1st Week of School Experience

So the first week of school experience just flew by with the blink of an eye. In fact, it wasnt even a full week. It was merely four days and it did open my eyes to the difference in culture that a mega school has. I was posted to C primary school, a prestigous school that has strong culture and a good environment.

I went in with a rather nonchalant attitude, knowing that eventually I would be teaching in a secondary school instead. I set the tone of just going there to have fun and enjoy myself. I think I went one step further. I even networked while having fun. Seeing the other trainees stressing themselves out, I felt a tad guilty for being slack and having fun.


I taught right from the first day, first period. Not really a shock though, it invoked many beautiful memories of my time at E primary and I just loved to see the smiles on the kids' face. To really see them enjoy the lesson and learning something out of it made my day. On top of that, C primary has an awesome spanking new indoor sports hall which I went there many times during my short 4 days.


I want to thank God for posting me here to really appreciate what I had at E primary. Though it was small, I really was able to carry out the activities that I loved. In fact, I think i would dread C primary coz they were really pro-academic over sports. And as E primary is small, it was more cosy and I got to know almost all the staff with a relative degree of familiarity.



It was great to hear my friends rave about their experiences, this being their firsthand interaction with students. Many are full of aspirations, fully charged by this experience to want to change the world and do their best to make a difference in the kids' lives. Well that is GREAT, really! But my word of caution is four days is too short a period to judge. I suggest after a longer duration then they get a fairer picture of what is going on in the schools.


Passion and calling are two words that are severely overused and cheapened by alot of people. Especially so in the education industry where young aspiring people mouth them as part of their slogans. With the best intentions of their hearts, most if not all people do have those two feelings in them, but it probably eroded over the years due to many different circumstances.


For me, I think the word is purpose. Purpose encompasses both passion and calling. But beyond that, it is the knowing of why that individual is in that profession when times are tough. It is when passion is waning and calling seems doubtful that purpose will be able to transcend all these negative thoughts that lingers in the head. It is really tough in this line these days because you do not just give of your academic brain and knowledge. You give your heart and soul to it because you sincerely want to involve your life with those under your charge. I truly hope my friends are able to see the purpose in the job and know what they are in for.

To the subject of being a PE teacher: Well I feel we are like the Swiss-Army knife. We are usually used by the school to fix multiple issues and activities. We are like gym trainers and event managers and also life-skills coach all rolled into one.

The things that PE teachers handle this days are really appalling:

1. Day-to-day PE lessons

2. NAPFA Tests

3. Events Manager (Cross-Country, Sports Day)

4. Outdoor Camps (Level camps, OBS)

5. Discipline

6. Character Development

7. CCA overall in charge (Ususally sports or UG)

8. TAF programme (now called HHF)

9. Cherish Award

I think the perception of PE teachers as slackers amongst the teaching profession is as old as any other myth or urban legend out there. We are often perceived as a bunch of jocks that do not do anything else. But nothing could really be further from the truth. We get out in the sun, we set up courses for our PE lessons. We deal with discipline. We send kids for competitions, we train the kids, we organise camps and sports day and cross country.

So I really dont see why we are SLACKERS. Seriously, to all the detractors of the PE profession, if you are envious of us, dont beat us, come join us! But if you're still cynical, then why not come try and do it for a few weeks and see if shouting in open space, sweating it out, keeping and setting equipment is as easy as you make it out to be.

A firm believer of PE, it really teaches the kids the motor skills, coordination and really social skills of working and playing in a team setting. I really envy Seng Kang Primary, they have PE every day! How cool is that?

Well, I hope I would have more insights next week on my experience at W secondary school. Its not that I dont show my excitement, rather its that I know why im doing there and what im doing there. There's a calm knowing of thats my purpose. And I hope all teachers find theirs too.