Had been a really bz week! My classes are getting really packed that i no longer have some time to relax and take a break :( On the mornings when i have no classes, i will go to the gym for my exercise.. and if i do, i will work throughout the morning, rush home to cook soup for dinner, prep the ingredients which i need for that night, laundry and clean up the house... Right after that, i head for my lessons all the way till 6+ to fetch Celeste...
After i cook our dinner, i had to let Celeste have her dinner while i do up her laundry.. After her dinner, she will rest before she takes her shower and let her enjoy her playtime while i hang up the laundry.
Just when i was about to take a short break, Celeste will ask me to make her milk, pat her to slp... Hubby comes back and press the start button for the men's laundry to be completed, he have his dinner and we do the dishes..
Finally when i have time for myself, its already so late that i cannot afford to stay awake otherwise i would have no energy to teach the next day... :(
Endure Endure... after the CA2, i will give myself a 2-3 days break to spend time with me and myself... :)
I was having a lesson with a pair of brothers... Apparently, the younger bro (#2) had gotten back his test paper and got a B+ results but his mom was a little worried.. I can understand how she felt because the mistakes he made were avoidable. I showed the parent the past work we had done and went through and we felt more like "Wasted!" than "Is my son ok?".. haha..
#2 is a bright child and he actually is at a P2 level but he always pretend he doesnt know unless u push him on. But today was the last straw to the matter.. I asked him if he knows how to do a question (honestly), and he replied "yes". Then "Why didnt you do it?" was the next question u are having in ur mind right?
His reply was... "Because im lazy"
I saw the urgency to let the mother know so i got her to come over to our table and when #2 repeated his reply, the look from his mother's eyes was very painful to me.
At that point, i asked myself, "can i do anything to help?"
As a tutor, what i can do is very limited. I worked very closely with parents to let them understand what their child is going through now, as well as their progress (honest comments) in their school work. I also give suggestions to their parents, e.g. #2's brother was very occupied with 3 CCAs which was affecting his academics and many times, the reason for not completing his work was because he had no time. Well, as a tutor, i need to notify the parent and give my suggestions to them so that they can make a right decision for their child. Im very pro "school-play balance" sort of tutor. Each time i see that my student is good academically and in their CCAs, i feel very proud of them and give my support to them. But at times, we do need to prioritize.
I recalled when #1 told me that he had no time for his work, i saw an red light blinking because that was the 3rd time telling me the same reason after he started his new CCA 2 weeks ago. Previously, it wasnt that bad unless his having competitions or gradings.
Im glad the parents and myself worked closely together to understand the child's needs than understanding their own expectations alone. Reality checks were also given to the parents who set sky-high goals for their child. I think this is what i could do on the emotional part.
I do strive to perform well and prove results like any working moms would do. But my results are not entirely in my control, sometimes, we cant fault the child for having exam frights because their mom's voice keeps ringing in their ears to get an A for their exams if not..........
I love my job but i do wish i could do more. Which educator do not wish that their student could perform well and become someone useful to the society in future?
'At every step a child should be allowed to meet
the real experiences of life; the thorns should never be plucked from
his roses.' - Ellen Kay
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