Life of a Polytechnic/ITE Lecturer

[Gasgasgas]

Any thoughts on being a Poly/ITE lecturer??

[Albeniz]

If you are working in the industry, you will always stand a chance to teach in a poly.

The poly will try to match your salary with your last drawn pay. They treasure your industry experience.

 

But if you teach in a poly for a few years and decide to go back to industry to work, your prospective employer may not recognize your teaching experience. That being the case, you may end up having to compromise on the pay, should you decide to go back to industry again.

 

It's a one-way traffic.

[Dynaway]

mauaha...

 

this is wat i think...

 

if u go into teaching for the $$$... i thikn it wont last...

 

u need the passion.... n the self-giving thingy to teach..... share watever u know.... pass on the knowledge

 

 

but nowadays, teaching doesnt seem very noble job any more....

[Sosaria]

A couple months ago there seemed to be many vacancies because economy was still doing very well. Now, with the outlook being worse, probably there are many people thinking of going into teaching line... but don't want to commit long-term by going NIE. So, going to poly/ITE becomes an attractive choice.

 

If you read in the papers recently, there was a salary adjustment upwards (very little!) but annual leave cut to 21 days from the previous 42 days.

 

You need to have passion, and might I add, some natural talent/skill in teaching - because there won't be any NIE-type course to guide you along. LOADS of patience is also a necessity - not just to deal with today's youth, but also the parents and your own management

 

Need some political savvy and tact too, and must be adept at covering your own a*** in whatever you do. Basically, being a contractual job, the management can turf you out over the slightest mistakes without having to "retrench" you. And that's why teaching is not the only focus for poly/ITE - there are lots of "developmental" stuff to take up, i.e. admin portfolios, projects, etc. Take it all with a smile, and be successful in at least some of them - to ensure your contract will continue to be extended in the worst of times

 

And yeah, don't get too comfortable and stay too long... As someone here already pointed out - it's very, very difficult to get back into industry after your poly/ITE stint.

[Sosaria]

...but nowadays, teaching doesnt seem very noble job any more....

 

It IS still noble, for those who take it up with the right attitude, and keeping in mind that it's not just any job, but a service to society and nation

 

Students nowadays can't be penalised as in the old days. So how to secure their cooperation and change their ways for the better? The only thing you can use is your own persuasive abilities, or charisma, or good example. It does not work all the time, but when it DOES work... then you'd feel your efforts rewarded. The satisfaction and self-confidence gained is incomparable to private sector experience; only then you get a glimpse of understanding about why some people never get tired of teaching job, no matter the obstacles and other rubbish work that comes along with it!