My students are planning to go for an outing, they have decided to watch ‘Bolt’ the cartoon together as a class. They are excited over it and everyone has made their payment to the class representative who will take the bus to Gurney Plaza this evening to buy the tickets. Sitting on their own seats, the boys invited me to join them. It sounded so fun that I was tempted to accept their invitation but I had to decline their invitation as it is a weekday and I knew I would be exhausted after the movie and I had a lot of unattended things waiting for me to settle. ‘Teacher, are you sure you don’t want to come? Come larr teacher.’ I smiled and thanked them for being thoughtful.
‘Teacher, how about I pay for your ticket, will you join us?’ Piaw asked.
I thought it was really sweet of them to extend the invitation especially Piaw’s. Piaw is not my best student in that class but I love teasing him. He is chubby and would always try to find a way to escape doing my homework. I always say ‘ Piaw, can you answer this question or have you piaw piaw (floated in mandarin) to somewhere else?’ during class and everyone would laugh. If he is cheeky, he would respond in a cheeky manner and play along with the joke.
The college is very particular with the student’s attendance and warning letters are sent home if the students are absent too often. One day Piaw checked on his attendance and realized that he was absent once for my class. The next day, he came to see me with an MC. Sensing that he bought the MC from the clinic, I told him no problem without even looking at him and did not do anything about it.
YP: Teacher, I showed you the MC already ah, why you still give me an egg? (the egg is actually a red little circle we mark on the names of those who are absent.
I: It’s ok, show me that MC only when you really need it. For now, your MC is not needed.
YP: Ah? You mean my MC no use? Please lah teacher, I had to pay so much money to buy this MC you know.
I: I know, that’s why I said you can keep it. Your MC is fake and I won’t accept it.
YP: Aiyah.
I: By the way, how much did you give the doctor?
YP: Not a lot and not very cheap also lah.
I: Next time, use that money to buy your friend lunch, don’t waste your money on those doctors.
YP: Ya hor, teacher, why you never said so earlier?
I: Well, I did not expect you to go and buy that MC.

Anyway, I love Piaw’s class. It may be the weakest diploma group I have ever taught in but they have very pleasant personalities. They are honest and sincere when in class. In fact, they were the only group of students who did not plagiarize their presentation like the rest.