Student "edition" found at {csi dot journalspace dot com}.

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

With some students, it’s difficult to adapt the “expect the best but prepare for the worst” kind of attitude, if that is how one approaches the other aspects of one’s life.

I’m talking about the perennial slackers, people that term after term I’ve seen still having the same motivation and diligence problem with other teachers they first displayed when they were my students before – and when I failed them.

So it makes me a little suspicious to see them approach me, ready to assume a stone face should they start asking for a little leeway in submitting the requirements.

And I must say I’m a bit surprised when they instead ask about the deadline for the reports, then actually put in some effort and submit them (not exactly on time, but not too late that the deductions have eaten up most of their points; I guess some really old bad study habits are difficult to overcome).

For the seniors who have somehow dodged the bullet of expulsion due to a grade point average of less than one, I guess what drives them is the shame of being the only one of their batch left that hasn’t graduated, especially if it’s due to a minor subject they have consistently gotten a grade of zero at in the past.

For the lower batches, the impetus is more difficult to pin down. It could be because they’ve gotten into a relationship with someone who is academically superior to them, and either the studiousness has rubbed off, the nagging to work more has started from another source besides their parents and teachers, there is the threat of breaking off, or they are just naturally inspired.

It could be that having gotten failures due to excessive absences, they weren’t enrolled by their parents for one term, and left to just bum around the house or their subdivision with no allowance, which has stunted their active social life. Thus they have begged to be given another chance in school.

I don’t want to believe it’s because I’ve gotten a reputation as a slave driver who will fail anyone who doesn’t meet the standards I set in the classroom.

Although, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, fear is the most primal of incentives to cause people and animals to do what one wants (like a dictator) or what is believed to make them successful after graduation, and therefore it is the least conducive for letting people make better of their lives in the future.

Session 1517 has to become afraid to strive, like it was a life and death situation. Class dismissed.