A note well taken - a lesson from my students.
Today is the day, a day that wrecked my believe as a teacher. I used to believe that basically every child need and want a good education. I used to believe that if the teacher teaches them well, they will love studying and want to learn more. today I learned the hard way that my believe was wrong.
I teach in one of the non-formal school in Indonesia. A school that facilitates good education for those who can't afford, give them lot of training to improve their skill and their entrepeurnership. For eight months, I've tried my best them to give the best learning experience in my capacity ; using activities in the classrooms, games, gives smile and encouragement. Yes I'm not a perfect teacher; but I'm learning. I read lot of book that will improve my teaching and my personal skill such as reading how to win friends and influence people; taking some online courses (the future of education and how to talk with vulnarable children, character teaching).
For eight months, there is up and down. Yes, there are kids that would give trouble to the class yet, with the technique that I learned, it solved well.
Yet, today, in the senior class mostly (17-18 years old students) gave me a really shock therapy nearing the end of my teaching.
they make me realize that no matter how persuasive the teacher, how the teacher try their best if the students don't have any will to 'learn'; don't understand the 'why' of learning (acquire a new skill and knowledge), teacher can't push them to learn.
The teacher before me, usually give my student a lot of movie to watch. Yes my students become more excited to the class but in the long run they really lacked the skill they should have learned. Watching movie without reflaction of the topic will only just watching, a part of the sensation.
months and months, I resist giving them movie to watch. This term, I finally succumb to their plea, I trust them, If their score are good after exam I'll give them a movie to watch in one session.
this special class had that session last week but they haven't finished watching the whole movie.
today, one of them shout "movie will be good." I had prepared a good lesson plan to help them learn English that can be used in restaurant and cafe. I prepared the video and the activity. It is my fault, I am too democratic. I thought to myself," I can persuade them to learn, I want them to learn this because they want to. They know that it will be good for them to learn."
so I asked them," do you guys want to watch again? or do you want to continue learning? you are already an adult. choose it. I wont get angry."
again my fault, too confidence, in my other classes they are so eager to learn and study, they even ask me to have an extra class in english. Oh boy, I dont know how difference this might be. so cocky.
one of the said while laughing," come on, be brave to say it out loud."
I told them how this learning can help them to find a good job in a restaurant because they will learn the english.
one of the girl said," miss just because I know the english, it doesn't mean that I will be accepted in those good restaurant. They need an experience ones."
"imagine you apply without experience and without the english at the same time? which one is better? having the english or without english?" I replied.
I sometimes, forget how terrifying it is for them to leave high school, they dont come from a good family, cant afford university. I may be just giving them an unreachable unicorn at the description.
they were silent and confused and can't choose to pick between movie or learning. so I decided to help them.
I wrote down each positive and negative of them together. each of them said their thought out loud
Watching movie Studying
+ - + -
1. refreshing 1. waste study time 1. new knowledge 1. strees
2. learning at least 5 new sentences 2. making sleepy 2. learn skill needed 2. homework
3. losing 10 new sentences from other
4. missing the lessons teacher
that they can use to get a job
yet after we made that list, they still cant change. I think ah they're probably afraid.
so I gave them a piece of paper to vote which one they choose.
there is this weird feeling, when the boys are laughing while choosing. They are laughing. at me? I don't know. They are laughing, because they rebel?probably. But I tried to be strong, I promise them I will not get angry with their choice.
I counted the vote bravely
13 people : watch movie
5 people : study
My world is crumbling down, my believe that a good teacher can lead the students to love learning become ashes at the time.
no matter what I said, I persuade, how I smile and encourage, they still choose to not studying.
I used to believe that every child. literally everychild. choose education if they got a good teacher.
but no. I even told them that this is my last week teaching, they wont know what kind of teacher they will get. yet.
they still choose to not study.
I realize now, no factor can make a person want to study but themselves. no matter how good is the education. if one decide, education in the school is what they dont need. I cant push them. only them self will.
a big note to myself.
not even god, can change a person destiny if the person doesn't want it to change.
who am I?
well taken, my students. I learned a lot.
then, it got me thinking, why are they still in school when they don't want to study? why are they in school when school makes them sleepy and stress out?
