Emma Tan

Students come to college and a built-in histories of serious trauma (physical,sexual abuses, sexual assault, witness to oviolence, homelessness, difficult family environments) or they migh experience seriioius trauma or loss during their academic years, some serious mental health disorders (bipolar, schizophrena) do not show signs, until students trust or build a comfort zone or trusts with faculty staff. I witnessed and experienced all the above, but did I identify their trauma, yes, to some degree, till students will actuallly tell me "i was not able to get my medications because of lack of money, etc., I am developing hives all… >>>

Hi Jacqueline, Thanks! I certainly love the word you used "Blessed"....I believe that we instructors are also blessed to encounter these students with lots and lots of challenges and lots of lots of anger.... And everyday, I can't stop counting all my blessings because of these encounters. One of my students wrote and published a book entitled "Enough is Enough!" which I am sure is in the bookstores (about domestic violence, bullying, etc.) Jackie, I am blessed to have this student. Thanks, Jackie, you blessed my day today! I am very sure that you, too, have had all these "blessed"… >>>

I remember fully well what my teacher told us in one of our education classes. That the Teacher is the number 1 or the best visual aid you can provide in a classroom setting. No matter what kind of visual aids, lesson plans, strategies for Plan Bs, in case Plan A won't work, it is always the teacher who can "adlib" her presentation in the classroom. I also learned that a teacher must be versatile, like, a performer. Nobody will prompt us when we forget our lines, however, if we have a "prompter" like a readymade powerpoint presentations, or even… >>>

The classroom is a reservoir of different students with different personality types, and daily issues. Some students come to class with a chip on their shoulders. These are the one if not too many challenges a teacher must deal with. From the very start, I emphasize communication as the one of the most important tool for success. Whether dealing with positive or negative conflict, or issues, I encourage students to openly communicate their concerns. For the first time, in my nth year of teaching, I received an email from a student with an address IHATEU.COM, I did communicate with this… >>>