December 10, 2007
WHEN sumilo becomes a lecturer??
Just to warn you: THIS IS A VERY LONG POST
me, drawn by my student ziv in 5 mins.
It was during the last month before submission of my master thesis. One of the worst time I ever have. Staying in lab (usually accompany by an african coursemate) until 3 am in the morning every single day, and then going back home just to realize that i am the only person on the road.
Everything just sucks during that time.
When a friend of mine ask me whether I am interested to teach part time in a local college in penang, it was like a big break for me. It means I don’t need to move to Singapore and work so early.
After all, I was told that it may only be a small programming class with around 10-15 IT students.
Well, this is not a big college to begin with.
To be honest, I even need some time to find it during my first interview.
I was still 21 back then, so the college’s principal was a bit hesitate to decide whether she should hire me or not. “How come you can get your master so fast? He still looks like….. You really think he can teach?” She ask another interviewer.
That’s it!!! The sign that she didn’t agree a kid named sumilo can just come and teach. Then she suddenly turn to me and say “So later if your student tell you, ‘Hey Sir! I am only same age with you…’ How are you going to reply them!?”. Oucchh!!! (=_=”)
Luckily the interview go well and I was accepted. My first class was actually to continue another lecturer’s class.
First, it is not a programming class. It is a basic computer THEORY class (I hate that). And 50 students in one class is definitely not small like I was told before (I nearly faint when I correct their assignments and exam papers). The worst part is more than 70% of them are not IT students.
I can talk about computer all day and night, but never with people who have no background or interest in it. In fact, I can’t even teach someone how to use a windows.
And it is not so easy for them. They didn’t even know most of the things that are taught inside. I really wish to say that I don’t want to teach this class, but it wasn’t a smart answer for my first day.
Conclusion: so what happened when..
- you totally have NO experience to teach,
- you are still few weeks to the completion of your own study,
- you are under prepared (because you still don’t have a lot of time), and
- you don’t even know HOW to explain all those stuffs (for them you are just like an alien explaining how a rice cooker from another planet works)
Well, the answer from my previous blog entry..
of course I was just making this up for fun
But still, it didn’t go so well with my first class.
Few weeks later I was offered to teach another two classes, which was actually a no-brainer deal. An easy subject with a handsome pay. Since I start to teach more classes, I get my own cubicle now.
I know its not a big office with lots of books, dictionaries, or encyclopedia that can make myself “LOOKS 10 times SMARTER”.
BUT…
a cubicle doesn’t seems so bad right??
The best part is, I can just come anytime I want.
Regarding my look, there was a lecturer that think I am just a student when he saw me. I can’t mention his name for sure. It happened when he spotted me trying to use a staff toilet..
senior lecturer : “You can’t enter here, this is just for staff.”
me : “Oh yeah, I’m staff..” (just simply reply)
senior lecturer : “No, I mean this is not for student.”
maybe i reply too fast and he didn’t get it….
me : “Yes, I teach here. From what I wear, do I look like a STUDENT??”
(trying to smile at him)
senior lecturer : “BUT, this is for staff and lecturer only.”
me : ………
Next time when your mom tell you that “kids today just don’t listen”, tell them back that they are WRONG.
Some old men JUST DON’T LISTEN as well.
I need to rephrase my words for so many times before he really understand and let me walk away.
Few days later… Still can’t believe with all the words that I said, he went to the office and ask the admin people did I really teach there or not (I wonder why it is so hard to communicate with him).
After several weeks, I do get more comfortable.
Since it is a light subject, I enjoy a lot during that time. It was really a big break for me. The only time I work at home is when I need to correct their exams or assignments. But it isn’t a good thing when you have total of around 100 students.
Especially during their final…
having exam is never the worst part of the story, correcting them is…
There is still something interesting though; some students will entertain you with stupid answers when they have no more idea.
The others will try to impress you by writing a “three” pages long of answer from a single question. I hate this one a LOT.
but for some…
i think maybe they are really doing too much…
For my relationship with all my students, I treat them more like friends. I just feel it works better this way.
