Tuesday, October 17, 2006

oh see. a week has passed again. its wednesday tmr. practicum day.


you see. practicum is just another form of saying attachment. but we call it practicum because somehow someday, you'll be assessed for your activity lesson plans and teachings that you give the children.


as for me, i actually do not have to do anything during practicum. except to carry out certain checklists and records of observations for my various modules assignments which are never ending. however i do not mind helping out a little so that i can associate myself better with the little ones.


i'm always glad to go over to my practicum centre every wednesday. because the kids that i'm working with are really adorable and sweet. okayys. i'm not pedophilic. i repeat. i am not. the toddlers' behaviours are simply amazing. you see the way they utter words to get their messages across. even when they only know how to say one-word sentences. or some can only point to everything and say "Papa" or "Mama". they can just walk up to you and sit on your lap wanting a hug from you. how heartwarming.


but apart from all that, i haven't really been a practicum student at the centre. because i have to make time to sit down to write my observations. my mentor is supportive. she allows me to be quietly observing, only helping out once in a while with handling the kids. but not the other teachers.


do you know the feeling of being a free labourer? well, thats how i feel. one moment i'm told to carry that kid, the next moment i'm told to bring the children over to the other corner. then after all that, i find myself having to settle the children by myself while the other teachers try to mark out their own activity plans and do some things that they can push to do later on.


even when i had to write in my assignment observation sheet, some teacher had to tell me to write later because they need me to take care of the children during their outdoor play. just in case the children run out of the safety area. of cos, i didn't mind helping. i even played along with the children. but you know what i saw? i saw the teachers socializing among themselves. so much for needing me to watch out for the children when they're not even doing that.


certain behaviours of some teachers scare me too. some totally disregard the children's feelings.


i've seen how a teacher dragged this 3 year old boy, dropped him on the chair and holding the legs of the chair to push the child away very violently. it was horrifying.


sigh. sometimes its also the parents' upbring of the children that caused them to be rather chaotic. let me tell you another incident.


a 3 year old boy came to the centre crying. i guess its due to morning grouchiness and seperation anxiety. its pretty normal especially in the morning. but his dad was rather furious cos he won't stop crying. guess what his dad said? he said "why are you so stupid today? can you not be a stupid boy!"


oh my. when i heard that, my heart sank. calling the boy stupid just because he wants your love and comfort before you leave him for the whole day?! you must be the stupid one.


okayys people. teachers to be or parents to be. please please consider the consequences and outcomes before you do anything. else its going to be hazardous. aiya. after saying all these, i feel kinda sad now :(

she pens down @ 11:27 PM --------------------------------------------------------------