Every new year, the author will sort out past documents and materials, and come across a memo of secondary school teachers' reflections on teaching work that was searched on the Internet. One of the points of the essay highlights the importance of the teacher-student relationship, and that teachers should encourage students and teach by example for the well-being of students.
Establishing a good teacher-student relationship and leading by example are not new teaching concepts, but it is these two practical educational concepts that demonstrate the value and respect of the teacher's position. However, the serious loss of teachers in Hong Kong is a major challenge for the education sector and the whole society in the Year of the Dragon.
According to the information submitted by the Education Bureau to the Legislative Council, a staggering 6,748 teachers were lost in secondary, primary, kindergarten and special schools in the 22 23 school year. The most worrying thing is that the turnover rate of primary and secondary school teachers has increased for three consecutive school years, and the situation of teacher turnover has not only not stopped, but has even intensified. The loss of teachers has affected the teaching arrangements of some schools, resulting in the inability to open small classes.
There are many reasons for the loss of teachers, and job change is one of them, and it is also the most concerned by the society. I know many teachers who have said that their work is stressful, and some are considering leaving their jobs and joining other professions. The excessive pressure of teachers' work makes aspirants give up the whip and have the intention of quitting, and ultimately the loss is students, parents and even the whole society. In addition to ensuring that teachers can work with peace of mind, continue to nurture talents, and improve their remuneration and welfare, it is more important for all sectors of the community to work together to create an environment conducive to teacher development and teaching.
In recent years, the authorities have introduced a number of education reforms in view of the future development of society, and the burden of education has fallen on the shoulders of frontline teachers, which has increased the work pressure considerably. To add insult to injury, teachers also have to face the horror concepts of "the customer is always right" and "market dominance", which are deeply rooted in the marrow of society, and they are exhausted and difficult to focus on their duties. Customers are everywhere, markets are everywhere, and the education industry is full of scars.
In the past, the teaching profession was highly respected by the society, and even if it did not respect teachers, it was not as important as today, when more and more parents and students asked teachers to explain different arrangements, and from time to time questioned the profession through online hearsay, requiring teachers to spend their energy and energy to cope. This kind of "customer-oriented" atmosphere not only increases the pressure on teachers, but also eats away at the professional image of teachers, making them become "knowledge peddlers", which is not conducive to teaching and harmful to students. If the roles are reversed, students and parents are customers, how can teachers deal with themselves, so as to establish a good teacher-student relationship and lead by example? How can teachers continue to contribute to society in their chairs if they are unable to fulfill their vocations?
On the other hand, the sound of school killings is endless, and schools and teachers all feel that the market is the master, and they are worried about the "school killing tide" all day long. How can teacher morale not be undermined by the short-sighted way in which society only looks at the demise of schools in terms of cost-effectiveness and market domination? For the sake of their future, it is understandable for teachers to change jobs as soon as possible and join other more stable professions. When society ignores the future of teachers, how can teachers be required to escort the future of our future pillars of society?
Education is people-oriented, and a competent and responsible teacher should devote his heart and soul to education, always whip himself for progress, and become a role model for students. The social function of teachers goes beyond "buying and selling", and deserves the attention of all walks of life to its development and ecology. At the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, I hope that the society will face up to the problem of teacher loss and establish a teacher-friendly environment so that teachers will not be lost in the new generation of "My Aspirations". I wish all teachers a safe Year of the Dragon! In good shape!
Text: Tang Ka Ho