PMR and SPM are just around the corner. Based on the PMR trial exam results, our Form Three students did not do very well. The passing rate was a mere 11%, which is a far cry from our target of 44%. Still, it doesn't really come as a surprise for us, as we know the potentials of our students, since we have been teaching them since the beginning of the school year. Setting a target for our students is easy, but to push them towards that goal is easier said than done. Knowing our students, we were careful not to set a target too high, but with their lack of interest in studies, it is difficult even to improve them by one grade.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my students have shown encouraging improvements in their test scores. Out of 31 students, 23 of them have improved their scores significantly, particularly in the essay section. Looks like all the journal and essay writing paid off! But still, most of them are in the average group, and since they have shown their potential in getting better results (which is the best improvement I have seen in all my 7 years of teaching), I am hoping that I could do more to help them get a better grade in PMR.
There is one month more before their actual exam, so I decided to have extra classes with the weaker students and give them as many exercises as possible. Having a smaller group allows me to give more attention to each individual and coach them on a one-to-one basis. This means I have to sacrifice my free time in school (the little that I have), but it will be worth it if my students gain from it.
So, I talked to some teachers whose subjects are not included in PMR, to see if I could take some of their students away for extra class during those periods. All of them have been kind enough to agree. To my pleasant surprise, I found that a few other teachers are also doing their extra bit to help the students. They are the ones who teach subjects that are not tested in PMR, like Arts and Moral Education. When they enter their classes, they teach the core subjects instead of their own subjects. We are all doing our little bit to prepare our students for their exams.
Some may say that we are too exam-oriented, but I beg to differ. The students in my school mostly come from poor families, and have no one else to guide them in their education except in the school. Most of them are not interested in studies because they do not see the importance of education in their future. Those who are interested are weak in most subjects and have no one to teach them except the teachers in school. That's why they really appreciate it when teachers spend time teaching them, and if they do well in exams, it will really give them a confidence boost.
The main reason I'm helping these students out is to prove to them that if they have the will power, they can succeed like anybody else. I want them to see themselves in a new light and to face life with confidence. And passing examinations is a concrete proof of their abilities. Once they have confidence, they can cope with whatever problems life throws at them. So, for me, it is not so much of reaching the school target, but more of helping the students become a stronger person inside. I believe that the other teachers who are going out of their way to help these students also have this aim in mind, and this inspires me to press on, even though it is exhausting work. Hopefully, what we are doing will make a difference. Go, teachers!
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