My kindergarden has just started in January this year. I was under maternity leave, and thus I didn’t go there or know about what’s going on there until I took over in April.
The previous management was extremely lousy, and when I took over, I noticed that the children didn’t pick up the syllabus or motor skills as scheduled, so I hired a new principal to “clean up the mess” for me. She’s experienced in this field, and I trust her capability in handling both children and teachers.
Needless to say, lots of children stopped when I first started because the parents were disappointed. So during the parent-teacher’s meeting we did in May, my principal promised to do some changes, and parents will slowly notice the difference and improvement.
We had done a few programs, like extra reading classes, music and movement, rhymes, poems, and the lessons should be conducted in activities based. That means the children are learning from the text books, but they don’t realise it because the teachers have to convert the lesson into activities or games, and children learn thru playing and fun. However, by the end, the activities have to reach their objectives and children will be able to recognise words and remember the texts taught.
Thus, I made my teachers do extra work. Before that they’re really “senang”, just teach from books. Now, I want them to do flashcards, and colour all the cards. Their lesson plans have to be submitted weekly and each activity has to be writen precisely and interestingly. I also spot-check on the children’s progress, and when I found that any child is leaving behind, I’ll get my principal to question the teachers.
So, my teachers are gumbling. They also complain behind my back that the previous principal was better. No need to do so much work. To them, I’m only paying them a couple of hundred ringgits, so why should they put so much effort and hardship in it? Frankly, I even let a few teachers go when I found that they’re not putting in their effort. There’s no point if the teachers want to “makan gaji buta”, and refuse to co-operate with my plans.
A lot of people think that it’s easy to be a kindergarden teacher. Actually, it’s hard. Most children come in without potty trained at home, extremely pampered, don’t know how to feed themselves, fight or yell when they can’t get their toys, and etc, so teachers have to be patient in guiding and training the children even simple motor skills, not only ABC and 123.
I’m sad if the teachers can’t see how important their work is in “shaping” the children. I know parents are responsible in bring up their own children too, but in our both-father-mother-working society, most parents don’t have time to do so. And they also think that once they leave the children at school, it’s the teachers’ responsibilities to do the work. *sigh*
My principal and I hope that our new plans will be carried out properly by all our teachers. Then, not only the children will benefit from the training process, teachers also learn new and effective ways in teaching, and I can spend less time at work, but more time with my Justin!