Kimmy Schemy

Archive for the ‘teacher’s journal’ Category

Ralph* is an enormous boy of four. He is tall and fat for his age and he is used to getting what he wants and when he wants. Even his own mother is afraid to upset him lest he would throw up an earsplitting tantrum. When we asked the mother why he developed such behavior, the mother said Ralph’s father spoiled him beyond belief.

One day, I assisted the preschool teacher. Ralph, seeing that I was a new face looked hard at me with a sneer and stuck his tongue at me. Since our program includes behavior modification, I looked back at Ralph and told him it wasn’t nice to stick tongues at people. He stared at me as if he couldn’t belief I had the nerve to talk to him that way. He hardened his whole body, and with red face and closed fists in his sides, yelled at me..

“I don’t want to be nice!!!”

Undaunted, I faced him and gently said..

“Ralph, it’s not polite to yell at people..”

At this, he got even madder, probably because of being defied or because of my calm tone, I couldn’t tell..

“Get out of here!!” he yelled again, angrier and redder this time.

The preschool teacher felt it was time to interfere. As gentle as I was earlier, she said in a kind but firm voice..

“”Ralph, it’s not nice to talk like that to a teacher and even to anyone. Say ‘sorry’ to Teacher Kim and don’t do it again..”

Ralph dropped to the matted floor of the playschool and started a tantrum. He flailed his arms and kicked his legs and screamed. He hit the floor with his fists and kept on kicking. The preschool teacher and I made sure he wouldn’t hurt himself and the other children in the play school and behaved as if we ignore him.

We saw in our peripheral vision how his doting father got alarmed and was about to get inside the playschool but the mother stopped him and assured him that we know what we are doing.

After a while, Ralph noticed that no one was affected by his tantrums. He kept quiet, probably to listen, so the preschool teacher took the opportunity and asked him in her usual gentle voice.

“Are you ready to finish your work now, Ralph?”

“Yes” was the timid answer.

The teacher helped him up and sit down the chair beside me. I gave his paper and handed him a paint brush. He took it, so, I offered the cup of paint as if nothing happened. He worked quietly with an occasional glance at me, and I smiled at him sincerely every time and even asked if he needed any help. He wouldn’t answer but would look somewhere else.

It was the last time Ralph had a tantrum. The next time I assisted in their class, he sat beside me and we became friends after that.

*not real name

No, I’m not lost..

The fact that I quitted my job doesn’t mean I no longer know what to do with my life. I left not because I didn’t like to teach anymore. Quite the contrary, I love teaching, especially small children, and that’s the very reason why I lasted several years in my job. I left because I had to.

What I didn’t like, hate, actually, was to be treated, nothing more, nothing less, but as a mere paid employee. As far as I was concerned, I wasn’t just that. But when you are treated that way, and always reminded that you are just that, you will just wake up one morning with nothing left but the loathsome feeling of being exactly that.

There is more to work than going to the workplace, doing your thing and waiting for the payday to come. There is such thing as doing an extra mile or two not because you expected to be paid, but because that’s what you are and how you do things.

Right now, I’m still in the process of getting used to being on my own. But it won’t take long, I’ll be back to teaching as soon as I find some ways how to manage my time: children, housekeeping, blogging and yes, teaching..

Lynnie* was a cute little girl of nearly five years when she was first enrolled at the center. She seemed to be pretty smart, too, except that we couldn’t talk with her. She mumbled unintelligible sounds as if she was talking with imaginary friends and was having such a real good time at it. What more, Lynnie couldn’t keep still, nor does she have eye contact with any one.

The little girl’s parents are a young couple, both of them are nurses. Though her father is working at a private clinic somewhere in the city, he has plans to work abroad where his wife works. Lynnie has been living with her grandmother who doted on her. For grandmother, Lynnie is the prettiest and smartest girl in the world, so, she overlooked Lynnie’s difference from her classmates. Lynnie’s short attention span she attributed to the girl’s over-playfulness and Lynnie’s difficulty in speaking she blamed to her own inattentiveness and laziness to talk with the little girl. We understood all of that, and we knew that it was wiser to talk with Lynnie’s father instead of her grandmother.

Incidentally, Lynnie’s father brought her to the center one day. Our preschool teacher talked to him and asked him if they already took Lynnie to a specialist concerning her speech, which, we thought, was the most obvious. The father admitted that he already considered taking the girl to a specialist as he was afraid the girl might have ADHD, but the grandmother was loath to the idea and kept on insisting that there was nothing wrong with her granddaughter. And since it was the grandmother who pays all the bills, she has the last say in the matter.

We simply wish we just imagined the whole thing and that there was really nothing wrong with Lynnie, otherwise, we will just end up feeling sorry for the little girl and feeling sorry for ourselves for being not helpful enough.

