Career as Teacher

Song Song Gao Zoolong?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Reading through past few posts, i cant believe how willing officers are just to get a few grand worth of bonuses. You mean to say you are willing to come to work sick, have unhealthy work hour boundaries just so that you can stand a chance to be given 1000-3000 more in bonuses? (Assuming average salary of 6k).. i believe you have a life outside the small cubicle you work in. And frankly speaking,you could have put in those extra effort giving tuition while earning much higher guaranteed sums of money.

Not so smart eh.

Im a veteran teacher and i always say this to my juniors. People have an unhealthy mindset in this sector. Why are we constantly being reminded that teaching is a calling? Its a profession just like everything else. You get paid for what you put in. Dont go beyond what you are meant to do, it will lead to burnout. Most capable and efficient teachers i know have already left the service

A veteran colleague of mine said these to the juniors. He got called into the Principals office and was told off for doing so

Where did the capable and efficient teachers jump to?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

A veteran colleague of mine said these to the juniors. He got called into the Principals office and was told off for doing so

Where did the capable and efficient teachers jump to?

Its breeding a culture where teachers see themselves as heroes who are ok to sacrifice their family life and sanity in order to benefit students.

Chan chun sing sleeping at the wheel.

Honestly, i think this culture of "seeing themselves as heroes" isn't just in the teaching service. It is common across the Public Service. The mission of the Public Service is to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. To serve.

Thus, across the ministries, I have heard and witnessed officers (regardless of rank) putting in additional hours, working over night, to get work done.

People who are not aligned with the VMV of Civil Service will not apply to be Civil Servants in the first place.

For teachers, I agree that it is a calling. Not everyone has the disposition to be teachers and nurses.

Another member here highlighted that teachers have many days of holidays. This is true although they do not have standard AL. However, if we sum up all the school holidays minus the school planning days, teachers still have ~40 holi - days. lol

Teachers also have free professional development (PD) courses and every year they get addition $ on top of salary and bonuses for PD. This $ can be used to purchase mobile phones, laptops, etc as long as the devices can be used for PD.

I guess if we look at it this way:

Assuming teachers work ~60 hours like any professionals in Singapore, receiving ~40 holi-days, free PD time and courses, plus PD $$$, and 4-6 months of bonuses (perf bonus + mid-year bonus + 13th month), it really isn't that bad as people describe it to be.

It is just emotionally draining and that's when teachers need to learn how to strengthen their emotional resilience.

Dun get me started on early childhood teachers (preschool teachers) salaries... hahaha but that's for another thread!

Teachers are overpaid and underserving.

Many holidays high pay still complain a lot. Not as if the manager lash out on you on daily basis. Zds

Originally Posted by Timothy

Honestly, i think this culture of "seeing themselves as heroes" isn't just in the teaching service. It is common across the Public Service. The mission of the Public Service is to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. To serve.

Thus, across the ministries, I have heard and witnessed officers (regardless of rank) putting in additional hours, working over night, to get work done.

People who are not aligned with the VMV of Civil Service will not apply to be Civil Servants in the first place.

For teachers, I agree that it is a calling. Not everyone has the disposition to be teachers and nurses.

Another member here highlighted that teachers have many days of holidays. This is true although they do not have standard AL. However, if we sum up all the school holidays minus the school planning days, teachers still have ~40 holi - days. lol

Teachers also have free professional development (PD) courses and every year they get addition $ on top of salary and bonuses for PD. This $ can be used to purchase mobile phones, laptops, etc as long as the devices can be used for PD.

I guess if we look at it this way:

Assuming teachers work ~60 hours like any professionals in Singapore, receiving ~40 holi-days, free PD time and courses, plus PD $$$, and 4-6 months of bonuses (perf bonus + mid-year bonus + 13th month), it really isn't that bad as people describe it to be.

It is just emotionally draining and that's when teachers need to learn how to strengthen their emotional resilience.

Dun get me started on early childhood teachers (preschool teachers) salaries... hahaha but that's for another thread!

Many truths in this post, but can I check, where are you getting 8 weeks (40 days) of protected time in one year? Got lobang?

Originally Posted by Timothy

Honestly, i think this culture of "seeing themselves as heroes" isn't just in the teaching service. It is common across the Public Service. The mission of the Public Service is to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. To serve.

Thus, across the ministries, I have heard and witnessed officers (regardless of rank) putting in additional hours, working over night, to get work done.

People who are not aligned with the VMV of Civil Service will not apply to be Civil Servants in the first place.

For teachers, I agree that it is a calling. Not everyone has the disposition to be teachers and nurses.

Another member here highlighted that teachers have many days of holidays. This is true although they do not have standard AL. However, if we sum up all the school holidays minus the school planning days, teachers still have ~40 holi - days. lol

Teachers also have free professional development (PD) courses and every year they get addition $ on top of salary and bonuses for PD. This $ can be used to purchase mobile phones, laptops, etc as long as the devices can be used for PD.

