Rollercoaster Chronicles: Lessons Learned in Teaching, Pokemon Games, and a Weekend Lost to Recovery

 Journal Entry: November 27, 2023

"Drawing a Pokemon" Lesson Plan for Singgong 5th & Sishu 6th Graders

    Keeping up with journaling, much like my consistency in hitting the gym, seems to be an elusive feat lately. Life has its way of throwing curveballs, and routines become casualties in the chaos.

    Teaching, a rollercoaster of trial and error. Some lesson plans hit the bullseye, eliciting engagement and understanding. Others, well, they miss the mark. It's the nature of the game, a constant recalibration of strategies.

    Classes, like a box of assorted chocolates—some sweet, some mundane. The variety keeps things interesting. Pokemon PPT games with the 5th graders in Sishu, especially Class 503, emerged as a highlight. They loved it, and the extra mile of preparing snacks for the top-scoring teams was my small way of expressing affection. 503 has a special place in my heart, and not just because of the game.

    Tuesday and Wednesday in Singgong unfolded without major hitches. Perhaps it's the novelty of a new environment, or maybe the students are still adjusting to my presence. Interestingly, the lower elementary grades (2nd and 3rd) showed genuine interest in my teaching materials. A promising sign.

    However, health took an unexpected nosedive. A scratchy throat on Thursday escalated into a full-blown unwell feeling on Friday after a day of teaching. The weekend, which I had earmarked for relaxation or perhaps a bit of adventure, turned into an unwelcome bout of recovery and isolation.

    It's a stark reminder that life's rhythm doesn't always sync with our plans. In the ebb and flow, I'll navigate through the uncertainties, armed with lessons from both engaging classes and underwhelming ones, fueled by the genuine connections with students, and, of course, a cup of tea to nurse this sore throat back to health.

Making Hosomaki (thinly rolled sushi) with Sishu 2nd Graders

    I also conducted an extracurricular sushi-rolling class for the 2nd graders at Sishu, as an addition to my humdrum routines of hectic life. Don't know why I use that word.

    I wonder, though, if I contracted the disease from these young students of mine? Or was it from the slatternly teppanyaki shop I dined at?

    Anyway, my Samsung's promised screen protectors and 5-to-1 adapter arrived, at last!

Here's to a healthier upcoming week,

Steven