Students.
S is the menace kid that screwed me over with the photocopying. He constantly makes people feel bad about themselves, and self-esteem (for anybody) is crushed to the ground when you’re around him; even teachers thought they were having a stroke when dealing with S. Really, they’re just so furious with S’s lack of respect for any authority figures.
But today I did something different. I stood up for myself when he called me “useless”. “Excuse me? You do not talk to me like that”. The 3 students around me agreed that I should slap him across the head if my instincts called for it. I said: “If I were a student, I WOULD!”. I didn’t, because I knew better.
S loves attention, he sat beside me and talked and talked during the video. He kept on trying to talk me out of education and how it’s a “stupid and retarded” job to become a teacher. “Someone’s got to do it”, I said. Then somehow it led into conversations about politics to even racism. We ended up talking for the whole period until his estrange friend from outside the hallway paid a visit to S. To my surprise, S asked me what was my name and introduced me to him.
What? Does that mean I’ve earned his respect? He did soften up after we talked, does that mean that he’s not going to make me feel bad, besides calling me “useless” and “anal beads?” (Anal beads: my fashionable big black bead necklace, which S doesn’t think it’s fashionable at all.)
Anyway, at the end of the class, I was convinced that I got S’s respect. I hate to say this, but we bonded. (Ew. Sounds so mushy).
Earning respect from students is a hard and strenuous job. However, losing it may only take the teacher a second; to do something stupid enough. (right Fiona?)
Other things I did for other students today that made me : ):
- I taught M how to start her reference letter and what benefits she has for working at the bank as a bank teller now.
- I talked to B about universities and English class.
- I told S that her painting on the wall is beautiful and she invited me to the South Asian performances happening at the school tomorrow!
- I helped a bit with T’s group making the apple pie and T demanded that I should be at school tomorrow to try it out.
- Wished K good luck on her baseball game : )
I’m starting to like the feeling of becoming a teacher!
_______________
9:28pm
bfs.
What do you do when you feel like your bestfriend is drifting apart from you? Besides from talking it out, what other mendings to the friendship could there be?
