Realizations about Teaching Life

Yesterday, I got my first payslip ever! #milestone

I know I’m a little behind in all these milestones because of the topsy-turvy way I went about my life. Instead of the standard Malaysian protocol of “Get a job, get a car, get a house and THEN a spouse”, I got a spouse first, gave up my job and am only now beginning my career – at the tender young age of 26.  =P

On the bright side, while my peers are already getting disillusioned with life and burnt out at their jobs, I’m still bouncing with excitement at my first pay check. How very grown up, I know.

Anyway, today’s post will be about some interesting observations I’ve made about teaching life. I’m sure most of my teacher friends know these already, but not many of them blog so I was unable to glean all these insights before my foray into the Jurassic Park that is teaching. So here goes:

#1 If you’re asked to teach a subject on the spot, there will be (many) times you’ll have to apologize for being unsure of some details or teaching the wrong thing.

As a relief teacher, this happens more times than I can count. Oftentimes, I’m not given any time to prepare before I have to substitute for a teacher, be it for science, math, humanities, English or BM. If it’s English, I can probably manage 90% of the lesson. Even then, I still make mistakes because I don’t have time to go through the textbook/do my own research beforehand. Recently, I had to take over science and math for a few days so that was very humbling. Regardless of my 1As in SPM science subjects, there were many details about magnetism that I couldn’t remember anymore. I even botched a science experiment on soil drainage because I didn’t use filter paper (not my fault entirely – I wasn’t given filter paper along with the apparatus so I figured it was okay).

I remember one of my lecturers telling us to feign confidence if we didn’t know the answer to certain questions and instead, ask the students to go home and find out themselves. I don’t subscribe to that belief. I believe that teachers should be honest and transparent about what they do and do not know, because it’s a great teaching point that even teachers have finite knowledge. This also shows the children that learning doesn’t stop when you’re an adult. Anyhow, in my opinion, admitting you’re unsure or doubtful of an answer is better than teaching the wrong thing entirely. Our first priority as teachers should be to teach the right concepts instead of saving face or being an authority figure.

#2 Many things get lost in primary school.

I’ve been teaching for a month. To date, I’ve lost a ruler and a whiteboard marker pen. A senior teacher advised me to label my belongings to prevent that from happening, and while I'm skeptical that that will give me 100% foolproof prevention, I’ll take any excuse to make stickers for myself. I used to envy kids who got their own name-stickers – they were so cute! I don’t lose things in general, so I never felt the need to make name-stickers for myself, and back then, I believe they were more expensive. Now, though, with my first payslip, I can afford the RM5 for 100 pcs! =P It also scratches my OCD itch to see my name in print adhered neatly on my belongings. 

#3 When you have to stand for long periods of time, normal shoes don't cut it anymore.

Okay, I'll admit I'm not sure if this should be blamed on the long periods of standing or on the fact that I'm aging. Whatever it is, being on my feet for the better part of 9 hours is taking its toll on me. My current shoes, which are thin-soled and offer little to no orthopedic support, feel really uncomfortable by the end of the day. And by the end of the day, I've already done so much walking that I don't want to be on my feet for even longer shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. Catch-22. Yesterday, I finally got around to getting myself another pair of sandals that would hopefully ease the impact that my feet and lower back sustain. They aren't orthopedic shoes, but I hope the soles are thick and soft enough to cushion my feet all day long. The problem with orthopedic shoes is that they cost a bomb - and that wouldn't be so bad if they actually were PRETTY with that hefty price tag.

Okay, this post is long enough already. In other news, I'm enjoying working life in general. It's nice to know you're getting paid at the end of it all, as opposed to volunteer work. Signing off to enjoy my first relaxing Saturday in a month! Till next time. =)