Thread: I want to take a moment to thank you all

I want to take a moment to thank you all for something.

I work as an English teacher at a high school in Thailand. I am one of eight foreign teachers who work at this school. At about this time of year you can observe teachers starting to unravel. Particularly the foreign teachers.

Right now we are in the middle of the semester, a time when the last holidays are a memory and the next holidays seem so far away. Every week the stress of having to come up with fresh new lessons that are both exciting and educational for the students takes its toll. Then there is also the battle to maintain order. I have personally seen teachers hitting students to enforce discipline. Some teachers even do this with a look of obvious malice in their eyes. Then there are the teachers who talk about wanting to quit the job and the inevitable personal squabbles. This tells me that the people I work with are getting tired. They feel like they are being spread too thinly.

This is where I need to thank you all.

The people I work with have been asking me why I am always happy, why isn't it all getting to me? My secret is that after work I go home and indulge in my hobbies, one of which is shaving. Even just sitting in front of the computer reading posts about what others are doing with razors is, I find, a massive release of pressure. This hobby and this site has lead me to other hobbies and past times which help to relive the pressure of a stressful job.

If it wasn't for the interaction of all of you here I would find myself being just as stressed out as the other teachers I work with.

Because I spend time indulging in my hobbies and enjoying the company of all you wonderful people, a stressful job becomes a challenging but rewarding experience.

So, thank you all.

Glad we could help..!

Seriously though, the hobby is very meditative and relaxing I find, and has a real Zen quality to it. I also find that the people on this forum are very gentlemanly and interesting to talk to.

My only wish is that we all lived much closer together so we could all meet up for a beer now and then..!

Great post, thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by ndw76

Every week the stress of having to come up with fresh new lessons that are both exciting and educational for the students takes its toll. Then there is also the battle to maintain order. IThis tells me that the people I work with are getting tired. They feel like they are being spread too thinly.

My wife was a teacher for many years in three different countries. She quit before teaching retirement age to work in industry.

The big problem in the UK for teachers trying to do a good job is governement interference.

Ironically, it's probably parents making time for their hobbies and not their kids that contributes to much of the problem of discipline in the classroom.

Glad that SRP is helping you.