Good start to the week

I wasn't feeling too well yesterday and despite the fact that I ignored the sniffing nose and light-headedness, my body took over my mind after church. Instead of trotting off to my favourite haven to mark my essays, I had to head home. All my aching body was screaming for was rest.

And so, reluctantly, I put aside my pen and a stack of essays and curled up under my blanket. It must have been the cold medicine I took cos I knocked out for the next four hours, only to get up to eat a little then dozed off in front of the TV in a weak attempt to try to remain awake just so I can try to mark at least a few scripts.

Headed back to bed after dinner, and crossed my fingers I'd be well enough today cos there's just so much to cover this week. It's a long week. PPRC, contact time, teacher's day dinner, oral exams, another test for my sec 2 kids... then next week - N Level invigilation, meet up with NIE mates, Teacher's Mass Lecture, Kagan Character Development course, Bridging minds debate, MoBlogging, setting of EOY exam paper... The thought didn't make me feel better. Plus I had to deal with how to speak to my kids about their discussions and slammings on their blogs about religion. I was worried about their quarrels and lack of motivation in some others. I questioned myself if I had really done my job well as a form teacher. From the looks of it - probably not.

I dragged myself out of bed today. The heavy thoughts laid in my head as I wondered how to deal with my kids. What should I say to them? Will what I say fall on deaf ears? What if I made it worse? I breathed hard as I faced them at the parade square. I gathered my courage and when they were sent back to class early after morning assembly, I took it as a sign. I prayed - "God, guide me to say the right words."

I think God must have guided me to say the things I said, cos I didn't plan to say what I did say. Nevertheless, i think it made an impact in some of them. The message to them I had wanted to convey was easy. "Love your neighbour as you love yourself."

The day got better as things I thought I dreaded turned out OK. I was assigned to invigilate a science practical paper which i thought took my time off my marking. As it is, i was already behind my schedule. But the experience turned out to be nostalgic as I thought back about my secondary school days where we were fearless of the bunsen burner, and white powders, and the glowing splinter test. Some of my classmates would even cheekily create a "pop" sound with the test-tube to trick the blur ones into thinking the hydrogen test was positive... I think!

My 3 Hope class happily greeted me "starfish" when I passed by their class. In the middle of their science lesson! Oh well... What can I say?

But I guess what made me smile the most was the blog entry of one of my students. That student was going through a dark phase, and I was trying to change her point of view. I almost gave up, but I'm glad I didn't. She's decided to go back on track and really, that can be one of the best teacher's day present this year for me.

It's a good start to the week as I got much accomplished today. I've already begun to list down tomorrow's list just so that I can be just as productive as I was today.

Am gonna meet up with my NIE mates next week to catch up. I think it'll be swell. It's been 2 years plus since we last met and I bet there are lots of stories to tell..

It's gonna be a wonderful week cos I want it to be so! :)