Today was Prize Day and as I sat in the crowd watching my students walk on stage to get awards and win laurels for their achievements, I felt a sense of pride. A sense of achievement and accomplishment, like I've done something right.
As I sat there, my mind went back to the first few days, when they had just entered Junior College.
When I was told that I would be class teacher, I was ecstatic and really nervous. Teaching chemistry was one thing, but being responsible for a whole class, well that's a different ball game altogether.
As class teacher of 11 Science, my first responsibility was to make them feel comfortable and feel at ease.
The night before the student orientation I had a speech ready. I wanted to be taken seriously and give an impression of being a dignified elegant woman, The kind of person who was the perfect combination of a disciplinarian and yet approachable.
I had practised what I wanted to say. I wanted to make the right first impression.
Then the morning of the orientation dawned. The actual orientation went well and then it came to the time when the class teacher, aka me, had to go to the class and welcome the class and tell them that I was their class teacher. Basically break the ice.
I walked into class. I was nervous. My palms were sweating and while walking up to the classroom on the top floor I very quickly reminded myself of what I wanted to talk about. 'Be calm, cool and confident', I kept telling myself.
Then I walked into class and about 22 pairs of eyes were all focussed on me. I went blank. Everything that I had prepared just flew out of my mind (that's what my students have claim happens to them during exams and tests). My stomach clenched and I just wanted to walk away and not look back.
After saying "Hi! I'm Krupa and I'll be your class teacher and also your chemistry teacher", I just stared at them. I really had no clue what to do next.
Then it clicked, yes get them to introduce themselves (yet again). I tried to elicit some responses out of the extra nervous and silent ones.
I found myself looking at all of them, trying to piece faces and names together. Trying to gauge what was my first impression of them.
There were some really bright ones (their eyes were shining), some friendly faces (I think they could see I was nervous too. Plus I think in the process of trying to make conversation I may have actually told them that it was my first time as class teacher. That was the start of me being honest and open with my class. Mistake? In retrospect it wasn't.) I saw pretty faces, handsome ones and some very serious ones. I saw eyes glinting with naughtiness and some with eagerness. I tried to take it all in, but it was a blur.
I kept trying so hard to connect with them and I cracked some stupid joke (Its me. It had to be stupid.) and I saw many of them smile. I sighed with relief.
I could do this.
krupa
P.S. I still wonder what sort of impression I did leave on them that first day. I guess I'll never know. Somethings are best left unsaid.
As I sat there, my mind went back to the first few days, when they had just entered Junior College.
When I was told that I would be class teacher, I was ecstatic and really nervous. Teaching chemistry was one thing, but being responsible for a whole class, well that's a different ball game altogether.
As class teacher of 11 Science, my first responsibility was to make them feel comfortable and feel at ease.
The night before the student orientation I had a speech ready. I wanted to be taken seriously and give an impression of being a dignified elegant woman, The kind of person who was the perfect combination of a disciplinarian and yet approachable.
I had practised what I wanted to say. I wanted to make the right first impression.
Then the morning of the orientation dawned. The actual orientation went well and then it came to the time when the class teacher, aka me, had to go to the class and welcome the class and tell them that I was their class teacher. Basically break the ice.
I walked into class. I was nervous. My palms were sweating and while walking up to the classroom on the top floor I very quickly reminded myself of what I wanted to talk about. 'Be calm, cool and confident', I kept telling myself.
Then I walked into class and about 22 pairs of eyes were all focussed on me. I went blank. Everything that I had prepared just flew out of my mind (that's what my students have claim happens to them during exams and tests). My stomach clenched and I just wanted to walk away and not look back.
After saying "Hi! I'm Krupa and I'll be your class teacher and also your chemistry teacher", I just stared at them. I really had no clue what to do next.
Then it clicked, yes get them to introduce themselves (yet again). I tried to elicit some responses out of the extra nervous and silent ones.
I found myself looking at all of them, trying to piece faces and names together. Trying to gauge what was my first impression of them.
There were some really bright ones (their eyes were shining), some friendly faces (I think they could see I was nervous too. Plus I think in the process of trying to make conversation I may have actually told them that it was my first time as class teacher. That was the start of me being honest and open with my class. Mistake? In retrospect it wasn't.) I saw pretty faces, handsome ones and some very serious ones. I saw eyes glinting with naughtiness and some with eagerness. I tried to take it all in, but it was a blur.
I kept trying so hard to connect with them and I cracked some stupid joke (Its me. It had to be stupid.) and I saw many of them smile. I sighed with relief.
I could do this.
krupa
P.S. I still wonder what sort of impression I did leave on them that first day. I guess I'll never know. Somethings are best left unsaid.
2 comments:
Very well written. If you had written this earlier, we would have been a little more kind to some of our first-time teachers.We never think what goes on in a first-time class teacher's mind.
Thank you :)
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