May 15, 2012

It's Been A While...

A VERY long while. =p

So.. just a short recap of what has been going on before I get to the point of my post:

1. I have been teaching Adult Ballet for the 2nd month now, and we're slowly getting more students.
2. Teaching at the kindergarten has not been much of a difference since I first started; only that the kids have warmed up to me completely. ^^

*clears throat*

Ok.

If there's one thing I've realised, it's that I LOVE Jin's videos. They are either really just plain ironic and funny, or funny, with a deep meaning to it.


In fact, his latest video, 'Class Clown', made me cry. It's basically about a new teacher, Alex, who used 'theatrical' methods to teach History to his students, and whom, quite predictably, was opposed to by the headmaster. Only to find out later that Alex's method had indeed worked, and the students scored high marks for the 'pop quiz'. 


What really got to me was the sad fact that VERY RARELY would a teacher go to those lengths to teach their students. Most teachers are all about academic achievement these days, and being all strict and stern to get their students to 'study harder' and achieve 'better grades'. 


Call me dense, but these stern methods don't flow with me. The harsher/ more fierce you are with me,  the higher chance I will rebel and basically not give a SHIT about the teacher and what he/she is teaching. And, they will probably be in my bad books.
FOREVER.


Watching Jin's video made me think back to my lecturers/teachers who have actually made a lasting impact in my life. I can name and count them on the fingers of my ONE hand: Mr Lionel Keith, Ms Azleen, Mr Afi Roshezry and Mr Gino.


MR GINO.


That was probably what started my tears.


My Ballet teacher was probably the only teacher who was SO strict and stern (to the point he had sent NUMEROUS sobbing kids out of class, and some that had been so afraid of him that they'd skip class - yours truly included. xD ), and yet... I was thankful for him. SO VERY THANKFUL.


He grew closer to Lika and I as we got older, and he literally became my second father. 


He sung to the musics in class, and spoke 'Thai' to us (but which was literally just gibberish), and shared his experiences and jokes with us.


Of course, all this wouldn't have been so bad if he had still been around.


He passed away in 2010; when I was in my first year and first semester of university. And what killed me so bad was that I never had the chance to say goodbye, or tell him how much he meant to me.


And he was one of that teachers who left a HUGE impact on my life.


Teachers like these are so rare nowadays. And it's sad that 'over-achievers' think that these rare bunch are ridiculous idiots.


Because they are NOT.


In fact, they'd make better teachers than you fierce-stern lot EVER would.


MR GINO, I STILL MISS YOU.
And you still can make me cry.