Well, I too was killing myself over work and trying to make the best of my life during training. But I soon realised that it was taking a toll on my health as well as my social life. Mind you, having a social life is highly important as just concentrating on work might lead you to burn out when you least need to be exhaused i.e. during Practicum.
As I was driving to NIE one day with my friend, *Spilopterus (don't ask me what the heck that means), he was asking me why the heck do I always seem to be so busy, stressed, doing work etc... Right there and then, I didn't have an answer at hand. I began to ponder "Yah, why the heck am I killing myself over work? I need to pace myself..."
Spilopterus (2005) gave me this advice (did some changes to what he said):
"If whatever you do in NIE will make you a better teacher, then do it with all your heart! Go all out and do your best so that you will be more than just being well equipped for the profession! If what you do in NIE will not make you a better teacher, such as with some of the assignments we are tasked to do, then just pace yourself and remember to relax. No point getting burned out..."
*Name changed to protect privacy.
So there you go guys and gals. Chill. Maybe we should all go out for drinks after our friday lesson ends. I mean, it IS a Friday night by the time we end....
*Name changed to protect privacy.
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12 comments:
It's unfair, I think, to say that nothing in NIE will make us better teachers. The attitude towards work is not cynicism, but knowing what you're working for... For your own or another's glory?
"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint."
Proverbs 23:4
Actually my post did not mention that 'nothing in NIE will make us better teachers'. The main point is that there are few things which they request of us which honestly, will not really make you a better teacher. Especially when there is a disjoint between what we are learning to what is actually practiced in schools.
My stand is that OJT is more important in the end.
I agree that knowing what you are working for is highly important. Is it the tangible or the intangible that we should be looking at? Or both? Or....?
forgive me but wat's OJT? there are somethings that really don't seem to serve any purpose in helping us become better teachers. i can only hope the dots will connect at some point in the future. sigh!
OJT is On the Job Training.
Yes i badly want to connect the dots or at least, see how the dots connect in some ways too.
Hi, I certainly do agree that some stuff we have to do here have no practical use for us once we become actual teachers. I am one of those who have been complaining about this.
But perhaps, we can see this as preparing us for the harsh reality of teaching, where we still have to do lots of stuff that have nothing to do with actual teaching despite the busy schedule?
SW
Yep. Not everything here In NIE might be useful. But it's also our responsibility isn't it? Not everything students do in schools will be beneficial to them either? (We should know that! Things like logarithms, differentiation... I knew THEN that it would be useless to me!) But that doesn't mean they can heck it. And it doesn't mean that they dun have to put in effort or try their best.
What I'm saying is, deadlines are deadlines. And since we have been tasked to do something, we might as well do it! Moreover we are teachers who expect the same discipline from our students!
What is important is to know how to relax and have fun while working. (I know some stuff are absolutely almost impossible to have fun with. But there is certainly a way in which we can have fun. Hee.) No point burning out ourselves. Might as well make the most of our situations.
"We can do all things through Him who gives us strength."
Yes. The focus of my blog is not on doing irrelevant things or things that are not useful. I'm sure that everybody everywhere will have to do things that we do not find will be useful or beneficial in many ways.
My main focus or theme of this entry is about prioritising. Prioritise whichever you have to do and focus on those that you deem as more relevant or more important to you. When faced with doing other tasks, just try to relax and remember to see the bigger picture and to remember that yes, you have a life!
Yeah we have a life! I wanna PLAY!!!!! =)
Oh yes, do enjoy the learning process. :)
i cldn't agree more on wat you juz said. oh, and hello by the way.
Hello Tiff. Hope you remember to pace yourself in NIE. Work smart.
All work no play.. makes Ken a dull boy.
You need to relax at times... :D
rainbow_craze
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