I teach in one of the non-formal school in Indonesia. A school that facilitates good education for those who can't afford, give them lot of training to improve their skill and their entrepeurnership. For eight months, I've tried my best them to give the best learning experience in my capacity ; using activities in the classrooms, games, gives smile and encouragement. Yes I'm not a perfect teacher; but I'm learning. I read lot of book that will improve my teaching and my personal skill such as reading how to win friends and influence people; taking some online courses (the future of education and how to talk with vulnarable children, character teaching).
For eight months, there is up and down. Yes, there are kids that would give trouble to the class yet, with the technique that I learned, it solved well.
Yet, today, in the senior class mostly (17-18 years old students) gave me a really shock therapy nearing the end of my teaching.
they make me realize that no matter how persuasive the teacher, how the teacher try their best if the students don't have any will to 'learn'; don't understand the 'why' of learning (acquire a new skill and knowledge), teacher can't push them to learn.
The teacher before me, usually give my student a lot of movie to watch. Yes my students become more excited to the class but in the long run they really lacked the skill they should have learned. Watching movie without reflaction of the topic will only just watching, a part of the sensation.
months and months, I resist giving them movie to watch. This term, I finally succumb to their plea, I trust them, If their score are good after exam I'll give them a movie to watch in one session.
this special class had that session last week but they haven't finished watching the whole movie.
today, one of them shout "movie will be good." I had prepared a good lesson plan to help them learn English that can be used in restaurant and cafe. I prepared the video and the activity. It is my fault, I am too democratic. I thought to myself," I can persuade them to learn, I want them to learn this because they want to. They know that it will be good for them to learn."
so I asked them," do you guys want to watch again? or do you want to continue learning? you are already an adult. choose it. I wont get angry."
again my fault, too confidence, in my other classes they are so eager to learn and study, they even ask me to have an extra class in english. Oh boy, I dont know how difference this might be. so cocky.
one of the said while laughing," come on, be brave to say it out loud."
I told them how this learning can help them to find a good job in a restaurant because they will learn the english.
one of the girl said," miss just because I know the english, it doesn't mean that I will be accepted in those good restaurant. They need an experience ones."
"imagine you apply without experience and without the english at the same time? which one is better? having the english or without english?" I replied.
I sometimes, forget how terrifying it is for them to leave high school, they dont come from a good family, cant afford university. I may be just giving them an unreachable unicorn at the description.
they were silent and confused and can't choose to pick between movie or learning. so I decided to help them.
I wrote down each positive and negative of them together. each of them said their thought out loud
Watching movie Studying
+ - + -
1. refreshing 1. waste study time 1. new knowledge 1. strees
2. learning at least 5 new sentences 2. making sleepy 2. learn skill needed 2. homework
3. losing 10 new sentences from other
4. missing the lessons teacher
that they can use to get a job
yet after we made that list, they still cant change. I think ah they're probably afraid.
so I gave them a piece of paper to vote which one they choose.
there is this weird feeling, when the boys are laughing while choosing. They are laughing. at me? I don't know. They are laughing, because they rebel?probably. But I tried to be strong, I promise them I will not get angry with their choice.
I counted the vote bravely
13 people : watch movie
5 people : study
My world is crumbling down, my believe that a good teacher can lead the students to love learning become ashes at the time.
no matter what I said, I persuade, how I smile and encourage, they still choose to not studying.
I used to believe that every child. literally everychild. choose education if they got a good teacher.
but no. I even told them that this is my last week teaching, they wont know what kind of teacher they will get. yet.
they still choose to not study.
I realize now, no factor can make a person want to study but themselves. no matter how good is the education. if one decide, education in the school is what they dont need. I cant push them. only them self will.
a big note to myself.
not even god, can change a person destiny if the person doesn't want it to change.
who am I?
well taken, my students. I learned a lot.
then, it got me thinking, why are they still in school when they don't want to study? why are they in school when school makes them sleepy and stress out?
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