Teaching in New Perspective

After hearing today's sermon at church, I had a renewed mindset to Teaching in particular...

You can't make people want something they don't want!

How true is this statement... Kids today are barely interested in going to school. Especially for the older kids. Why?

I really believe that there are times, as teachers, we have become so caught up with teaching to the textbook and syllabus that we do not address pupils' needs.

This was the same challenge the speaker at the Teacher's Conference 2006 highlighted. Kids today are so into multimedia... computer games, TV, podcasts, internet etc. However, in schools, we are still stuck to textbooks, workbooks and white boards...

Until we can link what's in the textbook to the things they can find through multimedia sources, I really believe we cannot reach out to children as effectively.

I also believe that some of the things we teach have lost its relevance to the world we live in around us. One of this area I feel in the topic of sexuality education... A topic everyone shuns to explain to the young ones what it is all about.

In due respect, I admire MOE for taking on a difficult task that should have belonged to parents. The curriculum is a solid one. I agree that teaching abstinence from sex is the only way to sanctify sex and prevent them from making mistakes that they can regret later aka getting sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy.

I also have to agree that we have a generation of youths who will not do as they are told. I've been through the rebellious stage before where for everything that you are told to do because it is good for you, you will choose the complete opposite.

Teaching children to protect themselves is also equally important... However, it is kinda like opening Pandora's Box... we may end up unknowingly encourage youths to cross the boundaries because protection is the safety net against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy.

The challenge relating abstinence from sex is to teach the sanctity of sex in marriage... I believe that if we can do it right, sexuality education can be transformed and be relevant.

I'm not sure I'll actually have the fortune of teaching sexuality education this year... but I'm sure I'll definately look forward to the challenge.

As for other subjects, it is a new curriculum I am doing this year, I'm excited of rising to the challenge of making what I teach relevant...