*not real name

On the second week of January of this year, as I was taking charge of the reception desk, I entertained the inquiry of a couple. The first thing they asked was whether we cater to children as young as two years old. I told them right away that we prefer older children as younger ones tend to cry, look for mommy and do not follow teacher’s instructions, which are contradictory to the real purpose of the program we offer. So, I suggested that we wait until the child turns two and a half years, at least.

Then, they asked me if our teacher speaks in English, so I said ‘yes’ as the medium of instruction is in English, but I also admitted that if a particular child speaks in vernacular, then our teacher may speak likewise, so that they will understand each other. The mother asked again, what if they prefer that our teacher speaks with their child in English, so I said yes, the teacher would because basically, English is the medium of instruction in our center.

But the mom said that, what if her child is not English-speaking, as they don’t speak English at home, but they prefer that the teacher speak to her child in English. So again, I said, yes, the teacher would because generally, the teacher speaks in English as medium of instruction.

Well, at that point, I didn’t know who couldn’t understand whom. Couldn’t I understand her? Or couldn’t she understand me, because it seems like I just repeated what I already said.

But since, their child is only two years old, even if we satisfy their requirement, we still don’t encourage them to enroll. So, I just gave them our contact number and said to call us when their child got a little older. The mother thanked me but before they left, she asked me one last question: if I can recommend a school that teaches English language only to her two year old child. I answered if there is such school, I personally don’t know any.

She thanked me one last time and left.

So, what did she want again?

(I understand if parents want their children to learn to speak English fluently. What I don’t understand is the almost obsessive way they want their children to learn. If parents really want their children to speak in English, then, they have to speak to their children in English, themselves, or they have to let them watch English shows  or English films. Even if they enroll their children to English language schools only to speak in vernacular at home, then, the purpose may not be served. What can two hours of English speaking do against 22 hours of speaking in vernacular?)

During my long vacation last Christmas season, a client inquired about our review for International English Language Testing System. The IELTS is taken primarily by students intending to study in the English speaking countries of Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. It was also taken by people of the medical profession, skilled workers and immigrants.

This particular client wasn’t a student nor was he a medical personnel. So, it could only be either skilled worker or an immigrant. He first asked about who was going to teach him. It happened to be me, at the time. He asked about me particularly about the school I graduated from. He demanded to talk to me but felt disappointed when told that I wasn’t around and that I was on leave for the holidays. He asked the receptionist to call me on my mobile phone because he wanted to know if I was credible and good enough to teach him. Our receptionist, very politely, said they do not call the teachers ‘on-leave’ unless it was an emergency.

Feeling that he couldn’t impose much more, he left an order for me to call him as soon as I report to work on the third of January when business resumes officially. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go to work on that day. When I reported for work, I had so much else to do that I forgot about him completely. On the first Sunday of January, I took my day-off. He came and berated the receptionist because I did not call. He said it was my responsibility to give him a call as soon as I came to report for work.

He said he wanted to be sure if I was good enough to teach him and if there was something else I could teach him besides the lessons on the prescribed outline. He said, aside from English language, preferably with British accent, he also wanted to learn about the Canadian culture and Canada’s current trend. The receptionist said we only teach what’s on the outline. He answered that’s what he wanted to talk to me about.

I didn’t call him at all..

By now, the parents of most of my students know that I am leaving the company in a few days’ time. It was so touching to see their facial expressions change from surprise to sadness.. But I guess the most touching of all was from a father of my student in Reading.

Mr. Ang* is a quiet and serious person who never talk with us much. He would just drop his son and when he is sure that there is already someone watching over the boy, he would take his leave and be back again after the session. He would simply say ‘thank you’ and silently go away with his child. The longest conversation he had was not with me but with our Officer-In-Charge about his son’s progress, and the fact that he re-enrolled his son twice already might be an indication that he likes our services.

Then he found out that I was leaving. Just when I thought that he was about to leave, he looked at me and in a quiet and firm voice asked me if it’s true that I will be gone soon and I answered yes. Maybe I just imagined it but I saw an expression of genuine sadness in his eyes before he asked ‘Why do you have to leave us?’

So I said that that’s just the way it is, people come, people go, but I believe that whoever will replace me will teach his son with as much dedication as I had. He looked at me one more time before he finally bid me goodbye.

Right now, I’m having mixed emotions about leaving. I feel excited to start something new but I feel sad for those I will leave behind. I also received some offers for my services at the client’s house but of course that wouldn’t be right, so I have to turn them down very politely.

I guess I just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best

Although I have been teaching READING to preschoolers, I haven’t been officially handling a class for a long time now. I can’t actually call it a demotion because since I focused on English programs for older children and adults, I could no longer accommodate preschool. So, the company hired a preschool teacher two years ago.

