Motivation

This is a rather busy week, one again. But what makes this week really meaningful is the interaction I has with a few students.

She is often tired in class and falls asleep many times during lessons (but I know she does have some circumstances that caused her to be so tired) . Finally, I lost my final straw and asked her to sit up. Never did I know that that day, she was really sick. She was down with flu and cough and she came to school instead of taking MC as she did not want to stay home as she knew she would not be able to get the rest that she needed. After my outburst, she totally went quiet and she was angry with me. After I found out the truth, I decided to drop her a letter as we used to exchange notes a lot when she was in my form class last two years. I glad I apologise to her and wrote the letter. I saw her first sign of effort today! She managed to stay awake during my lesson today and we had a short remediation session to catch up on her History.

He is often distracted, playful and talkative in class. Finally, I lost it earlier this week when his pencil case came flying in my direction while I was writing on the board. Well, my first instinct was to really put a stop to this. Using my 'creativity' (a must when coming up with punishment in my school), I emptied the pencil case and hid all the items away in different. He was really MAD and refused to talk to me after lesson when he went around collecting his things. I approached him and he kept quiet. It was only after some probing before I found out the pencil was not thrown by him. I felt really bad. Nonethless, I told him to go back first and I stayed for a while to look for his missing pen which I found ultimately. The pen did not have any ink refill. When I returned to him the pen and gave him a new pen refill, there were no words of thanks nor any response from either of us. He just started doing his work.

Spoke to her this morning. This was after her friends alerted me yesterday that she has given up on her studies and lost all hopes in promoting to Sec 4. I was very disappointed upon hearing this and decided that I need to speak to her. Likewise, she was in my form class for the last two years, but not this year. I did speak her earlier this year to see how she is coping but since this beginning this term, I have no time to really sit down with her. I knew that this cannot wait. During the chat, I found out that her friends were right. She has lost all confidence. What I am glad is that at the end of the conversation, I knew that she is going to make the final dash. Whether she makes it or not, she is not going to leave it up to fate. I hope that her friends will help her and support her through these 8 weeks. 加油！

He was scribbing on some paper when I was carrying out a group activity. Took his paper away and told him to do his work. He simply said, ' I do not want to do it...you p***** me off'. That ticked me off. But refusing to confront, I simply told him to do his work and by the end of the lesson, I want to hear an apology. After a few minutes, I went back to his table and returned him the paper when he was still not doing his work. I coolly informed that I was disappointed and it was rude for him to comment that. Told him that after hearing what he said, I certainly felt the same way too. I walked off and after a while, he started doing his work. Before the end of the lesson, I went to his desk again and corrected his work and extorted the apology.

This week really seemed like a struggle of power between the students and myself. When such circumstances happen, it will simply drain the energy out of us. The takeaway is certainly something that we as social engineers often forget. We also make mistakes, there is no point blaming ourselves for the mistakes made. What is important is our effort to make things right. It is also about relations building and both side will need to learn to give way and compromise. I am glad that my students are willing to overlook my shortcomings and I am able to do the same too.