As a Character Formation Lecturer

So what does it mean to be a lecturer who lectures character formation? Or what were my self discoveries on being a character formation lecturer?

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Those are the questions I have asked for the past 5 and a half months. I believe the answer is a dynamic one. on going. Growing. One of learning and relearning and unlearning. While the core of it still stays the same, it is continuously being developed and adapting to each different context around me. 

So let me begin with the first bit. What does it mean? It means that the standards of a lecturer particularly for me has increased tenfold. Well simply because it is Character Formation. I teach the formations for character and I have to be a role model. It just doesn't fit when imagining a drunk lecturer smelling of smoke for example, coming into class saying " Allllllright cl cl classssss *Hiccups*, today *Gestures one finger up in the air* we are going to learn about *hiccups* Cherishing Nature! *Falls on the ground*"....Yeah that will not go well. 

But what is the standard that I set? Nothing but the highest of all. Of what I believe a good character should be. The best part is that I reveal in my effort to reach that standard I fail miserably. Because the first thing I feel I need to get the students to realize before even teaching character  is the harsh reality of being a human. Being human is messy, imperfect, and if I may use this term broken. I have to start from that position and also reveal to them my failures in life. I do not need to put up a front to show I am some perfect individual. Because it is from that point they will start asking the right questions. How? How then to reach such standards? How then to fix it? 

I then move on to phase 2 which is showing how one best learn through their failures. Perseverance. Empathy. As a community, show one another how it is okay to fail. How while yes you need progress and improvement, it is okay to not be okay. I do not know who advocated that one must be strong the whole time, put on a smiley face and carry on. You fail to see the beauty and strength in the low times. The endurance it creates. You know like the movie Inside Out, sadness was needed but they initially failed to see it. The final phase of getting that bit is then to steer them on their journey of discovering their selves. Because it is through understanding one's identity can they truly celebrate genuine excellence. To be the best me I can be. To be the best you that you can be while holding on to the reality of imperfection. What? Exactly. Hahaha. I shall not call this a tension to resolve. But rather a mystery for all of you to dig deeper. 

What are my discoveries? Lets face it. Let us be honest. I say this as humble as I am. I fall into the academic side being a staff. But my subject is not really academic. At least not how the systems in place currently defines it. I talk on life. The rest talk on scoring exams and getting good grades to secure a good position in the university. Let's face it. According to society, the pressing issue would be to do well in one's A-levels, CAT or Ausmat. Yeah sure, you can even say I may be looked down upon. I'm just saying. So what do I do with that information? I carry on. I take it one step at a time. Someone asked me before what makes me so good at what I do. I basically tell them, I teach with conviction. I know my materials inside out. I truly believe what I say when I talk about respecting others or celebrating diversity. I talk with genuine passion. To the point where a student might not necessarily agree with me on the values I say, but one thing he or she would have to agree, I am not speaking from a baseless point of view. 'Something about Mr.Eddryll's lecture speaks of the fact that this values he is talking about seem to work. I may not agree but he is not joking at all.'
So I faithfully teach to the best of my ability with my limited resources surrendering it all to God. yes I do okay with the students. But do you want to know my final discovery? Although all students have to go through me for Character Formation and it is a good platform that I get to impact all of them, the true MVP (Most valued player) or MVL in this context is most definitely not me. I talk on life sure. 500 students at one go sure. But after it is over, roughly about only 10-15 students remain with me as I continue to journey with them. The students are my work, my passion and my joy at this point of time. Whoever it is, I faithfully do what I can with the little I have and I am happy. I do it with joy. The students I teach have been such a blessing to me. The true MVPs are the rest of the lecturers teaching the more closely related academic subjects. Because while I have only 10 weeks with them. The rest have at least a semester with them. At least. Each class roughly 30 students on average. They not only teach math, chemistry or biology. But are given such a platform to teach both academics and on life. To journey with them for the whole semester. So the rest of the lecturers are the real MVPs.

I am given but one subject. So I faithfully teach it the best I can. I avail my time even more for the students who would see me. I am given time to think of personal projects that might benefit the college. I have a different stress indeed. But I will say I have come to love and enjoy what I do. As far as my feeble mind can comprehend, I am in my element. Best part? I never did it by my strength. All but the grace of God. It was all Him every single step of the way. 

But this ain't an easy subject to teach. You may read more about the challenges here.
http://eddproteo.blogspot.my/2016/10/character-formation-not-easy-subject.html

Writer: Eddryll 
Author's views are his own and does not represent the entire team