The Rolling Stone of Education

It has been two weeks since I have started my time in a school – TEACHING. I have had the opportunity to explore different classes, shadowing other teachers. My peers from school are already in the middle of starting their own businesses, flying in there careers in finance, medicine, law, embarking on property development (possibly the most lucrative business if you have the money to start off with) etc.

One might wonder … What am I doing, being a teacher?

I do ask myself that question everyday. This is me trying to rationalize my thoughts.

I have noticed a few things in the last few days. Teachers are the humblest people ever. They have to be so committed to the student’s growth and learning. The one’s that are appreciated the most are strict, firm but caring and friendly at the same time which makes them an actor, a chameleon. The older generation of teachers seem to have gone in to the professional involuntarily. Many of them asked me: “Why did you not pursue architecture? Why did you come to teaching?”. Some of them do appear very passionate about teaching, but i feel that this was cultivated along the way.

The younger wave of teachers at Sri KL consist of those who choose to be in education either directly out of a teaching diploma/degree or those who have chosen to be there from other professions. The range comes from marketing, accounting, biological research, investment banking, drama and most recently, architecture. Many have forsaken the corporate work life which was not only stressful but perhaps meaningless for some. No doubt the teaching profession can also be stressful in different ways, but I am waiting to see if the returns of putting effort in to your student’s learning will ultimately be rewarding in the long run.

I have always pursued a life of meaning and good will over a future of monetary wealth and riches, as the years past, it gets increasingly difficult to maintain these ideals. Having been given every possible opportunity in life has allowed me to make this decision. In someways i have been a rolling stone, picking up skills here and there but until now, not building any empire of my own. Be it a dance team, my own charity, art, a business, I have always moved on after a few years leaving others to be the beneficiaries of our joint effort of ideas and hard work. Perhaps this is a wake up call for me to learn some perseverance. Either way, I treat all my experiences in life as a process of constant learning. Sadly, I do realize that my biggest failure is not sticking to the cause and persevering through it. Part of me hates the commercialization of things, when something gets too popular, it loses it’s intimacy and personal touch. Not good for someone wanting to grow a following for a business, or even humanitarian work.

Teaching, no doubt will bring about many epiphanies. One I had so far, was at a year 11 class (Form 5) where I held a double period of a discussion. I wanted to encourage them to support their views on certain key topics through a verbal argument. The topics i raised ranged from child labour, to sports’ impact on education, vernacular education etc. The one I want to go in to was the “digitalization of education”.

We spoke about the future of a paperless classroom, with IPads to take notes instead of physical notes. One student commented on a ‘digital teacher’. Not having a physical presence but the benefit of an online teacher was that the teacher would have infinite amount of knowledge on the subject that they are learning. This was implying that they thought that their teachers did not know all the answers to their questions. Which was a bad thing.

I seemed to agree with them on this topic until I read a blog post on teaching this morning.

http://teacherslifeforme.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-role-of-teachers.html

The blogger, Michael Soskil went on to explain that if future generations are to prosper, we need to find ways to change schools from places of information gathering to places of learning.

I found this to be very helpful. Indeed as information gathering is getting easier through the internet, effort must be put in class to redefine the meaning of LEARNING.

Our world as we know it is not always filled with black and white or right and wrong. Things are changing faster than ever.

Adaptation is the key.

Perhaps there will be a time for the rolling stone to finally gather more varieties of moss?

peace & love,

MISS SU

call me MISS SU

It has been about a week since I have started my new life as a teacher. YES, a high school teacher at Sri KL school in Subang Jaya, Malaysia. For years, since leaving Dean Close, education and teaching has been at the back of my mind. I left my British Boarding School with good memories, and wanting to share this experience with people.

Years after that, I am finally pursuing this inclination. I don’t know if you can really call it a dream, as teaching is one of the most unglamorous, lowly paid jobs there is to offer in Malaysia. Unlike countries like Finland, Singapore and Great Britain where it is said, and i know of my family and ex-peers who have deliberately chosen and been chosen out of the BRIGHTEST pool of kids, it is not so in our country Malaysia. It is sad when a country does not invest the best minds in to the education sector. Surely it should be the place where people who are capable and passionate are encouraged to shape the lives of the young.

Teach For Malaysia is doing a great job at this, and I had actually started my application to join the government sector, to work in the local school who are most in need. In fact I still am thinking about it, however I got a job in Sri KL, a good private school so I took the job. “Students need help everywhere” where the words out of my father’s mouth.

Admittedly, it has been a very smooth introduction, coming from ZERO teaching background, the school has allowed me to come in at the end of this academic year to shadow some English teachers and to get used to the life in school. I will be joining the English department as well as helping in Art and Physical Education. I hope to also coaching to school basketball team.

I am faced with a choice of becoming a STRICT, authoritative teacher, or an accessible, friendly one. Who know’s which I will choose. In any case, the ability to command the respect as a teacher is very important. A fresh, young face like me will have to put much effort in to this.

Anyway, do share if you have any thoughts on teachers, education or on how i can be a good one !