Down Memory Lane

Today I was browsing through some blogs and I came across one written by my ex-student. While reading her blog, I found out that she is now married and is expecting her first baby. Reading her thoughts in the blog has brought me back many old memories, back to the time when I was still teaching in the convent school.

She has always been a brilliant student and I remember being her biology teacher then, she always had interesting questions to ask when it comes to the chapter on 'reproductive system'. I remember one day I was teaching her class about birth control, the usual text book stuff. After going through all the usual birth control methods and devices, she put up her hand and asked,'Teacher, what about the new blue pills? Are they good?' Blue pills???? heheh.. what can I say??? what blue pills??? I was thinking at that time, 'Gosh!! I don't know any blue pills!!!' hehehe.. so how does a teacher answer a question that she has no answer to?? I was speechless for a moment or two, or was it three. Goodness! These girls were more advance that I was !!Yikess!!! Now I couldn't tell her I didn't know about any blue ones (obviously I know about pills, but the new blue ones??), that would make me very 'uncool'. So I gave her that teacher look and said,'I'll find out and let you know.' :-) The bunch of girls that I taught that year has since left school and made a name for themselves in the world. Some are doctors, lawyers, accountants and herself, a radio presenter.

Looking back I recall the passion I had for the profession. Teaching was my life. My aim was to teach, to make sure that my students get the most information they can, to guide them on a career path so that when they left school they have a clear idea of what they want to be, etc etc. The best time of a teacher's life is when her students come back and thank her for being such a guidance to them.The best time is when your class has done very well in the exams. The best time is when your school is announced as the best school in town. On the other hand, I also had students who were not as successful. I remember one student who was very weak in her studies. I met her many years after she left school wandering around in the shopping complex. She told me that if she had listened to my advice when she was in school, her life would have been different. Told her it was not too late, she could still have a good life. As a teacher it is good to know that we have touched someone's life one way or another.

But like any other professions, it is not always sunny in the teaching world. Sometimes you get upset when students misbehave, you get stressed when there is a lot of marking to do, you get impatient when you try to get a message across and your students just wouldn't get it.

A friend asked if I miss marking papers. Truth is, sometimes I do. Will I ever go back to teaching? Well, I am keeping the options open :-)