Writing Feedback /
Life is wonderful. Isn't it? [5]
***I think it's because of sincerity. His mother asked her son to continue learning from me. And she herself also wants to become one of my students.***
Today. after I finished my first part-teaching at 3.15pm, I received a piece of bad news from the mother of one of my students. She told me her son doesn't want to learn anymore because he can't learn things from me. Hmmn, I feel extremely disappointed. It's not because I can't earn money from them anymore. It's just because he doesn't want to explore knowledge anymore. During last month, I thought of various ways of teaching him, letting him try whatever he wants to improve his English. Eventually, he told his mum he can't learn things from me.
Then I called his mum and told his mum that i still blessed him and I hope that he will become a better person in the future. I told his mum I don't really want to earn your money. If I want to be calculative, what I teach him is already more than how much she pays. Then she asked me to go to meet her again today.
After that, we had a GREAT discussion about some of her son's problems. I analyzed his problems to his mother.
1) This child is truely very intelligent and lucky. His mother selects the best international school for him to study. But his mother told me her child likes to escape from problems. Once he faces problems, he chooses to change his school and he chooses not to speak to those people he doesn't like.
2) He only learns things that he has already known. Every time I ask him to think of what he wants to learn, then he says he just wants to have more exercises in grammar and tenses. He refuses to learn things that are beyond his abilities.
3) He seldom has interest in learning new things. And he told his mum what I teach him is either too difficult or too hard. I teach them how to present a product and I give him to do online grammar and tenses exercises. I even asked him to do translation. Furthermore, I asked him to be more critical when he writes. There must be counter-arguements for his writings.
Hahaha~then these are too new for him to learn. Eventually, he can't stand. Then, I gave solutions to his mother.
1) His mother is totally very receptive. She is very open-minded. I told her that her son is very lucky and her son should treasure what her mother has arranged for him. Coz I still have a lot of students who don't even have chances to study, then I said I prefer to teach those that treasure learning opportunities. His mother then told her son to treasure such a good teacher (means "me" la). She said it's really hard to find a teacher who really cares about the future of people.
2) I told her I look at the long-term effects rather than short-term effects. Of course, I can just go there every time and prepare all the tenses and grammar for him to learn. But this is not teaching. This is just wasting my time. Eventually, he doesn't learn and it wastes my time too. What I focus on is the exploration of different knowledge. Ay me! Malaysian students are very "machine". They just want to learn things according to the books. They can't accept things more than the books tell them. I also told his mother this problem.
3) Of course, his mother knows how I feel because we can only experience all these things after we work. Lots of my students are working or perhaps doing business. Then, if we only knew the importance of a language after we work, it was too late. Of course, it is not too late if we put efforts.
4) I also told his mother I learn from her son most of the time. Because of her son, I search a lot of information and this eventually makes me improve too. I like to challenge myself with things that I don't know. Then, his mother also knows learning is a continuous journey. There's no way for us to call "stop".
I think it's because of sincerity, his mother asked her son to continue learning from me. And she herself also wants to become one of my students. Hahaha! I hope I could have more time to pass all the good knowledge to people. Unfortunately, I am fully occupied with a full-time job.
Recently, I have heard of another good story from one of my students too.
She is 31. She always laughs happily in my class. Last time our topic was family. Then, she suddenly said she didn't want to talk about her family. She even joked with me and said that I would probably need tissue after I heard her story. Hahaah! Truely, I almost needed a piece of tissue. She always told me she wants to go to Australia and work there. But she said she can't probably fulfill her dream now because of her 13-year-old child. I was shocked when she said she has 13-year-old child coz she is just 31. Then, she told me she has divorced with her husband because of her child. Unfortunately, her child is an autistic plus hyperactive child. In addition, her child has a very rare illness which causes half of his face "whiter" than another half. Last week, her child got bullied by his classmates. She told me she has helped her child to change a lot of schools but her child still gets bullied. Then, she has to take care of her child now and she can't get rid of the reality. Of course, one more thing that makes her feel troubled is her mother always asks for money from her. That's why they always quarrel. This is such an unfortunate family. And I told her I respect her from the bottom of my heart because it's not easy to be a single-parent.
I always said that she is a brave woman who can still face her life strongly. You know what? If she didn't tell me this story, I wouldn't know there are still a lot of families who need our concerns and help. But she doesn't ask for help from me. She just told me this is about "life". She can't escape and she said we won't know how hurtful she feels.
I know I am lucky. When I'm still troubled with a lot of problems, there're a lot more people who still face hunger and coldness. So, why should we blame our parents or people around us? I am fortunate. I still have my family and friends who support me no matter where I go.
Life is wonderful. Isn't it?
