The Valentine Frenzy

Chapter 12

She wasn't able to solve the question, but, as usual, she returned to her seat without me making a fuss of it. Whenever they got naughty like that, I turned the speeches on.

"Being focused on your studies is important. Stay true to your dreams. Passing your Matric exam is the beginning of your lifelong ambition. Set your eyes on the goal..."

Most of them appreciated my words and their repeated nods suggested so. But a few thought I was preaching too much; they wanted to know the man behind the teacher. Those curious ones would raise their eyebrows, stare at flying birds through the windows and twist their lips in lopsided smiles. Some even chewed gums and whistled aloud.

Being their mentor, patience was key. I would not achieve much if I scolded them on every wayward act.

"Sir, is it only Maths you are good at?" Mballi Kaunda stood up and asked.

"Not just Maths, Mballi. I like fitness training too. You can see that we get busy on the playground."

She widened her eyes and sucked her lips in, then dropped to her seat. "Oh, those only, Xha!" I simply ignored her and pretended not to understand the innuendoes.

Dan rose up and asked: "Sir Jack, do you take zol?"

"Pardon me?"

"I mean, do you swallow Zinto Mapoyane?"

"Speak English, please."

"Haaa! You are a big guy, mos. And coming from Jozi, you must have visited the arena where they take hashish."

I asked him to sit when I couldn't understand his lingos. But the guy beside him raised two fingers in front of his lips giving me an idea that his friend referred to smoking. I excused their guts.

Friday morning, I distributed the same test question paper given to them earlier in the week. But now, the questions got scrambled to give the impression that they were new ones.

This time, they focused on the solutions and didn't complain much. Most attempted solving the questions without being assisted. My goal remained the same: to gauge their levels of interest in solving the problems. And to a large extent, I wasn't disappointed.

Many felt confident of solving the problems on their own, but a few still considered it too late to catch up. I didn't give up on those, though. I identified them, provided additional motivation, and engaged them more in class.

The personalized training methods had profound effects on the students. It brought about a change in their approach to the subject. They paid more attention in class and devoted more of their spare time to solving Maths problems.

"Where have you been all these years, Mr Jack?" one said as I wrote on the chalkboard. I turned around to find out who it was, but the rascal had ducked before being spotted.

I got a direct approval of my efforts from the students that first week. A grade-twelve student was asked to give direction to the Ethiopian store in the neighbourhood. It shocked me when he described the place using Mathematical terms.

"When you walk seventy metres out of the compound, locate the road adjacent to the hypotenuse orchard, you'll then walk to a radius of fifteen metres. If you get lost, find your square root!" I walked away with a smile before he could wrap up.

Other subject teachers noticed the attitude change. The students were more attentive during other subjects' lessons too. And that got the teachers talking about them in the staffroom.

"Those rascals in grade-twelve are now more attentive in class." Mrs Avo announced as she stepped into the staffroom. "They are not noisy like before, and they argue less."