Teaching - a rewarding or painful career?

I just met Sis Karina's colleague at West Coast Plaza. Shle is a contract teacher going into NIE next month. She has been a great, great help to me today. It caused me to think so much.

Questions like, "How to you handle these kids if they are defiant or problematic", "How not to get weighed down when you handle these kids", "What to do if these children needs help" and so much more. Frankly speaking, I believe she is just touching on the tip of the ice berg. There is so much more to feel, see and experience.

"Will I break down if I cannot cope?" kept running in my mind. Even though I am so, so convinced to join the teaching career, I do not even know why I keep finding answers to support my actions. Am I that confused?

But seriously, what else can I do?

I do not want to take this profession lightly. It concerns a lot of young lives and their future. It is almost the same as being a just judge or a doctor. Lives are at stake. Teacher has far more responsibilities. The things you do impact the rest of their lives, longer than the life sentence of other countries (20years), whether good or bad.

I do not know why I keep harping on teaching. Thoughts of joining an organization and lead a corporate life did cross my mind. I just do not know why they aren't as attractive as being a teacher.

So I am going to give myself half a year from Jan 2013, unless I need more (up to one and a half year). After all those hard facts, I still decided to be a teacher.

Anyway, after my newfound friend received a call from the school to be a relief teacher for a class, she took her last sip of latte and left. I was there for another half an hour, trying to digest what she had said. Looking back, there are many, many times I consider giving up tuition. Mainly because I could not pass my own critic. Of course, these two years have molded me to persevere, and pray, and seek new ways to help these children. Of course, these kids may not be as motivated as they are in tuition, but with God's grace I will do my best to help them be motivated.

I took off to SKS (finally after a year of saying I wanted to go). I was wow-ed by the organised collections of books. I bought 4 books:

"Lies Women Believe": this book was brought to light when Carmen posted something from a blog relating to this book. I have another version: "Lies Young Women Believe". I decided to buy the older version because that book is for teens;

"Teaching to Change Lives"(as recommended by Rachel) to discover the seven laws of teaching with some study at the back of the book. Hopefully it will help me in understanding and applying teaching better. I may buy another book that I saw. It seems like a follow-up of this boom hence I bought this small book first before buying that thick expensive book;

"Discover The Bible For Yourself" (by Kay Arthur), first heard of it in precept classes. I have decided not to go for classes because I am like doing the short-cut way by waiting for people to give me an answer to those questions. Decided to do inductive study through this book on my OTOT (own time own target) for next year's devotion after my life-application devotion ends;

and finally the "Growing in Christ" , the disciple book I have been eyeing for about a year. Actually I'm not quite sure whether to do on my own first or wait for Sis Charissa before doing it.

Anyway, a lovely morning despite late rest. I had a great time on my own. :)