Aly Gulamhusein

Tag: Students

  • October 3, 2023

    I gave my students “toilet tokens” today. Last night, I printed off some miniature toilets on my 3D printer and each of my students in one of my classes one. I’ve had enough of them leaving class every single day.

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  • September 22, 2023

    One of my students asked me how I’m doing this afternoon. I told him, and the rest of the class, that I’ve been in a terrible mood for the last couple of weeks and can’t figure out why. We joked about how it was probably because of school and them, the class. Truthfully, I don’t know why I’ve been so sour lately.

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  • September 12, 2023

    Just outside the school, there are two bus stops. It’s really annoying to have to stop at the south end of the school yard and then again at the north end when following a city bus that’s dropping off students. The staff parking lot is a right turn after the bus stop to the north. How come students can’t walk those 150 metres? I’m probably getting late for work…to teach them.

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  • June 28, 2023

    June 28, 2023

    I’m lucky that some of my students like me enough to get me a gift at the end of the school year. I always ask if they are sure they want to give me a gift and tell them that they don’t have to get me anything. Of course, I do want the gift. I get some pretty good stuff.

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  • May 31, 2023

    May 31, 2023

    Something I find incredibly frustrating about teaching is how the values and ethics that I try my best to instill in the children I teach seem to disappear just outside the school’s walls. You needn’t always go even that far before you find that what I’m trying to impart as good ethics is undone. It could be in the other building, just down the hall, or even in the hallway just outside the classroom doors.

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  • The daily cycle of teaching online

    The daily cycle of teaching online

    It was a moment of calm frustration for me this morning as I was explaining to my students what it’s like to teach through Zoom, to talk to a video of myself talking. I probably made some quip about how good looking I am but that it’s not enough to keep me engaged. I likely said something about my failed attempt at becoming a YouTuber and how this was my comeuppance. I hope that I said something about me missing seeing their faces. I wish I remembered more of what I said this afternoon to my students as I was explaining what some of my frustrations are with teaching online.

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  • Every(body) Student Just Wants to be Seen

    Every(body) Student Just Wants to be Seen

    One thing that really gets me right pissed is insolence. When teaching, students who willfully ignore me drive me up the fucking wall. They love it; I can only imagine how amusing I look when I get angry.

    Another thing that really gets me is when students start to believe that they are stupid. It happens more often than we realize, and it’s rare that students will open up about it. The other day, some students I was working with opened up to me about it. (more…)

  • Special Teaching Moments

    Being an occasional teacher affords me many teaching opportunities, but some feel more special than others. For the last five teaching days, I’ve been with the same class, a developmental disabilities class. (more…)