Memories of the Wind.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Lets get on with work
I flatly refused when my Secondary one tuition kid asked me to help him do his Science homework which is due next week. Feeling shortchanged due to my refusal, this prompted him to say " What's a tuition teacher for if he cannot help with homework?" Hence, I came up with the classic story "How to teach a man to fish instead of giving him a fish". Apparently, he must have dismissed the story as a load of crap since he rebutted with a stinging sentence.
"You are just giving me the rod! You do not give a man a rod and expect him to fish without teaching him anything!!"
However, I completed a swinging reversal by throwing a few smoke bombs and grenades back, since the answers could all be found from the textbook.
"YOU are already equipped to use the rod. Then, do you expect me to take the rod and fish for you?"
He replied with an unconvincing yes, and I knew the battle was won. Though, there was still much to be fought in today's war of words.
He said that he could and would copy from his friends anyway. To which, I responded in nonchalance by concluding that I have 3 logical answers to his doubts. First, I could give him the answers. Secondly, I should try to keep on motivating him to do his work himself. Lastly, he can copy from his friends.
Well, I explained that the second one does not seem to work, which means I have 2 alternative routes to take. Between this 2, I accentuated the fact that I will rather him copy from his friends, as he will probably learn more if he copied with his minimal thinking cap on. Furthermore, if there were any mistakes, he will be able to learn from it.
Copying is an art, do not despise it and underestimate it.
However, I do not advocate it. I explain that he should seek and explore the experience of doing something through his own effort, by it joy or sorrow. It may not be wholly beneficial, yet you can't take that away. Rather, his attitude might cause him harm.
I continued by showing him an atrocious example of a University friend whom I shall not divulge
here. He was enthralled and throughly fascinated by the "escapees" of this friend. I knew I got his attention.
From there, I talked about other stuff, people and relationships, and even my own struggles with learning. There was no tuition to be done today.
It was then that he suddenly said,
"Lets get on with work."
..
Though there was only 5 minutes left, it was enough for this clever "brat" (meant as a joke) to complete one page. And at the end of the session, he reassured me that he has been inspired and he will do his work.
*smilesssss*
To me, a tuition teacher is supposed to provide that extra bit and clarify doubts which the student has trouble understanding from the school curriculum. I do not expect to really be a superman and teach a lot especially when time is a major constraint. I got only 3 hours of teaching time each week.
Instead, it will be wonderful to motivate the kid to cultivate an interest in learning and get him to study in his free time. It beats coercing, threatening and forcing the kid with countless other means to do his work when it is blatant that he is doing it with a 100% frown.
"You are just giving me the rod! You do not give a man a rod and expect him to fish without teaching him anything!!"
However, I completed a swinging reversal by throwing a few smoke bombs and grenades back, since the answers could all be found from the textbook.
"YOU are already equipped to use the rod. Then, do you expect me to take the rod and fish for you?"
He replied with an unconvincing yes, and I knew the battle was won. Though, there was still much to be fought in today's war of words.
He said that he could and would copy from his friends anyway. To which, I responded in nonchalance by concluding that I have 3 logical answers to his doubts. First, I could give him the answers. Secondly, I should try to keep on motivating him to do his work himself. Lastly, he can copy from his friends.
Well, I explained that the second one does not seem to work, which means I have 2 alternative routes to take. Between this 2, I accentuated the fact that I will rather him copy from his friends, as he will probably learn more if he copied with his minimal thinking cap on. Furthermore, if there were any mistakes, he will be able to learn from it.
Copying is an art, do not despise it and underestimate it.
However, I do not advocate it. I explain that he should seek and explore the experience of doing something through his own effort, by it joy or sorrow. It may not be wholly beneficial, yet you can't take that away. Rather, his attitude might cause him harm.
I continued by showing him an atrocious example of a University friend whom I shall not divulge
here. He was enthralled and throughly fascinated by the "escapees" of this friend. I knew I got his attention.
From there, I talked about other stuff, people and relationships, and even my own struggles with learning. There was no tuition to be done today.
It was then that he suddenly said,
"Lets get on with work."
..
Though there was only 5 minutes left, it was enough for this clever "brat" (meant as a joke) to complete one page. And at the end of the session, he reassured me that he has been inspired and he will do his work.
*smilesssss*
To me, a tuition teacher is supposed to provide that extra bit and clarify doubts which the student has trouble understanding from the school curriculum. I do not expect to really be a superman and teach a lot especially when time is a major constraint. I got only 3 hours of teaching time each week.
Instead, it will be wonderful to motivate the kid to cultivate an interest in learning and get him to study in his free time. It beats coercing, threatening and forcing the kid with countless other means to do his work when it is blatant that he is doing it with a 100% frown.
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