Pace

One of the requirements here at the University of Guam is to take a language course. This semester, I chose to register for Tagalog. It's a bit disappointing to admit that I am a Filipino who barely speaks and understands my own family's language. Nonetheless, I chose Tagalog in hopes to strengthen my linguistic heritage.

So far this semester, I have learned a great deal of vocabulary in Tagalog. I am able to understand the language just a bit more, as well as being aware of the proper way to write and say sentences in Tagalog. What I really had not expect in the class is that I am one of the few who does not know the language fluently (there's literally like 7 of us out of 30). With majority of the class knowing the language fluently, it sometimes frustrates me because the lesson is being taught too fast for me to comprehend. Learning another language is not a simple task. My professor would be saying something in Tagalog causing everyone else to laugh, and I'm that person who didn't even know what the joke was. In all honestly, I sometimes feel extremely lost and even behind at times. Feeling behind in class is something new to me because I've always been the kind of student who learns the content quickly. I even get anxiety when my professor starts to ask questions because I'm afraid I won't understand. I also start to get nervous when we are asked to read aloud because I know I can't pronounce the language correctly when everyone else in the class knows it well. I realize there are times I should ask for help, and my professor is always willing to help and explain herself, but I just can't seem to find the voice to.

Although my experience in this class is going a little rough, it made me realize something about teachers. Teachers should keep a certain pace in the classroom, considering all students - those who learn fast, the average students, and those who are usually slow. Even though it is difficult to keep everyone on the same page because every student has their different ways of learning, that's the challenge. There are some students, like myself, who need help but have trouble asking for it. As a teacher, there should always be days where students can catch up. Those students who understand the content well can help those who don't quite understand. The learning pace of a classroom is essential to every student in the classroom.