MOE
vs Teachers Part 1 of 3
09 JUL 07
Pedagogy,
Holistic Approach, Strategic Thrusts.. does this words hold any
meaning to you? If it does, congratulations, you are a teacher!
I know
this might sound nauseating but I always have this love for teaching.
Whenever I see a student actually learning and applying what I
have taught, I feel this sense of orgasmic euphoria similiar to
only grade A ganja can give. So I signed up for a Relief Teacher
thingy with the MOE. And after like many months I got my first
relief teaching gig. Yippee! That was the time I got the chance
to actually teach in a real classroom with a class packed with
students. And that was also the time I get to experience 1st hand
uncensored teaching madness. |
 |
Teacher
jargon can be confusing sometimes. |
|
Usually
art lessons in Secondary school consist of boring techniques on
how to shade an Anchor beer bottle with a 2B pencil. I have always
detested that and I wanted to expose to the more commercial part
of Art. So hopefully one day, if these students do grow up and be
business people and wants to set up a company, they will know what
a good logo looks like and not just stick some red vinyl sticker
on a piece of white acrylic.
And also perhaps some of these students can land in Mediacorp and
have the creative know how on coming up with content rather than
the bullshit we have now. And we all know how bad local TV is. Thank
God, we can buy programs from other countries, cause I will be frothing
in the mouth if they show reruns of Phua Chu Kang. Can you imagine
if we are not exposed to the Simpsons, House, Beauty and the Geek
and Friends? The thought of that scares the crap out of me. |
|
|
|
|
|
Ok
back to relief teaching. My job was to “babysit”
classes when some teachers call in sick. I also get a chance
to teach Art to Normal and Normal Tech students. Judging a student
by looks alone is not a good way to tell which stream they are
from. Cause I saw this student having a face of a rapist, and
just when I thought he comes from the dark hell hole of Norm
Tech, he sits comfortably in an Express class. I was shocked
beyond belief.
The difference I notice is that Express stream students have
the tendency to be good listeners. When I talk, almost everybody
shuts up and listens. If I talk in a Normal class, I can hear
some chatting and whispers going on. And when I hit Norm Tech,
1 boy will be hanging on the ceiling fan and some will be secretly
sending smses behind textbooks.
|
|
Looks
can be very deceiving. |
|
My
first mistake was I projected a friendly, approachable teacher-person.
Young student brains immediately hit into I-can-do-whatever-I-want-cause-this-teacher-is-a-push-over
mode. My voice was practically swallowed by their screams and
laughter and soon after 10 minutes of disobedience, I snapped.
You don’t wanna piss a person who actually created Punish
to Purify cartoons do you? My voice thundered and almost instantly
everybody goes quiet. I was genuinely blowing my top and I was
already tearing my cheap G2000 imitation long sleeve shirt and
transforming into a werewolf. I am in the I-don’t-care-if-I-have-to-punch-you-in
-the-face-to-make-you-behave kinda angry. And from then on, I
can manage my Normal classes pretty well, cause all of the students
know I have a zone they shouldn’t cross. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| Now
changing into a beast does not scare the Norm Techs cause they are
accustomed to.. how should I put this.. beastly behaviour. You just
have to try your best to deal with it and not take too things too
hard because if not, your sanity is the first to go. But fortunately,
I teach 2T1 and they were the best. My relationship with some of
the students was so tight that they would linger in school just
to go back home with me. I have 4 T boys always whenever I go. I
think by now, they have all gone to ITEs. |
|
The 2T1s made stilts and wore costumes.
This beats pencil shading anyday. |
|
I
have no problem teaching Art and I worked late even though I don’t
have to. This passion thing is hard to control. As a relief teacher,
I get $50 a day and I’m not shy to share this with you. But
I hate it when teachers call in sick but I don’t blame them
cause the mental onslaught the Upper T classes can bring can make
anybody crack. Have you ever seen the weird guy talking to himself
in the MRT? Most probably he was a teacher and high likely he was
in-charge of T classes.
God forbid anyone has to teach a Secondary 3 Technical class. You
will see egos inflate once those kids exchange their short pants
to long ones. I still remember that I actually have to psyche myself
mentally in the toilet as if I am going to war. But instead of a
shield and a sword, I have a toilet pass and a teacher’s progress
book. As you can see, I am neck deep in Norm Tech shit. |
|
|
You have to be tough on the Normal Tech
Orcs.
|
|
So
after like 3 months, opportunity knocked on my door and I had
to quit. I was glad and I learnt heaps. I learn that in order
to continue teaching art I have to teach in a school that has
art-loving students. If not, its gonna be pure hell. I’ll
break this article up into a 3 part saga.
Good
Morning Teacher,
Evil Bunny!
|
|
