Hello everyone! I'm glad to participate in @steemiteducation's STEEMHOMEWORK once again. It's been a while! I have been pretty busy lately, and I suppose there wasn't Steemhomework for the past weeks as well, unless I missed checking them out.
Anyway, I'm happy to join again and share my thoughts on the topic. If you wish to answer the homework, please check this out.
QUESTION:
What is your biggest fear as an educator? How does it impact your teaching and what do you do to lessen this fear if possible?
ANSWER:
As an educator, I have a lot of fears. We exist to guide and mold students to the right path. Aside from that, we have to teach them valuable information, not just in the subject we're teaching, but also how valuable these information are in our day to day life.
Seeing students giving up and losing their motivation is my greatest fear. There are times when students feel so pressured in life, including in terms of their studies. Because of it, they tend to give up and lose their motivation. There are also times when they feel bored of studying and learning, so they just stop all of a sudden.
This kind of situation can really have a great impact in learning. If a person's drive to do something disappears, it'll be very difficult to continue. In such cases, students will just eventually stop going to school. Some of them might be physically present, but mentally absent. I fear that because they're somehow losing their chance of acquiring something irreplaceable.
Let me share to you a story:
Scene: My student during my practice teaching sent me a message that he passed his year and is moving forward to the next level.
Translation:
Me: Wow! Congratulations! You're finally moving on to the next level. Is it already your vacation?
Him: Not yet. Thanks a lot for your help, ma'am. Because of you, I learned how to trust myself. I'm really thankful to you, Ma'am Sheila.
During my practice teaching, I was assigned to teach Grade 8 students from a night public high school. Nigh high schools in the Philippines mostly caters students from the less fortunate families. They have to go to school at night because during the day time, they have to help their family to earn a living.
The picture above is a screenshot of my chat with one of them. I entered their class in the second semester. During the first semester, this student and some others rarely joins the class. They don't have motivation and somehow, they don't believe in themselves. They feel that they won't succeed even if they do their best.
I didn't want that to happen. I want them to have confidence in themselves. I want them to believe that no matter how crazy life can get, it's still worth it.
My classes on Monday and Wednesday during that time was their first subject, so what I did was go to their classroom earlier than scheduled. Of course, I don't start my class with them yet, instead, I talk to them... get to know them, and listen to their stories. Building rapport was a great way because the students came to trust me. Since then, they listen to my advice and try to go to school as often as they can.
In terms of the lesson, I also tried to consider their needs and their capabilities. They're most likely tired from their daily job and life, so I did my best to keep our class as enjoyable as possible. I am just so grateful at their change for the better. They tend to think about the lesson, the activities, exams and projects. Unlike in the past, they don't even want to lay a finger on their homework. They became so competitive in a healthy way, and I really feel fulfilled seeing them that way.
The term came to an end. I had to comply my requirements as a student teacher, so I couldn't be with them until the end of their term. However, during my last day with them, some of them secretly took my notebook and wrote something.
Their sweet messages keep me going. I still keep in touch with some of them. They're now senior high school students. From time to time, they ask me for advice or just update me with their life. I am really glad to be a part of their life. It might have been a short time, but somehow, I was able to bring them change.
I'm rooting for all of them. I'm sure that they'll be successful in the path that they choose. They might have lost their motivation in the past... they must have failed to believe in themselves in the past... but it's different now. They know how important failing is. They know how to keep their motivation and go for their goals.
Being a teacher is more than giving information about a certain subject. We have to teach them how to be strong and survive this jungle called life.
Thanks a lot for reading and have a great day! (_)
