It is Sunday!

-
This school has a routine in which in every two weeks, there will be an informal assembly; basically, a formal whole school meeting where teachers can bash students. Though assemblies are the most useless school agendas for me, I find no harm in it yet there is something that really bothers me. It is the routine of calling a 'misbehaved' student on the stage and bash him/her in front of the students and teachers.

Last two week, I saw a girl student standing on the stage and was scolded for wearing a slack insteaf of a tracksuit. Though I consider it as a public humiliation, I take it positively. I make myself agree to call it an act of reminding students on what they should wear.

However, today's story hit me. A 13 years old boy was bashed for his hairstyle. It was not that bad. It was an everyday boy hairstyle that one sees in their everyday life. I wont mind if the boy standing there is a 17 years old boy with scars everywhere on his body as that kind of boy might be strong enough to be publicly humiliated. Yet the boy who was standing before hundreds of students was a chubby boy that by looking at him, many can tell that he is a type of mommy's boy.

A teacher took him to the stage and later said mean things about his hair pretending that he was the only one with the style. He was bashed publicly and laughed by schoolmates. At a point, the teacher tried to address his name but the teacher got it wrong (he did not even know the student's name whatelse his life background and what made him to have that kind of hairstyle). He laughed then the students laughed. The boy had his faced down for long but this time with tears in his eyes. He cried and wiped his eyes with his tie and again, the teacher bashed him for crying saying that he shouldnt cry for his bravery to have that hairstyle and let him walked down the stage. His steps were celebrated with laughter from schoolmates. Every one can tell that from that very moment, he will be labelled by the whole school as a cry baby. Then, the scene of name calling will begin and who is to be blamed for the downfall and depression of a 13 years old student? The answer is his teacher; the one who actually should work at motivating, helping and, in Malaysian term, moulding him to be a better man. Funny isnt it?

And the assembly continued with a praising excellent students and school prefects ceremony. Isnt it nice? In an education world in which students should be treated equally, low-achieving students are bashed to tears and high-achieving students are praised to tears. Well, both got tears there so it explains teachers equal treatment to all. HAHA.

I went to classes for lessons and asked students on the appropriacy of their teacher's action and probable impacts of the action. Many underline that it may demotivate the boy to go to school, lead to suicide and name calling, grudges and many more. Whilst there is a long list of the negative impacts of public humiliation, its only underlying and obvious reason is to be a lesson. Oh well, a lesson can be taught and delivered in so many ways.


Dear teachers,
In future, never simply blame students if they misbehave, if they refuse to school and if they treat you poorly as you've taught them very well on how human should treat human. Holt and many expand that school is a miniature of a society and today's tragedy explains on what a wonderful society we have today.


Welcome to the reality of today's school.

Popular posts from this blog

Parking Lot

-
Image
Parking Lot has been considered as one of the best practices in the 21st century classrooms besides the famous group seating arrangement. In Malaysian public schools especially in Sekolah Amanah, it is a mandatory  to prepare a space or an area in the class to put up a Parking Lot. Per contra , to date, teachers are having a lack of proper guidance on the use of Parking Lot as a consequence of  the non-existence of a blueprint or a printed guide from any Malaysian education departments on this practice . Worst, the knowledge of Parking Lot is succinctly dismantle to teachers while they are having courses on 21st century classroom or learning, during Professional Learning Communities (PLC) sessions or during department meetings. It is through these short sessions or meet-ups that Malaysian teachers are made aware of the benefits of Parking Lot. Even the practice could benefit both teacher and students, the lack of understanding on the practice  results failure in its execu
Read more

Use Malay (L1) instead of English (L2) in English Lessons?

-
Image
The debate on the use of L1 in L2 lessons has been going on since forever. Different scholars come out with different theories and hypotheses yet no one theory or hypothesis has become the most significant. After all, it all depends on the teaching context. The use of L1 has always been a contentious issue. Teachers have choices whether to: ban L1; minimise L1; or maximise L2. Again, it all depends on the context the teachers are in. It is best to also mention that even so, teachers who resort to the L1, despite their best intentions, often feel guilty for straying from L2 path (Cook, 2001). However now, let's not talk about teacher's use of L1.  Let's look at student's use of L1 in L2 lessons.  Should we ban the use of L1 among students in L2 lessons? If not, why are there a lot of suggestions given to cut or limit the use of L1 in L2 lessons? I remember when I once made it a rule that students should only talk to me
Read more

Nadia Anjuman

-
Image
What should I do with a broken wing Which does not let me fly? I have been silent too long, But I never forget the melody. Since every moment I whisper, The song from my heart. Reminding myself of the day, I will break free of this cage. By from this solitude, And sing with abandon. I am not a weak tree, To be shaken by any wind. I am an Afghan woman, It only makes sense to cry. Nadia Anjuman was a talented Afghani poet who was beaten to death by her husband at the age of 25.  Al-Fatihah.
Read more