This is a sequel to my previous post entitled, "The Challenge," but in a different grade level and different subject. Indeed, this experience made me see teaching as even more challenging. Our class was tasked to observe Grade 6 - Diamond, specifically during their English class under Teach Emmanuel.

I came to the class early enough to see students come in class, one-by-one, since they were out for some activities before their English class. I got to compare and contrast, anticipate the attitudes of the students, and reminisce the class I had when I was once a Grade 6 student. As far as I can remember, in general, my Grade 6 life was fun and I loved my classmates and teachers. Well, that's in my point of view, but what about the teachers'. So now, I can see it.

The Grade 6-DIamond class was a bit far from what I expected. Maybe because I expected too much on them given the school they are in. But after all, they are comparable to other high schools. Or should I say, because children are children (some can still be naughty, easily get bored at that age, or children are really like that).

Before the class started, during the class, and after the class, the students were noisy and seemed so unmanageable. It was like if the 30+ students want to say something or ask their teacher, they will talk simultaneously. As for the teacher, he had to change his managing techniques quite often depending on whatever is effective for the class at the given moment. He would tell the class to keep quiet; if he's being ignored, he would be silent and somehow the class will feel the need to be quiet as well.

Nevertheless, during the class, the students were cooperative and responsive to their teacher. Amazingly, students were able to unlock difficult words (I assume are difficult for their level) like uncoiled and thrashing, based on their prior knowledge or how they understand the words given its use in the sentence. Not all gave the right answers immediately, but later figured it out. For the teacher, all through out the pre-reading part, he mentioned a number of "comments" (can't think of a better word for it) like "gather your thoughts first" if the student is taking too long to give his answer, "say it in English" since it is an English class, "settle down" or "I know [pertaining to the class] you're excited to share your thoughts, but settle down first" if the class gets unmanageable. And if the class gets noisy, he would change his tone voice to loud to caught his class' attention, or just be silent.

It was only when the class started the reading part that the class became silent. And that is for seven minutes. Although there were some students who are still reading aloud,  but not so disturbingly loud. After reading, a video clip was shown. The class was familiar to it and they seemed to be interested with it because I can see them with their full attention to it. I think it was a good effort for the teacher to choose and prepare the lessons that is not only educational but also interesting for the students.

Lastly, for the group activities, I observed that some members of the groups were not participating. Some members were talking about other stuffs not related to the activity, while some students were dependent on their other members. On the teacher's part, making the students busy is not the time for him to rest because, like teacher Emmanuel, he roamed around the different groups and checked on their progress.

For me, it was a tiring one hour and a half class. Imagine doing it for a whole day and countless days in a year. It was exhausting. It made me thinking if I still want to teach elementary level or high school level or kinder level (at least their cuteness will motivate me :)) or college level (hopefully, they will act more maturely). Kudos to teachers out there!

Last Thursday's activity, our class had an observation in UP-IS, in Teacher Rica's class Kinder-Sampaguita. It was my first time to do a fieldwork I haven't done before as a Management student, and that is for the purpose of being a teacher as a profession. There are two points that I want to reflect on: 1) how being a teacher can be really challenging, and 2) how students can make the challenging part of being a teacher becomes a teacher's pursuit of happiness.
To be in a class with not less than twenty students, who are tiny little creatures, young (around 5 to 6 years old), and at the transition of staying in a class setting away from the comforts of their homes, toys and mommies, intense passion, patience, creativity, humor, and management skills are some of the skills that I find highly needed in order to cease each day. These little, cute students have tendencies to become naughty and unmanageable, but I'm so fascinated on how Teach Rica was able to caught their attention and make these students listen to her.

Also, I'm so impressed at how Teach Rica prepared all those creative and striking materials, and plentiful of worksheets and games for her class. I mean, you discuss different lessons each day right? and for how many hours, right? How tedious it seems to prepare lesson plans, and activities on each lessons for each day. Preparing materials requires a sense of creativity and humor so to caught your students attention to the lesson and to you. Another thing, during reading, there seemed to be a talent that I need to learn in reading books to kids. Like how Teach Rica read the book, she re-lived the story through her storytelling: her voice, expressions, and all about her. She is amazing. I want her to read to me some bedtime stories. Haha.

Furthermore, another funny and amazing thing about Teach Rica was how she manages her class. She used reinforcements to her students to make them participate in class, stay on their places, and listen to her lessons. It is quite funny because I can see in the students how badly they want to be seen as good by their teacher, despite their naughtiness. For me, I think this is quite a challenge because I need to be cautious in acting silly things that are not appropriate to students, maybe like shouting or embarrass a student in front of his/her classmates.

Given these kinds of challenges a teacher could encounter, why are there still teachers and would want to become teachers? I questioned myself and answered it as well. In my opinion, it is simply because they see their students' holistic growth as way more "rewarding" that they can bear any kinds of challenges. Especially for a teacher that is not profit/money-oriented, but rather someone who truly cares about children and children at heart. Their students become their purpose in life. That is why there are some teachers who lived their life teaching, and didn't get the chance to form their own family because they already have their family, their students. But I want to have my own family. Haha. And I want to share with them the purpose I'm living now as a soon to be teacher.