NOTICE OF CLARIFICATION!

It is with great disappointment and agitation that I have to write this notice to clarify what are my duties as teacher during the school holiday period.

It has come to my attention recently that students, fellow peers and ignorant folks out there think that teachers are free during the school holidays to slack and pursue our own interests. Sadly, this is not true. Teachers are not paid to have school holidays. We still have to go to school and work. We have to write reports, meet parents, meet students, invigilate, draw up budget for next year, write proposals, review of the year, have meetings and plan for next year's academic and non academic stuff. These are just some of the things we have to do. The list goes on, believe me.

It is true that we have more leisure time but we are still bogged down by paper work. We need not be physically be in school to work. There is such a thing called email, phone and working from home.

So students who irritate me with "Holidays what, teacher can slack.", do hold your tongue before I give you a piece of my mind. When you do see us in school, do bear in mind that we do not hole ourselves up in the exclusive staff room chained to our chairs and sleep or else have tea parties and gossip. We work very hard and it would be lovely if people do not take teachers for granted and think we are choosing a career that is easy.

Oh, and dear students, do also bear in mind that activities, lessons and resources do not drop from the sky. Teachers plan them and do painstaking research. Also, do remember you can't get everything you want just because you ask for them. Teachers are not given miracles like the prophets and we cannot do wonders all the time (we are human beings, so we also make mistakes like you).

Lastly, spare a thought for teachers. We need a break. So my softballers, while you think you need no break and wish to continue training, spare a thought for your teachers in charge.

There you have it. I tell you teachers are sick and tired of hearing students say we have nothing to do during holidays. If I hear another comment about it, I will really smack that student. Ok, I can't smack them. Not allowed to do so but I can give them a scathing look and a tongue lashing. What is it about teaching that makes people think that it is an easy career? See Boston Public? It doesn't even come close to the things we teachers really have to do and the issues we have to deal with. MTV should really make a reality TV about teachers. See us do marking, teach, plan, coordinate activities, research etc. Why are we thought of as free spirits who have afternoons off for shopping (Ok, I do admit that one of the perks of teaching is that you can avoid crowds and shop in the afternoon) but really most teachers work till late. If the school custodian do not chase us out by 6pm, teachers will probably stay in school till midnight to work. Seriously, we are not highly paid baby sitters either. So people out there change your mindset about teachers. I work really hard and I find it offensive that people make light of my career.