Run Of The Mill (Part 12)
Niv never fails to feel fully recharged each time he returns from New Zealand. He loves that place so much, even if his time is short there, he cherishes every moment there. However, he knows he does not belong there and he must return to his home, Singapore.
Attending the staff meeting before the new school year started, there were comments made by a few other educators of why Niv is still around. He knows he had stepped on more than a few toes during his time there and he was not surprised at the questions he picked up when they thought that he was out of earshot. Niv had knew that no matter how well he performed during this 6 upcoming months he will never be sent for further studies. He could tell by the final meeting with management 2 months ago and he was just stretching his time there.
However, this year they gave him a few challenges. He had a full load, not unlike other educators and would have complete autonomy in his mathematics classes. He loved being allowed to educate without being restrained. He also was asked to take on co-form teachership and he was surprised by this offer. This year also started on a good note as a new fellow educator, Kok, and him hit it off right away. It did not hurt that they shared a class. Together, they had more than their fair share of after school laughs. Niv also started to have a regular group of lunch mates, bonded only by their love of food and the emotional well-being of each other.
Starting the year allowed Niv to better bond with the students and he really loved them alot. Every lesson was a joy for him and he tried his very best to ensure that all the students are able to understand the concepts yet have fun. His methods are a mixture of old school and freedom minus the incessant IT that the education arena has been focusing heavily on. It was not that he was afraid of IT or found it cumbersome. He had realised that too often students are turned-off when they see IT-based lessons. He wanted to get their attention and bring in some old school classroom atmosphere where students do enjoy their time in class. How successful he was, was anybody's guess. However, as his maths lesson got along, he could see that the students were starting to have more confidence in themselves.
His relationship with his form class would be one of almost there but not there yet. He was trying his best to learn their names and to be able to help them to adjust into secondary school life. He wanted them to show more confidence in themselves and not be put down by others.
He did not have as much fun in his other subject but he tried his best to make things interesting for them. He wanted them to be able to enjoy. Students should think of school where they come to learn and enjoy. Not just assessments and more assessments. True, those do help them improve but to turn them off when they are just starting their secondary school career would just have them turned-off altogether. Give them some initial breathing space and slowly bring them in.
It could be said that his ultimate leaving of the education sector was not down to his incompetence but more to disagreement of ideas. True, he had erred initially with his slow marking of assignments and non-feedback. He accepted those criticism and worked hard for the students sake. However, he knew that no matter what he did, it would never be enough for those who reign over his appointment. When the time came for his review he was told to leave. Or rather, management wanted to terminate him but at least someone from the district had a better head on their shoulders and offered an alternative leaving plan. Much to the chagrin of management, he was allowed to resign instead. District was surprised by Niv's nonchalance to his removal and he mentioned that he never had a chance the moment management took a dislike for him. He admitted he was at fault for the points raised during the meeting but as District might have realised by then, the report was exceedingly damaging and exceedingly skewered against Niv. It just serves to highlight the agenda management had against him and how unrepairable it is. He put it down to being at the wrong school at the wrong time.
There were also some rumours and heresy that told of how 6 other previous educators under one of his mentors never got to be recommended for further studies. Only one went through and only because he had the backing of another senior educator. How true is this? Niv does not know. However, if it is, are all the 7 educators, including himself, really unsuitable or is there something fundamentally flawed with the mentor? Hmmmm..... He did not want to ponder on such hypothetical issues. It does nothing to improve his situation.
When he left, he felt that he had abandoned his students. He loved the bond he had with them and was sad to be leaving them. Before he left, a parent had given a card to him commenting on how Niv had helped to peak the interest in maths in her daughter again. He felt really all tight inside. He was in a state of shock and he teared. He never expected for anyone to recognise his efforts and the card overwhelmed him. He was so happy yet he at the same time he felt really sad. Was he crying tears of joy or sadness, he does not know. The students had liked his lessons and he only wished that he could have continued with them. However, his time was up and he had to move on. Would he return? Definitely but not under this management, not with people like his mentors if they are still there. He knows his time with the education sector is only taking a break. He will return to it for he knew now more than ever, herein lies his passion.
