2nd September, 2014 Cloudy
Dear Diary,
Today was the first day for me to teach at school. And today, I finally realised why all my university friends told me not to be a teacher.
In the first lesson, my students really drove me crazy. I spent quite a lot of time dealing with discipline problems.
Anson, one of my students, slept in class. I called his name. However, he did not wake up. I walked to him and patted his shoulder. He woke up, looking afraid, “Sor… sorry. I fell asleep.”
“Obviously,” I said.
“I’m so sorry. I swear I would… I’d never do it again,” he seemed really scared and nervous.
It seemed that he was worried that I would punish him. But well, I understood why he would fall asleep. My lesson was somehow very boring, “It’s okay, Anson. I understand. But try to keep yourself awake. Feel free to drink some water when you feel sleepy.”
I then tried to talk about something that was not related to the textbook. I talked about the bad behaviours that occurred in my classroom when I was young. I also told them some of the naughty things I did when I was a student. The students looked really interested. (I just don’t know why they are so happy to know that I was naughty when I was a kid.) No matter what, Anson looked amused and he had his eyes opened in the whole lesson. I think I really should make my lessons more fun so that my students (especially Anson) won’t fall asleep again.
However, about five minutes after Anson woke up, another problem appeared. A boy named Elpidios pulled the pony tail of his neighbour, Norice. Norice’s hair is so long that he could even play with it. He tied a ribbon with it. I was talking about the legend of the Trojan War, when Achilles pretended to be a girl. So I said to Elpidios with a smirk, “If you continue playing with Norice’s hair, I will give you a wig so that you can play with your own hair. You can pretend to be a girl, just like Achilles. But I’ll tell you, if I give you a wig, you’ll have to wear it wherever you go.”
Elpidios stopped playing with Norice’s hair immediately. Then, he apologised to her. I’m quite sure that he won’t play with girls’ hair as long as he doesn’t want to pretend to be a girl.
Regan, one of my students, didn’t eat breakfast. I was sure. She had a hamburger and a cup of cola in my lesson. The point was I didn’t have breakfast either. I smelt something good. Then I saw Regan, using her textbook to block my view. What’s more? She used an English book to block my view but it was a history lesson!
I told her, “Regan, please have your breakfast before you come to school. If you really insist on having breakfast in my class, I don’t care but would you mind helping me buy breakfast too? I don’t have time for breakfast. It would be great if you can buy it for me.”
Regan looked guilty. So I said, “But well, this time I will forgive you. Please wait until the first recess and I will let you have your breakfast. By the way, be smart. Next time when you are trying to block a history teacher’s view, don’t use an English textbook. Using a history textbook would be better. Now, put your ‘Writing in English ‘ back into your drawer and take out your history textbook please.”
“Sorry,” she said. Well, that’s okay. I know how hunger tortures a person. Actually I hope that she will insist on having breakfast in history lessons so she will help me to buy breakfast. Yes, hunger surely tortures a person. And by “a person”, I mean me.
Ten minutes before the lesson ended, the worst problem in this lesson appeared. It was time for discussion. I let them discuss whether the Trojan War happened. Two boys, Edgar and Edmund argued about that. Edgar thought yes but Edmund thought no. The boys play video games with violent content a lot so they are a little bit (to be honest, very) violent. They used violence to settle the argument. They fought with each other using their cutters.
When I saw them fighting, I was shocked that they actually fought because of the discussion. I yelled, “What are you doing? Boys! This is a classroom, not a battlefield! Those are cutters, not swords and spears. You are classmates, not enemies! Stop, please, now!”
Fortunately, they were not that bad. They did as I said. (Maybe it was because I was so fierce that they didn’t dare to continue the fight.) I scolded them of course. But I had to continue the lesson. I told them to come to see me at recess time.
At the recess, I brought Edgar and Edmund to the disciplinary room. I wasn’t willing to do so but I did not have a choice. They were punished by Mr. Lam. One mini demerit was given to each of them. I really hope that things like this won’t happen again.
Oh durn! This was only the first lesson! The second one will take place tomorrow and I have heard from other teachers that the class which I will teach tomorrow is ten times worse than the one I taught today.
Ah! I bet I am going mad very soon. Or maybe I am already going mad now.
I finally know the reason why everyone told me not to be a teacher. However, it’s too late. But, well, I will try my best to teach my students.
I will find a way to deal with the discipline problems. We will cross the bridge when we come to it.