I'm loving it..

This term I was handed-over classes that at first I thought wasn't my thing.

Construction. Seriously?..

Well, someone gotta get up there and do it..

And I guess, I kinda feel tickled of how some of the students are still clueless or aren't confident enough about those construction thingy..

After all, the lecturer before..my dear colleague whose having her maternal leave, is such a well prepared-well organized type of lecturer..

So when I started to take a quick look on the material.. I felt, it'll be OK!..hopefully..hahaha..

OK..OK.. so I have my doubts of myself in the beginning..

So, when the classes started..I prepared for the worst..

I'm just gonna go through the lecture and brief the assessments, as I am supposed to..

My plan was: make them understand and make them do the assessments. Nothing more..

So not-me at all, I sorta feel a bit pessimistic about whether the students gonna find this class interesting or dead boring..

The terms before, I had some of the interesting classes..

At least, I felt excited teaching them..so, it was a piece of cake making the students to feel the same thing..

Unlikely with Construction classes, when at times, me myself don't feel interested enough..and then I have to make the students understand in an interesting way?..hmmm..

But surprisingly..I owe it all to the students..

They're such an uplifting type of persons..

I just love it, when they ask, discuss, consult, and everything..

They're so interested in the lesson!!..Isn't that the most amazing feeling that a teacher can get from her students..

At times, I still don't have as big confident as I do, not teaching construction..

Those are the times when they're absent with no particular reason, or when one or two of them don't submit their assessment, or just a simple didn't do as they're expected on their process, or doing other stuff -either more important or more interesting- and not concentrating in class..

Those thing are such downers for me..

And I just can't shake it out of my head sometimes..and you just started thinking..I should've done something differently, I could've done it more interestingly, I would've done it from a more fun side..over and over..

But somehow, the uplifting moments are just so much more then the downers..

How they still ask of your opinion outside the class..

How they're willing to stretch the class finishing time just to understand more..

How they go through they're unnecessary overtime doing the assessment..

How they prioritize your class from others..

However rare those uplifting moments are,

Or however rather a small portion of students from the whole class do them..

They're still such a booster for me..soul, body, and mind!

Thanks for making the class a more fun place to be!

Nice to Meet You!

My first day as a lecturer..

Excited..big time

Nervous..a bit..

I was all well prepared with the material though..

So, I wasn't that worried with the lesson..

I'd managed..

The students were the ones that I couldn't predict yet..

And there they were, already inside the classroom..well, 3 out of 4 of them..All girls!

One of them sat on the first row, right in front of my desk..

Looked like she's in her full attention for a new lecturer, keeping her eyes on..Me!

The other two behind her..giving looks to each other and softly speaking, almost whispering, to each other..My thoughts then was, they're comparing opinions with each other..about Me!

I know!!..Come On!! How paranoid was I!!

I'm the type of person who can block my feelings whenever needed though..

OK.. Let's Just do this!

Though, I was feeling rather awkward, with a small number of students in a rather small class..Yet, we don't know a thing about each other..

So, I introduce myself and asked them to introduce to themselves..

I was all open, and talked about a brief of everything..

And they were all giving this short sentenced, almost sounded unwilling, information about themselves..

I forgot the exact moment, but then came the last student, a boy..late

So, We discussed about the attendance rules a bit because of that..

But he was definitely my fresh air for that morning..

He got into class, still all distracted and preoccupied about stuffs while apologizing of his lateness..and kept on blabbing..

Thank God! Someone was willingly having a natural conversation with me!

Then, being me, I open up my lecture by eliciting them..getting answers from them and putting down the answers on the board

Just to live up the class, and to know their knowledge..

'Front row' girl and the boy were the only one who showed interest..

By then, I labelled the girl as the serious one there..

Concentrating and so getting into the lesson..nodding her head, giving answers, asking questions, and all

I made them to do design exercises just to know their capability..

The process of the first exercise were all different..

'Whispering' girls were doing it insincerely..looked like it..

'Serious' girl was all out..

And the boy was babbling along while doing his exercise..

Because the first exercise turned out good, I was tickled to do an extra exercise just right before I gave them the exact assessment..

When 'whispering' girls franticly talk to each other (a bar louder volume) and included 'serious' girl..

Then 'serious' girl as if she's the spokesperson of the girls asked me to skip it and go directly to the assessment..

By that, 'serious' girl turned into 'bossy' girl!!

Their label was stuck on them for almost the whole 4 first weeks..

Then gradually from there, they started to show their real skin..

After that came.. I know you and you know me, so what?..still keeping the distance

Then came..I want to know you better..opening up..

And so on..

And as they say, the rest is history!

Now, I would say, we're at the point of ..I know you so well!!..appreciating and respecting each other..

There are no more..Whispering girls, front row/serious/bossy girl, the boy..

they became:

'Laid back-most of the time clueless or late on information-super talented/black box' girl..

'Simple-know what she wants-consistent' girl..

'Well organized-open for critics-super confident' girl..

