I've always dreamt of having students who would do work without me asking them to, and all I have to do is correct it and talk about it with them. Just like how it is in University.
Finally, I've got two such students. But I'm feeling pressured instead.
You see, instead of the usual them doing the work and me correcting it when I go to their house, they will email me with their work and I'll have to edit and send it back before I get to their house. Then we will discuss it when I get to their house.
It's stressful because I have to specally set aside time in my packed schedule just to correct it, and God knows I am very detailed in my corrections. It takes time to do it. Thing is, I don't have so much time, or rather, I'm not willing to put in so much time after work just to edit their work. I need my rest too, but these students and parents don't seem to understand that. They think that just because they're paying, the teachers are thus robots and not humans like them. They forget that I have a life outside their once-a-week tuition sessions.
I have six students now. School is reopening on monday and I predict busy weeks of juggling work and tuition and eventually tuition and school. I just want the year to end soon so I can drop those students who are taking their O Levels.
For my term holidays, I have found a job as a childcare assistant. It's a montessori centre, and I am awed by the Montessori Way. I love it even though it's bloody expensive.
It has been great working there. There is great camaraderie among the teachers and non-teaching staff. Very different from my previous company, the law firm. If I can extrapolate my experience at the law firm to represent the corporate world, I can firmly say that I am disgusted by how the corporate world works. It is a very dreary world. I could barely keep my eyes open in the office because the work is so boring and unchallenging and uninspiring and at the end of the day - meaningless. I was truly working only for the money there.
At the childcare centre, there is joy and innocence and happiness. Something that seriously lacks in the corporate world. Innocence is probably a taboo there. The kids really touch my heart and even though I've only been there for 4 weeks, it's enough to make me experience a whole lot of positive emotions that I have never felt before. Maybe it was because I was scared of loving, but there, the kids make you wanna love them. It's so easy to love them and expect nothing in return, unlike adult relationships.
I will truly miss working there when term starts again.
On a bright note, I'm doing pretty well in university. Good enough for my mom to be happy. My year one GPA is 3.78 out of a total of 5. Not the best, and can definitely be better. But for my first year, I am pleased. :-)
