When you think of the post of monitor, what comes to your mind first?
a) Irritating "shhhh"s from a crazy guy which turns off the lights every morning halfway into your revision, and chases you out of class when you are just 2 minutes away from the horn?
b) An emo guy who constantly tells you what to do?
c) A nice guy who marked attendance in term 1?
Well, I would think that all 3 options are quite accurate representations of the basic job scope of a monitor. the first part of each option then reflects on how some students may see me in class. Some may find me insane, some think i'm "emo" and others may find me nice. Whatever, then. Thats a matter of opinion.
However, there are many people who are prejudiced against monitors.
Some find that i am a nusiance by turning off the lights at 7:20 every morning, which somehow makes them unable to read because they suddenly become blind when the classroom lights are turned off.
Some find me irritating by making them go for lessons on time, and incessantly asking (or pleading) them to go for the lesson in the next period which is in another venue.
However, do they actually realise that if they don't follow what I ask them to do, they will get it from the teachers? If they do not go for assembly on time, they will recieve demirit points.
If they go for lessons late, the teachers will give them scoldings. But what do I get in return?
If they manage to reach on time, its perfectly normal, and I am the irritating freak.
If they don't, most likely I will be late too, trying to persuade them to go, and I am also to blame for their tardiness. What an irony.
Also, there are times when the monitor, singled out from the rest of the class or cmc, recieves the blame for certain class issues, such as our camaraderie, our class tidiness and for not organising class outings during the march holidays.
Then I ask, why me? because i'm monitor? Or because you think that Tom, Dick or Harry would do a better job replacing me? In the first place, class tidiness goes to the Facility Secretary, (whoever he is right now) and class outings are mostly part of the Welfare Secretary's jobscope. And may I remind all readers that in this new Hwa Chong CMC system, the monitor, unlike in primary school, no longer holds the position at the top of the class. rather, he is under the Chairman, along with the other cmcs of other jobs. But that being said, I want to know how you feel about this too. Some people regard the monitor as the "vice-chairman" of the class. Is this true or justifiable?
Also, some might say that we are "1 cmc body" and we should help each other out in our duties. However, the system is such that cmc members are elected for individual posts by their classmates. We, the cmc, only had one vote out of more than 30 each to choose who we thought we would work better with. This results in some cmc members whom we find hard to work with, and sometimes even detest. How then, does this make us "1 cmc body"? And has the school ever considered forming "political parties" in classes so that the cmc would run smoothly? Would forming political parties improve the cmc system overall?
Tze Han once commented on a facebook post regarding this matter by saying that "sometimes what you want is not what you seek" Well, i don't agree. I wanted this position and I somewhat knew that it would be relatively tough. And so let me reveal the reason for the "last minute nomination". Difference. Yes, I wanted to be different from most of the students in Hwa Chong. This was also the main reason why I joined council. Tell me, what is life in Hwa Chong if you are a typical, average student who gets average grades, in a mundane uniform group (no offence meant) and go home at 1:30 everyday except on Fridays? To me, that is meaningless. I feel that to be able to fully enjoy life in a school, one must take all opportunites that are avaiable. No doubt it will be challenging, but it enriches your life and gives you more that what others normally get. At the end of the 4 years here in Hwa Chong High School, that will be what sets you differently from the rest. Difference.
Yes, I'm finally done with this long ranting post. Anybody would like to comment?
Cheers,
Lim MX
MX
ReplyDeleteI don't see you as any of what you said above. I see you as a person whose face is the representation of the best from our class. As such, I trust that you (and I belief most people from our class too) will project a good image of our class. I hope our trust was not misplaced.
A monitor has many responsibilities. While you'll get hated for doing your job, you haven't much of a choice. I was one before, it sucked, but then it feels rewarding if you can make your class behave well and be a perfect class.
And yes, I hate monitors, prefects and anything similar. But just don't do anything to mess with me and you'll be fine. No fights between us ever right (yet)? Haha.
J
MX,
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel.I think what you are experiencing now is what I did last year.Perhaps I would be the suitable person to talk about this topic since I been through it.Being the chairman was hard.VERY HARD INDEED!So I didn't want to be this year as I rejected Mr Lau's offer for the post.I was the one who had to off the lights.It was hard at screaming people as most of them don't listen.So I got by by going to them individually and ask them to leave now with a serious face.Well,it was hard but it worked as maybe people had respect for a chairman doing his duty by very peaceful means.I had made hard decisions last year,some not pretty.Our Chinese teacher had asked me to watch out for some classmates behavior and I had to report to her.Did I lie? NO, it would not be right.Being one with responsibility is never easy.My year was the theft case year,the weird teaching program and a super dip of grades in term 3.Maybe not the theft case but the others I was either in charge or at fault.The teacher had spoken to me many times to take the initiatives of being a good chairman and I was difficult.People do not listen or do what you want even if you think it is right and the best for everyone.Can you stop the computer gaming in class.You cannot.The teacher would put the blame on the whole class and especially on the cmc and especially the chairman or monitor.
Perhaps what you need to do is to gain respect from the classmates.Serious face,responsibility and maybe being jovial at the same time would help people listen to you.
Jonathan