Teaching and Satisfaction

If you were to ask me what the 1 thing I live for is, I would answer satisfaction. There were actually times when my positivity was at its peak that it made me wonder, perhaps the satisfaction I mentioned is what lea me into this route. The education field. I have been asked so many times the same question by different people; Why do you want to be a teacher? A question many would stutter to answer. While some genuinely overjoyed when I say I’m training to be a teacher with the government, the rest pretended to be.

There are just a gazillion turn offs in being a teacher and let me point out the obvious;

It is a profession with no promise of fame, fortune or status.
It is a profession regarded as the last resort to many .

Just like everybody else, I had a dream ( I hate that line though) , I wanted to become a lawyer, so badly indeed. But my dream was cut short because of parental denial. My stubbornness then landed me in a foundation course offered by a private college which didn’t last long apparently. Later on, I received a government scholarship to pursue a degree in English language teaching without twinning. My parents greatly agreed to this because they did some research and found that teaching was a profession that provided a secure future not knowing the downside which is always invisible to viewers outside the field. I detested the profession because my parents liked it since I was the regular young & angry rebel. Even till this moment I fight about it.

Despite my futile actions, sometimes I reflect. Perhaps I fit in here, to be a teacher. My few experiences at school I should say did not guarantee or boost my passion, yet it did show I can teach. I requested to relief classes and planned activities only for the reason of learning about the likes and dislikes of kids and their expectations. When I have so much hatred for this profession you may ask why I did that, perhaps I care or there is satisfaction in it.

At times when I look at some teachers who barely even try to make the students understand, I get upset. Methods used are plain boring, no other supporting materials besides the text book which is apparently designed to just meet the syllabus that helps in nothing but excelling in exams. At the end of the day, these students learn nothing. I’m a strong believer that language can be made fun in various ways if the teacher can jolly push the envelope. Hence, it is indeed frustrating to see how some degree holders graduated from the overseas degree programmes who are specialised in teaching made zero attempts to teach and just shake legs bringing nothing but worse names to the profession. I have faith I can make a difference.

Therefore i concluded, if I succeeded I will stay and spread hope to the new generation but if the opposite were to take place I will quit after 3 years. Seriously!

It is hard for many to believe that some people would trade in LV’s for a smile in return but I will, merely for the satisfaction of it.  

What do you live for?
I chose to live for more than fame, fortune or status.

 For the satisfaction of educating.

To be a teacher in Malaysia, you need to be nothing less than great!
Therefore I believe, if I can be a good teacher, I can be anything!

Renuka G