Principles for School

I finally tweaked my iTunes account from Japan so now that I can have a billing address Stateside, I can have my iTunes in Singapore! Fwah Ha!

At US$9.99 an album, it makes so much more financial sense to buy albums at SGD$15 after tax, off iTunes this way. And I don't have to buy whole albums and live with the duds.

First up - tobyMac's Portable Sounds and DCB's Remedy.

First week of school was much better than I anticipated. I have more of a grip on things, the kids know me better and I of them, I take mostly graduating classes so I get to work them real hard and most of them likewise want to make the rest of the year count. My freshmen scholars are so far wide-eyed and eager to please. Suspect they also want to live up to their 'scholar' class status. Works well enough for me.

Even the ASD boy in the class is pretty bright. Not exceptionally communicative but he shows signs of savant intelligence. He's lovely - he doesn't have much expression. I have only seen two: wariness and being pleased himself when he knows he's done well following instructions and completing his work. When I see that smile across I have to try to spy from the side cause if he sees me looking at him, the smile melts and he has the wary look as if I was expecting something from him.

I inherited some new classes this year because one of the teachers who is responsible for the graduating batches will be leaving mid-year. I've been getting feedback from her that the current students in my 2nd Literature class who from her class previously have lamented, "Why arn't you teaching us! please come back! Mrs. Chilibuddy is so fierce! She makes us work SO hard!"

This class is also my form class of 30 under-acheivers. They made similar comments to me last year "why can't you just give us the answers on the board over-head. Our previous teacher did that. Now we have to think and work so much harder." I was laughing all the way back to my office.

On the other side of the door however, I got a nice affirmation from an experienced teacher. First, she asked me how old I was while we were in-between classes. I told her later when we were out of the ear-shot vicinity of my students and asked why she made such an effort to find out. She said, "Oh. It just seems that you really seem to know what you are doing and handling the kids."

The next day in the lounge we were discussing table setups in the classroom. She said again, "I think you are a very hip teacher!" I didn't quite know how to respond to that so I said thanks and shrugged my shoulders and she explained, "I see how the kids are with you and I think the kids really look up to you. You're interesting enough that they want to know you, old enough that they know they can't mess around too much with you (and you are strict and have very high expectations of them). But, you're young enough that they can relate to you."

No peer has said that of me so far in my teaching career here. It's nice to know that despite how I feel - frustrations with being myself, being a good educator, being a good older mentor and being a good employee (add to that, wife) - that some of it does come through even though I can't imagine or see how.

Lately, the other thing I've been thinking about are the expectations on children and children's expectations. My kids regularly ask me to play ball with them, I have never said yes although I am beginning to be warmed to the idea. Andy said he would jump at the chance if he were me - of course, my husband (there, I said it) is all sport. He asked, would I play easy so that they would feel small successes over their teacher. Actually, I think the kids would play extra hard against their teacher at ball.

This is because, I believe the kids want to measure themselves against the adults and to see where they stand. It would be too patrionizing to let them win easy. They do enjoy a challenge even if they don't know it.

This is why it is in teenagers genetics to misbehave and push the envelope. It works two ways. It keeps us adults on our toes and reminds us of what it means to be creative. Secondly, they are trying to see how far they can go: how far they can push and how far they can soar.

This translates to having high expectations for them so that they have a worthy challenge to work toward. It is still my innate reaction to take the back seat at an unworthy challenge, one that doesn't require that much of me, one that I know that if I put in just a little bit of effort that I will succeed. I already know I will succeed so I won't even try. Wierd isn't it?

On the other hand, if its something immensely challenging in an area that intrests me than it is in my interest that I sweat for it no matter how difficult it is. Japan is a great example. There was the possibility I would cower and head back to Sydney but then, I remember thinking to myself, success only came with perserverance. So with much prayer and God's help I think I made it a success for myself.

So, back to the kids, if you have high expectations for them - one that is just beyond their reach, that requires them to work and sweat for it for success - then I think they will want to step up to the plate and bat. This is also where discipline plays a big part.

I have a system in the class which I have found works very well. I tell them that nothing comes for free - if you want to be in my class, then you have to work for it. Technically, they don't have a choice but this is how it works: If there is homework due, you do not get to enter my class until I see that you have completed it. This works in my favour because, I have an a/c'd classroom on the first floor, which is also the same floor that the Principal likes to go walkabout. My under-acheivers have 'met' him twice this year and school has only been one and a half weeks.

When you are in my class, I don't give out answers until I see that you have tried them out yourself. I tell my kids, I am not interested in correct answers because they are easy to get. Crib sheets. I tell them I am interested in their thinking of it and to do that they have to produce it, verbalize it, explain it etc. It's a good exercise to help them be cognitively aware of their thinking processes and find the flaws in their logic when they discuss with their friends, before they get a red mark on their sheets.

I am also less interested in how well they do than how they do it. I think this is a biblical principle. God's not interested in who you are, how well you do but how you do it and with what heart. Of course, discipline, patience, perserverance and hard work are all the same keys to success in life as it is in success in education. This is why children must go to school. Not just to do well, but to learn those life lessons.

I also give them as much opportunities as I can afford to help them succeed: I will explain, I will guide, I will chide but they have to complete your class work before you leave for recess. This is time set aside for them to learn and I cannot control what affects them after class, so this is the best I can do for them.

While I have very high expectations for them, there is also one thing I will not tolerate in my classroom: rudeness and discouragement. That is the best I can do to give them a conducive environment.

This year, I endeavour to give a lot to them and to expect a lot from them. I know they will let me down sometimes but I also have faith that come next year this time, they would have done me so proud.