Career as Teacher

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not true... Students can make hurtful comments all the time. Most KPs won't back you up when students make complaints against you, especially when it comes to teaching. You will really need to have a strong content mastery. My colleague walked into a class, and then started teaching. Nobody picked up a pen. They said they didn't trust her at all. They had signed up for tuition. Rather than being disciplined for their rudeness, she was given mentoring sessions to better engage with the students. Nope... Every school has its own set of challenges. Some teachers cannot survive in top tier schools, and vice versa. Find a school with KPs who support you AND students who like your teaching/nurturing.

very well said

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not true... Students can make hurtful comments all the time. Most KPs won't back you up when students make complaints against you, especially when it comes to teaching. You will really need to have a strong content mastery. My colleague walked into a class, and then started teaching. Nobody picked up a pen. They said they didn't trust her at all. They had signed up for tuition. Rather than being disciplined for their rudeness, she was given mentoring sessions to better engage with the students. Nope... Every school has its own set of challenges. Some teachers cannot survive in top tier schools, and vice versa. Find a school with KPs who support you AND students who like your teaching/nurturing.

I heard very different stories though. Some say not as much pressure in top tier schools because the students can excel academically without relying much on the teachers, and obviously there are much fewer disciplinary issues

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I heard very different stories though. Some say not as much pressure in top tier schools because the students can excel academically without relying much on the teachers, and obviously there are much fewer disciplinary issues

In top tiger schools, they have many events which stretch out HOTs thinly... It's not easy either.

Hi, was emplaced onto FLP last year. Want to check if MOE will notify participation in FLP yearly, or only once?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I heard very different stories though. Some say not as much pressure in top tier schools because the students can excel academically without relying much on the teachers, and obviously there are much fewer disciplinary issues

This is quite true. In such "top" schools, a mediocre teacher with subpar content knowledge or poor pedagogical skills can get by because the students are able to find other ways to make up for poor teaching. So hey it's ok if you don't care about having a reputation in the school for being the shitty teacher whose class everyone hates.

The flip side to this is that you need to really know your stuff and show your passion for the subject to earn the students' respect. And once you prove your worth, they will be your model students and follow you to the ends of the Earth.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

In top tiger schools, they have many events which stretch out HOTs thinly... It's not easy either.

Lower tier schools have a lot of non IP events or programmes coz the focus is not acad

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Lower tier schools have a lot of non IP events or programmes coz the focus is not acad

Again, not entirely true. The competitions that you need to oversee can be mind- boggling. These schools cannot be seen to be hogging resources. Teachers are normally in many learning circles. Olympiad trainers are recruited by a school in Bishan and a school along Bkt Timah. Teachers would end up training students for academia.

On top of that, there are many VIAs and OVIAs. CCAs will go on trips regularly. If your school has some fundings/scholarships, you need to do events OLJs to fulfill them. Programmes end typically in the evening everyday. On top of that, you need to do well in your teaching to secure a decent grade because it’s so competitive.

That said, there are teachers who are trying to get to ‘top schools’ to advertise for their tuition services so that they can charge a premium. It’s an open secret but these teachers do not last long. Whe new SLs come in, one can see the trend that teachers who don’t do work are advised to go to other schools.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Again, not entirely true. The competitions that you need to oversee can be mind- boggling. These schools cannot be seen to be hogging resources. Teachers are normally in many learning circles. Olympiad trainers are recruited by a school in Bishan and a school along Bkt Timah. Teachers would end up training students for academia.

On top of that, there are many VIAs and OVIAs. CCAs will go on trips regularly. If your school has some fundings/scholarships, you need to do events OLJs to fulfill them. Programmes end typically in the evening everyday. On top of that, you need to do well in your teaching to secure a decent grade because it’s so competitive.

That said, there are teachers who are trying to get to ‘top schools’ to advertise for their tuition services so that they can charge a premium. It’s an open secret but these teachers do not last long. Whe new SLs come in, one can see the trend that teachers who don’t do work are advised to go to other schools.

Just to clarify for this last sentence since there have been many conflicting accounts:

1. Being "advised" to transfer out is often seen as being pressured to leave. Are the official reasons given sugarcoated? e.g. "actually the department has excess headcount so we are just asking around to see if anyone wishes to try out a different environment elsewhere "

2. If the officer refuses to apply for transfer, is HR able to forcibly redeploy the officer? And will the officer get slapped with a C- and below grade for refusing?

2. If such an officer is a KP, will he/she be forced to step down or transfer out?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How does MOE determine which schools do teachers get posted to? I envy the teachers who get posted to teach in top tier JCs/secondary schools, they seem to have a much better life

Usually for top tier schools, you dun get ‘posted’. You actually apply to them, go through a few rounds of interview (top tier schools usually more stringent).

Good life? not really. Personal experience, I use to teach in a top tier school. If your content knowledge is sub par (only know and familiar uptill A levels or uni year 1 and 2), lousy pedagogy that doesn’t stimulates their thinking or arose their interest, you are the lousy teacher that student hates. U will get students who challenge u intellectually in class to make you ‘lose face’, or you have them play handphone, play PLD games and at the risk of your hod/VP/P walk past your class to see them doing such things.

And likely you will be a C or C- grader and in the end, change school or you be thick skin and stay there for the rest of your teaching career as a HOT.

They will produce results at the end of the day, but deep down, you know you did nothing value adding to them. If you can take this kind of humiliation from students and have the conscious to continue working there, can try going there for relax life.

3 years, female (mid-career) GEO3, $6045

GEO3 ceiling is $6250. Next year my salary should be very close or reach the ceiling. Does it mean a likely promotion to GEO4? Thank you.