The day the shepherd showed her stripes off

Yesterday, only four students showed up in my class. I waited for almost an hour before finally deciding to call-off the class and allowed them to go back after showing their listening exam result. I was told by one of the students that the rest had decided not to attend my class which begins at 2pm on Mondays because they had a quiz at 4pm yesterday. At first I was pretty upset because I felt as though I had been played by my students.

This morning, as I was driving tinker to IIU, I pictured myself scolding and scowling like a mad dog at my students...undoubtedly, it was pretty entertaining. I know that they ought not to be treated like school children, but once you've become an educator, you'll understand how it feels like when 3/4 of your class went missing without any valid excuses.

When I arrived at the college, I told myself to remain calm and tried to figure out a way to teach them a lesson that they will hopefully remember for the rest of their lives...or at least, for the rest of the semester ^__^.

I was supposed to cancel my class due to the on-going speaking exams for other BEL courses, but I decided to ask my students to come down to the library so that I could monitor them from the exam room in the library.

Then only it struck me...you cannot put out fire with fire, neither can you compete with your students' stubborness by being more stubborn and stern (in the non-ethical version if your students didn't attend the class, you can't simply yell at them and kick their a** out of the class, nor can you neglect them just like that). What makes an educator stands out from those s/he educates is the ability to outwit all the funny behaviour and the lame excuses. Hence, it is important to hire an educator who is not only creative in terms of conveying the information to her/his class, but also an educator who is creative at punishing the students hahahaha (sound fx: ala2 bunyi Mamra in ThunderCat gelak).

I patiently waited for my students to come one by one...after 20 minutes or so, I instructed them to take out a piece of paper and they started to senyum-senyum kambing, feeling glad that I wasn't angry with them (don't judge an educator by her/his appearance, first impression is vital but is almost always misleading hahaha...very dangerous, you know!).

"Ok, I have to grade BEL *** speaking test so I'll leave your with some exercise. You are to write a paragraph of 80 to 100 words on 'Why I failed to attend Miss Alia's class yesterday'" - and that, as expected, erased the sheepish smiles from their faces...and it was now my turn to laugh back at them HAHAHAHAHAHA!

***

Actually, I wasn't so angry with my students when I saw their faces this morning. I was once a student and I had also skipped one or two classes when I had too many exams and assignments...but I have never been involved in pemontengan kelas secara berjemaah.

Can't you at least inform me earlier so that I don't have to wait like an idiot in the classroom.

If only I knew about this ponteng berjemaah earlier, I would have given them some exercises and cancel the class.

Yes, let me tell this to the whole world I am indeed a good-hearted lecturer. LANSI!

p.s. one of my students wrote an invitation to me wanting to belanja me at Pizza Hut because she thought "Miss Alia is sulking and very angry with us...I need to console her" - webekz!