Career as Teacher

You all dont put blame on young generations that dint have good work ethic.

You all have high ego on your seniority and long work experience in the teaching industry, know the best method etc

Times changed. There are some stuff need change


There is a recent bully video in a school. The school kid whacked the victim non stop.

What you all did to prevent such incident happen in a school?
You all just want money. Lets be real.

Hi sorry to disrupt the conversation. I’m currently offered a HOD role as a GEO4 and would like to seek some inputs on this progression:

2019: GEO2 (fresh from practicum)
2020: GEO3 - C+
2021: GEO3 - B
2022: GEO3 - A (acting SH)
2023: GEO4 - B (SH)
2024: GEO4 - B (SH)
2025: HOD-designate

I had intended to try 1 more year in 2025 before trying other postings (eg. HQ or other schools), but now that I’m taking up HOD, I will likely be stuck for 2-3 years.

Is this career progression considered fast? Should I explore somewhere else? TYIA

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi sorry to disrupt the conversation. I’m currently offered a HOD role as a GEO4 and would like to seek some inputs on this progression:

2019: GEO2 (fresh from practicum)
2020: GEO3 - C+
2021: GEO3 - B
2022: GEO3 - A (acting SH)
2023: GEO4 - B (SH)
2024: GEO4 - B (SH)
2025: HOD-designate

I had intended to try 1 more year in 2025 before trying other postings (eg. HQ or other schools), but now that I’m taking up HOD, I will likely be stuck for 2-3 years.

Is this career progression considered fast? Should I explore somewhere else? TYIA

If you were to try for other postings, would you be seeking higher appointment, or staying at SH level?

If you wish to climb the ladder, suggest you take up the HOD appointment and serve a minimum of 2 years before considering your next move.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi sorry to disrupt the conversation. I’m currently offered a HOD role as a GEO4 and would like to seek some inputs on this progression:

2019: GEO2 (fresh from practicum)
2020: GEO3 - C+
2021: GEO3 - B
2022: GEO3 - A (acting SH)
2023: GEO4 - B (SH)
2024: GEO4 - B (SH)
2025: HOD-designate

I had intended to try 1 more year in 2025 before trying other postings (eg. HQ or other schools), but now that I’m taking up HOD, I will likely be stuck for 2-3 years.

Is this career progression considered fast? Should I explore somewhere else? TYIA

This is exceptionally fast. Are you a scholar?

If I'm not wrong, nowadays most places in civil service need to queue up and wait a long time for promotion and higher appointments?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is exceptionally fast. Are you a scholar?

If I'm not wrong, nowadays most places in civil service need to queue up and wait a long time for promotion and higher appointments?

Usually this kind of fast advancement in appointment is the result of urgent school needs.

I have seen a very very young officer make SH and subsequently HOD of the Aesthetics department in a school simply because nobody in the school and in the cluster wanted to step up to fill the gaping hole in the school's estab. This was also before the KP rotations policy was announced. I believe that officer was at most a Teaching Award holder, not a prestigious scholarship holder.

In a large organisation like MOE, it is mostly about being in the right place at the right time, trained in the right subjects, and with the right bosses who believe in taking a chance on your. You can be a farmer, TA holder, local scholar, but still fly if the stars align (and you have the baseline competencies to succeed in that appointment la).

Hi, I was in a similar position before - 6 years before being HOD designate is very fast and you have clearly done well. Your school is also clearly willing to invest in you (I say this because not all schools are that willing to trust young officers)
This is my 9th year in service and I just cleared the HOD interview after being internal HOD for a year. Was subject head for 1 year before that. I had an overseas scholarship (lowest tier one) so it might have been faster than average, but really it was right place right time because the Hod role became vacant and I was asked to fill it and try the role out.

I would advise you to take on the hod role and stay until you are officially appointed at least. I spent 3 years in HQ and quite frankly, it's a lot more politics and way harder to stand out as a good officer (I got Bs throughout my 3 years of HQ but I feel like my career just stagnated until I posted out to HQ and joined my current school.)

On a performance bonus perspective, geo 4 hod is almost confirmed an A grade assuming you can do the role properly.

Just my advice and thoughts - all the best with your decision making

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi sorry to disrupt the conversation. I’m currently offered a HOD role as a GEO4 and would like to seek some inputs on this progression:

2019: GEO2 (fresh from practicum)
2020: GEO3 - C+
2021: GEO3 - B
2022: GEO3 - A (acting SH)
2023: GEO4 - B (SH)
2024: GEO4 - B (SH)
2025: HOD-designate

I had intended to try 1 more year in 2025 before trying other postings (eg. HQ or other schools), but now that I’m taking up HOD, I will likely be stuck for 2-3 years.

Is this career progression considered fast? Should I explore somewhere else? TYIA

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Usually this kind of fast advancement in appointment is the result of urgent school needs.

I have seen a very very young officer make SH and subsequently HOD of the Aesthetics department in a school simply because nobody in the school and in the cluster wanted to step up to fill the gaping hole in the school's estab. This was also before the KP rotations policy was announced. I believe that officer was at most a Teaching Award holder, not a prestigious scholarship holder.

In a large organisation like MOE, it is mostly about being in the right place at the right time, trained in the right subjects, and with the right bosses who believe in taking a chance on your. You can be a farmer, TA holder, local scholar, but still fly if the stars align (and you have the baseline competencies to succeed in that appointment la).

oh so in summary...need luck + competency.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

oh so in summary...need luck + competency.

Luck: to have a vacancy for you in a heavily progression-bottlenecked environment

Competency: to not fail at your job and get asked to step down

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Luck: to have a vacancy for you in a heavily progression-bottlenecked environment

Competency: to not fail at your job and get asked to step down

Most younger officers are hardworking and competent enough though.

I would say that luck will determine 90% of the success in progression. Unless there are ways to free up the congestion above.

Incompetent teachers