Being the teacher

I guess some of you do not know this, but I am actually teaching at Republic Polytechnic on a part time basis.

It's kinda interesting to observe the reactions from different people when I tell them this piece of news. It ranges from the following:


The go-getter: "Hah? Why? So wasted? Why you want to do that?"

The clueless one: "Teach what ah? Can teach meh? I thought you selling chocolates last time?"

The open minded one: "Yah! Good for you! Educate bright young minds!"

The teacher: " Are you out of your ******** mind??"


Well, you see, in Singapore, being a teacher in the primary and secondary school system, it can be kind of traumatic.

You wake up at 5.30am to get to school by 7.30am. Your day starts at 8am and runs all the way into the early afternoon. There after, you will have to take charge of a certain interest group called CCAs (Co-Curricular Activities). Depending on which group you take, you might have to stay in school up to 8pm three days a week. During the school holidays, you have to conduct enrichment classes for your kids. You will also have to come back to school for staff trainings.

I think you get the idea.

As such, many of my friends who are in teaching, end up rather jaded. They start off with much enthusiasm and end up disappointed in the whole system.

I don't blame them one bit.

Because Singapore's government operates like a business, this mindset flows down all the way through it's ranks, ministerial agencies and statuatory boards -- including the Ministry of Education. And so, teachers have to meet KPI's (Key performance indicators). For those of you in the corporate world, this is a common term you have to get used to. 'Make sure you achieve your deliverables'.

Same thing.

But in a school setting?

Teachers are ranked according to the number of students who get good grades, pass or fail. Now, if you were a financial sales person, and you were ranked according to your performance, what will you do to survive? Push hard to sell products...right?

If you were a teacher...what would you do? That's right...push your students REALLY hard! All this under the guise of 'it's for your future'; or 'you want to be a failure in life?'; or 'don't disappoint your parents'.

Taking the moral high road always works in the teacher's favour.....especially for their career.

Having taught in different countries and situations over the years, I have concluded that it is really tough to treat your student as your product. It all boils down to motivation. But how can one find time to motivate 40 students in the class? On top of that, you have to mark their papers, create lesson plans, oversee your CCA, handle ad hoc school projects, and demanding parents?

If you asked me, the system should focus on teaching teachers how to deliver to the kids using the soft skills side of things. But then again, detractors have said that this system has worked for years, so why rock the boat? Also, some may say that the soft skills are for wimps. Not effective and not efficient.

Perhaps...perhaps....

And that is where I come in. Some of these kids have been so scarred in their school system, they have given up hope for their future when they get to tertiary level education. And that's what I like to do best --- manage and motivate talent to the best of their potential. And I know of like minded teachers (facilitators --- that's what we are called at RP) who are doing a good job in this department.

Why part time? Well, I am not looking forward to a full time position in this area for various practical reasons, one of which is my MBA studies. But additionally, I might branch into some other things.

What other things?

Look me up for a coffee and I may let you in on my plans =)

What a mess

I had previously written about the price of oil crossing the US$100 per barrel mark.

Just yesterday, the price crossed the US$134 mark, fueled by Israel's comments on the need to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities (read this as 'in order to secure Iran's oil fields to make available to the world at large')

I was speaking to a friend not too long ago. He is well connected and was at a talk given by a global bank, on the effects of the rising price of crude oil on the rest of the world. Their prognosis was not good.

As the price of oil rises, governments will have to take certain unpopular measures for the greater good of the country. These measures, though unpopular in the short run, will be effective in the long run. However, people's emotions will run high. The poor will protest against such measures. Ruling parties will be ousted, giving way to parties who take advantage of emotions rather than good sense.

Eventually, some countries will use the excuse of energy sustainability to carry out invasions against others.

What a mess.

Is there any way to solve this? A conference in Japan 2 days ago sought to address this . However, I have a feeling it is too little too late.

Just look at Malaysia. The government suddenly announce increases at the petrol pumps of 41% overnight! Imagine the uproar and the political instability that is taking place there now?

To those who think that I am over reacting, just look at Indonesia's 2 former presidents. They were overthrown as a result of rising oil prices in the past.

History is waiting to repeat itself.