1st permanent relief teaching position for the year

After realising that I possess innate occupational disease on last wed, I was elated to meet my students for the first day of my official teaching week. In view of this, I have voluntarily burnt my weekend in order to prepare notes for them as I feel that these could aid them for their O level preparation even though I will not be their A Maths teacher in 1 month time. In addition, I have finally managed to teach A Maths in classroom style which has been my envisaged teaching subject during my army days. As a result, I could not sleep yesterday even though I have forced myself to do so.

In my perspective, teaching is a fulfilling job for me even though I may end up to be no life person at times. For instance, I discipline myself to sit in front of my laptop for hours in order to complete preparing notes for my students even though I was indeed fatigue. The opportunity cost for doing so is that I could not shop and enjoy myself outside for my weekend. Well, this is a reasonable tradeoff for me now as I could rejuvenate those moments back once I have time. Worst of all, I hate the feeling of being unemployed. Thus, I would rather keep myself employed and hectic in order to pass time (with some break in between as well! YEAH!). Moreove, teaching is fulfilling when your student recognise your effort. For instance, it just take a student to brighten your day when one of your students say that he/she has finally grasped the long lasting concepts that he/she has for the subject. In short, teaching has an derived emotional fulfillment which many jobs in the outside world may not have this privilege.

In conclusion, I hope that I have benefitted the students in various ways during my 1 month teaching tour. Needless to say, I strive to enjoy my 1 month teaching tour of my beloved subject – A Maths. Furthermore, I hope that I will be able to take such assignments (permanent relief teaching position) again before I step into my university life. If not, I really hope that I will be able to be stay employed for adhoc relief teaching in schools within my residential site. I do not wish to taste the blend life of being unemployed.

Definition of successful person

In this entry, I shall blog about my lunch experience with my ex boss since he has told me to met up with him before I ORD. Oops, I seem to reply that I have been trying to delay the lunch. (Not at all!) Well, it is a indeed a fruitful experience as he has willingly share with me his philosophy of life. The most capturing moment during the lunch is that  he popped me a question on my definition of a successful person. After much thought, I told him that a successful person must not only achieve personal goals that he has set but also contribute positively to the society. That is why I have always wanted to be a teacher to nurture students and see the positive character development in them after they have left the schools rather than preaching them academic contents perse . My personal achievement will be they could contribute to the society positively and become future leaders in their jobs. Thus, this will be a cycle that will be continuous. Isn’t this the purpose of education? Although many of the dissidents have advised me to reconsider about my choice of career due to stress factors, etc, I would still be persistent to be a teacher as I feel that there are a lot of neighbourhood schools students that require my attention. Well, I feel that I should only give up in taking up this career if I feel that I could not be an asset to my organisations and students.

In any case, I must thank my ex boss for affirming my stand towards my career path. I would definitely work on it even though I knew that there will be hurdle that I will need to overcome.

‘Sunday blues’

Finally, I do not have ‘sunday blues’ which I have been inflicted by such contagious ‘disease’ for the past 1 yr 10 mths.  This experience is indeed thrilling as I could be personified as a bird who has caged for the past 1 yr 10 mths. That is, I am finally carefree and I was indeed grateful that I could spend my moments at home at 9 plus (night).

However, I would like to relish those moments that I have in civilan world which I have lost for the past 1 yr 10 mths. For instance, I hope to get relief teaching post by tomorrow and sustain till the commencement of university life. Thus, I could experience the morning crowd in bus – the beginning of the hectic working life in Singapore. In any case, I hope that I would be given maximum relief teaching opportunities so that I will be convinced that teaching is my career for my life. That is, I could take in the stress demanded for the job.  In  addition, I would like to seize this opportunity to save up for rainy days.

Uncouth truth

In this world, I feel that there is not enough of justice even though there have been ways to bridge this gap. For instance, I begin to give it a serious thought when my close friend leaves Singapore to pursue further studies in Australia. I have seen him putting his heart into his studies. Yet, he is still n0t able to make it to university in Singapore. Well, many people would argue that he may not have studied smart. Then, I would like to pose this question to the dissidents. That is, why are those lazy bums though they are indeed smart  still able to make it to prestigious courses in local University? Does it mean that academic intelligence is the key to the success? Ironically, I have seen smart people thriving well in the corporate world even though they are not hardworking. Then, why is the world failing to recognise the effort of conscientious people? For instance, I have seen a camp mates bragging to me that he did not study hard in his JC days. Yet, he could enter a prestigious course in NUS. Worst of all, his attitude is indeed appalling. When he is tasked to do things, he will find means to smoke out and give stupid excuses. Where is his responsibility and accountability? Isn’t this more critical factor to survive in the corporate world than having skiving people around who may be academic smart? Is this what the society is trying to perpetuate?

In any case, I feel that the god has eyes. Since these skiving people are not punished yet, it does not mean that they will not feel the pain later in their life.  For those who have put in conscientious effort and their effort are being undermined now, I guess the god has recognised your effort. Thus, he would like to let you to shine your capability in other places so that you are not undermined again.

Farewell – A word with full of emotions

This month is indeed a farewell month. On 3 Feb 09, I have to bade goodbye to one of my closest friends due to his pursuit of his studies in Australia. Although he is leaving spore for a good cause, I am beginning to miss him when I realise that I could no longer ask him out for movies, shopping, etc (things that I have always taken for granted). In general, he has been a gregarious guy who is definitely a ideal person to drive your emotional days away. However, he is a guy who has never reveal his emotional heart. After 4 years of friendship, I finally saw his tears at the Changi Airport yesterday as he has left Singapore in a heavy heart. I guess he can’t bear those friends that he has forged for all these years. At this juncture, I begin to realise that Changi Airport is a testing ground for emotions. That is, you could see typical people leaving the country with an heavy heart and returning back to Singapore with a wide smile. Well, I have personally tasted such experience when I went for two overseas exercise during my NSF days. That is why I have always went Changi Airport myself without the accompany of my loved ones.

Anyway, Changi Airport has another intrinsic value for me when I reached T3 yesterday. It has been a study area for both of us – Derrick and me. Although I could not study with him during university days, I will definitely remember those moments that I have with him.

On 11 Feb, I will have another farewell which I will be finally leaving camp for a good cause. Well, I can anticipate to have another emotional session. However, this farewell will not be a solemn one since I could still meet the friends that I have forged in Singapore unlike the case of Derrick.

Let me declare this month to be a farewell month for me. 🙂  Derrick, I will anticipate the day when you come back to Singapore. We shall go out and rejuvenate those moments that we have in the past.

A new phase, a new beginning

At 1010 hrs today, I have received a call from Compassvale Secondary School. The staff has gladly informed me that I have clinched a 4 weeks relief teaching post after being interviewed yesterday. Although I feel that 4 weeks is a short period, I am delighted for the fact that I would be teaching A Maths of 5 graduating classes. I must say that it is an uphill task at one glance, I am willing to take this challenge to accomplish my dream job that I have been longing for the past 2 years. I really hope that I could really touch the heart of these graduating classes during the course of teaching them. If not, I have failed my mission. I am just hoping that they would cooperate with me in order to maximise their learning. In any case, I would like to thank all my friends who have shown concern about my attainment of this job including my superior boss that I have working for him for the past 1 years +.

In addition, I am grateful that I could take a 1 week break before I ORD. That is, I am not returning back to camp for a week until the day I ORD. Thus, I would like to utilise this period to prepare assignment for the students when I took them for A Maths on 23 Feb. In short, I am grateful about having this short break before I lead a new phase of life. YEAH:)