The Problem

The problem’s a teacher faces sometimes does not end with student’s unwillingness to learn or participate, but with how the student’s unwillingness affects the teacher’s attitude. I’ve come to realize how easily my mood can shift when a class or single student “doesn’t feel” like doing what I have planned for them. It can easily ruin my day. Consequently, my attitude toward the class begins shift toward apathy; mostly because it is very difficult to continue preaching to uninterested and bored students. Unfortunately for the children, I can’t play games every single day. Sometimes, straight book work is required to understand meanings and pronunciation of the language.

However, this is not where the main focus of my difficulties lies. I can completely understand that some days, school is not the place to be. Moreover, it is when I have to move on to the next class that I start feeling the distinction between the titles: teacher and great teacher. A teacher will let the previous class linger in their mind, effectively destroying the opportunities of any subsequent student. A great teacher can withhold their emotions of prior classes in order to give the students an optimal learning environment. I believe that this is what begins to define the characteristics of great teachers (aside from the preparation).

It is very difficult to shut out emotional responses and bottle them up for hours possibly days. I can now honestly say to all my past teachers: I feel your pain. And maybe I am a tiny bit sorry being the main source of your anguish…sometimes…maybe…