in the new school

it's almost two months since i entered the school where friends of mine work...my first two weeks in school was not hard because the students, as well as the faculty members, made it easy for me...i breezed through those weeks without any major incident happening in my class...hahaha...maybe not that time!

when i entered this school, i made it a point to remember the names of at least half of the students who are in my class...i was thinking half because there are 171 of them...waaaa...171? it's my first time to handle a huge number...each class had 43 students with one section having 42. now, i can safely say that i know at least a hundred of them...their names as well as their faces...hehehe...not bad huh?

each class has a characteristic distinct from one another...one class has extreme students...the term extreme describes the academic variation in that class...there are high achievers and there are also academically challenged students in that class...it is a class that combines students who have the potential of becoming scientists and mathematicians, and those who are observers in science and math...this class is unique in such a way that art, science, logic (which is identifiable with math), and music are combined...hmmmm...what a mix!

another class combines both the innate impulsiveness of adolescents and a minute sense of maturity of a young adult...you can give them an instruction on what to do and they'll do it on their own although at times, they are quick to do things that sometimes rationality becomes absent in them...this class has future leaders who can do well even with less supervision from the teacher...leaders who have the initiative to serve the people around them without the necessary compensation...though they may seem to be responsible, this class also has tendencies towards the left...if you know what i mean...what? left? why not right?

i also have one class that's generally playful...humor, sarcasm, and satirical antics that could sometimes catch you off-guard are prevalent in this class...this class also has its share of peculiarity among the four classes that i handle...i could say that one of the best, if not the best student i have so far, is in this class...a combination of linguistic articulation and logic can be seen in this student...she doesn't talk too much nor will she impress you through PR but when she solves problems, you know that she's got what it takes to be someone great...though this class is playful, many of the students do well in my subject thus making my work easier and fun to do...work is fun? huh? they really do...

last, but certainly not the least, is a class that combines kinesthetic and logical intelligence...members of this class like to move a lot either creatively through dance or simple bodily motion...in cebuano terms "kitikiti"...hahaha...some of them may have difficulty with my subject but a very good number are performing exceptionally well...this class may have the "worst" case scenarios but at least they are doing something about it...most members of this class have the confidence to answer and talk back to me (in a polite way of course) during the course of our discussion or when we see each other outside the classroom...some are quiet and some are also very talkative....(with emphasis on the word very!)...they are controllable though...hehehe...

inspite of all the differences that each class has, these four classes make up my day...they complete me as a teacher, an educator, and a mentor...they make me smile, day in and day out...they subdue me when i'm about to get angry or when the worst part of me is about to come out...we may laugh during class but we also do serious business most of the time...i cannot help but thank the members of each class for being themselves...for showing who they really are...for participating in our discussions...for learning in the midst of distractions...and most of all...for reminding me that i am a teacher!!! (n_n)