i want to be a...

I WANT TO BE A...

I want to be a teacher because teachers are very clever.

They know about a lot of things.

They teach many students and help them in their work.

My teachers are very nice to me so i want to be like them in the future.

Remembered when we are younger, teachers would always ask us to write about our ambitions. Without fail, my ambition is to be a teacher. I can't really remember what I wrote but it would be something along that line. Frankly speaking, at that age, I didn't really know what I want to be in the future nor do I have the burning passion to be like those tall adults standing infront of the class, talking at an unusual loud volume and always making us learn things that i don't know why we are learning them for. The ambition I wrote down was just the shortlisted ambition i made from an already very short list of ambitions i knew. Back at that time, i guess every 小不点 in the class only knows police, air stewardess, nurses, doctors, lawyers, actors/actresses, and maybe for a rare few, engineeers, on top of teachers. So, I chose teacher. =)

And then, time had wings and I grew taller, I knew a lot more about other occupations. Despite so, i somehow felt that i still wanted to be a teacher, although i knew accountant earns a lot, doctors and laywers enjoy high prestige, event planners can face many interesing challenges and yadah yadah. So, alright, i wanted to be a teacher but i didn't know why because i never really sat down and think of the reasons.

Then came A levels and application for scholarship and stuff. Oops, I had interviews to attend to. There, interviewers would ask me to justify my decision, which meant lisitng reason 1, 2, 3 to convince them... ... So with that, i gave a very disorganised explanation to the police hq psychologist. Disorganised because i had a lot to say but simply don't know how to express myself, to the extent that my mind went blank and gave the example of teachers asking us to drink more water as a form of concern (well, i still think its ok to say that but apparently, thats not a very strong point T.T, esp judging from the psychologist's expression >.<)

For the days that followed, more interviewers asked the same million bucks question. Why be a teacher? Why only apply this and not that? Then, people around me also asked the same questions. That's the period when i really delve about what i really want. I am not sure if ths is really what i would want in the future, but for now, it is :)

After organising my memory bank and thoughts and forcing myself to think and piece the big picture, i think i want to be a teacher because...

I want to make a difference. Motivation behind it is probably because I want to pay it forward, something that Mr Ng enlightened me about. Typical story, I didn't come from a perfect family. I have been through a lot of stuff when i was younger, big big potential triggers that may cause me to go stray and not be the peiyee i am now. Not that my teachers did some extraordinary acts that touched me and made me remain good, in fact, they did nothing because they didn't even know i was feeling down. However, i believe i still owe it to them because at least they made me enjoy schooling when i was younger, so that i felt i had something to work towards to and not give up on myself. A teacher can play a very very important part in a person's life. Though other occupations do have their own challenges and accomplishments, i think nothing beats the teachers' because what they are influencing is a kid's character and development. My teachers gave me a healthy start so i want to do the same for other kids too =)

I had good teachers. Yes, i had awesome teachers, mr jumat, ms lee, ms tan, mr ng and ms wassan to name a few. They made learning different. Some really cared for your welfare, some had marvellous teaching skills, some simply knew how to build good rapport with the class where a teacher-student relationship can be maintained as a friend-friend relationship. I admire them for that and i want to be like them. Again, to pay it forward. =)

I thought my family background can allow me to help certain kids =)

I want to be in touch with kids. Reason? Simplicity. I realise adults think a lot. Though there may still be office politics even in a school environment but at least i get to teach the kids. Naughty at times, they give insights and remarks that adults can never think of. i like this feeling =)

I still feel that I want to be a teacher after so many years.

yup, that's about all i can recall for now. I have to admit that despite all that i want to do as a good teacher, there are bound to be limitations. I may have the desire to be a good teacher but i might not have the ability to. Not everyone knows the tricks to make students gain knowledge happily and willingly, not everyone can click with the kids, not everyone can cope with the demand of being a teacher. However, i will do my best and make sure the passion stays =)

P.S. other random reasons: eat canteen food which is supposedly healthier :P no need to fight with the traffic jam because school starts earlier than office :P can know the lastest youth's stuff from the kiddy informers :P enjoy school holidays (alright, i know there is still work, at least i can dress informally then) :P can rehearse national anthem and pledge everyday :P can see the kids grow and how they fight and argue and yet continued to be friends the next day :P mark exams paper after mine got marked for almost 2o years :P can be in charge of different CCAs and learn a lot of new things! :P and many other things that are exclusive to a teacher =)