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Unregistered 20-08-2013 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 41454)
Well, I'm in a school in the west and it's really miserable coming to work daily.

Have seen application forms from statutory boards which ask, "Have you ever broken a bond..."

hi bro, sorry to hear about your situation.
i intend to apply to MOE for teaching as a career, looking forward to teaching.
can you share your experiences in your school?
hope to know about these experiences so that i can reconsider my option if its really that bad.
thanks!

Newbie J 30-08-2013 02:12 AM

The teaching profession in SG?
 
Hi all,

How is the teaching profession generally like in Singapore? I am a Malaysian citizen who has recently made an application to the MOE for a teaching position. In fact, I have read several articles (written some time three years ago) which seems to paint the profession (in SG) in bad light! However, I am not too inclined to accept them as gospel and would rather solicit opinions from current teachers or those who are well-versed in the Singaporean education.

Thank you in advance!

Regards,

J

Unregistered 30-08-2013 02:37 AM

Newbie J
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Newbie J (Post 41821)
Hi all,

How is the teaching profession generally like in Singapore? I am a Malaysian citizen who has recently made an application to the MOE for a teaching position. In fact, I have read several articles (written some time three years ago) which seems to paint the profession (in SG) in bad light! However, I am not too inclined to accept them as gospel and would rather solicit opinions from current teachers or those who are well-versed in the Singaporean education.

Thank you in advance!

Regards,

J

I have read my fair share of comments from this thread and the general consensus seems to indicate teaching to be very underappreciated profession in Singapore! I thought teachers are revered in your country due to Singapore's exellence in education provision!

J

Unregistered 30-08-2013 03:06 AM

PE Teacher
 
Hi everyone,

Realised that everyone has talked about being a teacher and all but nobody has ever talked about being a PE teacher.

Am a Year 4 NUS undergrad from Business and I'm keeping my options open and want to find out more about being a PE teacher as Im passionate about sports.

Can anyone shed some light on how the career track is like (isit harder to rise than being a subject teacher?)

Thanks!

Unregistered 30-08-2013 07:47 AM

If you chose to believe / take what were posted here to be the general consensus about the teaching profession, then you are like what I would label as a "mad scientist". One who would jump to conclusion based on a superficial level of observation or result of a small sample. What's worse is that the same posters could have made multiple posts giving the impression that many people share the same opinion.

I am sure you have heard of the term - the silent majority? Are you aware of the number of teachers in Singapore? In any organization, company or team there will be always be misfits, people who don't belong, people who felt left behind. These are usually the ones who will be bad mouthing the organizations, company or team.

So go figure.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 41822)
I have read my fair share of comments from this thread and the general consensus seems to indicate teaching to be very underappreciated profession in Singapore! I thought teachers are revered in your country due to Singapore's exellence in education provision!

J


Unregistered 30-08-2013 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 41825)
If you chose to believe / take what were posted here to be the general consensus about the teaching profession, then you are like what I would label as a "mad scientist". One who would jump to conclusion based on a superficial level of observation or result of a small sample. What's worse is that the same posters could have made multiple posts giving the impression that many people share the same opinion.

I am sure you have heard of the term - the silent majority? Are you aware of the number of teachers in Singapore? In any organization, company or team there will be always be misfits, people who don't belong, people who felt left behind. These are usually the ones who will be bad mouthing the organizations, company or team.

So go figure.

Could you share your story please? This will help prospective teachers with their decisions, and make this discussion more balanced.

tepic_monster 30-08-2013 11:41 AM

I am a relatively satisfied teacher now in a neighborhood secondary school, so maybe my views can add some balance.

I sense a lot of disgruntlement from some of my peers in the school and also some who post online are mainly as a result of mismatch of expectations and not really that the job of a teacher is really that bad compare to other junior level non-manager jobs out there.

I feel the mismatch in expectations usually come from 2 areas – 1) the actual day to day routine being different from what was envisioned when they first join teaching 2) career and salary expectations over the longer term. I will try to address both areas base on my experience, no right or wrong here so those not happy as a teacher now please don’t take offence.

On the issue of job scope the most common problem is most people including me join teaching with a fuzzy concept that our main job which takes up the bulk of our time is to teach the students and impart our knowledge. Of course once you are in you will realize actual teaching is just 1 part of the job (~40% of time for me).

In the day to day work you get embroiled over many other matters that include administration, customer service to the parents, play a bit of office politics, CCA, sort out relationship with other teachers and/or your boss, play nanny to your students (I was once instructed by VP to come to school really early to escort a student to school from his house every morning as he was playing truant and parents demand the school make sure he really turn up). What all this means is a significant minority of teachers become very disillusioned and lost their passion feeling they were defrauded to joining MOE.

For me and the so call “silent majority” we take it in stride. I mean everyone like to work in a job they like and have passion without needing to waste time on unproductive side shows, but how many can actually do that in both public and private sector? From what I hear of my uni friends who are in the private sector, the complains are also about the same – arrowed to do menial stuff, embroiled in office politics, file endless reports, attend pointless meetings etc. Are we passionate about being a MOE teacher? Probably most are not. Are we bitter and drag ourselves to work everyday? Not really, it is a normal job that pays decently.

Then come the next major point of unhappiness – pay and career progression. To be honest I think we are aware when we join that being a teacher is not the way if you want to be rich, get promoted every 2 years, live the metropolitan lifestyle etc. But I notice what happen to some mid-career teachers is that when they first join, they thought they are alright with losing out the career and pay, but after some years as they hear more and more of their peers get promoted to Directors, Vice Presidents etc. getting huge bonuses and hitting 5 figure salaries some start to become envious and backside itchy.

