An English Tuition Teacher

So it's been almost 2 months since I started teaching English. What has this taught me? You can't reach out to everyone. There will be weaker students whom you really want to help and guide but unfortunately concentrating on them would make it a little unfair to those who can progress a little faster. So what can I do? I guess that's where creativity and interests come in. I try to lace my classes with nuggets of general knowledge to draw their attention. Try to slip in a joke or two (but they're way funnier than me actually) and sometimes even draw some things on the board (I'm horrible at art so that tickles them).

It's been a fun two months actually. Have always looked forward to the classes. It dawned to me that they really are still innocent (at least most of them) and that actually makes me realize that being a kid must be one of the best things in the world.

I am fortunate to have a majority of my students being Malay as I speak pretty ok BM. In a way I hope that somehow my character and attitude in teaching them breaks down some barriers on their perception of the Chinese race. It is really sad to see that Malaysia is still a pretty much racists country. We put on a front when dealing with other races but lambast them whenever we talk amongst ourselves.

I do hope to impress upon them the beauty of the English language and change their mindset that it is just something that they should learn and study. I hope I can instill in them a sense of appreciation on the art that one can create with words. I think that these are the actual first steps that I am taking towards really teaching and guiding students. 

That's the novel that the Form 3 students have to learn this year. It makes for a very interesting read. Reading it makes me admire the style of writing of the authors then. I doubt that I'll ever be able to write like that. Sentences like  

"...and it was as an ordinary secret sinner that I at last fell before the assaults of temptation."

"Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures; and that when I reached years of reflection, and began to look round me, and take stock of my progress and position in the world, I stood already committed to a profound duplicity of life."

It's just beautifully written. I like the philosophical idea behind the whole book too. An inherent evil in men that when entertained and fed would emerge as dominant. Not that I agree with it of course.