The main purpose I teach is also having fun for myself (as my break). I don’t want to make it a stressful environment where everybody need to prepare and study all the time. After all, it is just a college.
They want to have a good time there.
The funny thing is, I was even asked to teach them how to use internet and play friendster. Friendster is just too popular in this college (I was also affected at the end).
They sure don’t need me to teach them. They have their own ‘friendster hardcore’.
By the way, I will just let all the pictures finish it. I start getting tired writing in here, most of them was taken during my last day.
and yes, I did hang out a lot with them after class…
Some even ask me why I went out with my own students. But I don’t think there is something wrong with it, I am not a 36 years old happily married professor.
I really enjoy a lot teaching here, but everything always comes to an end. I still need to move on with my own life.
my last day in han chiang…
WAIT A SECOND!
WAIT!!!
DID I JUST??
HAHA!
I only teach for few months, but I really have a lot fun and great time together.
If there was something that I did wrong before, I do apologize. ^_^
Just wish you all my students good luck in your study (and also in your current final exam). Hope to see you all again when I come to Penang…
Take care…
- - - - - -
by the way i want to thanks someone for this little birthday gift.
it wasn’t something big or nice, but I get it during my first few days there (where I barely know anyone yet). So this small gift really means a lot, it was a very cute little start for me…
also thanks to ziv who already made this short video for me during my last day..
just realize that i hunch my back a little bit too much ^^
Yay, first! hehe.. It is a good piece of post… I can feel it liao~ huahaha.. all the pic r funny n cute.. more updates pls~~
i whr gt cry lar..
Cool!
why never hang out with us bloggers?!
ISH!
haha..
cos i only know some of penang bloggers
but since u ask…
sure i will, when i come back next time :)
wah, 3-4 entries per mth?? so few…
anyway, how’s ur job hunt? update a bit. a post can be without photo also. after all, it’s your own blog. Don’t do it for traffic sake la.
wow.. so touching experience. well i also ever experienced the same case with U, only different subjects. yours mostly about computer & IT, while mine is business & presentation.
I am not a full time or part time lecturer, only because i have become a chief academic coordinator, so i have to replace class when the lecturer is absent. the most often subjects that i taught are about presentation & communication.
sometimes i feel surprised, when i ask for 5 minutes speech, with the topic “YOURSELF”, my student only make it 2 minutes, just telling about name, address, school. then looking at me… of my! actually i already give hints. but, yah perhaps it’s because of using English. i guess they will make it more than 5 minutes, if i let them using bahasa, hahaha…
so, well done for you, Hen! you are awesome, can become a lecturer in Penang. Good luck!
‘Hey Sir! I am only same age with you…’
No biggie deal. At Microsoft, we have one training course being taught by still-in-college-20-yrs old. Who are his students? From his ’same age folks’ to ‘twice his age senior folks’. Of course that darn guy is a genius, reversed engineer NT kernel, but I doubt he has teaching experience as well, and the point is age doesn’t really matter. It’s just a presentation and Q&A, not teaching :)
haha..
how come u didn’t come to tarc and teach..XD
then it will be more fun..
@peggy,
i’ll write something bout that in my next entry
@nana,
too bad i can’t take you walk around penang colleges dy ^^
@leo,
WOW!!! seriously, you work at Microsoft now? great to hear that, but lucky u don’t work for Google (I’ll post the reason in my next 2 entry, but of course i am just kidding about that ^^)
but still, Microsoft is really a great place.. hv u own some of their options or stock and instantly become a millionaire now?? hahaha..
@michi,
i actually want.. but never think about that until few months before (when i already finish my study and need to move on ^^)
That’s one of the top wrong impressions people get. No, you don’t become millionaire just by working at Microsoft. Nor is it easy to become one :)
wow, ur a master graduates? cool~~~
@leo,
LOL!! i was just kidding dude, just by working with somebody sure doesn’t make us worth of something instantly..
@ivn,
haha, thanks.. but master graduates r so common now, maybe i should get a phd?? :p
belated birthday then!
lain kali kuingat wajahmu.
tapi lue hap seng ane…put lots of effort buat videonya. ga sangka muka kek kau bisa ngajar, keep up the good work!
Lovely
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