*dimsumdolly* - the different morsels of the life of a foodie

Jack the Dull Boy

Phew! I survived my first lesson with a group of 11 and 12-year-olds. There were six of them in my class. I've started teaching at an enrichment centre that specialises in English for school-going children. Parents send their children here to help them improve their English in the hope that they will score well in their PSLE exams.

The lesson runs for two hours, and today it didn't go tttoooo badly. Of course, there are areas of my teaching that I have to work on and I'm learning as well. The kids were generally well-behaved though there were times where they got rowdy and restless. But thankfully nothing I couldn't handle.

Actually this is the last place I would send my children to. Instead of enrichment centres, I would get my children to take part in sports, outdoor activities, cultural activities etc, just as long it as nothing to do with studies. As if five days of school isn't enough, these poor children are sent to enrichment centres on a Saturday! So you might ask why am I teaching at this enrichment centre when I don't even believe in it? Simple - for MY own survival.

But I suppose it's hard for parents to not be sucked into the system of tuition and enrichment classes. It's the kiasu mentality - every other one of the child's classmate has private tuition or goes for some enrichment class. Parents feel pressured to send their child as well, in case their child loses out. To that I say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.