Lobo's Lessons

If there is one thing that I have observed about student teachers (trainee teachers on teaching practice), it is that many become a nervous wreck when we the supervisors drop in on them to observe them teaching. Why is that? Is it because they are afraid they will mess up? Is it because they are afraid they will not live up the standards and expectations of their supervisors? Is it because they are afraid of getting low marks, even in the initial stages of teaching practice? To be fair, I do remember the times when myself was a trainee teacher... Those were good days... The excitement of being a teacher, able to be in touch with the students, shaping their minds... It was really exciting... And then the supervisor decides to drop by... But the strange thing is, I don't think I was ever really that nervous of being observed... This was simply because I try to treat each and every lesson the same - make your students enjoy what they are learning, and make sure they learn something! A...

These two weeks have been hectic like heck: Classes - 6 additional hours of a new subject I never taught before. Part-timers - 70 exam scripts to mark before the end of this day. Drama - Oversee TESL Drama preparations House - Moving to a new house soon. Need to settle: 1) Housing loan 2) Personal loan 3) Electricity 4) Wiring 5) Telephone 6) Grille 7) Lighting 8) Painting 9) Minor repairs 10) Complaints 11) Minor repairs of current house before moving out 12) And as ton of other smaller things to do Sorry for the yet unanswered tags girls...

As the old playground chant goes: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" It suddenly crossed my mind to revisit this old adage and verify its validity and relevance in my present stage in life. First and foremost, this chant was designed by children (God knows in which day and age this came about, but I'm pretty sure it's almost as old as the modern English Language we have come to know and love in this present day) as a defensive response to infuriate the offender (the one who utters the insults or profanities). So effective is this statement that sometimes it often renders the offender frustrated and speechless at the impotence of his or her choice of colourful vocabulary. As the level of profanities escalates in volume, so does the response, until ultimately, the offender becomes frustrated enough to leave, or conversely, take up the challenge and does indeed proceed to break your bones with sticks and stones... However, if this mechan...

Words fail me as I look as the images of Language Camp 2008, beautifully planned and executed by my very own students... Each smiling face a bright splash of colour in the tapestry of my life... I remember the first time I ever set my eyes on each and every one of them...All so young and full of life...So full of hope... So full of ready smiles... And watched them grow throughout the semester, gaining strength upon strength, slowly but surely becoming the educators they are destined to be... Dedicated, knowledgeable, serious in their work but at the same time able to have fun, enjoying their work...In fact this element is central in what I teach my students - Know your stuff but never, ever forget to have fun...Remember that, and you will be teachers that your students will remember until end of their days... My gaze drifts from image to image...Some of my students...Some of their students... Each one with a such a strong sense of life in their eyes... My...