Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Double Degree

These several months are the most exciting months I ever have. I used to think that as my age increases, my ability to learn will get worse. However, in these months, I learn to read Chinese characters and play erhu. And I enjoyed the fact that I can still learn new things and it makes my life meaningful.

In April, I will be graduating in B. Ed TESL after six years of studying. Knowing very well how time seems to fly by, I am certain that the month of April will arrive very soon, sooner than I expected.

What should I do next?

I am still young. The ability to learn new things does make me feel young. :-p

I finished my practicum several months ago. The practicum had made me do some soul searching and I realized that I want to be more than just a teacher.

After the practicum, I started to search over the net for master programme in education. I even made a few calls to BPG to inquire about this matter. I was advised to gain some teaching experience first. I also received a list of master programmes in education to pursue on. I realized that I looked at the list without much enthusiasm and was unsure of which to take.

All I know is that I want to learn and study more. But on what?

Then, my brother’s house faces some problems and this leads to several meetings with lawyers. I see how important it is then to have some knowledge in law.

So why not degree in law next?

I believe in my ability to study and memorize facts. Therefore, I plan to take my second degree in law. I plan to do this independently, without my parents’ financial guidance. I am planning to start immediately after I have my first salary. Since I have a five years bond with the government, I hope that when the bond expires, I will have the choice either to be a teacher or to be something else.

Everything is just my plan. Who knows something will happen in July and my plans are changed? But currently, my desire to take degree in lawyer is burning strongly. This post is to remind me from time to time how I am feeling and thinking at this very moment. I am going to pursue my second degree.

Learning is for a lifetime.

5 opinions:

Gnet said...

You have a strong determination and will to do it, GO FOR IT GIRL!
No regrets. We don't stop learning... In fact, we are learning for our whole damn life. =)

Bridget Lee said...

thank u! thank u!

jia li said...

hi my fren! just discover your blog(link from siput) and enjoy here.

there is a question that for a long time i wan to ask--
the question is after spm when u go for tesl course i wonder that a clever person like u, will u satisfy for just being a teacher?
then maybe i know the answer now lo :)
anyway i am not looking down on a teacher's job, just feel this job is not challenging enough haha.
all the best to pursue your higher learning !

Bridget Lee said...

Hi Jia Li, long time no see! sorry for the late reply.

Well, honestly, i took up degree in TESL because after SPM, I was not ready for Form 6. At dat time, SAS is still new in implementing Form 6, so the STPM results were still not very good. I am therefore not ready to face the challenges, so I grab at the first degree that was available after Form 5, Degree in TESL. I now kinda wish I stuck in Form 6 - I now know that I would have been able to cope with the STPM learning burden.

I love it during the start of TESL. New things to learn. But then things get repetitive, especially during my 3rd and 4th year. Though my mastery in language is still not good (that need practice and cannot be learned), the notes on teaching field gets more and more repetitive. We learn endless grammar, endless literature,endless teaching methods, endless drama assignments etc...Boringness starts to set in. I hunger for more new and challenging knowledge.

Practicum in my third year makes me realize that i do enjoy teaching. However, I do not enjoy dealing with discipline. Satisfy being a teacher? A teacher, yes i'm glad. I enjoy telling stories and enlight people. A teacher that needs dealing with discipline and rude students? No thank you.

Teacher is challenging! we have to handle so much thing at one time. To change one mind set like the students so that you can communicate with them, after sch ko-k, politics in school, etc. I believe, in workforce, ANYWHERE is challenging.

Though if compare between Degree in TESL and Degree in Engineering, i would say that the learning of engineering will be more challenging than the learning of TESL. :-p

well, i hope i won't stuck in secondary as teachers till I retired. I do fancy working in universities as lecturer, but that means I have to take Master in TESL. I'm quite sick of TESL and Language courses at the moment. And besides, learning the SAME thing at a more difficult level AGAIN in master? No thanks. I plan to take Master something else. Or mayb degree in something else.

I have yet to decide. I will simply the flow for the moment. Anyway, life will be challenging when we keep aiming for new things, not afraid for new changes. Whether my profession as a teacher is a challenging one will be decided by me. I can make it a challenging one, or simply become one of those many mundane teachers.

Satisfy? One can never be satisfy with what one have. I want more, achieve more, get more. I just have to make sure my satisfaction is not at the expense of other people or make me a jerk. :-)

Well, i guess we will be graduating at the same time! Sorry for such a long reply. U take k there.

jia li said...

a nice sharing...as i am considering whether or not to pursue higher learning, your sharing does help,thanks :)
the job to build students' mind & spirit is really challenging, i think what a teacher can do would be limited by time she has. I like teaching too but if i will be teaching in secondary school after graduate until retire, teaching the same things year by year...it will become quite bored.
whether or not you are going to become a teacher, i believe u will be excellent in your profession. Gambate!
Belated merry christmas too :)

 
Free Counter
Blog template by suckmylolly.com
Background image by Patrick Hennessey