'Humble or Arrogant/confused-speak up his opinion-practical' boy..

OK! Wrapping it up, guys..

What else can I say..They're Great!

Take a bow, y'all..

Special Ones..

I try my best not to play favorites on people..

As a mom, I don't have a favorite kid..

As a teacher and lecturer, I don't have a favorite student..

It doesn't mean that there are no one special..

It somehow means the opposite..every each and one of them are special..

That sounded so cliche, so corny, so cheesy..hahaha..ok! got it!

yet that's the truth!

I spend my forever with my kids..

Special moments with special feelings happens now and then..

No timing at all..

No matter how small or big the moments are..

No matter how often or rarely it happens..

When it happens, it just does

Whether you're prepared for it or not..

and I'm the type of person that doesn't look at a special moment to have to be a good moment

Bad moments, are also special moments..

All of those moments shows process..learning process, growing process..

And each of those moments, strengthen their personality and reminds you how special they are..

It's a bit hard when you're dealing with course's students..

You meet them on such brief of moment..

You gotta catch the moment right away..

The longer you've been teaching, the more you're experienced to getting to know these kids..

And it's amazing, how most of these kids are so open to you..

Trust you with things, not holding back..

Well, the younger are more trusting then others..

Preteens and teenagers are a bit tricky..

Yet in my (old) age with a preteen home myself, I have tricks of my own..

My college students are different stories..

You also got to deal them right away, with their work..

But as they've reached that certain age, as an adult, they keep their distance..

The first few meetings when you first know them, you'll get the first impression of them..

I try not to put a label right away..

You've gotta earn their trust in the process..

The learning process then is the moment that you'll get to know them the best..

By then, I am forced to put label on them..

At this point, some people see it as playing favorite..

But in fact, it shows you and also pointing out to them how special they are

and with doing that, I know how to deal with each and every one of them..personality per personality!

They are different..and because of that, they have to be treated differently..

There are limitations..there are rules and requirements, there's also a standard achievement..

That's why I'm so into wanting to be involve in the process..

that's where all the hard work happens, make use of their weaknesses and strengthen their strong points..

and you can aim the result from there on..

Everyone's special..

In their own and special way..

It's a pleasure to have known and be a part of these special people..

My "Kids"

It started when I started working again..

And I'm working as a teacher,

The first time, with students from the age range of 6 years old up until teenagers.

Though I have kids with the same age range of some of them..

Still teaching your own kids and teaching other people's kids is a totally different..

My 4 boys are used to me..

They know me so well!!

I am, most of the time, a laid back person

Fun, kid around, silly..

They know when to fool around..

But I am also a strict freak on some things..

Being polite to people, respecting older people, saying the truth, responsibility..

So, they know when not to, and just do it!

They don't wanna mess up with Ibu!

The students..later, they'll know me too..

I'm not a faking type of person, that's nice in front of the students..but actually hate their guts..

It's too much of a hard work, keeping up to fake it up..

But I don't wanna scare them away from the beginning..

And I'm not scary..at all..

I just have my values..

I'm actually a bit loose with these guys..

I know how my kids are so loosen up when they're joining a course..

They don't take them as seriously as school..not at all..

I also know how kids nowadays are so swamp up with school..

And yet, they still have to go to courses afterwards..

So, learning in a fun way it is!

And, a fun teacher is how you get there..yeay!

I'm one of the game-y teacher..

The standard, is doing games on the beginning and end of the lesson..so 2 games per lesson..

My class has minimum 3 times games..and I rarely do the minimum..

If the class is to rowdy, I'll do fun projects!!

Usually I do projects that involves all the students to work together..

I try my best to be a fun teacher!

But, there are always somethings..

Things that annoys me the most are behavior..

The 'whatever' type..

The 'look at me' type..

On my good days, I'll ignore them..

But when it starts to effect the others who were paying attention to the class..

That's when it becomes bad..

No more Mrs. Nice Teacher..

I stop doing anything..no talking, no teaching, no nothing..and just stare at the person..

I use my deeper but louder tone of voice and call that person name..

I threw a white board eraser to the person once..

I cut their score if I have to..

But, that hardly ever happens..

At some point, they'll know me so well too!

I'm a very fun person if you don't mess around!

Then I started teaching college students..

It's a new story all over again..

Some of these guys are the most hardworking young people that I have ever met..

With all of their assessments and classes..with limited time, yet..seriously done, wanting to know more, doing their best..

Overtime, sleepless night, literary cut and blistered fingers,..

I appreciate them..

Even the weaker ones and the lazier ones, I encourage them the most..

And it is still a universal mystery of how the young minds work, I guess..

Because there are always cases,

when on one time someone that is so hardworking..suddenly lost interest or just broke down..

That's when I have to be seemed not panicking, calm..and try to approach them in the way that won't make them even going further away..

And talking to them, being a part of them and know their progress and problems, is my way to deal with it..

So, I'm thankful to have all of them as a part of my life now..

Giving all the colors in life..