Happy teachers day

"You smell of cigarette. Stop smoking". I was going from desk to desk to personally monitor each and every one's work. As best as I can in the limited time that I have. Form 3G is the third last class out of 11 classes of form 3. Not every teacher's cup of coffee but I always find it thrilling to teach weak classes. A lot of challenges and it really test my soft skills. "Is the smell that strong teacher?". I nodded and asked him to slowly reduced the number of cigarette he is smoking everyday.

"You are a smart student. Don't kill yourself slowly". He knows I'm not kidding when I said that he's a smart kid since I elected him to be one of the ten mentors in the class. He's in charge of 4 friends under his supervision. Whenever I give exercise, I will teach the mentors first and then they are suppose to teach their group members. I have always use this techniques throughout my career as a maths teacher.

That was my second day teaching his class. And the last day he smell of cigarette. Maybe he had try to reduce his smoking. Today he asked me to give extra questions for him to try at home. "Test your power", as I have always said in class. I showed him roughly the method to solve the questions. I told him he can discuss the questions with me any time, even on the day that his class don't have maths lesson. When I left the class he was deeply engrossed, discussing the questions with his friend next to him. A difficult sight to see in a weak class.

It has always been my experience that weak students are not really weak or stupid. They are just lazy and have very low self motivation. We can't push them and force them to learn. Instead we must make them want to learn. To believe that they are good too. They just have to believe in themselves and work extra hard. That's the soft skill that I meant. Trying very hard to be an inspiring teacher.

Happy teachers day to all teachers. No matter how hard your job is if you can change just one student in your entire career, that's more precious than a diamond. A diamond don't grow. A student will grow into a good person that will create a good family one day that contribute to the betterment of the nation. Thank you to all my teachers for making what I am today. Happy teachers day.

May Allah bless us all.