Reflections of an Educator

The end of a journey marks the beginning of a new one. And as I am moving on to the next phase of my life, I'd like to take a moment to reflect.

They said being a teacher is a noble job. And having been through a year's training and three years' experience teaching, I must say that it is more than that. It requires more than just being able to teach. It's a whole load of responsibilities rolled in one - which makes it much like any other job. The difference? The life of a child is at stake.

If I think about it, what I do in the classroom, or how I interact with my students do play a part in the development in their lives. For the most of us who were called to be teachers, we are motivated by one single factor - to want to make a difference in the life of a child - a pretty noble and idealistic motivation.

Many like me, had quit the better paying private sector to want to make a difference. While some thrive in the new environment, others like me feel that there's so much more to be done than what's done in the schools. Still, more often than not, others blend into the system, and allow their enthusiasm drained by the load of emotional and physically-draining responsibilities.

With more than 100 students under your care at any one time, it is not easy to want to be able to care for all at once. It's different from parenting. And on top of ensuring the child excels academically, the teacher is often tasked with part-time parenting as well - disciplining and caring for the social and emotional well-being of the child.

It is easy to adhere to theories of the care of a child when we are dealing with individuals, but when the care involves masses, theories fail to hold as well as it purports.

And so, the initial enthusiasm generated by teacher training melts away all too quickly, resulting in disillusioned young teachers who would actually be instrumental in creating that paradigm shift in education.

My four years in the education ministry isn't exactly a picture of gloom. For one who refuses to live life with regrets, I make it a point to tease out learning points for every decision I make. "I wouldn't have learned this if I hadn't chose to walk this road."

My students are my greatest source of inspiration - and stress. They are also my greatest source of motivation - and a lack of. They affect my mood, my emotions, my thoughts. And if you multiply that by a hundred or more times, you can understand why teachers are one of those who find themselves having psychological problems.

Still, I've learnt the best things from my students and any teacher who teach or have taught will agree with me the fulfillment teaching gives that no other job can.

At the end of it all, it is really up to the individual to decide the road to embark on in education. The education scene has changed so much that it offers so many possibilities to define education. Others get excited while others get confused.

As for me, I've decided to walk another road, and define my own space in education.

But the motivation still remains the same - to make a difference.