0
This i what those failures in college lead to...
Today I went to school not to teach Math but to teach about life. It was for my students but then I took something from it too...
What kind of teacher am I. People had wondered too and chimed in their presumptions. Most of the time I understand where they get such ideas because they describe me as a person. Am I different as a teacher? I'd say sometimes I even surprise myself about me. Yes I am nice, but not all the damn time. Lately I'm being the bad person a lot even. I've been and felt so many things as a teacher that up until now I can't define my teaching style. I get inspiration heavily from my former teachers and past experiences as a student. In fact, even if rules are different from where I studied and where I teach I tend to bring in past culture to present. Example:
No grey area in terms of grades here? No problem I'll work around that, make my own grade rules, interpret policies on my own understanding, do something extra then get in trouble (not!)
Yes grades. Is what this post is all about.
Come grading time, teachers has the most power and could definitely play God. I don't believe that the statement "you make your grades, we only encode them" is true to itself. There is always always teacher factor thrown in there. After all teaching I think is a profession of compassion too. When you're students are failing even when they deserve it, you still think of them as your kids, your brother, your friend, your padawan. And you adjust. I do a lot of this. Sometimes I feel I'm giving too much. Good thing I've failed so many times in the past that I know that the bad, wth-did-i-do feeling passes and on it's heels is a good life lesson to be learned. So I know that I don't have to pass them. They have to fail and learn the lessons of failure which I think they need more to course through life rather than those math formulas.
I fail some. I've failed more than what I wanted, but I have to. But those in the 72-73-74 zone gets me. (75 is passing) Even if I gave +10% already and really their actual grades are in the 60s and that definitely deserves failure...but still. I don't like moments defined as "cutting it too close". And so I create a grey area. I give out second or final chances as if I have to. (This right here is the part where I hear friends saying, "this is so you") And to my amazement I get surprising reactions from this exercise. Mostly good but some bad, so bad I am so struck with regret from bad judgement.
They take the second chance yes, but they don't appreciate it. I push them until they succeed. I create opportunities for them to be better. I text them, remind them to study, what to study, how to study. When they are stuck I make adjustments, let them open their books for 5 minutes, gives clues, discuss stuff that might enlighten them and the sorts. Yes, I know this is too much. I do this because I want them to earn that 3% and feel that they can do it. They don't have to settle in to failure, the finish line to success is a possibility. I give optimism even if I don't have much of it. But then...
They don't usually do their part. Yes they are appreciative but they don't do what is being asked of them. Some see it as just some 'whatever' they just have to show up to and that they'll pass anyway. I make it clear though that it is definitely not that. And then they give up. They wish they had just failed right away rather than going through it. WHAT? And once a student opted for failure to be able to proceed with registration and be in other classes with friends rather than sacrificing that for a chance to pass and be on term albeit messy schedule. What kind of decision making is this?! Regrets... the others I had failed deserved that second chance more than this person. Sad.
And then there were the trouble makers. Kids confused with having fun and being responsible. Not regretting the fun they chose but hoping they could have been responsible with their studies too. Those who knows the repercussions of failure and try to charm their way on you. This guys you have to push. Push them hard, challenge them, encourage them and put them to work. Even if you know they are trying to work their way through it dishonestly, let them do whatever it takes. At the end of all this torture, they would at one point impress you. And you think to yourself, I knew there was something in this kid and you give them the nod of approval. And then they're ecstatic. And you share that feeling. Because you are happy for them and happy for yourself because your judgement was right. These are awesome teachable moments. The moments where you know they've learned more from life other than the skills. And these moments they bring with them. That they can do it, even when they're almost failures they can be winners. And then they say thank you. And you know it's not just about the passing grade you'll give but also gratitude for the chance. Great, great feeling.
Then the unappreciative ones. They'll learn life lessons too. I wish sometime in their future they get tortured by thought that they could have done better and realize the stupidity of their decisions.
What kind of teacher am I. People had wondered too and chimed in their presumptions. Most of the time I understand where they get such ideas because they describe me as a person. Am I different as a teacher? I'd say sometimes I even surprise myself about me. Yes I am nice, but not all the damn time. Lately I'm being the bad person a lot even. I've been and felt so many things as a teacher that up until now I can't define my teaching style. I get inspiration heavily from my former teachers and past experiences as a student. In fact, even if rules are different from where I studied and where I teach I tend to bring in past culture to present. Example:
No grey area in terms of grades here? No problem I'll work around that, make my own grade rules, interpret policies on my own understanding, do something extra then get in trouble (not!)
Yes grades. Is what this post is all about.
Come grading time, teachers has the most power and could definitely play God. I don't believe that the statement "you make your grades, we only encode them" is true to itself. There is always always teacher factor thrown in there. After all teaching I think is a profession of compassion too. When you're students are failing even when they deserve it, you still think of them as your kids, your brother, your friend, your padawan. And you adjust. I do a lot of this. Sometimes I feel I'm giving too much. Good thing I've failed so many times in the past that I know that the bad, wth-did-i-do feeling passes and on it's heels is a good life lesson to be learned. So I know that I don't have to pass them. They have to fail and learn the lessons of failure which I think they need more to course through life rather than those math formulas.
I fail some. I've failed more than what I wanted, but I have to. But those in the 72-73-74 zone gets me. (75 is passing) Even if I gave +10% already and really their actual grades are in the 60s and that definitely deserves failure...but still. I don't like moments defined as "cutting it too close". And so I create a grey area. I give out second or final chances as if I have to. (This right here is the part where I hear friends saying, "this is so you") And to my amazement I get surprising reactions from this exercise. Mostly good but some bad, so bad I am so struck with regret from bad judgement.
They take the second chance yes, but they don't appreciate it. I push them until they succeed. I create opportunities for them to be better. I text them, remind them to study, what to study, how to study. When they are stuck I make adjustments, let them open their books for 5 minutes, gives clues, discuss stuff that might enlighten them and the sorts. Yes, I know this is too much. I do this because I want them to earn that 3% and feel that they can do it. They don't have to settle in to failure, the finish line to success is a possibility. I give optimism even if I don't have much of it. But then...
They don't usually do their part. Yes they are appreciative but they don't do what is being asked of them. Some see it as just some 'whatever' they just have to show up to and that they'll pass anyway. I make it clear though that it is definitely not that. And then they give up. They wish they had just failed right away rather than going through it. WHAT? And once a student opted for failure to be able to proceed with registration and be in other classes with friends rather than sacrificing that for a chance to pass and be on term albeit messy schedule. What kind of decision making is this?! Regrets... the others I had failed deserved that second chance more than this person. Sad.
And then there were the trouble makers. Kids confused with having fun and being responsible. Not regretting the fun they chose but hoping they could have been responsible with their studies too. Those who knows the repercussions of failure and try to charm their way on you. This guys you have to push. Push them hard, challenge them, encourage them and put them to work. Even if you know they are trying to work their way through it dishonestly, let them do whatever it takes. At the end of all this torture, they would at one point impress you. And you think to yourself, I knew there was something in this kid and you give them the nod of approval. And then they're ecstatic. And you share that feeling. Because you are happy for them and happy for yourself because your judgement was right. These are awesome teachable moments. The moments where you know they've learned more from life other than the skills. And these moments they bring with them. That they can do it, even when they're almost failures they can be winners. And then they say thank you. And you know it's not just about the passing grade you'll give but also gratitude for the chance. Great, great feeling.
Then the unappreciative ones. They'll learn life lessons too. I wish sometime in their future they get tortured by thought that they could have done better and realize the stupidity of their decisions.
