certified peer tutor...
I've just had my first session as a peer tutor this afternoon. And what happened was something I never expected.
11am. I received a text message from May asking me if I could teach organic chem at 1 to 2:30pm. It was such a short notice that I turned all annoyed and began complaining nonstop (Well, this, again, is an exaggeration but you get the point.) to my roommates (Thanks for your patience, girls). Then, I started thinking of a reason to say no. But I did not come up with just a reason. I had five. And here were they:
1.) I am not finished with my assignment on quantum chem which was to be submitted at 2:30pm.
2.) I have to call Dr. Brown of UP Biotech to arrange our meeting regarding my OJT this summer.
3.) I want to start reviewing for my exam on biochem lab tomorrow. (Ironically, now that I have all the time in the world, I can't get myself to start poring over the Powerpoint slides.)
4.) I am not ready. I took up Chem31 on the first semester of my second year, around a year and a half ago, but I just couldn't remember the lessons.
5.) I'm simply not in the mood to teach. (Oh, I never really know the exact reason why I decided to be a peer tutor. Peer pressure? Most probably.)
But odd enough, even if I already had five reasons (And that's more than enough.) to tell Ate Len when she asked for my confirmation, I didn't pick a single one on the list. I asked her what topics I would discuss and told her that I could give an hour for my tutee. Weird. But there was something happening inside my head just then that I couldn't associate a name with. So I hurriedly searched my things for my old module and browsed it, made my way to Vina's unit to place the call, went to the learning resource center to finish my assignment, and started reading for my exam tomorrow. Amazing. But I've really done that all. There's really a way around it when you set your mind into something. I was on the last three slides on experiment 1 when my tutee came. He was ten minutes early and wow, you should see me panic. What if he knows more than what I know on the subject? What if I make a mistake and he corrects me? What if he thinks I shouldn't have tried being a tutor? With all these what ifs in my head, I started worrying again. A thing that I know I should stop doing for I have a God who is more than able!
I made a silent prayer as I entered the room in which I'm to have my first teaching experience in the LRC. I tried to make conversation -- I asked his name, year, course, and professor in the subject and learned that he's Bermon, a 2nd year B.S. Nursing student. I apologized early on that I'm not that prepared and I'm glad that he looked as if it's really okay. Really, it was a wonder how my lessons on electrophilic substitution and addition reactions came back to me as I answered some of his questions. I'm glad that I took it humbly whenever he corrects me when I pronounce "alkyne" as "alkene" or draw an excess hydrogen on the terminal carbon. I'm glad that he took it kindly whenever I apologize for not answering some of his questions adequately and I'm glad that he suggested some possible answers whenever I'm having a hard time finding one. It was at this point that I finally realized that I don't really hate teaching. I just convince myself that I do because I don't wanna have the same profession as my eldest sister (Oh, I just wanna be different. Do not attempt to make an issue. :D).
This afternoon, I really learned a lot of things and I thank God for giving me an opportunity to learn these things and serve at the same time (Only He knows how much I wanted to get involved in serving others these days), to realize my imperfections, and to appreciate others. He taught me again to put my trust on Him, only on Him, and not on myself.
But really, He doesn't mean I should not study now so I have to go. :)
11am. I received a text message from May asking me if I could teach organic chem at 1 to 2:30pm. It was such a short notice that I turned all annoyed and began complaining nonstop (Well, this, again, is an exaggeration but you get the point.) to my roommates (Thanks for your patience, girls). Then, I started thinking of a reason to say no. But I did not come up with just a reason. I had five. And here were they:
1.) I am not finished with my assignment on quantum chem which was to be submitted at 2:30pm.
2.) I have to call Dr. Brown of UP Biotech to arrange our meeting regarding my OJT this summer.
3.) I want to start reviewing for my exam on biochem lab tomorrow. (Ironically, now that I have all the time in the world, I can't get myself to start poring over the Powerpoint slides.)
4.) I am not ready. I took up Chem31 on the first semester of my second year, around a year and a half ago, but I just couldn't remember the lessons.
5.) I'm simply not in the mood to teach. (Oh, I never really know the exact reason why I decided to be a peer tutor. Peer pressure? Most probably.)
But odd enough, even if I already had five reasons (And that's more than enough.) to tell Ate Len when she asked for my confirmation, I didn't pick a single one on the list. I asked her what topics I would discuss and told her that I could give an hour for my tutee. Weird. But there was something happening inside my head just then that I couldn't associate a name with. So I hurriedly searched my things for my old module and browsed it, made my way to Vina's unit to place the call, went to the learning resource center to finish my assignment, and started reading for my exam tomorrow. Amazing. But I've really done that all. There's really a way around it when you set your mind into something. I was on the last three slides on experiment 1 when my tutee came. He was ten minutes early and wow, you should see me panic. What if he knows more than what I know on the subject? What if I make a mistake and he corrects me? What if he thinks I shouldn't have tried being a tutor? With all these what ifs in my head, I started worrying again. A thing that I know I should stop doing for I have a God who is more than able!
I made a silent prayer as I entered the room in which I'm to have my first teaching experience in the LRC. I tried to make conversation -- I asked his name, year, course, and professor in the subject and learned that he's Bermon, a 2nd year B.S. Nursing student. I apologized early on that I'm not that prepared and I'm glad that he looked as if it's really okay. Really, it was a wonder how my lessons on electrophilic substitution and addition reactions came back to me as I answered some of his questions. I'm glad that I took it humbly whenever he corrects me when I pronounce "alkyne" as "alkene" or draw an excess hydrogen on the terminal carbon. I'm glad that he took it kindly whenever I apologize for not answering some of his questions adequately and I'm glad that he suggested some possible answers whenever I'm having a hard time finding one. It was at this point that I finally realized that I don't really hate teaching. I just convince myself that I do because I don't wanna have the same profession as my eldest sister (Oh, I just wanna be different. Do not attempt to make an issue. :D).
This afternoon, I really learned a lot of things and I thank God for giving me an opportunity to learn these things and serve at the same time (Only He knows how much I wanted to get involved in serving others these days), to realize my imperfections, and to appreciate others. He taught me again to put my trust on Him, only on Him, and not on myself.
But really, He doesn't mean I should not study now so I have to go. :)