Overcoming Challenges: A Personal Story and Lesson.

Let me share with you a story about my father, who was a successful entrepreneur in the computer industry. He had built his own company from scratch with a few more associates and together they were doing exceedingly well. Despite this, he received an unexpected invitation from a prestigious technology university in Londrina to teach a course in his field. Being the first expert in computer programming from outside the state capital, my father could refuse the offer because he did not need that job.

However, things took an unexpected turn when a student threw a paper at him while he was writing on the blackboard during the first semester. This incident left my father unable to identify the culprit, and as a result, he stopped writing on the board altogether. This led to students losing access to his notes, and it eventually led them learning every action has its consequences.

It's often said that "students have the teacher they deserve," implying that a teacher's effectiveness is a direct reflection of their students' attitudes and behavior. However, as a teacher myself, I know that this isn't always the case. Despite teaching in China for nearly five years and loving every minute of it, I've encountered a few classes that haven't quite lived up to my expectations. While these situations are few and far between, they can be just as challenging as the one my father faced years ago.

Here is some evidence of my challenge:

That's why I've decided to do something different for this class. I have a surprise planned for them in the next week class, and I'm hoping it will change their attitude towards learning. I'm excited to see the impact it will have on the class, and I'll definitely be sharing the results with you in a follow-up post. Stay tuned!