This semester, my job has been very, very unusual, and in none of the good ways.
To be honest, I have been having a good work year, personally. My Mon-Wed-Fri's are free as hell to do whatever I want all day, while my Tues-Thurs are frantic as hell, with barely a chance to take a pee break, let alone lunch. My back is pretty sore after each one given my past injury, but it comes with a great amount of job satisfaction.
I'm on my feet all day, singing in choir, producing and recording stuff in the music tech class, geeking out in the music theory class, and jamming some advanced tunes in guitar class. Then there's the band club to top it off. Good exercise, if nothing else.
But the school itself feels like it's kind of falling apart.
Classes began on September 1st. Since then, I haven't had a single meeting. As the Head of three departments, this used to be a frequent thing.
I haven't heard a single word, about anything. Communication has completely broken down. We only found out the official Mid-term exam dates a week prior - no time for students or teachers to prep!
And speaking of students, almost all of the Grade 12 students are just... not here? Like, at all.
I have two students in multiple classes who I've never met. They're 'excused' because they're 'working on their portfolios'. The rest are doing 'TOEFL' classes outside the school (that's basically English classes).
Over 60% of the entire 12th grade has been absent for a solid 2 months.
This is super annoying because when they do come back, they will be completely lost. My AP class (advanced placement) is intense. In just 2 months, students have gone from being musically illiterate, to understanding functional harmony, the role of augmented triads and dominant resolutions, and how to sing in four-part chorale. I've no plan for when random students turn up months later totally ignorant...
Students, at random times without any prior notice, are going away on basketball competitions, college applications, and any other variety of priorities. Who knows!
To put a cherry on top, after months of reminding the Finance department: 'Where's our budget, where's our supplies' - they finally say;
'oh, well it's going to take at least 30 days to process so it's better to apply again in the next term'.
So our entire team has to continue making up lessons and improvising because we have no supplies, no paper or paints or badminton shuttlecocks. Just make it up guys!
This is one of the most expensive private schools in the richest city in the entire country.
The whole school is breaking down.
It's a bit strange, really. I get immense job satisfaction in my own personal role in this job - which is why I've remained here so many years. In isolation, I enjoy it a lot, and I work damn hard to make quality lessons.
But in the end, Parents get what they pay for - which is not quality education, but a guarantee that their student will graduate no matter what.
So, we're left with the bottom of the barrel kids, ones who were kicked out of good schools. That in itself is extremely frustrating to know. This school has ties to NYCU, so the vast majority end up 'graduating' and being accepted there, thanks to all the 'donations'.
Sigh.
It's all a grift.
as tough as it seems reading about your experience, you do sound like you're doing work in line with your passions. emerging oneself in music-related fields, especially teaching, can cement our own grasp on it, constantly re-exploring and rediscovering.
but yes it's all falling apart. the transition is nigh.
Yeah I definitely do not take for granted my job! The incompetence around me has enabled me to shape my daily life over the years to be more and more exactly how I like it without resistance heh.
I'm indeed learning every day... for how much longer, not sure. Not long.
Where are you currently teaching? I'm a student teacher and being a teacher is indeed a demanding job. Based on your post, I can tell you are passionate about your job. Sad reality we are living, everyone is only after getting the graduation diploma but not the cultivation of wisdom and knowledge.
Shanghai. Yeah I'm passionate about a lot of stuff - it's endlessly frustrating for me because I have to keep so much to myself, unable to blurt out to anyone, because people, like my colleagues in this case, just aren't interested in their job, it seems. Just squeezing out as many paychecks as they can until they can move on.
Everything has its cycles of ups and downs. The school falling apart is probably by design due to economic issues, "gov" overreaches, and too much tv propaganda, bad music
from the mainstream programming their brains into delinquency.
Cheers to the ones who stuck through! They will most likely make the better part of society.
Government overreach is certainly one aspect, it's a constant hassle for everybody, in all aspects of life, actually, but particularly international schools.
A side example is halloween being banned this year, just out of the blue, no official warnings, just places getting random police raiding their offices and warning them not to allow a single costume or hint to 'foreign celebrations'.
Overreach, indeed...
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