In this time of doing 5S and running after people for clearance, I realize that I wrote my last post for this blog on April 7. Things haven't changed much except that I now teach Art and Non-CL classes instead of Computer and ESL. Same workload, pretty much half of the same faces from last year, and equally same thoughts and sentiments from a year ago.
Maybe it has been quite easier for me this academic year, because I have gotten myself into the groove of things and I already have some kind of pattern to follow from my successes and mistakes of AY 2010-2011. Of course I am now smarter, more courageous with my actions and more meticulous with my work. I have gotten more comfortable with my colleagues, the amount of work I have to do, and I have become more confident with my teaching style. Gone were the days that I would go to class unsure of myself, nervous that somebody might come in and observe my class, or dreading the rowdiness of some students. I find myself having a bigger smile on my face, a more relaxed attitude, and an openness to learn in this exchange with my students. I have realized that the learning just doesn't come from me nor from the references I use in the classroom. The students themselves have something to contribute, with the things they share in class, as well as their actions, their behavior and disposition. It might not be directly related to the lesson at hand, but it's more of a better understanding of how children learn, what motivates them, what makes them enjoy school, and all the other factors that affect their behavior and disposition, such as their home environment, and the people they interact with.
