teach

I refer to the letter “Job of teaching is getting tougher” (Sept 2). As a former Ministry of Education (MOE) teacher, I share the view that the profession has grown more challenging.

The demands of lesson preparation, marking and managing co-curricular responsibilities are now compounded by the rapid pace of technological change.

With artificial intelligence able to provide quick answers, students no longer rely on teachers purely for knowledge.

What matters more is how teachers engage them and make learning meaningful. In my experience, I have seen how simple tools such as using familiar objects in class or tapping into platforms like TikTok Live can capture attention and foster stronger connections with students.

These methods remind us that authenticity and human presence remain at the heart of effective teaching.

At the same time, teachers must also keep upgrading themselves to stay relevant.

The Government’s SkillsFuture programme provides valuable support, allowing educators to continually refresh their skills in line with the needs of today’s learners.

Teaching is indeed demanding, but with openness to new approaches and a commitment to lifelong learning, it can continue to be deeply rewarding.

Daniel Tay Xiong Sheng

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those who can teach

Teaching is a calling.

One does not join the profession to get rich. In Singapore, educators are better paid than their peers in many parts of the world, but the pay is still not much compared with what one may get in the private sector.

More often than not, someone becomes a teacher because he wants to touch lives and help change the world in a small way. Perhaps he had a good teacher when he was a student, and now wants to pay it forward.

Teaching in Singapore in the 21st century is not an easy task. Expectations have definitely changed since the 80s and 90s – expectations from the Ministry of Education, and from various stakeholders such as school boards, parents and students.

It is tough teaching digital natives when one is a digital immigrant. It is not easy juggling lesson preparation, marking assignments and tests, co-curricular activities, the duties of a form teacher, and school committee work.

It is challenging to keep up with new policies as they are rolled out. There is plenty of on-the-job training to gain experience in handling delinquent students with poor family support, students with socio-emotional problems, and students with undiagnosed special educational needs.

It is daunting to teach subjects like languages, now that the use of artificial intelligence has become widespread, as it is teaching subjects like mathematics and the humanities, because the age-old question from students – “Why do we need to learn this?” – is becoming increasingly difficult to answer.

Let us remember that teachers are human too. Besides their professional role, they are also parents, children and siblings. Burnout is very real, especially when respect for the profession has somewhat diminished from Singapore’s nation-building years.

I therefore disagree with the saying that goes “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”, and would like to instead say: “Those who can, teach.”

This September, let us wish teachers a very happy Teachers’ Day.

Julian Teo Eng Keat

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