Being a teacher !

It was partly due to the Lasalle Brothers that I decided to choose to become a teacher.While in school we were taught by this group of dedicated teachers mainly from Ireland.They loved the children and they loved their work.Gentle, patient , knowledgeable and tolerant, they were excellent role models.As kids we looked up to them and it played a huge role in our future choice of careers. In a way I became a teacher as a stepping stone to my aim at that time ...to get a university education.My parents could not afford to put me through university and I knew that if I wanted it I had to find my own way.Providence helped , for as soon as I completed my Form 6 , there was a post for a History teacher in Teluk Intan which was offered to me through an old friend Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim and which I readily accepted.Finished the 6th Form exams in December and by January I was on my way to Teluk Intan to embark on my teaching career. I estimated that if I taught for 1 1/2 years I should have saved enough for the university.This being achieved off I went to the University.The short stint I had as a temporary teacher made me realise that this was what I wanted to do...to stand in front of the class and give them knowledge.In between teaching we also had the chance to guide them to become " better people" and instill in them strong moral values.I was really hooked on being a teacher as teachers at that time were respected members of the society and more importantly we were able to nurture our students to become right thinking people. I have been a teacher all my life and to this day I have no regrets.True, teaching does not make us rich but we had the privilege of educating the young and today in Kl I have met with a number of my former students who are themselves in middle age category and it makes my heart swell with pride when I hear them speak good English and are strong up right people .Many of them are professionals and what really touches me is that they never forget their teachers and despite all the caning, scoldings which we gave them they never held any grudges against us.Instead they are grateful and many of them will thank us and say they would not be where they are if not for us teachers.Money cannot buy this kind of feeling and perhaps this is one of the reasons why we teachers never place money on top of our priority list. I have always taught my students one thing which I still hold fast to." You may be rich, successful, famous but if you do not have CHARACTER you are nothing " Today I am still teaching sometimes in a different way .The other day I was playing golf with an old boy of mine and he asked me some pertinent questions about the way he played and I analyzed his game as best as I can and at the end of the day gave him some pointers and after that he said " Sir, you taught me 30 years ago and today you are still teaching me .Thank you Sir " I was really touched and am glad that I chose to become a teacher.I may not be rich but my wealth lies in the many students whom we guided through life >Money cant buy this just as all the money in the world cannot buy what we have when we spend quality time with our family.