教師はつらいよ!(It’s tough being a teacher)

Kyoushi wa tsurai yo!*

I love teaching Japanese, and I look forward to my classes every week. I love what I do and I’m being paid to do what I love.

However, after almost a year of teaching with no worries, reality hit me…it’s tough being a teacher. All these months, I thought if I showed my students how hardworking I am, they will also work hard as students. So far, it has worked pretty well last semester. I was so naive.

 

Then…last Saturday, I almost lost my cool with my PM class. I was reviewing them for a previous lesson, and I was so surprised that only a couple of them can actually remember!! For goodness’ sake, it was just a freaking review! Every question I had was met with a blank stare or a giggle. Duh, not the answer I was hoping for, obviously. Anyway, I got really pissed and ran to the faculty room, not to cry mind you…but to —

Take that! I unearthed tons of homework to give the class (and added a couple more, fresh from the photocopy machine, for good measure). I told them “Ayan, ayaw nyo mag-aral ha. Sige, tambakan ko na lang kayo ng homework para mapilitan kayong mag-aral”.

I overheard someone in the front say “Ang sungit naman ni sensei” but I chose not to respond…otherwise, I would have said

“Haller, mag-aral kaya kayo!! Magsusungit ba ako ng walang dahilan??”. I did brag about the class I had last sem; those people, no matter how busy with their work, still came to class prepared. Klase nina Missy-san at Aiko-san yan!! Haha.

Too many people wanted to enrol in Nihongo Center classes, but can’t afford to — and you get people who don’t study because “once a week lang kasi e…daling makalimutan”. Lousy excuse! Once a week na nga lang e, kaya dapat lalong mag-aral di ba??

I wanted to write about this last Saturday, but decided to wait until lost steam a bit. I was still riled yesterday so I put off writing until today. *sigh* Should I give them weekly tests from now on??
*bow*



*Title adapted from the Japanese film series “Otoko wa Tsurai yo!” — formerly Guiness holder of “the longest movie series in the world” record, running from 1969-1995

Thanks to Court-record.net for the Gyakuten Saiban/Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney gif files. ^_^ Chou kawaii!

Facebook Comments

comments

0 Comments

  1. Cat-sensei,
    こんにちは
    これはてしゃです formerly of the Elementary 1 AM class.
    I miss all of you guys, but I am also having a blast being at Joi-sensei’s class.
    I used to teach high school mathematics, so I can relate to this somehow.
    I hope you don’t mind if I drop by here once in a while.
    がんばってください 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Content Protected Using Blog Protector By: PcDrome.