Update: Induction is over. Holidays are over. School has started. With me in it.
*long shriek*
Yes, I've finally ended my much-too-short children's education... er, education and I've been thrown into the deep blue sea without a float. Why without a float? Because that's exactly how I feel. You can just imagine me walking off the plank, two miserable floaties around my arms, screaming, "I'm not ready! I'm not ready!"
*Sigh* Like anyone ever cared? Like time and tide ever waited for anyone?
Anywayz, because of the probability that this blog may be read by some colleague, *seriously crossing my fingers here* I obviously have to go on a strict Vow of Unwilling Confidentiality. Sorry guys, but so do NOT want to be the first teacher-blogger to be sued by an wrathful principal.
So just a few details. I've been posted to one of the many inconspicuous government schools around the island. [so you can immediately cross out the famous ones] The school is ok, but... I still think my previous School Experience and Practicuum schools were run better. :p The kids are ok, except for one or two cases that makes me just want to........ I think the experienced teachs would know what kinda kid I'm talking about :S
And so much to absorb!!!! It's not quite about the amount of work, it's the sheer number they pile upon you on your first week in school! I've gotten a form class, I've had to run around after several people for my resources, [after which I gave up and bought a couple of non-core texts, like the SS and the health ed books] I've had to run after other office staff for keys, codes, laptop, [still yet to arrive] and I've even run into and met a few parents already!
And this is just my first week? *faint* Only about 155 more to go............
Ok, I'm guessing there are a lot more horror stories out there about first days, [do share in the comments!] but hey, since it's my blog, gimme some time to angst about it, eh? :p
Friday, June 30, 2006
Into the deep blue sea without a float
Update: Induction is over. Holidays are over. School has started. With me in it.
*long shriek*
Yes, I've finally ended my much-too-short children's education... er, education and I've been thrown into the deep blue sea without a float. Why without a float? Because that's exactly how I feel. You can just imagine me walking off the plank, two miserable floaties around my arms, screaming, "I'm not ready! I'm not ready!"
*Sigh* Like anyone ever cared? Like time and tide ever waited for anyone?
Anywayz, because of the probability that this blog may be read by some colleague, *seriously crossing my fingers here* I obviously have to go on a strict Vow of Unwilling Confidentiality. Sorry guys, but so do NOT want to be the first teacher-blogger to be sued by an wrathful principal.
So just a few details. I've been posted to one of the many inconspicuous government schools around the island. [so you can immediately cross out the famous ones] The school is ok, but... I still think my previous School Experience and Practicuum schools were run better. :p The kids are ok, except for one or two cases that makes me just want to........ I think the experienced teachs would know what kinda kid I'm talking about :S
And so much to absorb!!!! It's not quite about the amount of work, it's the sheer number they pile upon you on your first week in school! I've gotten a form class, I've had to run around after several people for my resources, [after which I gave up and bought a couple of non-core texts, like the SS and the health ed books] I've had to run after other office staff for keys, codes, laptop, [still yet to arrive] and I've even run into and met a few parents already!
And this is just my first week? *faint* Only about 155 more to go............
Ok, I'm guessing there are a lot more horror stories out there about first days, [do share in the comments!] but hey, since it's my blog, gimme some time to angst about it, eh? :p
*long shriek*
Yes, I've finally ended my much-too-short children's education... er, education and I've been thrown into the deep blue sea without a float. Why without a float? Because that's exactly how I feel. You can just imagine me walking off the plank, two miserable floaties around my arms, screaming, "I'm not ready! I'm not ready!"
*Sigh* Like anyone ever cared? Like time and tide ever waited for anyone?
Anywayz, because of the probability that this blog may be read by some colleague, *seriously crossing my fingers here* I obviously have to go on a strict Vow of Unwilling Confidentiality. Sorry guys, but so do NOT want to be the first teacher-blogger to be sued by an wrathful principal.
So just a few details. I've been posted to one of the many inconspicuous government schools around the island. [so you can immediately cross out the famous ones] The school is ok, but... I still think my previous School Experience and Practicuum schools were run better. :p The kids are ok, except for one or two cases that makes me just want to........ I think the experienced teachs would know what kinda kid I'm talking about :S
And so much to absorb!!!! It's not quite about the amount of work, it's the sheer number they pile upon you on your first week in school! I've gotten a form class, I've had to run around after several people for my resources, [after which I gave up and bought a couple of non-core texts, like the SS and the health ed books] I've had to run after other office staff for keys, codes, laptop, [still yet to arrive] and I've even run into and met a few parents already!
