It was the last day of school of the week. Means my last day to be there. I'm going to miss my elementary school so much. I must say it had been five extremely awesome days I will never ever forget in my life. It was a kind of satisfaction to see the teachers were so proud of their student. Who knew, nine years ago, I was a little girl went to the school as a student, now I came back to where I begun, as a teacher. Thank you teacher, for teaching me so hard to create me who I am now.
It was 8.50 am and I had to replace Puan Salinah for her one hour Mathematics class at Year 3 Melur. Every batch was divided into two main classes, Mawar and Melur. The good grader ones were in Mawar, and Melur was where the average ones. The class was so noisy that I could hear them shouting and laughing from downstairs. Before I entered the class, I prayed to God, "Please, make it easier for me". Then, I entered the class.
One good thing about being a new teacher in a new school is, every time you enter a class, they will stare at you with mouth open no matter how loud the make noises before. Then, you can choose to be a fierce one or a kind one. My choice always to be a kind, soft-spoken and cute one. I always want my students to be as comfortable as they can be when they are with me. After the greetings I asked them to sit, introduced myself and then give them the Mathematics worksheet. "I will collect the worksheet before the recess. Make sure every person hand in the worksheet or every one will stay in the class during the recess. Call me if you need me. I'll come to you." I said.
Once I finished my short speech, there was a boy who sit at the front row said loudly, "Teacher, Iman can't write properly. He can't even count. He is very slow." He said. I can't help but looked directly at the boy whose mentioned as Iman. I wish I never did that. He looked down, didn't dare to see me, embarrassed. "It's OK, I can help Iman. The rest, do the worksheet". I started to walk slowly around the class just to see their progress. There were some girls who sat at the front row who were very good in Math that they could do the questions without asking me. Ten minutes later, I noticed that Iman had no progress in the worksheet and I started to wonder why.
I did asked few students about Iman and here are their answers: "Iman is a slow learner. He can't learn". "He is always like that. Never talk much". "I don't know much about him". Oh my God, this boy is very sad. I came closer to him, take a sit beside him.
"Iman, why don't you do the worksheet?" I asked nicely, with the softest voice I could possibly make.
Silent. No answer. No nodded. No shook. Nothing.
"Can you re-write the question and then count?"
Again. Nothing. It's going to be hard, Azy.
"Ok, let me help you. It's OK if you don't want to write. Let's count"
I pulled the worksheet close to him. And yes, I took out the pencil, the eraser and ruler from his pencil box.
"Ok now, how do you count 4 + 4?"
And yes. Nothing. Again. Come on, Iman. Show me something.
"Ok, I need you to show me your hand. your need to show me 4 from the right hand." He started to count from 1 to 4 to show me his hand.
"And then add another 4 from your left hand." Again the procedures repeated.
"Count them altogether". I asked. He started to count from 1 to 8. Them with his tiny voice, he mentioned it to me. "8".
"Good boy". I replied.
I was still handling the class, taught another students about what they didn't understand, but my priority was Iman. I started to teach him to count larger numbers without depending on his limited fingers. It was funny when he asked to borrow my fingers to solve 7 + 8. I taught him to use his mind to save a larger numbers that could impossibly been done by his fingers. I noticed that he was getting more and more interested to learn, understood Mathematics better when he started to talk much to me with louder voice. For the first time since I entered the class, he smiled. I know, he understood my explanation and let him did the rest alone.
When Puan Salinah came in, the students who got their work done send their worksheets, including Iman, who I was very proud of. When it was Iman's turn to be checked, the teacher said, "You do this alone?", unbelievable. Poor Iman. I felt like the teacher will never believe Iman could learn like anybody else in the class.
"Yes, teacher. He did that alone. I just guided him how to do. He count them himself", I told the teacher.
"Good job," she replied to both me and Iman.
Before he came back to his seat, I told him to teach his friends who were not done yet. I was very proud of him that he could explain to them the way I explained to him. He was so innocent, teaching his friends the way I taught him using the fingers, without knowing that they could do the summing up without using the fingers anymore. They were just too lazy to do the work. I was very proud of him. I knew, he understood Mathematics better now. In the end, he got his work setteled, and the boy who told the whole class about Iman never got his work done till the end of the class.
I know he could learn like the others, he just need a little more attention and love. Qouted from my lecturer, "If I can touch a student the way i touched him, I know I am a good teacher". Being a good teacher is not about teaching the content, but the way we do things that touched their heart to make them change for the better. It is the real success in teaching.
I hope Iman will be a successful grown man in the future. I will never forget the short meeting. I maybe touched his heart, but he definitely touched my heart. He taught me something important, that a teacher should never judge a student. The is no stupid student. All the students are the same, and they have the ability to learn. Find time and love for them, they'll make a successful person one day.
Good luck Iman. You'll be a successful man one day. May God always be with you.
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