It was Saturday morning, but I lay buried in my marking. However, it was extra work I was more than happy to do - 3 out of the 4 students had submitted the extra assignment I had given them.

I had a challenging time with their class this week. Just as it takes one disengaged student to spoil my mood, it also takes one motivated student to brighten my day.

This girl, whom I have earmarked to be the President of the Prefectorial Board next year, just ticks all the boxes in a teacher’s expectation list. She ✅ listened to me and finished the piece within 20 mins, reassuring me that she wouldn’t choke under exam conditions. ✅ used “unique” and “fascinating” - words I have taught the class but whose spelling have yet to be mastered by many. [Aside: some of her classmates don’t know how to spell “interesting” yet.] ✅ performed awesomely for this timed piece, assuaging my guilt about not giving the high-progress students more attention and freeing up my mental energy to work on some of her weaker classmates.

I think it’s never about the colossal amount of work teachers have to do. It’s about whether students respect themselves and honour their teachers enough to bring their full selves to their work. That 10 minutes felt like the most rejuvenating period of my work life this week.