<..: Retreat II :..>

Myth 1:
Teachers have an easy life.
Short working hours, long holidays, good salary, easy job, no job pressure.

Myth 2:
Mother Tongue teachers cannot speak English, write English, get a lower salary, have lesser working hours and are not capable as the other teachers.

HUMBUG! Crap! BULLSHIT!

1) Yes, our official working hours are roughly from 7-1 or 1-6. What about CCAs? We do bring our work home, mark answer scripts, plan lesson outlines, presentations and whatnots. My hubby always says, "Dear, you are back early today..." And at night after dinner, what does he say? "Dear, are you finished with your work? Watch tv with me ah!"

2) Holidays. We cannot take leave anytime unless it's MC. Unlike people from the other sectors, we deal with humans, children's life. During school holidays, we still have to apply for leave should we decide to go for holidays. And do u know, the first week of the holidays, no 1 I repeat no 1 can go anywhere! What about full day courses. meetings, remedials, supplementary and what have nots! We don't get to choose when we get to take our break. And one more, we are given constant reminders of how many days of MCs we have accumulated. Sidetracking, holiday pacakages cost more during school holidays so we pay the peak prices k!

3) We get paid crap! Our income depends on whether the middle management or the heads love you and how effective you are at 'buttering up'! My friend who is in the private sector earns so much more than I do. Even a tuition teacher earns more than us. But what are their qualifications? On par with me right? My friend and I are A level holders with exactly the same results but she can afford Prada and I have to settle for something lesser.

4) No pressure? HAHAHAHAHAHA....after 7 years of teaching, my doc told me this yesterday, "I think you need a rest. Your blood pressure is creeping up and your health is deteriorating." My gynae tells me this, " You really need to do something about your stress level if you want a child!" Aside from that, what about office politics? I say , it suxs big time. People like me get pinpointed for the wrong reasons and if I do speak up, what happens? I get blacklisted! In my 7 years of teaching, many of my close friends have left the profession and a few have suffered breakdowns. I am thinking of reserving a place in IMH in preparation for my retirement home.

5) Mother Tongue teachers. Well this issue never fails to frustrate me to a point of total jump in my blood pressure. We are looked upon as incapable and not English savvy. Come on, ask any MT teachers around, we are at least A Level grads k! We go to a secular school and take the same subjects as the normal teachers. Some are even graduates with business, law, engineering etc background. When I first stepped into the sch, my so called colleagues were surprised I could speak English. Parents think MT teachers are more inferior than normal teachers. Why? MT teachers teach in their native language and are not capable of handling another language, English. Say what you want, in 6 yrs time, I'm gonna prove everyone wrong. The Forum page will publish a letter from me on this issue soon! FYI, MT teachers teach three levels of language with compositions, grammar and what have nots! We don't set papers by sections k...we set every component of the paper. For the past years, every single of us set two levels of exam papers for every CAs and SAs. Let's talk about pay. If you are really intelligent enough, do surf to the MOE website (http://www.moe.gov.sg/teach/SalaryBenefits.htm) and look at the salary range. If you are not cock eyed, notice there is no difference between MT teachers and General teachers. The difference is only in qualifications Enuff said about this. All in all, if you still harbour the thought that MT teachers are incapable, I have this to say to you...You are beyond intellectual redemption!

So if I have a lot to complain and bitch about...how come I am still a teacher?

I will tell you why...

I chose this path NOT because

1) to teach is a noble profession
2) the salary is attractive
and most importantly,
3) I have no other avenues of chasing my career dream.

I Teach because :
Fact 1 : I love children!
Fact 2 : I believe in my power to mould a person's life.
Fact 3 : I have THE PASSION!

I went into the profession knowing my life will never be the same again.

I went into the profession knowing and expecting humongous demands to be placed on my shoulders.

I went into the profession knowing my sacrifices will not equal the rewards.

My parents kept asking me after my A Levels whether I made the right choice. I told them,
"This is my life choice and I swear I am going to stick to it no matter what happens!"

So Allah,

guide me and at the end of time, tell me I have done my utmost part...

I AM A TEACHER AND A TEACHER I WILL ALWAYS BE!

Tuesday, September 26, 2006