Don’t Stop Now – Keep on Moving – a Message from Mum
In 2005 when I first started teaching, I was in my first teaching semester. It was tough. I had a new cohort of 32 college students – each coming in with their own lives, problems, goals, hopes and dreams – oh, and each wanting to learn something on the course and get their certificates at the end of it all. I was their teacher, tutor, loco-parentis mum and dad.
I took a smoke break in the middle of the lesson – back then, yes, it was possible, and I was a smoker. I was on the ground floor searching for wisdom. I was done. This teaching stuff, this teacher training, these students – what was it all about? I’d had my fill and wanted to go back to what I knew (anything but away from the classroom, lesson planning, teacher training, marking and all the other bits ‘n’ bobs that go with the job). I called my mum.
‘Mum’, I said – ‘I’m done. I’m going to hand in my notice and go back to fixing and building and repairing computers”. ‘OK’ mum said. “How much longer have you to go with teacher training?” “two years’ I replied. “plus, I’ve to do a full time contract commitment of 878 teaching hours per school year, no breaks during term time and only a maximum of four weeks off in one go over summer”. “I’ll not make it” I said.
“If you quit and leave now, you’ll have nothing to show for it, and you’ll be able to go nowhere”, mum replied. “If you leave at the end of teacher training, you’ll have your certificate and can go anywhere you want”.
Suffice to say – 17 years later and now into my 18th year of teaching, I heeded that advice and took the difficult decision to keep on going. I didn’t’ know then or understand exactly what mum’s statement meant. However, I sure do today, and I am glad I listened. I’ve achieved being a teacher, director of studies, headteacher, vice principal, education director and international school principal over the years in the UK, Russia, China, Vietnam, Iraq and Georgia.
I say to you – when your learning is getting tough (and it does and will) – you must keep on going. Stay focused about why you took the decision to learn. School is school for sure, but – IELTS/TOEFL Exam, study or live abroad, better job, better opportunities – whatever it is to you – get to the end of it first and then say, “I’m done”. You’ll be so glad you did, and you’ll be a whole different person with new perspective, skills and abilities. YOUR TIME WILL COME TOO
HAVE A SUPER WEEKEND WHEREVER IN THE WORLD YOU ARE TODAY