Monday, February 20, 2006
First day of school
"What can i say? To so faithful a friend... to so loving a king..." (I can't remember the lyrics nor the title of this song... but I love it. Hee.)
It was a mad rush today cos I was so beat last nite that I din prepare anything till this morning. Captain Procastinator in action! Heh. Anyway, I decided on my clothes (un-ironed but it was fine. Hee), bugged my mum for a bag, settled footwear and I was out. To a brand new day at a brand new school (for me).
When I walked into the general office, it was a clinical experience. Why? Cos it totally smelt like a clinic, and cos the other trainees and myself were sitting on the chairs by the side, waiting outside the P's office, it seemed like we were waiting for our doctor's appointment. And when the P walked out, he looked like a doctor, short of a stethoscope. Hee.
Induction was kinda ad hoc. OTOT. Based on your own intitative. But there were 2 separate formal meet-the-P and meet-the-VP sessions. The consultation sessions lasted quite long, but at least they were free! Heh. Din issue any MC though. Though I did pick up some tips.
What I can remember....
1) Exude an aura of confidence when you walk into class. Confident teachers also have their fair share of problems, but they can handle them better, and in a better position to prevent or anticipate them. Walk around in class. Get their attention. Don't start till they are ready to listen to you. (Even if the supervisor is watching you.) Practicum is about us sincerely learning on the job, cos we wanna be effective teachers in the future. It's not to please the supervisor or CT. (They just happen to be there to assess if we are cut out as teachers.)
2) What is unique or interesting about you that can attract the students' attention? Why is it that they have to listen to you? Now we can't just answer that we are teachers. Cos last time, students are ready for school, now we have to get them ready for school by creating interest. And our competitors are the internet, cable tv, computer games, etc.
3) Do your homework before entering the class. Let the students know you take an interest in them.
4) Mean what you say. Let them know you mean business. If you say you'll collect work tmr, collect work tmr. Even if it means popping into the class at the last period and just asking for the work. If they say their parents are waiting, offer to call their parents.
5) If you need to confront a student for misbehaviour, start with a question. "What should you be doing? Didn't we have an agreement?" This will serve to calm the situation and get to the root of it. Even the most pai-kia student will have to answer, or if they dun answer, you already win. But if we shout and rave at them, both parties will get hot-headed. If the student wins the argument, no face for the teacher. If the teacher wins, good. But then the students will know where you ticking point is, and they will be tempted to try more stunts with you.
6) We are professionals. Act like it. How? Just being on task, do lesson plans (not to the extent of NIE's detailed LPs of cos) keeping up with students' progress, informing parents, etc. To cover your babooney pink butt. In case parents call and exclaim, "What?! You let a trainee teacher teach my child?! Is my child a guinea pig?!" (Yeah, and you are the real pig.)
7) Keep reminding ourselves that when the kids piss us off, dun take it personally. It's cos they have problems. And if we tell ourselves that it boils down to the fact that they are just kids, we will feel better.
8) Young and inexperienced as we are, we still have lots to offer. Idealism which can translate into pragmatism. The courage and the zest to try out new and untested stuff. Old birds might be too used to tried and tested methods that they are unwilling to venture into new arenas. And if we make mistakes, it's ok to make it now, then in the future. So let's just CHEONG! Heh. The most we learn lor. It is the learning process that matters rite? That's a good strategy to get the "good progress award". Heh.
I met my cts too. Whacky, bubbly, friendly ppl. Both are really young and unconventional teachers.
One of them pointed out the "princess" to me today. And we were peeping out at her. Quite funny. He went, "That's the princess of P. Be careful, she bites." (No, Princess of P does NOT refer to Princess Pengy! Haha) I thought he was joking... till he exclaimed that she really bites! Apparently she bit the DM! But was nice enough to ask her Maths teacher if she could bite her! Hahaha! I was totally amused! Imagine: "Good morning class. So, whose turn is it for me to bite today?" or "You forgot to do your homework huh? That'll be one bite. If you forget again, it'll be two bites. Thank you very much."
K sorry for going off on a tangent. Anyway they said they'll give me the freedom to do whatever I want with the kids. So I'm happy about that. Hee. And apparently, I'm given a darling of a class, apart from a terror. But I won't generalise lah. Just gonna go in and have fun and just cheong. See how it goes. Till then. Keep me in your prayers... especially when I am still unsure over what rules are necessary, how to be versatile and handle diff kids and diff situations, what kinda teacher I wanna be, the way I am gonna be shaped (no, not gonna be corny right here. Heh.), etc. Especially how I wanna find my own style, and not be swayed into adopting the culture or rule of the day, that I will have the courage to be myself despite of the circumstances, and that I will have the wisdom, insight and understanding to handle everything. Heh.
It was a mad rush today cos I was so beat last nite that I din prepare anything till this morning. Captain Procastinator in action! Heh. Anyway, I decided on my clothes (un-ironed but it was fine. Hee), bugged my mum for a bag, settled footwear and I was out. To a brand new day at a brand new school (for me).
