A National Conspiracy

If you had been walking around NIE yesterday, you might have noticed an air of conspiracy about the place.


People walking to their classes, trying to look innocent.


Furtive glances left and right.


That half-suspicious look at you, to decide whether you could be trusted.


And finally, when you had proven yourself,


They would glance around again,


And then whisper in your ear,


"Eh, today you going for National Day celebrations or not?"


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So maybe this post deserves some explanation.....

Remember that for us trainee teachers, we are not supposed to skip classes or lectures, because we were trained professionals being paid to attend and blah blah blah.

However, no one made much comment about events such as the Director's Welcome, [during orientation] or National Day celebrations. [which were yesterday]

Classes were meant to end at 1430, and all tutors were supposed to 'escort' their classes to the square in the middle of campus, to watch the concert together. But some people didn't have classes during that period of the day. So there would be no one there to escort them to the concert. Or make sure that they attended it.

And given the choice, would you prefer to attend some dumb concert, or spend the whole afternoon out in town?

*Whistling innocently as they walk out of campus*

Anyway, word on the street was that not all the tutors decided attendance was compulsory either. I heard that one tutor, towards the end of the tutorial and the start of the concert, looked at her class and said,

"Gee, all of you look hungry! You should all go to the canteen for food!"

Of course, her class then eagerly gets ready to go. And then she says,

"Don't forget the concert is on later! There are so many people there, I might not see you! If I don't, I'll just take it that you're there!"

Superb tutor this one....... ;)

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Another point hit me later. The upper echelons of NIE is always onto us about our conduct, our clothing, blah blah blah. [Remember my earlier rants about the dress code and the lecturer with the punctuality issue?] It suddenly hit me why such 'nagging' from NIE about how we should 'behave like professional teachers on campus' will never work.

During Educational Psychology, [edpsych] we learned about the Parent, Child, and Adult states of mind of a human. The Parent state of mind is a controlling one, which always tells us what to do. The Child state of mind wants to have fun, but is more willing to listen. The Adult state balances the two.

[I realise this is not an exact description of the theory, but bear with me. I only read 1 chapter of my edpsych text so far]

So what's the connection?

Here, NIE is in the Parent mode, telling the errant Child, namely us, what to do. Now, if they are in the Parent mode, then we as trainee teachers have no choice but to respond in the Child mode. Why? Because if we respond with either the Parent or Adult mode, conflict will arise, since both will want the other to listen to them.

So, no choice! if NIE continues to be in the Parent mode, we have no choice but to respond with the Child! Parent must be counteracted by Child!

So forget with all the 'trained professional' crap eh? If you continue treating us in this manner, then we have no choice but to respond like this lor........