Education: Post Graduate Diploma in Education – I’ve lost my Mojo

By: Denise N. Fyffe

I have lost my mojo!

I’ve lost my mojo

My will and desire to pursue this Classroom Assessment course is all but out the window. Today, we collected our in-class test result and for the first time in my life, I am happy for a passing grade. Yea, Yea, the overachiever in me ain’t happy, but Denise wants to get this over and done with.

It did not help that the AC was not working and everyone looked as wilted and sweaty as a ten day cabbage. It did not help that the lecturer was not insistent on us using another room. It did not help that I had to turn on the AC in the next room and then struggle, by myself, to open the partition; of course it made noise. But my antics were more interesting to many, than what was going on at the front of the class. It did not help that we were placed in a classroom devoid of seating and as such, my classmates have to be doing a treasure hunt around campus for chairs, every Monday. It did not help that a request was made for this situation to be rectified and the response was that ‘we just have to search for chairs’. It never helps for students to be disgruntled about anything because 10 people will surely know about it, in short order.

Anyhoo, back to my missing Mojo jojo…

Motivation influences everything we do in life. Without it, nothing gets done.

It is one of the primary factors that ensures a good teaching experience for both teacher and student. Without it, its like pulling teeth. Its clear then that I have been in pain for 3 weeks, without Novocaine. There was one day of inspired performance but that must have been some sort of possession because it has all gone back to …

My book, ‘The Expert Teacher’s Guide on hot to Motivate Students‘, clearly outlines several classroom techniques which would resolve this teacher’s dilemma; I wonder if she would be offended if I gave her a copy. The lecturer would probably be more offended to know that my fellow classmates have murmured that they would prefer that I teach the course.

Well, its another week and there are only two more left. I have sought the Lord for inspiration on preparing test items for a Portfolio and a Table of Specification – all for the Classroom Assessment final assignment. Thank God I have another teacher’s notes. What I find helps, is being able to understand difficult subject matter – a skill derived from being a writer for many years.

My mind skates back ten years and I long for the funny antics but solid teaching of Beejaimal Beepat (Mr. to you), now retired. That’s his saying :). But after one of his class you would be so grounded in teaching and assessment philosophy it would surely hurt me, rather than please me to have 50’s on my grade sheet.

Calling the old guard…Calling the old guard.