The Mark of a Teacher

Recently I read an article on what is expected from a teacher and the article on TheStar was interesting as I could relate myself with the situation that the author was trying to explain. Thank God though that I don't have the 'teacher look' on me inasmuch as people can relate to someone's occupation by just looking at them. Don't get me wrong; I am proud to be a teacher, but I do value my privacy in a sense that i don't wanna be a role model all the time according to the standards set on how a teacher should behave.

Most of the time, I am mistaken as a student, hehe; so that gives me the privilege to enjoy certain 'bargained' discounts when shopping. The thing is that (not because of the discounts, though), I tend to just keep quiet when I am assumed as a student because it feels good to step outside of your 'lecturer' mode now and then. It's like, I always think twice before wearing a certain outfit on how would I feel if I bump into my students wearing this outfit? These thoughts are at the back of my mind; sometimes it feels like I have no privacy. What causes these thoughts, I think is because of certain 'standards' that is expected from a lecturer; a supposedly role model in the student's life. It's like, it matters to me what my students will think seeing me in a certain outfit (like an ultra mini-skirt) or hairdo, or body-piercing, or getting a tattoo. I remember wanting to color my hair red after graduating; I did color my hair though not the bright red :) After being a lecturer, I just don't have the 'mood' to do all the crazy things to my hair or myself. It might be because wherever I go here, I bump into my students all the time (because I normally lecture for large classes).

A good friend of mine sent a link from Oprah's video about a dying lecturer's inspirational "last lecture" (http://www2.oprah.com/videochannel/videochannel_landing.jhtml : it's under the column "spirit") and I understood the importance of having fun along the way; be it during teaching or learning. I have certain goals to meet and I tell myself to stop complaining when the going gets tough and instead just focus on achieving it rather than whine about it. And the role of an educator is immense in teaching and imparting life's valuable lessons to students. And I tell myself, whatever values that I have in myself only becomes meaningful if it is shared to my students. And that is certainly something to look forward to - to make a difference in someone's life - by sharing with them the mistakes you made along the way; not because they won't make the same mistakes as you did; but instead making them realise that of all the mistakes made, you became who you are today.

One of my dreams is to teach pre-school children and have as much fun as I can with them... soon