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...

The Final Straw...

I've got the sign I was looking for today...

Was grabbing a quick lunch during the 2nd day of my workshop when I recieved a call to inform me that my time-table's going to change as well as 1 of my classes. From a small class of weak language learners to a full class of 40. It's Friday afternoon, I'm in the middle of a workshop, I'm away for 3 full day trainings out of school next Mon-Wed... Where's the time to plan for relief for a brand new class?

Ironically, I had actually volunteered to teach this new class in the beginning of the year as the teacher was on long medical leave. Somehow, because of the time-tabling, I was not able to then. Now, it seemed that the time-table is fine now. Why the change now?

Well, as they say, the only constant is change. You just have to adapt to it...

It was raining when I left school at 6pm. The bus was really packed and I was standing right infront, beside the bus-driver, staring at the traffic stuck in the jam. I suddenly had a most depressing thought that I don't even want to pen it down... It was an unusually long bus ride... perhaps because I couldn't get a seat and had to stand for an hr with my big bag and heavy laptop... perhaps of the group of rowdy Indian teenagers who were making a nuisance of themselves... perhaps I had an unually heavy heart...

Reached home finally at 8pm. Jerome was so hungry that he didn't even wanna talk.
I was too tired, hungry & depressed to do the same.
After dinner, asked Jerome about his appointment to KKH to analyse his troops.
He said there were another 2 guys there accompanied by their wives.
He's the lone ranger. Well, his wife was ironically in school in a sexual education workshop.

Then I told Jerome about my day and  my decision.
He's happy that I've made my decision now but had to remind me that he was angry with me when I decided to return to teaching full-time in the beginning of the year. He had wanted me to do part-time work initially.
He could see that I was losing my focus, having the wrong priorities once back in school.
School has once again consumed me...
I should have listened to him right from the beginning...
Part-time or just quit...
And save everyone the trouble that's coming...

He could see this coming... me throwing in the towel...

Jerome said I should feel happy that I've made the right decision....

Well... this 1 week 'break' has left me broken...

Tomorrow will be a better day...

It's a sign! Make it 2! What about a 3rd?

After my post about my tough decision, I've recieved 2 responses. I'm quite surprised that there's still friends reading my blog given that I post so infrequently.

Anyway, I recieved an SMS from an ex-colleague yesterday after she read my post. She resigned from the teaching service about 2 years ago. She shared her experience and that she did not regret her choice of resigning then. She said that I should follow my heart. She suggested doing adjunct teaching at a school nearer to home.

Today, recieved a comment from yet another ex-colleague who resigned from the service about 5 years ago. She has since got a master degree (and getting another?) is now happily teaching and living in Hong Kong. She also did not regret her choice back then. She shared "Someone in his deathbed will not lament that he had not work hard enough or earn more money, but would regret not spending more time with loved ones and doing things that he like." Hmm...

So 2 ex-teachers encouraging me to resign...
Also thinking of another 2 friends who resigned from the service early this year.
And yes, this is only March...

Are these signs that I've been waiting for? Is a 3rd sign coming up?

Just like fairy tales, '3' seems like a magical number...
The 3 Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Magic Fish (that granted 3 wishes)...
you know what I mean...