Teacher grading papers

It is now the exam week. Teachers in school are busy marking exam papers. We have to key in students’ marks 2 weeks after the last day of exam. I started marking MCQs for Form 2 yesterday. It was difficult for me to describe the feeling. Most of them got less than 20 marks over 40. It was disastrous, indeed. The students’ comprehension level is very week. They need to do a lot of practice for objective questions. Most importantly, they have to use dictionary. Otherwise, they will not understand the terms stated in the question.

My Form 2 students are good students. I know that they tried their best even though not 100%. From what I have seen, they obey my instructions. I also teach Form 1 students. When I first teach Form 1 students, I take them as a measurement for me to evaluate my teaching performance. So far I can see that they understand and obey my advice. Alhamdulillah. But I need to get them to do a lot of practices. This is because, my school students are very dependent on their teachers. Most of them do not do revision at home. Therefore the teachers there have to be very dedicated if they want their students to be highly performed in academic.

As I marked students’ papers, I write down some of their common mistakes so that when I enter their classes, I can mention to them and make sure they have some rooms for improvement. Being a new teacher, especially in my first year is not simple. I need to write down so many things just to utter the right thing when I meet my students in class. The hardest is not to teach, but INCULCATE. When I talk to the students, my points have to be clear and precise. Since I am a language teacher, I am very particular with language. Most probably not all language teachers are like me. But I do. I am very sensitive with words. Every day I make sure I do not talk idly. I make sure I talk less. I make sure the right choice of words is used. Well, telling all these things here does not make me a good person. Nor my writing reflects the real me.

Overall, I find that it is enjoyable to be a teacher. But it is not as easy as ABC in years like this. Time changes. People change. Surroundings also change. New problems rise. New methods are born. Well. The truth is, any profession is pleasant. What matters most is how a person’s career shapes him or her. We only have two options in life. Good and bad. So when we do something, we ask ourselves, “Why are we doing this? Is it good for now and the Hereafter? Or is it bad?” Do we do it because we want to be acknowledged by others? It is as simple as that.

Well then. I think that’s all for now. I’ll write more when I feel like doing so. Happy holiday, everyone!