TEACHERS: Strain caused by intense workload
By JALEAN HAN
Can you guess the date this article was written? Check it out at end of it!

TEACHERS yesterday spoke out about the pressures and strain of work in Singapore's schools.

They agreed the work-load was intense and one told The Straits Times: "Everybody seems to forget that teachers are human beings too." They were commenting on a statement over the weekend by a Woodbridge doctor that more school staff were seeking treatment for mental ailments. He said a significant rise had been noticed over the past two years in patients from the teaching profession. Mr X, sports secretary of a secondary school, has been teaching for more than 20 years.

He said: "Yes, I do feel the strain. I think in general, teachers are overworked but I have yet to witness a nervous a breakdown and I hope I never will. "My school has achieved good results in both academic work and extra-curricular activities. There is the need, therefore, to maintain the a standard and reputation of the school and this has resulted in pressures on both teachers and students.

"I am in the morning session and I report for work around 7.15. School starts at 7.40 a.m. and every day there are four lessons before and after a 20-minute recess.

"I have also to train the school's teams for games, check sports equipment and plan activities in the afternoon. In fact, most teachers spend a lot of time on extra-curricular activities not connected with their work."

Even on Saturdays, I am in school from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., he added.

"I think principals and vice-principals are doing a good job. Some of them push you a little harder, but my principal is a nice person who always tells us "just do your best." A little understanding and consideration does help.

"Well, it's a vicious circle. If the principal pushes us, it's because she's under pressure herself from the ministry and her future is at stake. The ministry, in turn, is affected by society's pressure - they have to meet the public's demand."

A cadet teacher said: "As far as I know, none of my colleagues has sought psychiatric help. But let's be honest, even if they did you don't expect them to advertise it, do you?

'Personally, I think the pressure is tremendous. We have to live up to the expectations of the ministry, principal, parents and students. We are sandwiched.

'Everybody seems to forget that teachers are human beings too. On top of that, our education system is ever changing.

"Policies from the top change whenever the public is unhappy and teachers have to keep adapting. But things are always easier said than done."

Another 20-year-old cadet teacher said: "My stress starts at night. In the morning I have to attend classes at the Institute of Education and then teach full-time in the afternoon.

'When I drag myself home in the evening, I just don't know whether to do my homework for the Institute first or prepare my lessons. I don't have the time for both.

"The day is especially tight when I have lessons from 8 a.m. to noon and start teaching from 1.40 p.m, to 6.20 p.m."

I third teacher, 20, said: 'The syllabus scheduled by the ministry is not flexible enough. We are forced into a rush to complete the syllabus and take both fast and slow learners with us. Parents apply great pressure too.

'I had a colleague who left after a few months following a breakdown.

Mrs L, a teacher for 15 years, said: "I don't think teachers are getting neurotic, rather the students are!

"On our part, I will say a great deal depends on the capacity to cope.

'My main worry, however, is for the students. They are under constant pressure by teachers, parents and contemporaries to study well.

"I have seen abnormal competition - students hiding notes from each other, breaking down in exam halls and so on.

"They push themselves to stretching point, and, like a rubber band, they may snap one day. กฐ

Miss A,L., 21, said: "I do my best for my students and if they fail, well it's just too bad. But I feel that even in failing exams they must have learnt something.

"The mental strain may be great on achievement-oriented teachers but as far as I am concerned, I am not ready to crack for my profession!"

NOTE: Scanned from this cutting from The Straits Times which I have carefully kept since 8th September 1980..!!