Once you start comparing, it is natural to think they are being short change. To be fair to MOE, they try their best to keep teachers motivated by rotation, development program, creating fake levels so that at least on paper you can get promoted a few times in your life, but then we also have to be realistic – in a school there is only room for a few HODs, 2 VP and 1 principal out of so many teachers. Most will never promote into managerial position and will most likely retire as a senior teacher at best, this is a fact of life.

The money is decent, most mid-career teachers in my school are paid 5-6k while the oldies can reach 7-8k+. It’s not fantastic money and benefits compared to sexy industries like banking, O&G, FMCG etc., but the stability is there and realistically speaking I don't think many people in private sector or other civil service ministries actually can hit 5-figure superscale salaries in their lifetime as well.

In summary, my take is if you want to be a teacher, go in and treat it just like any other job and don't fantasize about being noble, moulding the future or some such nonsense. Keep your head low and stay out of trouble, don't be envious of others outside who have outperformed you, but be thankful that you are much better than some others who are overworked underpaid or worse still retrenched and unemployed.

My 2C.

Unregistered 30-08-2013 03:00 PM

It is losers like you that make me worry for my children when I send them to school. If you dun have the heart to teach, please fcuk off from MOE and dun affect the young. If you just want slack go through motion to work everyday, go join a office desk job in another ministry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tepic_monster (Post 41834)
I am a relatively satisfied teacher now in a neighborhood secondary school, so maybe my views can add some balance.

I sense a lot of disgruntlement from some of my peers in the school and also some who post online are mainly as a result of mismatch of expectations and not really that the job of a teacher is really that bad compare to other junior level non-manager jobs out there.

I feel the mismatch in expectations usually come from 2 areas – 1) the actual day to day routine being different from what was envisioned when they first join teaching 2) career and salary expectations over the longer term. I will try to address both areas base on my experience, no right or wrong here so those not happy as a teacher now please don’t take offence.

On the issue of job scope the most common problem is most people including me join teaching with a fuzzy concept that our main job which takes up the bulk of our time is to teach the students and impart our knowledge. Of course once you are in you will realize actual teaching is just 1 part of the job (~40% of time for me).

In the day to day work you get embroiled over many other matters that include administration, customer service to the parents, play a bit of office politics, CCA, sort out relationship with other teachers and/or your boss, play nanny to your students (I was once instructed by VP to come to school really early to escort a student to school from his house every morning as he was playing truant and parents demand the school make sure he really turn up). What all this means is a significant minority of teachers become very disillusioned and lost their passion feeling they were defrauded to joining MOE.

For me and the so call “silent majority” we take it in stride. I mean everyone like to work in a job they like and have passion without needing to waste time on unproductive side shows, but how many can actually do that in both public and private sector? From what I hear of my uni friends who are in the private sector, the complains are also about the same – arrowed to do menial stuff, embroiled in office politics, file endless reports, attend pointless meetings etc. Are we passionate about being a MOE teacher? Probably most are not. Are we bitter and drag ourselves to work everyday? Not really, it is a normal job that pays decently.

Then come the next major point of unhappiness – pay and career progression. To be honest I think we are aware when we join that being a teacher is not the way if you want to be rich, get promoted every 2 years, live the metropolitan lifestyle etc. But I notice what happen to some mid-career teachers is that when they first join, they thought they are alright with losing out the career and pay, but after some years as they hear more and more of their peers get promoted to Directors, Vice Presidents etc. getting huge bonuses and hitting 5 figure salaries some start to become envious and backside itchy.

Once you start comparing, it is natural to think they are being short change. To be fair to MOE, they try their best to keep teachers motivated by rotation, development program, creating fake levels so that at least on paper you can get promoted a few times in your life, but then we also have to be realistic – in a school there is only room for a few HODs, 2 VP and 1 principal out of so many teachers. Most will never promote into managerial position and will most likely retire as a senior teacher at best, this is a fact of life.

The money is decent, most mid-career teachers in my school are paid 5-6k while the oldies can reach 7-8k+. It’s not fantastic money and benefits compared to sexy industries like banking, O&G, FMCG etc., but the stability is there and realistically speaking I don't think many people in private sector or other civil service ministries actually can hit 5-figure superscale salaries in their lifetime as well.

In summary, my take is if you want to be a teacher, go in and treat it just like any other job and don't fantasize about being noble, moulding the future or some such nonsense. Keep your head low and stay out of trouble, don't be envious of others outside who have outperformed you, but be thankful that you are much better than some others who are overworked underpaid or worse still retrenched and unemployed.

My 2C.


Unregistered 30-08-2013 03:29 PM

Why such vitriol and vulgarities? Do you even have children?

Can you imagine what teachers have to deal with day in and day out? Besides having to manage and impart knowledge to sometimes unruly and unteachable children they have to deal with uncouth and un-examplary adults like yourself who are supposedly parents.

And you know why good schools are good schools? It is a virtuous cycle - good schools attract good children and good teachers. Parents chose good schools because they dont want their children to mix with bad company. Parents often forget the home is the best place to set some good examples to their children and expect teachers to do this role as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered (Post 41841)
It is losers like you that make me worry for my children when I send them to school. If you dun have the heart to teach, please fcuk off from MOE and dun affect the young. If you just want slack go through motion to work everyday, go join a office desk job in another ministry.


Unregistered 30-08-2013 03:43 PM

Hi,

Does anyone know what is the career track like for a PE teacher? Seen most posts ard here are about teaching in general but I would like to know more about pe teachers


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