I have sat in front of my laptop for the past 3 hours, staring at the screen, wondering what to write for Steemit. Perhaps I should write about my day? It was not interesting, unless you would like to hear about the problem with technology implementation in a higher learning institution, that was my research thesis for the day. Then I left my office and went off to the pool for my shift. It was my turn to teach a group of young children swimming.
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It was not a hot day, but the pool was freezing cold. I could feel the chill through my suit, which was a few millimeters thick. It was not pleasant for me, but it was worse for my students. I assigned a task for each student and they set off completing their swimming tasks. I needed for them to warm up quickly. However, there at the corner, stood a scrawny boy who was not willing to start swimming. He just stood there, shivering.
I went over and tried to persuade him to start, promising him that he will feel better once he warmed up a little. He shook his head, actually, he shook and shivered at the same time, so he shookivered? I could see that the cold was really bothering him, but after some persuasion, he decided to try. After 10 seconds, he started struggling in the water. I rushed over and pulled him out of the pool. At this point, he started crying uncontrollably. I comforted him and asked him what happened. He was an adequate swimmer and so this puzzled me. Apparently, the sudden cold and shock made it difficult for him to breathe, thus the struggling in the pool.
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At this point, I had a choice. I had a class of five students. I could leave this boy at the side and let him 'cry it out'. I could call his parent and ask them to pick him up. I could also comfort him until he is better but try to supervise the rest of the class at the same time. It was not easy but I coached the other students while comforting him until he was alright.
The thing is, we are often left with a choice. Do we as educators make our decisions based on the greater good, or do we drop it all for that one student who needed us the most. Honestly, I can't make that call. I have done both and they have been repercussions either way. However, most of the time, I choose to help the one who needs me the most. It doesn't have to be during a class, but my door is always open if any student needs help with their assignments, research or homework.
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This is because I believe that it is better to be a significant impact to one or a few than being a mediocre impact to all. While this is circumstantial and many may see it differently, I suppose I am biased based on an event that happened to me at the very start of my career. I was challenged in the classroom by a student. She was rude, she was being disruptive and she did not care what happened to her. Underneath the projection of strength, I sensed sadness and anger. So I took time and dropped all my other administrative tasks to talk to her. I found out that she was sad and angry because her family were too busy fighting to care about her. She had no one to talk to and she even considered suicide.
I took the time to advice her and spoke to her and while I was redeployed elsewhere, that event defined my teaching career and how I do things. It has taught me that I am never too busy for someone who needs me and that I can always be a light in someone's darkness and so can you.
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Nice eummmmmm.......
@alvinauh. Lol at shookivered.. Thanks to you and all the great teachers out there affecting us positively and making the classroom a kind of refuge from the cold realities of the world. Every student is unique, some more unique than others in the sense that they have their own rate of assimilation and challenges. Please don't hesitate to be a guiding light to those who need you the most, trust me they will never forget you. Please go easy on spell checking my grammar.
What grammar? You're good bro.. Yeah, its one of the best things when it comes to teaching, you get to make a difference in people's lives.
great post my friend
https://steemit.com/bitcoin/@shohan11/what-happened-to-bitcoin-1993
nice post bro
I think you are a good example to all your teachers.
great thinking and excellent training!
the students and the people around you are lucky!
I also need steemitte support, maybe you want to see my work !!
eheheh this was a joke (why not lol :))
I congratulate you :)
Lol, I don't mind drop me a link man.. Thanks, I hope that they will be able to pay it forward some day too..
I think a lot of teachers choose the greater good, sadly. OR rather, they don't want to face the possible reprimand if they choose to focus on one student, while neglecting the class.
So, many students who have a tougher time learning are left out. It's a real shame, many kids fall through the cracks.
I really liked your post :)
That's right.. I wish I had an assistant in class. I could then focus on those who need help while my assistant helps with the management of the class
👍
I stand for the good of one.. :)
Im a swimming instructor as well. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.. Love your pool man, 50m pool?
Yup it is 😊
Hmmmm, tough decision. I'm just thinking back at when I took swimming classes when I was younger. My teacher didn't comfort me or ignore me, he just took me and threw me into the pool. But no in an angry or annoyed way but in a jovial way, and all the other kids were laughing, but I didn't feel like it was at me but with me. It probably made me happier and stronger as a result. But I guess each kid would react differently
Yeah, kids these days, we'll, at least the students I've met don't respond well to that.. So I tend to have to take the softer approach