lost file

i was at a stdt's place yesterday.

guess what? the usual scatterbrain characteristics of this stdt that i came into encounter with.

"where's your tuition file?" i asked.

"i'm not sure. let me check." came a nonchalant reply. (very typical of kids nowadays)

after some shuffling of materials on the study table in his room, he still couldn't locate the file.

not wanting to waste more time, i told him to second the help of his helper and mom on the lost file mystery.

well, the outcome wasn't positive.

in the midst of the lesson, i really needed to re-visit certain past questions that i have done with him to prepare him for his common test, i went to the mom who was at the computer,"can u plse help XX locate his file?"

"XX, did u remember where u put it? could it be in your sch bag?"queried the mom.

"i dun think so. i have checked." came a lukewarm reply.

well, finally, the mom found it in the living room. how did it get there? search me.

the best thing about this whole episode is that: the mom is not the typical asian mom who will scold the kid and ransack thru the room to look for the file, knowing the imptce. this particular mom found the file and firmly told the kid,"plse keep this file with you and be responsible not to lose it again!"

aye, these stdts are good stdts, except that they no longer hold all these materials from tuition classes as precious. i recalled how i highlighted with markers on the impt stuff that i must re-visit for exams purpose, and consciously ensured that i kept my file in safekeeping, allowing no one to meddle with it.

maybe, boys are boys, they dun bother. they are not the neaty lot who will organise themselves. yet, u can't say that they have poor attitude. this boy reads 'murderous math' specially imported from USA and he takes a whole load of interest in magical stuff in math.

i enjoyed teaching him. in fact, halfway through the class, he blurted out a laughter, telling me that he suddenly remembered a funny incident that took place when he was young.

apparently, he pasted a 'kick me' sticker on his brother's back just to poke fun. fortunately, the bro suffered no serious consequences.

then, i shared with him how my daughters will draw 'tortoise' pics and paste on the family members too.

well, apart from mystery of lost files with stdts, i'm still happy in my teaching job.