Monday, May 25, 2009

Switching hats!

While at College our prof always warned us to never get on the bad side of the support staff. Working as an E.A. at school for a month has taught me why!

On top of the standard laminating, photocopying, cutting things etc... I've been asked to sing, dance and sew.

So far I've had to switch hats and often juggled several on my head filling the following roles as an E.A.;
  • Singer
  • Dancer
  • Actor
  • Radio-Repair-Man
  • Seamster
  • Actor
  • Painter
  • Computer Consultant
Its been a running joke with a couple teachers that I feel a little emasculated within the short number of weeks I've been an E.A. You really need to be a Jack-of-all-Trades to fulfil an E.A. role and I have found more respect for people in this job. Looking forward to the next challenge because I never know what I might have to do.

About Teacher's Dilemma

Hi there for anyone reading this blog!

This is Mr. Chan a newly graduated teacher about to embark on a journey as a teacher in the field of education. I'm starting this blog because of various reasons, but before I go into all that I must explain the title of this blog.

As a teacher, there are uncountable decisions to be made daily. Many of them are simply a choice between the lesser of two evils, and even then you have to wonder if in the longer term, whether or not the choice you've made will come back and haunt you later in the year. Sometimes it can be funny, shocking, ironic, difficult, upsetting or many if not all of the above.

My own situation is somewhat of a dilemma. Having been born in Hong Kong, I moved to toronto and grew up in a bilingual environment. That is to say English at school and Cantonese at home. (Despite continued and determined attempts by the French teacher never quite pounded through my thick childhood skull.) Having obtained my degree in Canada I find myself having more opportunities as a teacher in Hong Kong. The choice is made for the fact that I am already in Hong Kong. Currently I am in a well respected international school to remain nameless as an E.A. learning and observing before my future full time teacher contract begins in another international school.

As a new teacher I will be encountering many of these new decisions soon and I would like to share this with any new, experienced, former or aspiring teachers for some discussion and hopefully some laughs at the odd little job called teaching.

Mr. Chan