It's been sometime since I revisited my own blog. Recently I'd been going to other people's blogs that somehow 'forced' me to write again. BUT I'M LAZY!!!
Oh well...
I've been teaching Programming Methodology / Fundamentals of Programming to degree students and diploma students respectively for quite a few semesters. The later the semester, the more difficult it seems for these students to grasp the idea of programming. I am teaching the same thing sem in sem out. The same thing. But the grades the students obtain are getting worse. This trend is making me scared out of my wits end!
When you take IT, you're supposed to at least understand the concepts in programming. If even the basic thing is difficult, how are you going to understand the more intricate concepts of IT?
This leads me to doubting my own capability of teaching. Is it me? Or is it the students' mindset? Which one is exactly the problem? Am I boring? Are they lazy? Which? Which?
I can't seem to find the answer at this moment. I shall have to wait for the next batch if they are also in the same boat as their predecessor.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Friday, October 30, 2009
Mixed Feeling
Today is 30th October 2009. Tomorrow, the 31st and 1st of November are Convocation Day for those who has finished their studies from Unisel.
As I locked my car and moving towards the faculty, a car passed by and honked me. A familiar face was in the car smiling and calling out my name. I remember him well. He almost flunked out and went to a camp where I was one of the facilitators.
He remembers me. I'm touched. I hoped I had made a difference in someone's life. I did teach him in one of the courses that he took. He was playful and a joy to know. He has this baby face, friendly and has a ongoing smile. He remembers me. He alighted the car and shook my hand.
And he finished his studies. All the fatigue I feel in me seems to disappear when I see my students graduate. I'm so happy for them.
But a tinge of sadness encircles me as I look out the window of my office. I'm not sure if I will ever see them again, now that they have left and carry on with their life.
All my children, all grown up. Forget me not.
As I locked my car and moving towards the faculty, a car passed by and honked me. A familiar face was in the car smiling and calling out my name. I remember him well. He almost flunked out and went to a camp where I was one of the facilitators.
He remembers me. I'm touched. I hoped I had made a difference in someone's life. I did teach him in one of the courses that he took. He was playful and a joy to know. He has this baby face, friendly and has a ongoing smile. He remembers me. He alighted the car and shook my hand.
And he finished his studies. All the fatigue I feel in me seems to disappear when I see my students graduate. I'm so happy for them.
But a tinge of sadness encircles me as I look out the window of my office. I'm not sure if I will ever see them again, now that they have left and carry on with their life.
All my children, all grown up. Forget me not.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Of homeworks and students
You know, giving assignments to students is a cinch. With a snap of fingers, assignments can just flow out of my mouth and given away while singing LA LA LA LA.
Then, the truth prevails, and the truth HURTS. It hurts the mind when suddenly you realize that the assignment that you gave is to a class of SEVENTY-F***ING-FOUR students and the assignment is INDIVIDUAL not GROUP work.
Ever felt knocked down by a falling wall? That's how I feel when one by one, big hands, dainty hands, small hands, cheeky hands, itchy hands hand over the assignments to me, on the table. After 3 assignments, my poor file cannot handle it anymore, I need a new file to fill them in.
To make matters worse, I haven't checked a single assignment yet.
Can I scream now?
Then, the truth prevails, and the truth HURTS. It hurts the mind when suddenly you realize that the assignment that you gave is to a class of SEVENTY-F***ING-FOUR students and the assignment is INDIVIDUAL not GROUP work.
Ever felt knocked down by a falling wall? That's how I feel when one by one, big hands, dainty hands, small hands, cheeky hands, itchy hands hand over the assignments to me, on the table. After 3 assignments, my poor file cannot handle it anymore, I need a new file to fill them in.
To make matters worse, I haven't checked a single assignment yet.
Can I scream now?
Monday, August 3, 2009
My fear came true - bad omen?
It's about the bunch of 9 failed guys who came to study in my program that I mentioned in my earlier post. They should have graduated a semester ago. In reality....
