Practice what you Teach?

Last night I went to sleep anxious, nervous, palms sweating and unable to sleep....

Why?

My first set of students had my subject at CSEC and CAPE level today. I got up and prayed, "Lord help them to be calm and retain..even de lil slow ones Lord...help them."

When I got to school I was so nervous! After a while I thought, but what de hell I already have a 1 and a B in Biology! lol But as I have mentioned in many of my blogs before - what is the point of being a teacher if you can't teach? A carpenter and can't build one table? Not even a bench? Despite what - student performance is our performance indicator. How well you taught or did not teach is reflected in how your students perform at a national level.  And just that fact right there?? Had me scared out of my wits, which is exactly why I went to view the CAPE paper first. See my CSEC class is/was an inherited class**, so in my Upper 6's I had a little more confidence. 

Went in..nervous..shaking...thinking about it now..I'm such a punk! lol 

Told the head invigilator that I was the subject teacher, she handed me a copy of the paper and I sat an perused. I smiled. I smiled. Heart racing I signed the form and practically ran out the room, and headed toward where the CSEC students were taking their exam. Did the same thing, sat and perused. I smirked. Winced. Shook my head. Left the room. Difference was? Inherited class.** 

I sat in the administration building waiting for the exam to be done with - to hear the reactions. And I felt justified today. One of my Upper 6 students said, "Miss, I eh go lie - yuh teach we like a boss. There was nothing on that paper that we could not do and it was because you taught us how to answer questions. Nah Miss, yuh is ah boss." 

I kid you not. I was moved beyond expression. That right there? Was my wooden stool. My first couch set. lol 

So ladies and gentlemen that was today - and I am a boss. 

Inherited Class** - This is a class that a teacher receives in their last year for 2 terms just before CXC. The class would usually not have had a teacher for the entire of their Form 4 year and you are expected to teach them everything they missed inclusive of what they need to know in their Form 5 year. Challenge? Yeah. In addition, inherited children, are not usually in the mood to learn, hence their lackadaisical disposition does not aid much in fostering an engaging learning environment. 

When ah dead bury meh clothes

So as I must have mentioned before...de chirren HOT LIKE PEPPA! lol...yeah I remember mentioning that. This term though? I got to witness some 'fulfilment of promises'. 

What's that? lol...

Last  term.. around carnival time so - parents were called in citing 'inappropriate behavior' on the part of their wards. Some parents shrugged their shoulders nonchalantly while others made that promise that no child really wants to hear..."De next time I have to come in school I will cut yuh ass right here!"

Well mamayo! Those children CLEARLY forgot that the individuals they live with, carrying the title of parent, can periodically act like lunatics when it comes to misbehavior in school aka 'makin meh shame'. 

Hear nah parent after parent (and I've been observing this for some  weeks now) - I seriously thought those children would not be coming back to school lol lol and people think you don't know..but YOU KNOW the children WHO KNOW their mom/dad or both will go postal on them..sad to say you also know the ones whose parent ain't bout shit and ain't gonna do shit. Is true. 

First case:

"Miss, WHAT has she been doing?"

*child's eyes close, instant tears*

"Don't worry Miss...that WILL NOT happen again. Right Diesel?"

*child paralyzed, cyar talk*

Second case:

To child:

"Girl...you KNOW I mad."

Teacher to parent:

"Mam, please not at school"

Parent to teacher:

"What??? This is mine! I make it! Call God or call de police!"

And these are just a few. Why in God's name theses little girls and boys keep touching up each other like dogs in heat??? Not only that but getting ketch CONSISTENTLY???? Ugh! At least put a lil thought into it nah? Geez. 

All the melay made me wonder where does the discipline end and the child abuse begin? Where do parents draw the line? But as a teacher? I can't help but feel the plight of the single parent, now get a lil end to bring in some money - but have to be taking days she don't have to come an school to deal wid she own chile who crotch seem to be on fire.

I know all the child activists goin to come out in droves - oh the child have psychological problems blah blah, licks is not the answer But nah man some of them? Eh eh...they OVER BAD lol And they're that way because they KNOW that their parents fall for the psychological BS they try to feed into every situation. 

I think though that in some cases, the kids do need help and are in fact crying out for some attention but where are parents taught that? Where do you learn to differentiate between a child that needs a slap for being rude and one who needs some one on one couch time?