Rant#2: Am I Just Stressed or Am I Just Being Really Frustrated?

I've been keeping this to myself. My first rant was just the initial release of my frustrations. Why am I frustrated? The answer is very simple, BECAUSE I CARE.

Just after one grading period of teaching, I've measured my students according to their English proficiency and understanding and my golly, if you are the teacher of these kids, your head is gonna hurt big time.

I know that when I was at the same level as them (3rd year high school), my English wasn't better. But heck not as the same level as them. It's so shameful that even the simplest "May I go to the comfort room?" can't be said correctly. "Can I go to the CR?" won't suffice because it's wrong. Most of them can't tell the difference between "can" and "may", when in fact, this was taught when they were in elementary. How worse can it get? It can get really worse!

I am not kidding on what I'm going to say, but when I read most of their theme writings, they use future tense when they talk about the past! OMG! Why would someone use "will" when talking about the past? I mean, duh, simple tenses were taught when they were in elementary. It's obvious that a lot of them were not listening. Tssss....

Did I mention that their hobby is to complain? When I ask them to get intermediate pad, they're gonna complain to the high heavens...then ask paper from their classmates. Shame on them. In the first place, they don't have the right to complain because they are students. Can you imagine the scene? Here's how it is.

Me: Okay, get one whole sheet of paper, write your name blah blah blah...
Students: (will just stare at me as if they didn't understand a single word that I said)
Me: (repeats what I say in Filipino for them to understand)
Students: 1 whole pa?! (yes, they STILL speak in Filipino even if my subject is freakin' English!)
Me: Of course! Copy and answer!
Students: Eeehhh! Sir answer only!
Me: NO!
Students: "Ay. Pahinging papel oh...Sino may papel diyan?"
Me: (what the heck!)

That's how it is whenever I ask them to get an intermediate pad for their quiz or theme writing. So imagine my struggles everyday! The star section is exempted here because they all participate and do what I ask them to do.

But, one good thing about this is that in every section, there are bright students! And they are the ones who can tone down my frustrations to the whole section...but not totally. Those bright ones can be counted on my 2 hands.

I'm tired of caring. That's all I can say. How frustrated am I? You can tell because I made a blog/rant like this.