I think it is just a little unthinkable for me to let the first week of September past without remembering people who have taken up teaching as their vocation.
When I was in Secondary Four, I received my education in an average neighbourhood- government school. If the rankings were done then, it would probably not make it to the top 50 to 100 in the ranking of schools. We had a broad range of teachers of different personalities and performances. Some were caring while others just passed by our lives without making any difference to us. But thank God only a few, and very few, tore our self-esteem into pieces. As I tried to recall a model-teacher of my secondary four days, a Mr. Sim came to my mind straight away. I do not know his full name or his religion. He was a literature teacher and his teaching style was simple. No high tech power-point or You-tube presentations. Not even chalk-talk. He practically read straight from his book peppered with some humour and his own little comments and anecdotes. He must be in his late 50s or early 60s by then and in the 1970s to be in one’s 50s was almost like ancient especially with his pants raised up high above the navel. Today, some parents as well as administrators may wonder if such teachers can still relate with the teenagers. In Mr. Sim’s case, as well as in many others, he was like Jesus the miracle worker!
In my class of Ah Lians and Ah Bengs [we were like rejects of a mother school which was overcrowded and so the Arts stream students were sacrificed to form a new school being built some 4 to 5 kms away] few actually got through their exams. The miracle was that many of my Lian-Bengs classmates failed in many subjects but passed Mr. Sim’s and this touched me to the core of my being right to this very day. It taught me a great lesson: that a teacher can make a great difference in the lives of the young. But Mr. Sim did not do the hard selling or created a storm in class. He was just being his natural self. I saw him as a man dedicated to his vocation as a teacher. He never raised his voice yet commanded respect from us the teenagers. He was firm but not cruel. He was a gentleman with great compassion and perfect joy.
In a way, Mr Sim reminded me of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading [Lk 5:1-11]. He taught us how to catch fish without saying too much or giving heaps of instructions. He set an example for us by being present to us in a kind and compassionate way which moved us, though academically weak as we were, to look at our lives with a sense of hope and so motivated us to enjoy the lessons. We always looked forward to Mr Sim’s lesson because we knew there was no need to be afraid of him. He took us from where we were and raised us up!
Today, thank God, there are still many kind, dedicated and approachable teachers like Mr Sim. Among those I have encountered include teachers like Thomas Koh, Timothy Goh, Br Nicholas Seet, Lucas Lak, Soh Piah Tat, Shakthi Sivasubramaniam, Br Kelvin Tan, Jamilah Yacob and Dominic Ang. They have been touching the lives of the young entrusted to them and continue to dedicate their lives for the good of the young especially the less privileged through education.
Being a teacher today is certainly more challenging and stressful than ever before. Few dare to complain because it is also their rice bowl. The difficulties teachers face today come from different directions. Apart from the stress of facilitating learning in the young, they are at times harassed by some very unreasonable parents. Then of course it is not uncommon to hear that teachers are often overloaded with new programmes over and above the existing ones.
As I remember Teachers’ Day, I pray that the Lord will help all our teachers to persevere in their teaching vocation. That the grace of our Lord Jesus will touch their hearts daily so that they will be aware that they do not work alone for all the good that they are trying to do and all the good values that they try to impart are done with the grace and help of the Spirit of the Living God.
To all the teachers out there, especially those working with weak students, Happy Teachers’ Day! And may the grace and abundant blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ remain with you always!
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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Gregory Chan on 4th Sep 2010.
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