It’s hard when you don’t know but it’s harder when you have no idea. It is one thing to not know and not knowing about something can be recovered in your memory but having absolutely no idea about something is another thing because there is no where in your memory you can find it as you’ve never encountered it.
On February 08,2023, we had another observation in one of the sections under our CT. They did a discussion on persuasive essay and an activity after that. Half way through the time to finish their essay, one of the students is messing with his pen causing it to explode ink all over his face. I was seated behind the student and I saw the event unfold making me frozen and my mind had no idea what to do. Normally, I would intervene to check for further damages as I did with the kids in our church during Sunday schools but this time, I didn’t move and just watched as the teacher took care of the matter. I have never been in that class to know enough stuff to intervene plus the student seems to grow more and more anxious as the students paid more attention to him making me conclude that he might not want more attention on him. The class went on as we wait for the student to wash up and I let out a breathe of relief when he stood up and head to the toilet to wash up. When he returned tho, he still isn’t looking good as he look rather pissed.
At the end of the day, I convinced myself that it is right for me to stay put and not intervene because I might make the situation worse as I don’t know these students and I might hurt someone. It made me question myself, if I was the teacher in that situation, what should I do and should not do? How can I handle the situation just in case? Will I even be prepared for this? Why did my mind went blank when the incident unfolds in front of me?
I have always been nervous with the thought of teaching and the student being chaotic but with that incident, I unlocked another fear and that is accidents like the one I witnessed on that day.
An entry of a Student-Teacher 