Budi was stressed out and rightly so, seeing that he had to teach all day without a break. My role in the classroom on Wednesdays is to be crowd control. It's my easy day. He informed me that my Korean student's tutor wants to be in the classroom and "help out." My question is how can someone "help out" when they don't even speak the student's native language. The lady spoils him, mostly because of the language barrier. "Oh XXXXXX, (name withdrawn for the privacy of the child) you can't do this, let me do it for you. Oh XXXXXX, you don't want to learn right now, you can go play. Oh XXXXXXX, you want to have a hissy fit, okay. As long as you don't do it where people might trip over you." And this is just the tame version.
After making a small time escape out of the classroom, trying to keep my fresh and happy morning intact, I found out that every single teacher I came across was crabby for some reason or another. Let me tell you, it is really hard to be happy when everyone around you is all doom and gloom.
On top of all the negative attitudes, we got a surprise lesson plan book inspection. Our principal sent Pak Alim, one of the office boys, to collect our books. My lesson plan is my life support, without it I will fall to pieces and die. My memory is not that sharp that I remember every thing I plan for the day (after all, I plan my lessons at least a week in advance. By Friday afternoon my brain goes on a hardcore vacation).
All the teachers recieved their lesson plans book at lunch and were in for a big surprise. No one had positive feedback what so ever. I was told by one teacher to take it with a grain of salt - but when you have nothing but criticism to encourage you - you're screwed. At least Budi and I know we write lesson plans that are effective and help students learn.
All day we had struggles with our Korean student. He kicks and screams when he doesn't get his way. Most times he throws himself on the floor and flails his limbs in all different directions. The kids get so uptight when he does this. They try so hard to play and work with him, but his reception is far from embracing. Nine times out of ten, he usually decks someone or kicks them to the ground. Now, trying to step in his shoes, I would be frustrated too if I couldn't get something across in the only language I knew - but there is absolutely no need to get violent about it.
By the end of the day Budi and I made a "Bang Your Head Here" poster and tacked it up on the backside of the teacher's lounge door. At least it got a laugh out of the office boy. I was about one step away from smashing my head against it.
We all have days like this, it's inevitable. Even when we try to be positive and smiley, it just doesn't do the job and you fall into the trap of a spiral blackhole of crankiness and misery. However, tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start. There was a verse that popped in my head, but I only could remember one phrase of it. I looked it up and it brought me hope for a renewed tomorrow. Psalm 90:14 "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." This is a verse that should be our stepping stone to starting the day off on the right (and happy) foot.
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