.  It actually changed my notion that students who take up English Plus are “pain in the ass.”  But in the case of my students, they have just proven me wrong.  Thank God.
• Aside from creative writing, Philippine Literature is a subject to look forward to every MWF. Why?   The students of course.  I have a feeling that I’m gonna enjoy the class, since most of them show interest in the subject. I continued the orientation and discussed the functions of literature.  I’ve been noticing that it’s easy for me to just utter the lecture and explain stuff.  Probably, these students motivate me to give my best, and their enthusiasm just fuel up my desire to impart whatever I have. I’m so excited to spend the entire semester  with them. I had fun listening to them this morning,  as they shared their favorite flicks and how it made an impact in their lives.
• Just before I started the class, I told the students that revisions in the syllabus were made, and that, the assignment that I gave them will not be discussed until unit two.  We’re supposed to tackle the library, but then, when a co-teacher told me that the department made changes in the lessons, it left me no choice but to follow.   Instead of library, I tackled Self-Motivation and Interaction with Others as the first lesson.  I asked the students to come forward and share their reasons why they chose to take up Architecure or Fine Arts or Interior Design as a course in college.  Their answers took me by surprise.  As young as they are, most of them are already aware of the so-called passion.  My heart just soared when I heard them following their passion despite their parent’s opposition.  And I really admire them.
• What a crazy time spent in creative writing class.  My students were late and we wasted so much time just to wait for them to photocopy the handouts.  Funny how we’re supposed to finish discussing Flannery O’Connor’s essay on writing short stories, but on the first part of the article, we paused and instead of proceeding, we ended up talking about tales we listened to when we were kids.  And yeah, most of them were ghost stories.  So we scared ourselves until dismissal.  I swear the stories gave me goosies thrice and scared me out of my wits.  I was even scared to drop by the faculty room to leave my things.