Tuesday, January 19, 2010

My students...

During the last week of my practical teaching,
I went out into town to pick out some presents
for my students.

Frankly speaking, my cash was running pretty low at the time.
Coming back from practical in Indonesia and then, to continue in Bangsar…
The expense of living in a city is no joke,
which I’m sure all of you are familiar with.
So I was really careful to make sure to include everyone in the budget.

I had a lot of fun choosing the presents.
We have discussed about dreams… and ambitions.
So, I know the right thing to choose for everyone.
I want to give them something to remember me by when I left school.
And what’s most important is that
I want them to hold on to their dreams.
I want them to know that the one-month that I spent with them…
Is for real.
I’m not pretending to care. I’m not pretending to be their friends.
And I am hell not doing it just for the sake of my grades.

I did it because I’m their teacher.
And am proud to be so.

I’ve gained so much more in return for teaching them
than they could ever imagined.
They have healed a part of me which was once broken a long time ago…
And for that I am grateful.

They visited me at UKM during the Raya break.
I took all 15 of them for a ride around campus on the shuttle bus…
More like a school trip if anything.
Then, a pit stop at my college for burgers and drinks.
The glow in their eyes as they kept chanting, “Wow, we’re in UKM…”
Makes everything beyond worth it…
Skipping a few meals the following week was no biggie – your teacher got no salary, yet.

I chatted with an old friend via FB last week.
She got a job as an RA after graduation – still staying in USM.
I expected a shock from her when I told her I’m doing TESL…
Most people thought I’d be a doctor by now.
But instead, she said she had thought so all along,
*“Ko kan anak bapak?” she said.
*(“Well, you are your father’s daughter”)

The ‘me’ 5 years ago would have flipped if someone said that to my face.
But now, I feel proud inside – like a talisman,
burning white hot, unperturbed by anything.

I quit thinking quitting this job.
I want to pursue this path and I want to go as high as I can go.



5 comments:

Ermayum said...

ooo so sweettttttttt (sweet that until i got tears in my eyes ok - betul tak tipu ni) - u must be a HELL great of A teacher- GREAT to be able to MAKE them love you - GREAT to be able to MAKE them allow you to touch their heart -u re so LUCKY dear - i write this "u re the best teacher in the whole world" also to my fav - and I still remember him ( i order a plag ke apa kat CM dulu) --------ohhhh -

good luck Moonshin - look back no more :) I wish u all the best-
forget the broken heart- past unhappy life - move on and seize the future k

Maya Ayam said...

suddenly i miss my students.oh god.

Y said...

aww...so sweet..u mite be one helluva good teacher cuz i knw hw difficult it is to make students love teachers (since i m a student myslf ;))
all d best..u hv found ur calling n i know u definitely r gonna go a long way :)

QuE^9^ said...

Sooo cute... U'll be a great teacher, i've never been so sure in my life :)

moonshin said...

thank you, guys...for your warm words of encouragement. i'll keep them close with me along with my other 'treasures'.

Thank you, again...i promise, i'll continue to work hard.

Ermayum, i'm sure your teacher felt very happy when he/she received the present ;)

Mak ayam, once a teacher will always be a teacher ;)

NoFairytAlE, thank you for your kind words. it means a lot to me...
;)

Que, i stumbled onto this path out of luck. Education was my sixth choice out of the 8 courses that i've chosen before entering the university. i wasn't sure about teaching at first, but then after practical, i have got the answer.

thank you for having such faith in me, Que ;)