Tuesday is supposed to be my favorite day of the week because I have only two classes to teach in and lessons only start at 11am. Unfortunately, the first class that I teach on Tuesdays often tries to tests on my patience.
This week is the assessment week for my certificate students. This week, they have two tests to sit for and they have been reminded over and over again about it. I told them not to be late for the test for the assessment will be disrupted if they come in late.
I walked into the class today and found it to be half full. I was not too happy with what I saw but I kept my patience. I started the assessment anyway because I did not want to delay. The late comers started walking in while the other groups were presenting and I still continued to keep my cool. At 11.30 am, half an hour after the assessment had started, a boy walks in. He puts his bag on the table and walks towards me.
Boy: Teacher, that day ah, I did not sign my attendance, I want to sign my attendance.
Myself: Do you know that you are late?
Boy: Yes, I know.
Myself: Why are you late?
Boy: Sesat. (He has been coming to the same school for 28 weeks and he can tell me that he lost his way!)
That really got on my nerves. He walks in late into my assessment, disrupts the assessment to ask me for the attendance list so that he could sign on it. I lost my temper and stared at him in the eye and asked him if the attendance is what matters most. Today was the 1st time I locked my student out of the class. I nearly shouted bloody hell into his face but I kept my cool on that. I am the teacher with a soft spot but sometimes, they just need to learn a lesson.
Sometimes I wish I knew my grandfather so that he could teach me a thing or two on disciplining naughty students.