Teaching Heartware

It's the first day of September and as far as I can remember, it's always been associated with Teachers' Day.

In many of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools (and perhaps the junior colleges), there will be celebrations and no lessons are conducted. And by now, my younger two would have been home (it's 11.15am) while Xian just called to inform me that she's finished school and managed to locate her school bus.

All my kids brought little gifts for their teachers yesterday, although a few declined to accept them.

Over at my work place, all's quiet as the examinations are still on-going. Many of my colleagues (including myself) are buried in marking, tidying up administrative documents or getting ready for examination processing. I left sticky post-it notepads for my colleagues as tokens of appreciation for their boundless energy and enthusiasm in their efforts to shape the future generations.

A few students posted on my Facebook wall or tweeted their Teachers' Day wishes. It's always nice to get a simple 'Thank You' from them. A little goes a long way.

To all my fellow educators, enjoy this significant day where we pay tribute to all the teachers who've made an impact in our lives. Several of these remarkable beings must have inspired us to become educators ourselves.

For me, I will always fondly remember my Primary 5 English teacher, Mrs Jennifer Tan, who was also my form teacher. She appeared strict but she was a really kind and gentle soul and she was the one who nurtured my love for the English Language. Unlike some other teachers, Mrs Tan never gave preferential treatment to the "good" students. Suddenly, average kids like myself were given opportunities which were usually "reserved" for the academically brilliant. She taught with her heart and we could feel her warmth and sincerity.

Mrs Jennifer Tan made a difference in my life.

The other unforgettable teacher was my Secondary 3 English and Literature teacher Ms Barbara Clark who, coincidentally, was also my form teacher. She's funny, witty, spunky and made Literature fun! I'll always remember her reading of George Orwell's Animal Farm: "Four legs goooood, two legs baaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaad!" Ms Clark was, for the lack of a better word, "unconventional" and "non-traditional". She's probably the first teacher whom many of us acknowledged as our friend, someone who could relate to us at our level.

Ms Barbara Clark made a difference in my life.

Needless to say, both Mrs Tan and Ms Clark greatly inspired me and I'm honoured to have been taught by them. Both of them are my role models and they've influenced my teaching style. If I am ever considered a good teacher, then I would say I have even greater teachers because I learnt from them.

Teaching should always be from the heart. And these days, students can clearly tell if their teachers genuinely care about them or are just doing a job for the heck of it.

It's been 10 years in this education industry. Although I do miss the rush of corporate life at times, I don't regret trading my business suits for "less intimidating" office wear. I enjoy the classroom environment and interacting with my students. Yes, I definitely know where my heart is. I want to give back what I took from all my wonderful teachers.

Perhaps I too can make a difference in someone's life.