Teachers' Day is just some hours away.

And it's time to remind ourselves to pay gratitude to the people that have taken the time and effort, with buckets full of patience, in imparting their knowledge.

Teaching is a truely noble profession (however nursing still wins by a landslide.. wahaha), involving lots of background sacrifices. The way i see it, everyone can be a teacher. All you need are the entry requisites. But not everyone can actually teach.

That takes someone special.

Did i confuse you? It's actually very simple. Allow me to explain. Basically, it takes only paper qualifications to get a teaching post. Just some prior working experience in a related field and a degree = hey presto, you've got the job.

One can memorize textbook based methods of teaching, setting exam questions and what-have-yous, though i dare say : that doesn't make you teacher, much less a good one. Bear in mind that the students of today are unlike those of yesteryears. With the prevalence of technology, you can rest assured that the hardworking students will check up on what is being said in the classroom via the internet. And the ones being discriminated, well, will be waiting to pounce on the irritating-specimen-of-a-teacher with a camera phone. And parents, well, they're a whole cateory by themselves.

Teaching is highly complex. Involving not just an academic aspect, but also an emotional and moral obligation. Teachers of today pass on survival skills to the nation of tomorrow.

This what why i was sorely disappointed when Joey voiced wanting to be a Professor. It gave me the impression that he was more interested in attaining a title. A shallow status symbol. And sadly, to teach without passion wastes not only to time of the students, but also that of the teacher. (however, i will ask him for clarification the next time i see him, or perhaps i have misunderstood him- but that's another story ya?)

Teaching is a priviledge.

Many of us have encountered many different types of teachers in our school years. Chances are, the better a relationship fostered with your teachers, they longer you would have been educated.

I believe the quality of students reflect strongly on the quality of teacher. A teacher that never gives up on her students, goes to great lengths to research different methods towards teaching styles, possesses patience and forgiveness is truly a rare gem.

I was fortunate to meet these gems during my stint at ITE. I spent 2 wonderfully blissful years there. My teachers devised innovative teaching mehods which incorporated singing, dancing, role play and various other aids (use of clay, bringing real animal meat/bones etc). More importantly, they built soild teacher-student relationships. They addressed us by name, helped families in silence, and disciplined when neccessary. You can really feel the passion they harboured. They celebrated the end of every industrial attachment, awakening a sense of pride and confidence, previously forgotten.

Which lecturer in NYP will stay back til 9pm to individually assess students before a phase test? Perhaps it's the lack of staff. Perhaps it's the heavy workload. Perhaps these are all mere excuses. They call themselves "Lecturers" - again, title based roles. Lecturers that more or less want their own way. Lecturers that are unsure of what the hell they are doing. Lecturers that abuse their authority. Lecturers that churn lectures with an unhealthy dose of sleeping gas.

Although i'll give NYP a little leeway. There are a few gems hidden within too. Some take great pains to help the students.

Unlike my secondary school. Terrible. I swear, they must have been the devil in disguise.