I guess if we look at it this way:

Assuming teachers work ~60 hours like any professionals in Singapore, receiving ~40 holi-days, free PD time and courses, plus PD $$$, and 4-6 months of bonuses (perf bonus + mid-year bonus + 13th month), it really isn't that bad as people describe it to be.

It is just emotionally draining and that's when teachers need to learn how to strengthen their emotional resilience.

Dun get me started on early childhood teachers (preschool teachers) salaries... hahaha but that's for another thread!

my guess here is you're either a high level KP or SL who has lost touch with the ground level, or not a teacher at all

truths:

1. the average of 50-60 hours per week is true. yes it's not the worst. but it's tending towards the bad end when comparing all industries. the salary used to be better compared to other industries, but since covid, many industries have caught up (including fellow ministries). and is the salary really worth it for the average workload and hours? food for thought.

2. there are indeed PD courses which are mostly paid for. but do you think teachers have the time and energy to go for these things EVEN if they are deemed useful?

truths they may be, but they also generate more questions for debate.

myths:

1. 4-6 months of bonuses are only for above-average and excellent performers, or higher/senior management. the vast majority of the ministry only receives 3+ months per year - similar to other ministries (standard comparison will be with the general MX scheme)

2. no way is there 40 days of undisturbed holidays/leave. there is a standard of around 30 days of protected leave, but the dates cannot be chosen - they are allocated. there may be some additional unprotected days off, if a school does not need an officer to report back for official duty. but to add on, for March, June and September holidays, the vast majority of teachers will be spending a lot of time either marking or setting papers. there may also be official work duties like national exam invigilation.

if the public (who are wrongfully jealous of this all the time) want a more accurate average number for holidays/leave/days off - it is around 25-30 days per year. if still want to be calculative, it is actually being fair to pay them back some free days for the constant OT during curriculum time.

to be honest, the ministry ought to publish some official guidelines to educate the public specifically about the unique workload and hours of teachers, because the public simply cannot stop shooting their misconceptions at them. so many keep quiet here because they're just sick and tired of trying to dispel these ancient boomer level misconceptions that have existed since the 1980s my goodness

Originally Posted by Unregistered

my guess here is you're either a high level KP or SL who has lost touch with the ground level, or not a teacher at all

truths:

1. the average of 50-60 hours per week is true. yes it's not the worst. but it's tending towards the bad end when comparing all industries. the salary used to be better compared to other industries, but since covid, many industries have caught up (including fellow ministries). and is the salary really worth it for the average workload and hours? food for thought.

2. there are indeed PD courses which are mostly paid for. but do you think teachers have the time and energy to go for these things EVEN if they are deemed useful?

truths they may be, but they also generate more questions for debate.

myths:

1. 4-6 months of bonuses are only for above-average and excellent performers, or higher/senior management. the vast majority of the ministry only receives 3+ months per year - similar to other ministries (standard comparison will be with the general MX scheme)

2. no way is there 40 days of undisturbed holidays/leave. there is a standard of around 30 days of protected leave, but the dates cannot be chosen - they are allocated. there may be some additional unprotected days off, if a school does not need an officer to report back for official duty. but to add on, for March, June and September holidays, the vast majority of teachers will be spending a lot of time either marking or setting papers. there may also be official work duties like national exam invigilation.

if the public (who are wrongfully jealous of this all the time) want a more accurate average number for holidays/leave/days off - it is around 25-30 days per year. if still want to be calculative, it is actually being fair to pay them back some free days for the constant OT during curriculum time.

to be honest, the ministry ought to publish some official guidelines to educate the public specifically about the unique workload and hours of teachers, because the public simply cannot stop shooting their misconceptions at them. so many keep quiet here because they're just sick and tired of trying to dispel these ancient boomer level misconceptions that have existed since the 1980s my goodness

Finally, someone who makes sense.

Anyway, the media and certain MP has definitely overlooked at the number of teachers on perm employment. While there are 30K +/- teachers, just how many are on CA/FAJT scheme? What about those on NPL? They are still considered a 'headcount'. So the perm teachers got to tank more admin/be involved in more committees or projects because those not 'emotionally resilient' (as supposed in an earlier post) have converted to such schemes because the teaching environment is getting ...(You get the drift)

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Teachers are overpaid and underserving.

Many holidays high pay still complain a lot. Not as if the manager lash out on you on daily basis. Zds

meaning to say tht u don't whine / moan at work??
wow, lim peh clap for u

Still remember when my grandparents died many years ago during term time, not entitled to compassionate leave because compassionate leave only covered death of immediate family member (parents, siblings, children and spouse).

Don't even have the option of taking annual leave, because teachers don't have annual leave.

Horrible experience