And this is just my first week? *faint* Only about 155 more to go............
Ok, I'm guessing there are a lot more horror stories out there about first days, [do share in the comments!] but hey, since it's my blog, gimme some time to angst about it, eh? :p
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Do you feel enriched?
After the talk I just attended today, I managed to organize my thoughts on what about the induction programme irritated me so much.
No Value Whatsoever
What did I learn from the talks? What did I take away? NOTHING. The content of the talks, on speaking good English [duh], importance of Health Education and especially NE were all things that I knew before, and worse, in the case of NE, drummed into me so many times that I became utterly sick of the whole idea of it. [Talk about a case of overload]
But whatever the 'learning objectives' of the talk were, I do not know whether you can consider them fulfilled. Because I was so bored for the talks that I went to, that I became turned off the rest of the talks. Why would I attend something that adds no value to my knowledge, and that is so boring?
Some may give the reason that "Well, that's just you. Maybe there are others who are interested". Well, firstly, I don't see that my boredom affected their interest so much. Secondly, judging by the number of people who left the auditoriums to go to the toilets, the number of people who totally skipped the talks and the number of people who were reading magazines or using their laptops during the talks, I don't think there were that many people who were interested.
And by the way, most of us are university grads? I think we know the importance of speaking good English? *duh*
Lack of Organization
This was in more than one area. Firstly, the programmes themselves. Aside from one feedback session [arguably the most interesting part of the induction], one visit to an SAF camp, and another visit to ITE, the rest of the programmes were talks. What effort is there in organizing a talk? You decide on the topic, get one or two peoplew willing to do up a powerpoint presentation for you, and talk on the topic, book venue, submit approval, and TA-DAH! Done! Maybe that's why there are so many 'talks'.
Another very bad example of lack of organization is the attendance taking after the talks. Hordes of people crowding around tables, no queues, no signs to tell you what was on that table. I left the auditorium and what I saw were 2 crowds gathering outside, one presumably for primary school teachers, the other for secondary.
Here's the big question: Which table is which? There was no sign to indicate whether that table was for primary school teachers' attendances, or secondary school teachers, or maybe just drinks. You could only find out either by squeezing through the crowd, to look at the papers on the table, or you asked people who had already been there.
Worse, once you squeezed your way to the table, you had to look through the papers for your name, because the name lists were just dumped on the table. In other words, you still had to get up close, look and guess which paper had names starting with the same letter as yours, and if you had the wrong one, you had to squeeze past another group of people who were also trying to find their names.
And through all this, the staff in charge were just placidly standing behind the tables, watching us squeeze, groan, and flare our way through.
What kind of organization is this??? Is it such an incredible, original idea, to put up signs indicating where to go to sign your name? Is it too much effort on those poor, overworked, underpaid, admin staff to print out a few sheets of paper, and even put up some barricades or chairs so people knew where to queue and where to stand, and so that traffic would go smoothly? Apparently it was, because NONE of these simple, commonsensical ideas were done.
Through the squeezing, I did hear people remark wryly that this was like the Great Singapore Sale. I disagree. I've seen Robinsons Sales that were better organized.
So after going through all this, I'm expected to still be keen and eager and listening during the talk? Some people better start talking to the pedagogy people, because it seems they lack a few lessons in 'classroom management'.
No Value Whatsoever
What did I learn from the talks? What did I take away? NOTHING. The content of the talks, on speaking good English [duh], importance of Health Education and especially NE were all things that I knew before, and worse, in the case of NE, drummed into me so many times that I became utterly sick of the whole idea of it. [Talk about a case of overload]
But whatever the 'learning objectives' of the talk were, I do not know whether you can consider them fulfilled. Because I was so bored for the talks that I went to, that I became turned off the rest of the talks. Why would I attend something that adds no value to my knowledge, and that is so boring?
Some may give the reason that "Well, that's just you. Maybe there are others who are interested". Well, firstly, I don't see that my boredom affected their interest so much. Secondly, judging by the number of people who left the auditoriums to go to the toilets, the number of people who totally skipped the talks and the number of people who were reading magazines or using their laptops during the talks, I don't think there were that many people who were interested.
