It has been close to a year since I wrote here. So many things change in a year. So many! Maybe a little too much. It seemed apt for me to be back for Teachers Day. Sure I am not doing mainstream teaching now but the teacher in me never slept. However I do miss being in a school.
Reason 1: The Company
I promise that I had the best set of colleagues ever!! I still go back to meet them, but it isn't the same. I mean of course it can't be the same, I am not there any more to be a part of the gossip, the laughter, the politics and the dances. What makes them so special you ask? The way they supported me, inspired and took care of me. It was like having 9 mothers and a few sisters (It did get a bit smothering at times, but that's the pinch of salt in the mixture). I know that I have been spoilt for any other educational institution. None can live up to this.
Reason 2: Impromptu holidays
Every time there is a bandh or a strike, I sigh and think to myself at how lucky school teachers are. I was that teacher once. The teacher who would be answering atleast a dozen calls and messages the morning of the bandh to confirm that school was definitely closed for the day.
Reason 3: The Substitution of classes.
Getting alloted a substitution class in a free period is what every teacher hates. The one hour that she should have had free between the endless number of other classes is now ruined by the fact that she has to babysit a class and give up time that was supposed to be hers. If the class is not one of her regulars then she can't even teach and complete portions. She will merely have to sit and maintain silence. How boring.
Now why do I miss substitution of classes after complaining about it so much? Well I saw it as a challenge. If I could walk into school, get alloted a substitution in the morning, go to that class, keep them engaged, silent and yet get my work done, I would consider that as an accomplishment. I would pat myself on the back and stare in amazement at the woman in the mirror who was so talented.
Sitting at home ensuring that the milk does not burn while replying to text messages, trying to answer the doorbell and sweeping the hall is not half as good as that. See I was definitely a better teacher than a caretaker of the home.
Reason 4: Summer holidays/ Christmas holidays/ Dussera Vacation
The first thing we would do on getting the school calendar would be to highlight the holidays in hearts and bright colours. Looking forward to those days would help us get past the other days when we ran from class to class. Also for most of us aka yours truly, the holidays were the only times when we weren't playing teacher, power point maker, photographer, editor, choreographer, agony aunt, policewoman, and counsellor all in one. Looking back now I really have no idea how I managed it. Holidays were just me, me and me time. Boy! Those were good times.
Reason 5: Learning from the Experienced.
Anyone who knows me, know how much I have complained and whined and cried about corrections. Especially about Board Corrections. However looking back now I realise how lucky I was to get to go for it. The amount of experience and knowledge I gained from those 15 days of sitting in uncomfortable chairs and getting backaches was absolutely worth it!! The confidence that I have today to be able to teach definitely stems from knowing that I am one of the privileged few who had the opportunity to interact with so many other chemistry teachers from different schools and learn from them. That experience is something that is worthy of its own blog post and I am going to work on that. Eventually.
I guess there are a lot more reasons I miss being a teacher. The energy of a classroom. The hyperactive young minds. The chaos. The noise. The power to stand silently and get pin drop silence in the class. Interacting with kids who probably could teach me chemistry. *long dramatic sigh* SO So many reasons.
But hey. this post wasn't about feeling sad. It was just me talking to you. It has been a while you see.
Till next time...
Reason 1: The Company
I promise that I had the best set of colleagues ever!! I still go back to meet them, but it isn't the same. I mean of course it can't be the same, I am not there any more to be a part of the gossip, the laughter, the politics and the dances. What makes them so special you ask? The way they supported me, inspired and took care of me. It was like having 9 mothers and a few sisters (It did get a bit smothering at times, but that's the pinch of salt in the mixture). I know that I have been spoilt for any other educational institution. None can live up to this.
Reason 2: Impromptu holidays
Every time there is a bandh or a strike, I sigh and think to myself at how lucky school teachers are. I was that teacher once. The teacher who would be answering atleast a dozen calls and messages the morning of the bandh to confirm that school was definitely closed for the day.
Reason 3: The Substitution of classes.
Getting alloted a substitution class in a free period is what every teacher hates. The one hour that she should have had free between the endless number of other classes is now ruined by the fact that she has to babysit a class and give up time that was supposed to be hers. If the class is not one of her regulars then she can't even teach and complete portions. She will merely have to sit and maintain silence. How boring.
Now why do I miss substitution of classes after complaining about it so much? Well I saw it as a challenge. If I could walk into school, get alloted a substitution in the morning, go to that class, keep them engaged, silent and yet get my work done, I would consider that as an accomplishment. I would pat myself on the back and stare in amazement at the woman in the mirror who was so talented.
Sitting at home ensuring that the milk does not burn while replying to text messages, trying to answer the doorbell and sweeping the hall is not half as good as that. See I was definitely a better teacher than a caretaker of the home.
Reason 4: Summer holidays/ Christmas holidays/ Dussera Vacation
The first thing we would do on getting the school calendar would be to highlight the holidays in hearts and bright colours. Looking forward to those days would help us get past the other days when we ran from class to class. Also for most of us aka yours truly, the holidays were the only times when we weren't playing teacher, power point maker, photographer, editor, choreographer, agony aunt, policewoman, and counsellor all in one. Looking back now I really have no idea how I managed it. Holidays were just me, me and me time. Boy! Those were good times.
Reason 5: Learning from the Experienced.
Anyone who knows me, know how much I have complained and whined and cried about corrections. Especially about Board Corrections. However looking back now I realise how lucky I was to get to go for it. The amount of experience and knowledge I gained from those 15 days of sitting in uncomfortable chairs and getting backaches was absolutely worth it!! The confidence that I have today to be able to teach definitely stems from knowing that I am one of the privileged few who had the opportunity to interact with so many other chemistry teachers from different schools and learn from them. That experience is something that is worthy of its own blog post and I am going to work on that. Eventually.
I guess there are a lot more reasons I miss being a teacher. The energy of a classroom. The hyperactive young minds. The chaos. The noise. The power to stand silently and get pin drop silence in the class. Interacting with kids who probably could teach me chemistry. *long dramatic sigh* SO So many reasons.
But hey. this post wasn't about feeling sad. It was just me talking to you. It has been a while you see.
Till next time...
