Mixed Emotions at the (almost) End of the Academic Year
Its not been an easy year, either at work or personally.
One issue at work is in the process of being resolved, there being no evidence of me ever having bullied a student. Well, I knew that and so did all the people I work closely with; if anyone was being bullied, it wasn't the student. I have wrestled professionally with one group of difficult students and been pushed to the limits of tolerance for lazy, ignorant and manipulative people across most classes.
And yet I have also taught two of the best groups I have ever had the pleasure to bring into a lab. They are effectively polar opposites: a group of 17/18 year olds fresh out of sixth-form and a group of mid- to late-20s who have (on the whole) a very poor prior experience of education (some were proper bad lads by their own admission when they were at school). Both groups have an enormous sense of humour, to such an extent that we frequently have visits from the lecturer in the room next door to find out what all the laughter is about. To be honest, those two groups are the only reason I went back to teaching this year. I am immensely proud of both groups, where (apart from one or two exceptions) they have worked hard and done all that has been asked of them.
At the end of the day, give me a determined, honest, hard-working student over a bright but lazy one any day. As I tell them all when they start, work with me and I'll go to the ends of the earth for you, mess me about and you're on your own. That's probably desperately old-fashioned, but do you know what? I don't care.
So whilst part of me can't wait to see that back of this academic year, there are some people I will miss very much indeed.
One issue at work is in the process of being resolved, there being no evidence of me ever having bullied a student. Well, I knew that and so did all the people I work closely with; if anyone was being bullied, it wasn't the student. I have wrestled professionally with one group of difficult students and been pushed to the limits of tolerance for lazy, ignorant and manipulative people across most classes.
And yet I have also taught two of the best groups I have ever had the pleasure to bring into a lab. They are effectively polar opposites: a group of 17/18 year olds fresh out of sixth-form and a group of mid- to late-20s who have (on the whole) a very poor prior experience of education (some were proper bad lads by their own admission when they were at school). Both groups have an enormous sense of humour, to such an extent that we frequently have visits from the lecturer in the room next door to find out what all the laughter is about. To be honest, those two groups are the only reason I went back to teaching this year. I am immensely proud of both groups, where (apart from one or two exceptions) they have worked hard and done all that has been asked of them.
At the end of the day, give me a determined, honest, hard-working student over a bright but lazy one any day. As I tell them all when they start, work with me and I'll go to the ends of the earth for you, mess me about and you're on your own. That's probably desperately old-fashioned, but do you know what? I don't care.
So whilst part of me can't wait to see that back of this academic year, there are some people I will miss very much indeed.