And by the way, most of us are university grads? I think we know the importance of speaking good English? *duh*
Lack of Organization
This was in more than one area. Firstly, the programmes themselves. Aside from one feedback session [arguably the most interesting part of the induction], one visit to an SAF camp, and another visit to ITE, the rest of the programmes were talks. What effort is there in organizing a talk? You decide on the topic, get one or two peoplew willing to do up a powerpoint presentation for you, and talk on the topic, book venue, submit approval, and TA-DAH! Done! Maybe that's why there are so many 'talks'.
Another very bad example of lack of organization is the attendance taking after the talks. Hordes of people crowding around tables, no queues, no signs to tell you what was on that table. I left the auditorium and what I saw were 2 crowds gathering outside, one presumably for primary school teachers, the other for secondary.
Here's the big question: Which table is which? There was no sign to indicate whether that table was for primary school teachers' attendances, or secondary school teachers, or maybe just drinks. You could only find out either by squeezing through the crowd, to look at the papers on the table, or you asked people who had already been there.
Worse, once you squeezed your way to the table, you had to look through the papers for your name, because the name lists were just dumped on the table. In other words, you still had to get up close, look and guess which paper had names starting with the same letter as yours, and if you had the wrong one, you had to squeeze past another group of people who were also trying to find their names.
And through all this, the staff in charge were just placidly standing behind the tables, watching us squeeze, groan, and flare our way through.
What kind of organization is this??? Is it such an incredible, original idea, to put up signs indicating where to go to sign your name? Is it too much effort on those poor, overworked, underpaid, admin staff to print out a few sheets of paper, and even put up some barricades or chairs so people knew where to queue and where to stand, and so that traffic would go smoothly? Apparently it was, because NONE of these simple, commonsensical ideas were done.
Through the squeezing, I did hear people remark wryly that this was like the Great Singapore Sale. I disagree. I've seen Robinsons Sales that were better organized.
So after going through all this, I'm expected to still be keen and eager and listening during the talk? Some people better start talking to the pedagogy people, because it seems they lack a few lessons in 'classroom management'.
Induction
Now that the practicuum is over, it's the last 2 weeks for NIe to stuff whatever they want left into us before we leave. Well basically it's the induction period. No lessons or stuff, just attending talk after talk after talk.
Granted this is a GREAT improvement from either lessons or practicuum. After all, all we have to do is sit there and listen. The only thing is that I wish that the talks were a wee bit more interesting to listen to?
The first one, for instance, was a forum on Speak Good English. Basic lessons from talk: Teachers should Speak Good English in order to show a good example to their students. :s OMG. Is that something they thought we didn't know??? Why are they spending 2 hours preaching to the already-converted-for-very-long?
The other interesting thing was the ITE visit. ITE at EXPO of all places....... :S If we thought the location of NIE was bad, this was almost worse. The upshot though was that the campus was very sleek looking and very up to date. Definitely did not look like a stereotypical 'dumping ground'. We were brought around a couple of the facilities by the students, and definitely, the equipment and facilities looked just as good as any poly or uni.
The irony was, halfway through the tour, while we were still rather impressed with the place, we were brought past a toilet, with an unmistakeable nicotine-ish odour wafting from the inside that left no doubt about wat the people inside were doing. :s Oops........ Hey, the beauty therapy school looked great though. :D
Haiz, well at least as I said, there isn't much need for work or brainpower on our part. Just show up, keep quiet, and then that's it.
Granted this is a GREAT improvement from either lessons or practicuum. After all, all we have to do is sit there and listen. The only thing is that I wish that the talks were a wee bit more interesting to listen to?
The first one, for instance, was a forum on Speak Good English. Basic lessons from talk: Teachers should Speak Good English in order to show a good example to their students. :s OMG. Is that something they thought we didn't know??? Why are they spending 2 hours preaching to the already-converted-for-very-long?
The other interesting thing was the ITE visit. ITE at EXPO of all places....... :S If we thought the location of NIE was bad, this was almost worse. The upshot though was that the campus was very sleek looking and very up to date. Definitely did not look like a stereotypical 'dumping ground'. We were brought around a couple of the facilities by the students, and definitely, the equipment and facilities looked just as good as any poly or uni.
The irony was, halfway through the tour, while we were still rather impressed with the place, we were brought past a toilet, with an unmistakeable nicotine-ish odour wafting from the inside that left no doubt about wat the people inside were doing. :s Oops........ Hey, the beauty therapy school looked great though. :D
Haiz, well at least as I said, there isn't much need for work or brainpower on our part. Just show up, keep quiet, and then that's it.
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