Time for a break

The holidays are here but the poor teachers and children are still going to school for extra classes. Holidays are for fun, relaxation and basically, doing nothing in particular but taking a break from routine, from school, and for doing things you never got around to doing because of school. We must be careful we do not pluck our students' childhood from them. They need to play, hang out with their friends, catch up with their studies, etc and miss school again.
For teachers, we will be busy marking the mid-year exams esp those holding examination classes in the upper forms. If one teaches 5 classes, there will be more 200 essays, and summary to correct. But I would schedule some fun time, relaxing in my garden, recuperating, dreaming and recharging myself to come back for the second half of the year. Happy Holidays everyone!

Getting organised or getting hooked to getting organised

Is it possible that I am so absorbed in learning how to be organised that I have neglected to get organised. All I do is read and download stuff about getting things done but with little time left to do any cleaning up.....sigh...I downloaded diy planners, really good ideas but i don't know whether i am ever going to follow all that.

Yesterday, I spent hours looking at various websites on getting organised until my computer went kaput....so sad...just sent the laptop to the shop. now, i feel as if i am without my right arm or something...i miss my stuff in the laptop. i hope i will be able to get it back soon.

Calling it a day at 60?

Recently we read that CUEPACS is requesting that civil servants serve till they are 60 before they retire. As for many teachers like me, most of us will not be signing for 60. It is not that we hate teaching, we love going into class, moulding them, preparing them for exams, and most of all, we get to inspire, change and move them to do something with their lives. But, it is the daily grind of paperwork that we hate. And the endless meetings and projects to do. All these projects are unnecessary and time-consuming. Worse, they even call us back on Saturdays and holidays. Civil servants are supposed to have Saturdays off, but teachers are required to work on Saturdays and schools is given the discretion to use Saturdays to complete co-curricular activities. Teachers are tired and there is no time for self-renewal. We don't even have time for preparation of materials. Chunks of exercises and essays await us daily. I am not surprised many will opt to retire at 56.

Gems of truth

It's been a while since i last wrote on this blog. I heard something worthwhile the last few days that I need to jot it down:

Bigger things don't make us happy. Happiness is not a destination.
People who are suffering from happiness destination tend to put off their happiness till they have achieved or got something...and they continue to strive even though they have finally arrived, they are still not happy.
One has to decide to be happy in one's inner being, no matter what the circumstances.