Remember back in primary and secondary school when Teachers’ Day was a huge thing?
Students would rush to buy gifts and thank you cards to show how much they appreciate their teachers.
That’s something you don’t hear much about in kindergarten. Pre-school teachers to most of us are like stand-in mothers as the real mums go off to work.
But the struggles that these teachers face are completely different, and often go unnoticed by the public who underestimate their job.
An early childhood educator’s husband decided to shed light on their plight, and explain why pre-school teachers deserve more respect.
Work-life balance is one of the key things we look for when searching for a job. Nobody wants work to invade their private lives.
Unfortunately, the pre-school teacher’s husband realised that his wife has had to regularly forsake her personal time for work throughout her 6-year career. Sometimes, she even brings her work to bed.
Just like teachers in other schools, she takes home admin work since most of her working hours are spent looking after the children.
Even though she works late on some days, she’ll always be up early the next morning to receive the kids at 7am.
Most schools get Ministry of Education (MOE) funding for enrichment programmes and supplementary materials.
Kindergartens however don’t enjoy the same luxury, which is why Mdm Aliya uses money out of her own pocket to buy school supplies.
She has collected such a large amount of supplies over the years that her husband likens their home storeroom to a “mini Popular Bookstore”.
Considering that a pre-school teacher’s pay isn’t “so good” as Mr Ismail claims, spending on school supplies must be a strain on Mdm Aliya’s finances.
We’re all aware that teachers have to play multiple roles like disciplinarian, advisor and confidante, as children face more than just academic struggles in school.
This is especially important in kindergartens as the children are much younger and require more attention.
Mr Ismail relates how his wife, like many pre-school teachers, often feels compelled to go beyond her teaching duties and do more for the children.
In doing so, Mdm Aliya inadvertently places additional pressures on herself, which takes a toll on her emotional well-being.
Despite the difficulties, Mr Ismail says that his wife remains fully dedicated to her job and loves what she does.
On top of her working hours, Mdm Aliya also attends courses to improve her role as a teacher.
What especially gives her joy is when the kids recognise her outside of school. Her husband recalls how thrilled she was when she heard them call out to her in public.
Mr Ismail ends by expressing a little indignation, highlighting how people can do more to acknowledge pre-school teachers’ sacrifices.
Shaping a person’s life is a heavy responsibility, and we may not realise how much our teachers have done for us till we get much older.
So if you ever run into a teacher from your past, remember to stop and thank them for nurturing you and making you who you are today.
Featured image from Facebook.
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Singapore was not found on the list.