Career as Teacher

Fellow GEO5 teachers in mid or late 30s, and just wanna be Hot. can share your mindset on how to approach your career. I just want to do my job, have work life balance and enjoy time with wife and kids. Really not looking to go into SEO ranks. How to continue motivate yourself when it's like doing the same thing everyday.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Got promoted in 2020 to GEO3

2020 - C+
2021 - B
I think might be a B for 2022 as well.

RO mentioned that I am doing waaaayyy more than a GEO3 but not sure man. Did a lot in terms of PD for peers last year like sharings at school, cluster and international conferences, even TLW, but not too sure.

I am similar.. with BBA but I haven promote to 4….. and waiting if this year I will.
If I really never promote again. I feel like quitting lol
Because I feel it is really wasting my effort 😭
Boss everyday say I do way better too. Better than my SH. But I can’t be SH obviously because it’s filled
So. Very not motivated for work actually

7 years as a GEO3.
Buay tong liao.
Gon throw letter after PB

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am similar.. with BBA but I haven promote to 4….. and waiting if this year I will.
If I really never promote again. I feel like quitting lol
Because I feel it is really wasting my effort 😭
Boss everyday say I do way better too. Better than my SH. But I can’t be SH obviously because it’s filled
So. Very not motivated for work actually

Could it be the case where your work is exemplary, contributing in different aspects (high effort), but these assignments given not stretch assignments which tests your leadership ability? Hence, CEP not raised?

I know of people who are given a lot of work, attain favourable PBs, but refuse leadership opportunities/not inclined to leadership roles. Hence, promotion is not accelerated as their CEP is likely not raised.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Could it be the case where your work is exemplary, contributing in different aspects (high effort), but these assignments given not stretch assignments which tests your leadership ability? Hence, CEP not raised?

I know of people who are given a lot of work, attain favourable PBs, but refuse leadership opportunities/not inclined to leadership roles. Hence, promotion is not accelerated as their CEP is likely not raised.

Wah got this kind of rubbish?
I lead the team for subject new syllabus. I lead a new initiative in the school (small but well it is something the school likes)
I did school events even thought I’m a 3
Like that and still want to continue test me means testing my patience already. My effort can easily sell to vendors and be freelancer also earn more than doing admin now.

Maybe that’s why so many people 7-8 years still a 3.
Perhaps I’m just very unlucky compared to my peers of the same batch.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

One needs to be awarded with at a MOE Education Merit Scholarship to gain accelerated promotions on top of good performance. That's my personal opinion only.

Also not say progress fast nowadays. Many have left after bond ended as a result.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Wah got this kind of rubbish?
I lead the team for subject new syllabus. I lead a new initiative in the school (small but well it is something the school likes)
I did school events even thought I’m a 3
Like that and still want to continue test me means testing my patience already. My effort can easily sell to vendors and be freelancer also earn more than doing admin now.

Maybe that’s why so many people 7-8 years still a 3.
Perhaps I’m just very unlucky compared to my peers of the same batch.

It's not about how many things you do. Everyone's work review is full of various things they did or led. For syllabus, with mass rolling out of new syllabus, every team is working on the syllabus for their subjects, levels and streams.

The way appraisal is done is to compare between people of the same paygrade, and see who stands out. If everyone is doing the same (need to compare with people of same paygrade in other depts too), then no one is standing out.

To achieve high impact factor, you need to be highly visible and visibly impact cohorts of students or the whole school. Also, it needs to come from your own initiative, rather than simply carrying on something handed down to you.

One way is to organise an event, a competition, at the school level, or better, at the cluster level. Let the whole school know you, or create something that your P can boast about to parents and to the other cluster Ps. But be prepared to continue with the project you initiated and brace for unhappy colleagues who have to inherit your work.

Sad to say, to do so, there's some level of wayang to be done. Need to do so, so that your boss can propose to raise your CEP without objections from the rest of the management.

Take a look at the stories of the OYEA and PAT to get a rough idea of what you need to do to stand out.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It's not about how many things you do. Everyone's work review is full of various things they did or led. For syllabus, with mass rolling out of new syllabus, every team is working on the syllabus for their subjects, levels and streams.

The way appraisal is done is to compare between people of the same paygrade, and see who stands out. If everyone is doing the same (need to compare with people of same paygrade in other depts too), then no one is standing out.

To achieve high impact factor, you need to be highly visible and visibly impact cohorts of students or the whole school. Also, it needs to come from your own initiative, rather than simply carrying on something handed down to you.

One way is to organise an event, a competition, at the school level, or better, at the cluster level. Let the whole school know you, or create something that your P can boast about to parents and to the other cluster Ps. But be prepared to continue with the project you initiated and brace for unhappy colleagues who have to inherit your work.

Sad to say, to do so, there's some level of wayang to be done. Need to do so, so that your boss can propose to raise your CEP without objections from the rest of the management.

Take a look at the stories of the OYEA and PAT to get a rough idea of what you need to do to stand out.

Really sad how our teachers kpi is all these nonsense

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Wah got this kind of rubbish?
I lead the team for subject new syllabus. I lead a new initiative in the school (small but well it is something the school likes)
I did school events even thought I’m a 3
Like that and still want to continue test me means testing my patience already. My effort can easily sell to vendors and be freelancer also earn more than doing admin now.

Maybe that’s why so many people 7-8 years still a 3.
Perhaps I’m just very unlucky compared to my peers of the same batch.

Indeed, for that equal amount of time and effort, you can earn a lot more outside.

One of the effects of the recent adjustment is also to further pull apart the salary gap between GEOs and SEOs. The miserable increments since COVID will also further aggravate this. By doing so, GEOs will not be able to hit salary ceiling and promote as fast. This ensures a proper distribution of GEO3, 4, 5 and the SEOs.

The boomers and early Gen X already got to enjoy a "golden period" in the past, where adjustments were frequent and promotions were fast. They're probably at their ceilings of GEO5, SEO1 or even SEO2 already. Life is good for them, and any extra work can be emptied towards the younger juniors so that they can be "groomed and given opportunities to promote faster".

You can erase years off your lifespan just for this job, but do you think you will be compensated fairly? The answer is probably clear enough for you to decide

Why do you guys think more and more people are leaving? By closing and merging schools, the public can be smoked into thinking that teaching positions are super competitive and limited, but for you guys who are in the system, the real situation is so obvious. Lol even the GEO4 and 5s are trying to switch to part time scheme and FAJT as we speak.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Fellow GEO5 teachers in mid or late 30s, and just wanna be Hot. can share your mindset on how to approach your career. I just want to do my job, have work life balance and enjoy time with wife and kids. Really not looking to go into SEO ranks. How to continue motivate yourself when it's like doing the same thing everyday.

Since you are not looking to promote further, should look for a committee and cca which are relatively easier. There sure are some committees and CCAs which have a lighter load compared to the rest. Don’t be afraid to say no when tasked to take on roles that are stressful. Try to leave school punctually when you are done with your lessons. Be friends and talk to the other highly experienced HOTs in your school and you will feel more assured and not alone.