I remember...

Moments of Discouragement

Perhaps after all these years of being a teacher, I would say the one of the hardest hurdles in school is when you have to deal with defiance. It is nerve wrecking at times when you need to correct a wrong action, motive and situation because the client fails to see your good intention.

Some children are remembered for their compliance and cooperation while some for their lack of them. In most times, the teacher who is genuinely concerned about correction gets into trouble when they face harassments of all nature - graffiti, vandalism, obscene words and messages. You try hard because you are pricked with a conscience if you totally ignore. Teachers tell me why the need to bother? These days children give you emotional and mental stress when you want their cooperation in finishing assignments, projects and homework. They tell me it is best to leave the defiant children alone or they may face the brunt of hurtful consequences.
Then the child will be sent for counselling to hopefully change their perceptions of teachers and circumstances. Sometimes it works and at others it may not work.

The story seem simple but teachers have to put up with strong mental grit to swallow in the hurt, pain and disappointment. The teacher goes through tremendous pressure to cope with students who refuse to be respectful and disagree on anything you ask them to do.

How can parents help us? They must be facing the same problems at home too. Well, the least they can do is to cooperate in helping the child by recognising the shortcomings. A cooperative parent will eventually see the good intention and the child might just be brought back to them. It takes time, patience and much love but it has to be done if they still want the child back.

In all my years of teaching, the defiant child if not properly handled will normally end up giving many problems to the home in their adult years...defiant in every way. They may become dropouts and refuse to work for a living... However, I have also seen many become more matured and when they see you, they laugh at the times when they turn the school into a circus. At that moment you wonder if you should laugh in relief or at your efforts in containing them in school. You could have just left them alone and they will turn out fine eventually. Or...is it because you chose to be committed and had taken effort to correct that the child turns out to be well? Let's really hope it's the latter as that will give meaning to a teacher to go on fighting for a good cause.

The most devious crime a child can perform in school is being disrespectful. When respect is gone, there is very little chance of salvation. Let's teach our children to be respectful in the home and they will respect others. Let's hope too we teachers will always find reason to correct and be not afraid of hurt and disappointment and pray for God's divine help each day.

Of teachers and students.