Should I cry now? Out of the 9, 1 was supposed to graduate this semester, but he blew it... so, (HOPEFULLY) four will graduate next semester. What about the other five? Well, 1 guy totally went over the top and failed miserably, one got into the cradle of the law and called it quits (but he is turning into a successful businessman, just like his dad - MERCI DIEU!!!), one got into the cradle of the law also - but I just don't know what is in his mind, still continuing and God knows WHEN he will finish, another one went MIA and never to return, another one defers his studies and I don't quite know when he's coming back to continue, another one keeps on coming and going and deferring and coming and going and deferring ... *lost in space*
My Maths is bad... 4+7=9??? Damn... there should have been more than NINE!!!
Should I cry now? Out of the 9, 1 was supposed to graduate this semester, but he blew it... so, (HOPEFULLY) four will graduate next semester. What about the other five? Well, 1 guy totally went over the top and failed miserably, one got into the cradle of the law and called it quits (but he is turning into a successful businessman, just like his dad - MERCI DIEU!!!), one got into the cradle of the law also - but I just don't know what is in his mind, still continuing and God knows WHEN he will finish, another one went MIA and never to return, another one defers his studies and I don't quite know when he's coming back to continue, another one keeps on coming and going and deferring and coming and going and deferring ... *lost in space*
My Maths is bad... 4+7=9??? Damn... there should have been more than NINE!!!
Students' Achievement.
Dateline: Semester 3/2008/2009
It's a bittersweet semester. A few students actually finished their diploma, who should have included my own son (but he failed miserably in his Business Math - whatever - you try again next sem) and new intake came in.
Some of these kids either passed or failed English in their SPM, so I encouraged them to take Preparatory English. And Pengajian Malaysia.
How could half of the class failed Prep. English??? What went wrong? I have to get into the bottom of the problem. And how could 3 failed Pengajian Malaysia? Aren't you guys Malaysians for heaven's sake??? And thinking that the paper is being taught in BM!!!???
Lucky it is only short semester... but guys, I WILL BE WATCHING YOU!!!!
It's a bittersweet semester. A few students actually finished their diploma, who should have included my own son (but he failed miserably in his Business Math - whatever - you try again next sem) and new intake came in.
Some of these kids either passed or failed English in their SPM, so I encouraged them to take Preparatory English. And Pengajian Malaysia.
How could half of the class failed Prep. English??? What went wrong? I have to get into the bottom of the problem. And how could 3 failed Pengajian Malaysia? Aren't you guys Malaysians for heaven's sake??? And thinking that the paper is being taught in BM!!!???
Lucky it is only short semester... but guys, I WILL BE WATCHING YOU!!!!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Mind games...
What do make out of students that never listen to you and never ever keep their promise? I have two of such students under my wings. What irks me the most, is that, they think they own the world. One of them promised to turn over a new leaf, but my patience is running thin. He said he wanted to see me today, but he stood me up. I wouldn't mind if he were a top class student, but he's been going MIA since last semester! He only showed up at the beginning, trying to impress us lecturers by saying he wanted to continue studying, only for me to see his attitude never changed a even an inch.
I get so fumed up over this kid. All I wanted to do is to help him. But he keeps on lying, one after another. Not a single promise he made I can hold on to. I am very tempted to call on his father to see whether whatever he said about his whole family was into a black magic spell was even close to a truth. Suddenly it is all so far-fetched.
Is he just simply lazy and wasting time and money for the thing he wants to do is do nothing? Being in the university is just a pretext and all the pretensions he may show to his family that he is still a university student? I'm giving him the final chance this semester. I won't accept him next time if he fails.
I get so fumed up over this kid. All I wanted to do is to help him. But he keeps on lying, one after another. Not a single promise he made I can hold on to. I am very tempted to call on his father to see whether whatever he said about his whole family was into a black magic spell was even close to a truth. Suddenly it is all so far-fetched.
Is he just simply lazy and wasting time and money for the thing he wants to do is do nothing? Being in the university is just a pretext and all the pretensions he may show to his family that he is still a university student? I'm giving him the final chance this semester. I won't accept him next time if he fails.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)