A new trend

I thought that when I started marking at one of the many Starbucks in Singapore last year, I was one of the only teachers in Singapore doing so. And so, when the pile of marking came in on Thursday, I planned yet again on plonking myself in one of the Starbucks to mark. And I thought I'd be the only one doing so. I guess I was wrong!

Today, I met up with a friend of mine who wanted some company as she planned for her coursework for the coming semester in the polytechnic. We decided to meet at United Square. After all, another friend of mine commented they had a nice Starbucks there. And so, with some 60 scripts and my i-book tucked in my bag, I ventured up north, armed with a thick sweater, just in case it got too cold.

Surely enough, the Starbucks there was trendier than most I've been. Yes, the lush couch seats were there, but they were mostly occupied by students. We ordered drinks and food, and I pulled out my pile of marking and my trusty red pen whilst my friend pulled out her textbooks and blank sheets of paper to plan her lessons. As time went by, we realised I wasn't the only teacher around. Tucked in another corner was a girl, armed with a red pen - marking. Beside me, two other ladies in yoga-like gear and earphones plugged into their ears had a pile of paper and a red pen in their hands - marking. Behind us, a couple had another pile of paper. Again, red pens - marking. Yet another couple sat near us. The boy was reading a book while his partner marked. Maths, Literature, English, Physics...

I was amazed. It seems it has become a trend not only to see students mugging at the airport or at cafes. Teachers are doing the same, but marking. The lady in the yoga-llike gear walked past me as she refilled her mug with yet more hot water. "You're marking too, I see?" "Yes, I am. You too?" "Yup. Lit and English. I've been clearing about 100 scripts a day, and more's coming next week!" "Same here!"

Well, it seemed as though Starbucks was incubating a cult of teachers marking in their premises. As we each sat in our little corners slashing marks of red on the scripts, we looked up once in a while, and when our eyes met, we smiled a smile of empathy, as though saying "Yes, we're all in the same boat." We all hate it, but we have to do it. It is after all what we've been preparing our students for. It's a love-hate thing hard to explain.

My friend and I analysed the new trend, and concluded that teachers these days are going out to mark because they are the very group of people who went out to study when they were younger. It seems we find comfort and strength amongst those of us in the same boat. Each of us venture out for various reasons, but it all boils down to the home not being a conducive place for work.

Whatever the reason, I think Starbucks is having a swell time seeing their cakes, pastries and beverages being consumed as they provide fodder for the teachers and students whilst they mark and mug.