When I walked into the general office, it was a clinical experience. Why? Cos it totally smelt like a clinic, and cos the other trainees and myself were sitting on the chairs by the side, waiting outside the P's office, it seemed like we were waiting for our doctor's appointment. And when the P walked out, he looked like a doctor, short of a stethoscope. Hee.
Induction was kinda ad hoc. OTOT. Based on your own intitative. But there were 2 separate formal meet-the-P and meet-the-VP sessions. The consultation sessions lasted quite long, but at least they were free! Heh. Din issue any MC though. Though I did pick up some tips.
What I can remember....
1) Exude an aura of confidence when you walk into class. Confident teachers also have their fair share of problems, but they can handle them better, and in a better position to prevent or anticipate them. Walk around in class. Get their attention. Don't start till they are ready to listen to you. (Even if the supervisor is watching you.) Practicum is about us sincerely learning on the job, cos we wanna be effective teachers in the future. It's not to please the supervisor or CT. (They just happen to be there to assess if we are cut out as teachers.)
2) What is unique or interesting about you that can attract the students' attention? Why is it that they have to listen to you? Now we can't just answer that we are teachers. Cos last time, students are ready for school, now we have to get them ready for school by creating interest. And our competitors are the internet, cable tv, computer games, etc.
3) Do your homework before entering the class. Let the students know you take an interest in them.
4) Mean what you say. Let them know you mean business. If you say you'll collect work tmr, collect work tmr. Even if it means popping into the class at the last period and just asking for the work. If they say their parents are waiting, offer to call their parents.
5) If you need to confront a student for misbehaviour, start with a question. "What should you be doing? Didn't we have an agreement?" This will serve to calm the situation and get to the root of it. Even the most pai-kia student will have to answer, or if they dun answer, you already win. But if we shout and rave at them, both parties will get hot-headed. If the student wins the argument, no face for the teacher. If the teacher wins, good. But then the students will know where you ticking point is, and they will be tempted to try more stunts with you.
6) We are professionals. Act like it. How? Just being on task, do lesson plans (not to the extent of NIE's detailed LPs of cos) keeping up with students' progress, informing parents, etc. To cover your babooney pink butt. In case parents call and exclaim, "What?! You let a trainee teacher teach my child?! Is my child a guinea pig?!" (Yeah, and you are the real pig.)
7) Keep reminding ourselves that when the kids piss us off, dun take it personally. It's cos they have problems. And if we tell ourselves that it boils down to the fact that they are just kids, we will feel better.
8) Young and inexperienced as we are, we still have lots to offer. Idealism which can translate into pragmatism. The courage and the zest to try out new and untested stuff. Old birds might be too used to tried and tested methods that they are unwilling to venture into new arenas. And if we make mistakes, it's ok to make it now, then in the future. So let's just CHEONG! Heh. The most we learn lor. It is the learning process that matters rite? That's a good strategy to get the "good progress award". Heh.
I met my cts too. Whacky, bubbly, friendly ppl. Both are really young and unconventional teachers.
One of them pointed out the "princess" to me today. And we were peeping out at her. Quite funny. He went, "That's the princess of P. Be careful, she bites." (No, Princess of P does NOT refer to Princess Pengy! Haha) I thought he was joking... till he exclaimed that she really bites! Apparently she bit the DM! But was nice enough to ask her Maths teacher if she could bite her! Hahaha! I was totally amused! Imagine: "Good morning class. So, whose turn is it for me to bite today?" or "You forgot to do your homework huh? That'll be one bite. If you forget again, it'll be two bites. Thank you very much."
K sorry for going off on a tangent. Anyway they said they'll give me the freedom to do whatever I want with the kids. So I'm happy about that. Hee. And apparently, I'm given a darling of a class, apart from a terror. But I won't generalise lah. Just gonna go in and have fun and just cheong. See how it goes. Till then. Keep me in your prayers... especially when I am still unsure over what rules are necessary, how to be versatile and handle diff kids and diff situations, what kinda teacher I wanna be, the way I am gonna be shaped (no, not gonna be corny right here. Heh.), etc. Especially how I wanna find my own style, and not be swayed into adopting the culture or rule of the day, that I will have the courage to be myself despite of the circumstances, and that I will have the wisdom, insight and understanding to handle everything. Heh.
# posted by Banana Saviour @ 8:32 PM 
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wow can see you're going to have a great time. anyway im lazy so i will reply to the bday entry here...oh great i forgot what i wanted to say. thank you for the pie! oh it's good tt the photos show only half ZY cos my pimples are conveniently missing...
Heh. Yeah the kids are quite sweet too. Let's all have a blast at practicum!!
Or else we can just entertain the zits that appear due to the stress from the hardcore cases! Hee.
Or else we can just entertain the zits that appear due to the stress from the hardcore cases! Hee.
Lucky girl, you can do what you want with the kids. Hmmm... Pls be nice to them and do refrain from freaking them out too much.
One of my CT didn't want to leave the class to me until much later. She wants to babysit me. Sigh.... that's bad.
One of my CT didn't want to leave the class to me until much later. She wants to babysit me. Sigh.... that's bad.
Auntie SW needs babysitting?! Yes, that's bad... cos if it were me... ya ct might have to find a way to push me back into me mummy's tummy! Haha! Good luck with practicum though! Heh.
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