All done as "Lecturer"

Last night was the final session at Ngee Ann, though i did say that it has been tiring, on the whole, i quite enjoy the sessions with the trainees. One of them gave me a thank you card and i was pretty touched. So far feedback has been positive from the trainees regarding the way i lecture and i guess if i need to quit and take on another job, lecturing may not be too bad a deal. Despite all my complains about doing training etc, i do have this need to 'teach' and share whenever i am up in the front of the room. Definintely not one of the bo chup or scare to talk to crowd type. Just that the responsibility of making sure everyone in class 'gets' what i am teaching, can be tiring. And i am the sort who will bend over backwards to do so.

Anyway, i am not saying that i have a flair to teach, but i do have a need to share. Most of them seemed to like the idea that i don't do the top-down approach when lecturing except of one trainee who commented that i shouldn't be too friendly because it looks unprofessional. I guess i have never looked very 'lecturer-like' in my get-up and mannerism but i think this trainee might have been used to a different type of educational style because i don't think that being approachable and friendly necessary means unprofessional. Oh well, you cant win them all.

Now on with the marking... *groan*

Onwards still...

It is monday again and i am not feeling chirpy at all though i suspect things will get better as the week passes.

Feeling a little under the weather physically and my mental stamina is also being tested. First off, having to vet someone else's report makes me want to bite something or someone badly. After so long, the improvements are still so minimal. You prod once, they move once. At least this time the report is on time instead of being 2-3weeks late. I hate marking reports. Which sort of reminds me, i have a stack of them waiting for me at home from the batch at Ngee Ann. 27 students and 3 assignments each. What was i thinking? Thank god, its only two more sessions and its adios amigos!

Fio is on MC today and all the SWs are on-course. Looks like its me myself at lunch. There is a new MT with us and she seems very nice. She was originally from Taiwan but has migrated to New Zealand and studied there. Had joined us for lunch last week so maybe i will go be 'social' later if i am feeling up to it but i think chances are remote if i am continuing to vet this report. Up to a point, i think i should just write the bloody thing myself.

Some parents have been driving us (school that is) collectively, up the wall. And then there is that internal dept thing which i will have to face later at dept meeting in the other school. Man, i wish i didnt have to come to work today but it will just mean more shit tomorrow. The trick is to space out the shitty stuff so that it will be easier to manage. Unless of course, there are days when the shit piles up sky high and no matter what it do, its all gonna come crashing down.

Damn. All this talk about shit makes me want to go to toilet and puke. I need a MC.

Lecturing

Starting my stint as a guest lecturer at one of the advance diploma course ran by RCTC and Ngee Ann Poly. Twice a week, 7 to 10pm after work for 5 weeks. Quite tired by the end of the day but i think so far it has been quite a positive experience.

True that there is a lot of work to be done such as preparing the slides, planning & writing out the assignment, reading up and doing the notes, liasing with the coordinator for print-outs and just last night, i had a teaching observation done by the supervisor of the program. But it has been great learning for me as well and it does broaden my perspective because these are adult learners from different centres and kingergartens.

However, i am having a bit of a trouble balancing the lecturing and my own work in school. I am usually quite tired (now more so than ever) and it really takes great effort to juggling all my responsibilities on top of solving others' problems. I must say though, some colleagues at work (some whom i wouldnt have thought could), has been a great help with supporting the program and kids, and working really well together with me. Was a bit surprised but in some ways, i think we all grow and change. I think HOP being on course has been a great learning experience of some of these other senior teachers. One thing that has been affirmed... some people are just much better at being supervisors than teachers, and vice versa. Well, in any case, i am pretty happy and felt quite supported as a team.

Anyway, lecturing will be done by the 24th when the trainees have to do their assignment presentations. I will not be missing the late nights and preparation work, but i think i will miss the interactions. I am NOT looking forward to making their assignments though. 28 trainees and 2 assignments each. Woah. No joke. I have to go dig out my own training with SIM's Open Uni tutor course which i had to undergo when i got a job helping them to tutor the open Uni's course. It's similar type of standard of marking and it has to be really detailed.

In the mean time, i will just try to cope for the next 3 weeks and i still have 2 more lectures to prepare before i am done. Sigh...