Luckily, my colleague turned out to be one of the best preschool teachers the company had ever hired. However, just recently, she was given an opportunity to try something that she has always wanted to do. So, just as I expressed my intention to leave the company, she did, too. With both of us gone, no one was to handle our preschoolers.

The company wasted no time. There was a flood of resumes and applicants fell in line, hoping to be given a chance to do what we do. The first to be given that chance was a fresh graduate of Early Childhood Education course. She lasted two weeks. The second was a mother who had an experience to tutor small children. She, too, was overwhelmed with the tasks and responsibilities of a preschool teacher that I won’t be surprised if she leaves sooner than I.

So, what really makes a good preschool teacher?

First and foremost, a preschool teacher LOVES children… unconditionally. It may seem so sweet but teaching small children is a challenging task that only few gifted people can do. A preschool teacher is a person with infinite patience and not just a paid employee. A preschool teacher is of pure heart and she shares what’s inside that heart to her students. A preschool teacher shares a part of herself to her students making her a part of them until they grow old. A preschool teacher has the power to MAKE or BREAK a child and only a GOOD preschool teacher will choose to do what’s right..

To my colleague, Teacher Hazel, a toast to you. May you find happiness in the road that you chose. I believe in my heart, though, that you will be back to teaching as soon as you realize that this is what you really wanted to do in life, and, we will see each other again, because a TEACHER is always a teacher, and that’s what we both are.. Good luck!

Gab* is 17 years old. He is a good looking kid. He is a son of one of the owners of a popular stuffed toy stores here. He goes to an exclusive school for boys and he is, I admit, quite smart. I learned that besides being a rich man’s son, he already has his own budding business. He takes orders for souvenir items like friendship band or something like it.

Wow, this kid really started early, I thought.

So, I was kind of impressed and thought how lucky this kid is for having such a comfortable life. I imagine a lot of unemployed people who fight tooth and nail for any vacancy in order to earn something to feed their families while this kid earn more than P15,000 a month. Life really isn’t so fair.

Then, one morning, my colleague showed me a text message from Gab. The time was 2:35am and the text message said: “Please talk to me, I feel so lonely..”

So, the kid isn’t that lucky after all.

It made me think about my children. They don’t live luxuriously, in fact, they are actually deprived of material things. But, they never get hungry. There’s always food on the table and they always pay on or before the due date. They don’t have any problem with projects or anything they need to buy for school. So, do they text messages like that? Do they ever get lonely?

Looking at my kids and how they play, and laugh and make fun of each other, I wish with my whole heart that they are not unhappy like my student Gab.

*not real name

Though I don’t personally believe in New Year’s Resolutions, there is one thing I have in mind. This isn’t actually a resolution, it is rather a ‘plan’ for this year.

Quite contrary to what my co-workers think that I’m leaving the teaching profession, I’m actually starting to focus on what kind of teacher or educator I really want to be, not just for now, but until I get old. Right now, I teach students ranging from 4 years old to 59 years old, that’s assuming that since they aren’t retired yet then maybe they aren’t yet 60. Though I enjoy the task of shifting characters from an amiable preschool teacher to the stern English language instructor, it can get very stressful sometimes.

Teaching adults can be flattering, but teaching small children is very rewarding. It is difficult. It can be frustrating, it can be draining, it can be hellish.. but, there is no greater joy to a teacher than to hear words coming out of a child’s mouth when he reads out loud.

Whatever that child be will someday, a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, an architect.. one fact will never EVER change, it was I who taught him to READ. He may forget me as soon as he walks out my door, but the skill I was able to teach him will stay with him for as long as he can read. That important feeling of making a change in a person’s life? That’s want I want more of…

The fact is.. not every body can do it, there are only a few gifted people who can teach how to read, and I am so lucky to be one of those people.

I know life is short, and I want to make mine as meaningful as I can, starting.. immediately..

Happy New Year, everyone!

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About 4 days ago while our receptionist was busy with another client, I answered the phone and felt somehow uneasy when the caller specifically asked for the English teacher which, obviously, happened to be me. Did I do something wrong? I thought.

I identified myself and asked the caller what it was about. She told me how grateful she is for all the things she learned from me during the review. She took the civil service exam last October and passed. I congratulated her sincerely and told her I am so happy for her.

Other people may think that it is our job to teach, but for us, it is more than that. We don’t just prepare lessons and stand and talk. We find ways to make learning easier and more enjoyable. We don’t simply give out the correct answers, we teach the students how to find the answers. We don’t simply want them to pass, we want them to LEARN.

Teaching is not just a JOB. Teaching is a way of life and only those with the gift can do it properly and enjoy it. So, if anyone is teaching just for the salary, she’s lucky to last for 3 years. If she does, then there’s a chance she’ll do it for as long as she can..