The thing about teachers

I enjoyed a particular article by a fellow blogger teacher so much that I feel that i should write my two cents worth.

As she has mentioned, it is difficult for teachers to be treated as normal human being as we are constantly placed on a pedestal where in fact many seemingly normal activities are taboo for teachers. It is only in teachers' blogs or even teacher's diaries ( if you are so competent to lay your hands on) that you get the real confessions of teachers who are bitchy, frustrated, angry, and errr... normal.

So what do we do that is different from others? Pretty much no, I for example, eat, sleep, blog and shit, much like a normal person. As teachers, we are pretty much the role models that people want/wish/fantasize that we will be. As a colleague once said, "We are not expected to be role models, we are supposed to be role models" Profound but yet true.

But then again, I would like to confess the things that a "normal" teacher would "normally" do...

1) Swear
I don't mean telling the truth to God, but well it is kinda like telling God and of course more importantly to the people around you how you feel about certain things. I sometimes find it an irony as we are not expected to swore (pun intended) off the lexicon of obscenities like the ever favourable F***, KNNBCCB, B****, S*** (sorry if I go beyond the NC 16 to R18) But then again I was well trained in the army and I find it a pity to give it all up just because it was socially wrong for a teacher to do so as we are providing the wrong role models. Well I just have to say it with bated breath and make sure my students and colleagues are at least like 30m away from me.

2)Party
I know there are teachers who drink and drink and drunk and love to go to the most happening spots. There is abslutely nothing wrong with that. In fact teachers are known to be people who know when to have fun. It is just that in front of students, we need to put up a front and put on a disapproving look everytime when we feel that the situation is getting a little wee bit outrageous. But trust us, we do know when to have a good time. In fact, the teachers are going to have a party known as "Rough it out @ St Raphael", where the teachers will be letting their hair down on Friday at St Raphael's Staffroom. And ONLY teachers are invited. No gatecrashing students allowed. Now who say we don't have fun?

So enjoy what you discover in cyberspace, for in schools we are abnormal. Well kinda...