One thing that I always notice as a teacher in study center is this: teenager students are prone of inferiority feeling. Especially when they learn English. To them, English is the red-eyed monster, being feared in the second place after Math. The reasons ? “It’s very difficult !” “We will never use that anyway.” “I’m stupid.” The point ? English has become a tool to lower their self-esteem, sink their bravery to even ask a simple question to the teacher.
Since this new semester, I have decided to break the conventional ‘welcome’ to my class, made a benefit from the less-stressful situation in study center. Instead of introducing myself before giving a brief look to the lesson materials and whatnot, I started a discussion. An open-talk. I asked them personally about what were they thinking about English itself, how it made them stressed, what point from English lesson that made them felt “stupid”, etc.
This pep-talk probably already worn out of appeal, I realized, so I spiced it up a little bit by asking : “do you know, my friends, why do I standing here and you guys sitting there and become my student ?”
“You are the teacher !”
“You are smarter !”
Predictable.
“No, my friend. Actually, it’s quite simple. Why do I standing here and you are sitting there is merely because I WAS BORN AHEAD. If you were born ahead, big chance that one of you will stand here instead, and I sit in your place now. So please, do not start this lesson with a thought that you are stupid just because you don’t know anything much yet. You have plenty of time to study, and if you work hard, you probably will catch up with me just in 3 months, 5 months, a year ? I don’t know. Once again, it’s just a matter of time. And I really don’t mind if in the end, you become smarter than me and pointing my mistakes.”
Silence for a while. But I got several smiles, little nervous laughs, or nods anywhere. Good start. Well, after all, they are teenagers. They like older people to talk differently, with brutal honesty, rather than common, empty spirit-raising talk. And by the time I had to end the lesson 45 minutes later, I hoped they use the 6 days remained until our next lesson to think about that.
Since this new semester, I have decided to break the conventional ‘welcome’ to my class, made a benefit from the less-stressful situation in study center. Instead of introducing myself before giving a brief look to the lesson materials and whatnot, I started a discussion. An open-talk. I asked them personally about what were they thinking about English itself, how it made them stressed, what point from English lesson that made them felt “stupid”, etc.
This pep-talk probably already worn out of appeal, I realized, so I spiced it up a little bit by asking : “do you know, my friends, why do I standing here and you guys sitting there and become my student ?”
“You are the teacher !”
“You are smarter !”
Predictable.
“No, my friend. Actually, it’s quite simple. Why do I standing here and you are sitting there is merely because I WAS BORN AHEAD. If you were born ahead, big chance that one of you will stand here instead, and I sit in your place now. So please, do not start this lesson with a thought that you are stupid just because you don’t know anything much yet. You have plenty of time to study, and if you work hard, you probably will catch up with me just in 3 months, 5 months, a year ? I don’t know. Once again, it’s just a matter of time. And I really don’t mind if in the end, you become smarter than me and pointing my mistakes.”
Silence for a while. But I got several smiles, little nervous laughs, or nods anywhere. Good start. Well, after all, they are teenagers. They like older people to talk differently, with brutal honesty, rather than common, empty spirit-raising talk. And by the time I had to end the lesson 45 minutes later, I hoped they use the 6 days remained until our next lesson to think about that.
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