Lazy teacher

The past few weeks have been pretty tight for me. In the midst of being busy and being just human who tend to err, I purposely let one class' homework not checked in the hope I could get the students to help me check their own books. It is not often that I do this so once in a while should be alright. And so I thought.

Before I distributed the workbooks back to the students, I was doing my rounds checking on their (other) previous homework. Just to make sure they did their homework during the one week plus CNY break. I caught a few that didn't complete their homework. Some acceptable excuses, some were just lame, same ol same ol excuses. However, them being one of my 'apples of my eye' classes, I did not get infuriate except for minor 'brushing' to some of them who clearly were lazy.

Then, I proceeded to do the book marking via help from the kids. You know, exchange your book with your friend, help check your friend's book then return the book back to your friend. You educators know this routine. Just when I wanted to start, a girl came to me and made a complaint.

"Teacher, you know what did B said to you? He said you are lazy," the girl muttered in her tiny rosy lip.

"Oh, why did he said that?" I inquired without actually paying attention to the name of the boy who got complained or even wanting to get angry.

"B said you are lazy because you ask us to check our own book," replied the girl again.

The minute I realized I was being complained because I just made my students my free 'slave', I felt like a blade had just sliced through my heart. My blood started to boil. When I realized the boy who made the remark was one of those who did not finish their homework, I could feel my blood boiling to the max and if my heart was anything like a chicken egg, it could have boiled to perfection already. I wasn't sure why I got ticked by this. Probably because a boy called me lazy when he, himself did not even finish his homework. Or maybe, I was angry at myself for not able to do my job properly and someone noticed.

I went up to him and asked him if he really did say the remark. He nodded his head. When asked why, he just stood there, with innocent eyes looking here and there, trying to avoid my stare. He did not say anything to defend himself. With that, I gave him a brief lecture on how he doesn't have the right to make such remark on me when he himself did not even finish his homework. Pot calling the kettle black.

When I was done with him and went back to my desk, I felt odd, unsettling feeling that what I did just then was not the wisest thing to do. I mean, I am an adult and that boy, well...just a 9 year old boy. He has all the right to made such remark because that was the fact he saw. That I was a lazy teacher because I did not do my job; check their homework. To compare myself with him not doing his homework, was not mature of me.

It took me a few minutes to think all these while my kids just sat in silence, looking at me. Then, after taking a deep breath and inhaled heavily, I spoke to them. Yes, to all of them. Not just the boy.

"I am very sorry that I did not check your homework. I did not mean to be lazy but I was just a bit busy that I could not finish my work. I promise that I will not do this again in the future."

Paused.

"But, I hope you promise me the same. That you will do your homework when asked and if you did not finish your homework and your excuse was because you were busy, I will only accept that if you have been helping your parents with house chores or other things more important than doing your homework."

"I will not call any of you lazy unless you really are lazy. And that's my promise."

The kids nod their head in unison, agreeing to what I have just said.

I am not sure whether I have really done the right thing or not. But what I do know, from then on... I do not leave my work desk without making sure all books are checked. And that particular boy...he does not have problem with not doing his homework anymore.

I guess, both me and that boy have learned our lesson in a different way.