Happy Teacher’s Day, folks.
Maybe it’s good to pause a moment and give thanks to the many teachers who’ve guided us throughout the years. Believe me, many of them have suffered a lot.
Below are some war stories from 2+ decades in the education sector. I have seen teachers:
- walking out of class as a result from being bullied by students; (these are usually new teachers untrained in classroom management but it affects ‘seasoned’ ones as well)
- blocking certain parents’ numbers because said parents can’t help but call her/him a thousand times a week over a kid they can’t talk to
- given only a month’s notice to leave because the company wants to cut costs
- have their pay cut because the head complained to HR that he/she left 1/2 hour earlier (who doesn’t?)
- have their textbooks stolen by students on the first week
- have their festive holidays disrupted because the Holy and Exalted MQA requires them to submit the new program documentation by CNY Day 2.
- cursed with the foulest profanity in an auditorium during a public lecture because a student with Asperger’s couldn’t control himself
- reprimanded by students because said students’ ID was outdated and it didn’t match what the exam center had on its spreadsheet
- taking anti-depressant pills and even engaging in suicide ideation from the stress of work
- warned by superiors that they can’t be too creative beyond the stated “lesson objectives”
- shouted at by parents (and even students) because the system which handles subject registration. timetabling, attendance and so on is miles below par and somehow the teacher is being blamed
- questioned by family members wondering why said teacher still needs to attend late-evening meetings (which last 4–5 hours)
