My Years As A Teacher

Looking back at my years in the teaching service...
The children I've taught have taught me much more...
I hope that they have fond memories of the time we had together...
Being a teacher has made me more than I can ever be...
Teaching has been the most interesting and exciting part of my life for many years...
I've given my best years to teaching....
It's time I do something else...

2001- The 1st Year
Had my teaching practicum in a primary school in the North with a P2 class for English and a P4 class for Maths and Science. I could remember that somehow I've managed to share a theme-related story everyday with my English class. Within a few short weeks, I've managed to build up such a good rapport with the P2 class that they cried on my last day of the practicum, making me cry along with them...

Was posted back to the same school and became the form-teacher of a P5 EM1 class. Their form-teacher had gone to another school, promoted to a HOD. I had big shoes to fill. There were some resistance, they missed their teacher. It was the best class of the level. I was a beginning teacher, finding my way, going all out to fulfil my calling as a teacher, bringing lessons to life the best I know how. My class is in the afternoon session, but I would be in school daily by 7am, catching a lift from my father. I would be busy preparing for lessons, materials and resources. I was always in school, Saturdays too... A teacher said,"Go get a life!" I smile at her and thought, "This is my life!" I don't remember taking any leave at all.

I remembered sharing lots of stories with the children. Now, looking back, I wonder if they remember... (I remembered that my P5 English teacher read "The Twits" by Roald Dadhl.) For Science lessons on disperal of seeds, I would visit the Botanical Gardens, trying to look for various samples of seeds just so I could show them in class. I remembered after a particular Science lesson, a girl actually bothered to come up personally to me and thanked me especially for the very interesting lesson. After all these years,  I wonder what they remember... I still have 5A Class Journal.

Thank you 5A for the wonderful memories. You will always have a special place in my heart. Now, you're all so grown up, either in the Poly or the Uni. I probably won't be able to recognise anyone if I'm to see you on the street.

To be continued...