This week is the last week of tuition classes for the tuition centre that I work in for all P1 to P5 classes. The P6 students had their classes stopped at the end of last month as PSLE took place early this month. The other students would either have taken their examinations prior to this week or will be taking it in coming week.
It is probably brief respite for the students who have attended our lessons religiously from December last year to now. The coming month is a break for them before they rejoin the 'ordeal' for the coming year for a new level. What does it mean for me? A month's holidays (Yes!) that is not paid (Boo hoo!).
A quick review for my rookie half year as a full-time tuition teacher: I have not been bogged down with much administrative work I used to face as a teacher in a school! I need not have to deviate from my lessons to incorporate teaching of National Education values. Though I do not mind teaching students values in life (I still grasp 'teachable moments' to drive some messages home), there is no emphasis on that in the centre and thus, I do not 'steal time' from what I am supposed to do (that is to teach!) to attend to much of the nitty-gritty stuff.
No concerts to take students away from lessons, no fire drill, no recess, no duties, no departmental work, no celebration of days and festivals; just plain teaching to the best I can! =)
I cannot say I have done my utmost and imparted all that they should know to them, like a skilled pugilist to his disciple. I have tried hard to let them see the relevance of some grammatical rules when applied to the different situations they have been put in. I have been passionate about the teaching of writing and managed to ignite the flame of writing in more than a handful of my students. I need to sit down and think harder how I can pull the rest on board and write 'good stories'.
In my three years teaching in MOE, I have received a handful of compliments from my customers - parents. I have hardly received any from my principal, and a non-commital "We can see you plan you lessons and are trying hard for your lessons," from my superior. Within a few months of my joining the centre, I have quite a few parents commending me to my boss and his wife about how their children have improved after attending lessons at the centre, about how they enjoy my lessons and their reluctance to change their timeslots / classes because of the teacher. This felt good!
October started the process of parents deciding if they wanted to renew their children's continual education with the centre. I have quite a few parents approaching me to check if I was going to be teaching the centre the next year and if I was going to teach their child's class in the same timeslot the following year. They told me that it was be an 'important consideration' to whether their child was going to carry on learning at the centre in 2011. A shining testimonial? If I was really that popular or that good, why did my former employers in MOE see that?? I wonder.
Being unconvinced, I checked with my colleagues at the counter. I probed if it was true that parents complained about teachers at the centre. I guess they are entitled to do so, since they have paid for their child's education with the centre, and it is with the hope that their child would improve. I was told that the centre does receive its fair share of complains, but there weren't any for me (thus far, fingers remained crossed!). One of my colleagues asked what it was that I do with my classes that led to their enjoying my lessons and perhaps, some kind of 'popularity'. My boss and her wife like the way I readily communicated with the children's parents and my 'good rapport' with both. Smile.
I think I have put in real effort, and in doing so, reaped some benefits. I am lucky that the centre and most of its customers value me. I know I have to do more, have to continue being serious in my work and not rest on my laurels. For all these good work can easily be forgotten... 'Gambate', Ryan!
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