My Game of Life

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Since there won't be any lessons for the next few days, i think that ill have to resort to blogging about current events, else i wont have anything interesting to talk about...:( So do enjoy this last long and interesting post for this week.
Nothing much has happened for the past couple of days, so it looks like ill have to blog again about the same topic as my previous post...

We celebrated Teachers' Day yesterday, and i wrote a tribute to our teachers a couple of days b4 <3, so today ill talk about the importance of such a celebration.

So how fruitfully did you spend the day off yesterday? ill bet most students stayed at home playing computer games and piaing MapleStory (eew), while the more active ones went out for a game of soccer or two with their friends. On the other hand, teachers probably stayed at home marking overdue worksheets, revision papers and the like.

Is teachers' day supposed to be spent like that?

The only thing that shows any evidence of "celebration" and commemoration for our teachers is, perhaps, the few hours of performances, tributes and speeches the day before. Surprisingly, I actually observed during the celebrations that some teachers were actually not paying attention to the performances meant for them, but were in fact chatting among themselves! Quite ironic, especially since they always want us to liste to their speeches and lessons when they don't do the same for our performances. Not that many of the students were pay attention to the event either, though.

Beyond that few hours, nothing else happens. Life goes back to usual, students carry on defying their teachers' instructions, not handing up homework, and teaching carry on slogging under their heavy marking workload.

Are such celebrations wasted on us? Students and teachers alike do not pay attention, unless the performance is something really hilarious and attention-grabbing. I think that the main cause behind this lacklustre response is due to the lack of sincerity on the students' part, and the lack of respect on the teachers' part. We look at it as "just another school celebration", instead of really finding and understanding the deep meaning and intentions behind such an event.

It is only in that one day that we salute our teachers, shower them with gifts to show our appreciation, tell them "Thank you for teaching us." But ask yourself, does that really come from your heart, or are you doing it only out of tradition; or worse still, because it is required of you? Do we really treat teachers' day as a chance to show to the teachers our gratitude towards them, or just a chance for us to slack at home?

In fact, do all teachers actually deserve to be appreciated? I can safely say that at least 50% of teachers are in it for the money or job experience, and not because they truly enjoy teaching and passing on their knowledge to students. Perhaps we do not experience much of it in "premier" schools, but such a phenomenom is especially evident in neighbourhood schools, where teachers teach with an indifferent attitude, without the will to teach in the first place.

If those teachers treat students simply as money-spinners for their jobs, then how can you expect students to appreciate them?

Besides, how many students atually like school, enjoy lectures and lessons, and like the homework and tests that their teachers hurl at them? Probably only 1/26, at the very most. In that case, how can they like their teachers, the forefront of the education system, if they already detest the education system?

However, this is not to say that there aren't teachers who are truly dedicated to their jobs, or that there aren't teachers who are liked by teachers. These teachers are able to connect well with the students, and are also able to teach well and make the students understand, but more importantly, they make an impact on their students' lives. This, i believe, is the objective that such teachers aim to fulfill when they set foot in the teaching career.

Unfortunately, it is sad that for such great teachers, they can only look forward to that one day in their whole career - Teachers' Day - that they are showered with gratitude and, um, love. Why must it be so? We should make every day a teachers' day for teachers we sincerely appreciate, who make a difference to our lives. It would make both the teacher's and the student's lives much more meaningful that way.

In fact, I have had some teachers who have taught me in the past requesting that we not give them gifts or cards on teachers' day. This is because such experienced teachers have long ago realised that such material gifts hold no meaning if you give it just because you have to. As one such teacher lamented, its just a waste of money on such gifts that are shallow in sincerity.

Thus, you don't have to send your teacher expensive gifts or cards only on that special day. Instead, you can make their teaching experience memorable simply by listening to their lessons, following their instructions, and scoring good grades and meeting their expectations. In fact, expressing your gratitude non-explicitly through your everyday actions tells more than simply one single day where you suddenly start giving them cards and "thank you" cards. Remember, its the little things that count.

'Twas teh winnar at 9:36 pm.