Assalamualaikum.
It was the second last week before the school holidays, loads of works to be settled and tempers were running high.
I had to supervise (kind of) a Year 5 course from 8 am to 12 pm. In the meantime, i was arranging files, typing, cutting papers, key in marks, print, running up and down the floor to settle documents for Hari Akademik 2 on the next day. Not only that, teachers were occupied and busy with all the preparations for our annual big events. Also had to deal with things like - not doing work fast enough or not doing work at all. Huh. Dealing with humans are never easy.
12.15 pm, went for lunch and get ready for 12.30 pm Year 1 English class.
Initially, it was the usual greetings from teacher and pupils already had their books on the desks when i spotted a boy without book. Nonchalantly i asked for his book and why he's not taking it out.
What he did - he screamed right to my face and started crying with an extra high pitched voice (can still pictured his reaction huh). I was stunned - coz i just asked that simple questions as normally i would. I was purely exhausted emotionally and physically. I told him, cry as much as he want; i wouldnt care. Next, this boy toppled off his desk, just another sign of protest.
I continued the class as usual for about 10 minutes when that boy suddenly ran out of the class straight to the main road. Fuh. The rain still poured heavily at that time but a teacher has no choice except to run for the kid. So i ran for him.
He took me running for him from A to B, then B to C, C to D, D to E in the rain and finally when he went to F i could get this no more. A man carrying ice stock to the school passed by and i asked for his help.
The school here has no gates and yeah, the main road was busy with cars. I was frightened and angry at the same time. Frightened - if he went to the road. Angry - for this attitude of his.
As a normal human being, i was really exhausted emotionally i almost cried.
Anyone might say as a teacher, you should expect this but when this real thing happened, sometimes it breaks you.
I looked like a fool running in the rain in the eyes of many people at the road and nearby restaurant.
Behind the scene story of this boy :
1. The same boy caused greater trouble for a teacher early of the year; which include humiliating the teacher in front of a group of parents-till the teacher finally decided to change her job. When this boy did this, i was furious too and could not bring my eyes looking at him.
2. He was bad tempered from the period before English. From what the fellow classmates said, he bit the teacher's arm & did some funny scribbles with pencil colour on the floor.
3. After inspection, he came from a family with a bad tempered dad - told by his mom.
4. I taught his sister too, and you know what the sister never smiled until sometimes i had to ask her to smile. She also at times skipped Quran class and whenever asked for reason, she never answered back.
These are among the perks of being a teacher.
'Ala kulli hal, experience always teach us something and this time, emm what are the lessons?
Love,
Ustazah Anis
