WIDE EYED WONDER

Oh, if only I could paint and recapture the faces of my students while viewing my lesson on the computer, I would have done it! It would have shown their amazing reaction. It would have shown how they gazed at the monitor, with great puzzlement and wide-eyed wonder on their faces. Some are gaping, some have their eyes go back and forth between me and the computer, and some have funny smiles on their faces. For the first time, timid students were actively answering my questions. For the first time, hyperactive students were momentarily captivated by the lesson. It’s one of the moments in my life as a teacher that I don’t wanna ever forget.

To give you a picture of what I did just to show them my lesson. I opened one of the computers in the computer laboratory and had my lesson, with them sitting on the floor. I know I’m supposed to give them the lesson on a conducive setting, but it’s the only way to show them! Even with cramped conditions, my students went out of the room with expressions on their faces as if they just had watched a good movie. I could hear their excited chatter even as they were all long gone to their classroom.

This kind of reaction gives me inspiration to make more lessons and find new materials to show them. I know its no easy feat but no matter what great lengths I have to make, I would do it inshaallah(God willing).

When I arrived in school after the training, I don’t know how to convince the principal to buy a very big television set. Being in a public school, buying something drastic like a big TV set(even if it’s a dire necessity) is a luxury we don’t have. I thought it over, and arrived at the only way I know. I had one of my students hauled one of the computer sets from the computer room, set it in her office and lectured her about The Human Digestive System. After an hour, I went out of her office with a big smile on my face. She had promised to find way to purchase a TV set, I told her she would be doing big favor to the students if she could purchase it soon.

I don’t need extra effort to convince everyone as our inputs and presentations speaks for itself. I don’t need extra effort to spread the word of this new method of teaching as my co-scholars are unconsciously helping me spread the word. Even in our home bases, I can’t say we're on our own, or to each his own. Even in our home bases, it’s still group effort. I showed to my colleagues not only my presentation but also all of my co-scholars' work as well. Their reactions are similar to those of my students. It is of utmost wonder and excitement. (I hope its okay with you guys to show them your work, as the credit is still all yours, showed and told them whose work it is and from where, giving them little snippets here and there etc).

We still have long way (as in long way) to go, and struggles to go with it, but needless to say, its a struggle I would enjoy and love to go through. My student's anticipations and reactions as well as the smiles on their faces are enough to make me go and struggle that long way.