Ma’am Yen was not yet around. My class started to become unruly. Before it appeared like a market place, I stood up and with a strong voice said, “Grade 2, go back to your seat.” Some had stopped playing and went back to their seats while others still walking and making noise. So, I shouted, “I said, go back to your seat.” Then, the noise has gone. We prayed.
I went back to my chair and started making my art craft for the bulletin board. A little boy told me; “Sir, can we have an activity like this…” while bending his head down. I remembered my PE subject. “That is a warm-up activity!” I thought. So, I stood up again and then asked them to stand up.
“Since Teacher Yen is not yet around, we will have a warm-up activity.” I let the little boy who suggested the activity to lead us. It was so enjoying. Then, I found out that the little boy who suggested the activity was a gold-medalist Taekwando kid.
When Ma’am Yen came, they had seated. Perhaps, they were tired of jumping, bending, hopping and marching.
Ma’am Malou came in for the Math subject. There was no lesson yet. The students finished answering the activities in their workbook. Ma’am Malou has soft voice and very gentle.
There came the English subject. I was able to observe Ma’am Yen. I noticed that she used Filipino language to clearly explain the concept of what she taught. I like her strictness. When she talked, everybody should listen. Her eyes have powers to command the pupils.
In the afternoon, Ma’am Jacky came in for her Filipino subject. The pupils completed the activities in their workbook. When the teacher was out and the students have questions in their mind, they approached for they knew that I would help them the way I could.
Aside from the modern dance, there was a mass demo composed of Kinder, Grade 1, 2 and 3. Of course, I was in front of my class to lead the steps. Unlike in the room where I can dance with confidence, there I felt ashamed since there are many people watching us: college students, teachers, and parents of the pupils. I don’t just dance; I also manage my pupils to behave properly during the practice.
My strictness is different from Ma’am Yen’s. She was very strict. Her loud voice can catch the attention of the pupils.
Sometimes, I let them play inside the room. But when I noticed that the noise got louder, I reminded them that they were at school not in the market. A pupil told, “Sir James, they are too noisy. If you want them to stop playing and making noise, call Teacher Yen. We are all afraid of her!”
So, stopped making my crafts, I stood up again in front of the class reminding them of the rules inside the room. From a loud voice and eye-to-eye contact, they behaved. However, there were some who did not obey. I told myself that next time, if I am in the room, I should always stand up. I wanted everyone to behave properly. Sometimes I asked myself, “Am I so strict that my pupils had shunned me?” The answer is “NO!” They still approach me if they want to ask for a help.
I felt so overwhelmed when I saw my pupils trying to step their feet and point their hands just to learn to dance, especially those boys who were beginners in dancing. There are many pupils who were being scolded just because they were confused of the steps. What I did, I bring them one at a time at the back and teach them slowly until they have got the right steps. So, when they were confused again, they asked me, “Sir James, can you help me…”
When they danced and I was there watching, they looked at me, it seemed that they wanted a response to their virtual question “Am I doing the right step?” Then, what I did was, I nodded. I feel so fulfilled. At least, one in the moment, I saw children learning. And I had embodied on them what kind of teacher I am. Now, I came up with this idea:
You would not know the learner if you will only stand and watch them; it is a great part that you moved to them and able to know their deep thoughts.
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