Students in Myanmar are not typically taught how to self-study. The concept is as foreign to them as the idea that school is a fun place. School is a duty which the government have enforced on students while equipping teachers with the means to ensure upstanding behaviour through any means necessary. We have mentioned about the assemblies with the canes, the teachers with the canes and the children who are caned before. This is a regular part of Myanmar school life, although I wish it weren’t.

Van and I sat aghast in the back of the classroom as students looked at one another, spoke at one another and read from each other’s scripts. Van took photographs of this as evidence. Evidence of what exactly I wasn’t certain because it seemed as though everyone in the entire class was plagiarising and cheating.

As I am exposed to a greater variety of workplaces, some of which are not from the charity sector, the majority of people seem to lack intrinsic motivation. There seems to be a general feeling that work is to be endured not enjoyed.

A fundamental pervasive concern of teachers is am I getting through to these students? Depending on the type of students you teach, the more delayed the gratification can be. To the point where I must reassure myself that gratification will happen in another 10 years’ time. I have worked with students who reject or are rejected from mainstream school and are often, although not always, from disadvantaged backgrounds. The most tangible compliment I received was “You ain’t actually a bad teacher Miss.” This can be hard on the psyche.

Our trainee has expressly been told by parents to beat knowledge into students and monks have told me that without a cane, our ideas are unlikely to work. Of course, our ideas are unusual enough with a cane, but without one; well, forget it! On this subject, I have an irreversibly bias viewpoint. I am fully aware that my bias colours my ability to empathise and to walk in their shoes. There is never a situation where I feel beating is appropriate; at school or at home. I have walked in shoes wet with sores and blood before, I don’t wish to cover another mile.

We are slightly robotic in our approach, perhaps colloquially known as Type A behaviour. We value our systemized way of working as it means that we can repeat events with a fairly predictable outcome in teaching as well as map the experiences onto other, similar events in order to problem solve.

I'm still impressed how Teacher Chloe turned me into what I'm doing right now. I'm not comparing myself with her, but just observing how much an impact an experienced teacher can have on her trainee.

Teaching is like mining for gold. The gold is not scattered all over the surface, and miners have to dig deeper and deeper. Yet, sometimes tragic accidents happen and the mine collapses, killing all of its workers underground.

The hour that we collectively spent pouring over exams and remembering classroom interaction worked well for differentiation. Whereas before there had emerged a leader from each group and some very bored individuals, we saw a marked improvement in group cohesiveness and cooperation.