Attending the staff meeting before the new school year started, there were comments made by a few other educators of why Niv is still around. He knows he had stepped on more than a few toes during his time there and he was not surprised at the questions he picked up when they thought that he was out of earshot. Niv had knew that no matter how well he performed during this 6 upcoming months he will never be sent for further studies. He could tell by the final meeting with management 2 months ago and he was just stretching his time there.
However, this year they gave him a few challenges. He had a full load, not unlike other educators and would have complete autonomy in his mathematics classes. He loved being allowed to educate without being restrained. He also was asked to take on co-form teachership and he was surprised by this offer. This year also started on a good note as a new fellow educator, Kok, and him hit it off right away. It did not hurt that they shared a class. Together, they had more than their fair share of after school laughs. Niv also started to have a regular group of lunch mates, bonded only by their love of food and the emotional well-being of each other.
Starting the year allowed Niv to better bond with the students and he really loved them alot. Every lesson was a joy for him and he tried his very best to ensure that all the students are able to understand the concepts yet have fun. His methods are a mixture of old school and freedom minus the incessant IT that the education arena has been focusing heavily on. It was not that he was afraid of IT or found it cumbersome. He had realised that too often students are turned-off when they see IT-based lessons. He wanted to get their attention and bring in some old school classroom atmosphere where students do enjoy their time in class. How successful he was, was anybody's guess. However, as his maths lesson got along, he could see that the students were starting to have more confidence in themselves.
His relationship with his form class would be one of almost there but not there yet. He was trying his best to learn their names and to be able to help them to adjust into secondary school life. He wanted them to show more confidence in themselves and not be put down by others.
He did not have as much fun in his other subject but he tried his best to make things interesting for them. He wanted them to be able to enjoy. Students should think of school where they come to learn and enjoy. Not just assessments and more assessments. True, those do help them improve but to turn them off when they are just starting their secondary school career would just have them turned-off altogether. Give them some initial breathing space and slowly bring them in.
It could be said that his ultimate leaving of the education sector was not down to his incompetence but more to disagreement of ideas. True, he had erred initially with his slow marking of assignments and non-feedback. He accepted those criticism and worked hard for the students sake. However, he knew that no matter what he did, it would never be enough for those who reign over his appointment. When the time came for his review he was told to leave. Or rather, management wanted to terminate him but at least someone from the district had a better head on their shoulders and offered an alternative leaving plan. Much to the chagrin of management, he was allowed to resign instead. District was surprised by Niv's nonchalance to his removal and he mentioned that he never had a chance the moment management took a dislike for him. He admitted he was at fault for the points raised during the meeting but as District might have realised by then, the report was exceedingly damaging and exceedingly skewered against Niv. It just serves to highlight the agenda management had against him and how unrepairable it is. He put it down to being at the wrong school at the wrong time.
There were also some rumours and heresy that told of how 6 other previous educators under one of his mentors never got to be recommended for further studies. Only one went through and only because he had the backing of another senior educator. How true is this? Niv does not know. However, if it is, are all the 7 educators, including himself, really unsuitable or is there something fundamentally flawed with the mentor? Hmmmm..... He did not want to ponder on such hypothetical issues. It does nothing to improve his situation.
When he left, he felt that he had abandoned his students. He loved the bond he had with them and was sad to be leaving them. Before he left, a parent had given a card to him commenting on how Niv had helped to peak the interest in maths in her daughter again. He felt really all tight inside. He was in a state of shock and he teared. He never expected for anyone to recognise his efforts and the card overwhelmed him. He was so happy yet he at the same time he felt really sad. Was he crying tears of joy or sadness, he does not know. The students had liked his lessons and he only wished that he could have continued with them. However, his time was up and he had to move on. Would he return? Definitely but not under this management, not with people like his mentors if they are still there. He knows his time with the education sector is only taking a break. He will return to it for he knew now more than ever, herein lies his passion.
posted by Prosage at 3:15 am
1 Comments:
And i thought blogs can never replace a good paperback novel.
Non-fiction is stranger than fiction.
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