On Teaching

No one every says “teaching is easy”, but most would agree that it is rewarding. I’m two months into teaching English as a foreign language to over 100 different high school students (and some 7^th graders) and I am convinced I will never know everything I need to know to be perfect at this job. I’m also confident in admitting that being an English instructor here is teaching me far more about life and about myself than I am able to give back in English instruction.

My biggest struggles are student motivation and combatting cheating. I have a bad habit of taking both personally.

Remembering student life, I can relate to finding more enjoyable things to do with my time than study. But now, in a career setting where I’m working for and responsible for more than myself, the value of reaping education’s benefits is very evident. I want to give everything I can to promote and encourage these kids, but I’m finding that process exhausting. My hardheaded, stubborn nature often serves me well, and I think its effects will eventually be of benefit in my work here… but I know it won’t be easy.

Similar to the U.S., Moldova has a standardized test for all graduating students to take before going on to University. 90% of students typically pass this test and move on to higher education. Last year, Moldova implemented a strict “no cheating” policy during the test. They used video cameras and increased the number of test monitors. Students caught cheating were removed and required to wait until the following year to complete the test. Only 60% of the students passed.

They get real creative in their cheating practices, and parents often help. In school, parents will use bribery or sometimes threats to increase their child’s grades. During the exams, they will give answers via Bluetooth (somehow, the exam always shows up online half an hour after it begins). I’ve even heard rumors of students writing questions on pieces of paper, throwing them out an open window, a recipient fining the answer and then throwing the paper back into the testing room. It’s ridiculous. During quizzes and tests in class, I stand up front evil eying all the kids to try and put an end to it, and I still find cheaters. They use their winiest voices to complain that they were just asking another student for clarification on a question or just asking to borrow the whiteout (they’re all about the whiteout here. Just use a pencil!). Their wondering eyes pointed directly at their neighbor’s paper just happen to be their best thinking stance (go figure). Sometimes students will hold their papers up, broadcasting their answers to fellow students behind them, and excuse it as “a new angle” to look at the test (they’re very communal in their cheating practices). They use their books and cell phones when they think you’re not looking, and they take every opportunity you’re helping an individual student with an answer to share information with each other. It’s an educational circus.

            Change is slow. Yet even with an extreme crack-down on cheating, the concept of academic integrity is far from being understood... or at least practiced. One day after a battle with cheating students during a quiz, I asked all the students to stand up.

“Sit down if you think it’s appropriate to cheat during a quiz”. Two snarky girls sit down and glare at me in contempt.

“Sit down if you think it’s acceptable to “help” one another during a quiz or a test”. All but two students sat down.

My heart sank.

“Fail. Have fun taking the BAC exam twice. Now let’s get to work.”

            I was initially worried about teaching because I didn’t think I would like working with the youth. I was wrong, I love working with them. But I hate being their disciplinarian. I feel so small swimming in this system of corruption as a volunteer just trying to help where I can. The egoist in me says I should be doing more, but frustrations and mistakes humble mek.