HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY?

Forgive the long sabatical for being the Panel Head does takes its toll from a blogger... It shouldn't be an excuse because I realised that some readers have actually mailed/PM-ed me in facebook to ask me if I was gonna still update this blog. I will continue this blog but looks like unless someone takes over my Panel Head position, posting here in Tasty English© won't be as regular....

Teachers' day??? Ain't that like a month ago?? You're absolutely right. In fact, this post seems timely because in our school, we had the day (note that i'm not using the word celebration/event because that would be just downright lying) on the same day we had report card day. SAME FREAKING DAY!! TEACHERS' DAY WAS LIKE DONE IN 2 HOURS. Yup.

Somehow, the song Don't Cry for Me Argentina (the Madonna version; with her hands up and she staring from the balcony) seems to be ringing in my head all the time as i'm writing this in my phone.

Here's the deal...

When i look at all my other non-teacher friends all earning more than me; getting 2-3months of year end bonus, spending lavishly on themselves, it does make me wonder why i decided to choose the teaching profession. Truly, being in the government sector of the education department isn't supposed to promise you spoils of war but to me... I knew that would happen. To me, it was going to be worth it...

... What will make all this worthwhile?

Job Satisfaction
As cliche as this may sound, the real truth is, there are some parts of the job that just cannot be put into numbers and calculated empirically. The part where I feel MOST fulfilled is the parts that you cannot consistently replicate like a monthly income or a year end bonus. It's the nice spontaneous things that happen throughout the job i.e. A sudden gift from a student, building relationships and watching kids grow, seeing students make significant improvements where you never thought possible... These are the things that make it really special.

EXTRA STUFF you do that other sectors don't
Things like friendship day, teachers' day, mothers' day, celebrating sporting events, having fashion shows, dance training, singing competitions, the list practically goes on and on with stuff that I really like to do. These are the unwritten, unscripted events that constantly SHOULD unfold in schooling years that a teacher directly gets a piece of. To me, these things are what makes the job so unpredictable and colourful; you never know what's coming and being surprised makes the job so exciting and eventful.

So, what happens when all these things that I love and distinct it AS the reasons i chose the profession disappear?

Many a times, I realised that I've been longing and wanting for these occurences to happen. Nothing brings me down more than the fact that I am not able to enjoy to the fullest these extra features of the profession since that is the only thing that seems better compared to other professions. If all I wanted was the month-ending salary or income, I WOULDN'T be a teacher. If all I cared about was the year-end bonuses, I'd do a litigation or business professional career instead (i know if i put my head into it, i can)... But no!

I wanted something else.

Teachers' day this year has shown how demoralizing it can be for a teacher like me. Excited, full of energy but with absolutely near-to-nothing celebration in my school just completely dampens my spirit. I was lucky enough that the English teachers, ELS and some very thoughtful students (thanks for all your wishes, gifts and roses) were kind enough to cheer my teachers' day up a bit. I wanted a piece of that laugh-till-your-anus-hurts day where I didn't think about anything else but just having fun with everyone in school... Did it happen? No.

To think that when i was asked by a friend "was there ever a point where you regretted teaching/being a teacher?" And I said no. I still think I was being very honest and I don't think that will change anytime soon...

... But things around me are SEEMINGLY trying to change my mind