Another weekend to come and go...

I was called back to school this morning to conduct a remedial class in comprehension, and when I got there, I was told by my HOD that I am to observe a more senior teacher teach first before handling next saturday's session. That other teacher actually wanted me to teach instead because she always had confidence in my language teaching skills, having supervised me for a term. So anyway, I was sitting there for more than an hour in the room, wondering why the hell I need to be there.

The week came and went by in a flash. The last few days, I was so busy attending meetings etc after lessons that there was no time at all to settle down and get down to the 'important' task of planning lessons for next week. Really, providing good lessons is really down at the bottom of the to-do list of most teachers, what with all the silly paperwork one has to cope with. So I must use my weekend to plan something out, and the thought troubles me so much that I feel like skipping my badminton training and not turn up for a wedding dinner that I already promised to attend.

Also, there is much dissonance between the teaching style that NIE/PESS advocates and what school management wants out of PE teachers. I buy into the lecture-correct style of discipline but the school obviously prefer the disciplinarian approach. My VP said that during my lesson observation teaching wushu to the class lined up in rows, the non-participation of the kids behind could result in accidents and injuries and may lead to investigations if that happens, no joke. I'm so convinced they will start bashing each other on the head if they don't do their horse-stance diligently with me.


Just to end off on a positive note - on Friday I followed the normal technical group that went for this 'junior chef' enrichment course, and saw them in action baking pastries of all sorts. It was really refreshing to see them all engaging in something enthusiastically for once, and I wish I can make this happen in my English class. One of the girls wanted me to help her knead balls of grated coconut, and I could only produce a ball by the time she's done with everything; nice to see that they are able to teach me for a change. Don't take it the wrong way, but I felt so much love for the kids at that moment, seeing them so happy.

Now, when can I start planning wonderful activities such as these...