I was in Kota Tinggi, in the hills with my students at our National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Silver camp. The students were tasked to cook their own meals. Lo and behold, all but one stove malfunctioned. The teachers decided to give our food to them. We did this without expecting anything in return. While we waited for time to pass, two girls crept towards me. Hidden under their shirts were two sausages which they managed to cook with the single working stove. They offered to share their food. It dawned on me then that such moments were really invaluable as it showed that our students had internalised what we had taught them. No other profession could offer this.

Ms Chua Hwee Pheng, Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School

One of my students in Project Carlos Santana was diagnosed with a learning disability and was recommended by an educational psychologist to go to a special school. He remained in our school and was in my Primary Five class. He could not add, nor spell, nor write his name legibly.

With hardly any skills in music, he persisted in joining the guitar class. He was given a chance to play the percussion. We were surprised that he was naturally talented on the drums. He heard the tune we were playing and intuitively was able to create his own music. It was a proud moment for him and the members of Project Carlos Santana when they put up their first performance for the school. They beamed with pride as they enjoyed the standing ovation.

We don’t teach subjects, knowledge or skills. We teach children. To see a child gain confidence and discovering himself under your care - this must be what teaching is all about.

Mr Melvin Cher Teck Yiang, formerly teaching in Mayflower Primary School, currently with MOE’s Planning Division

In my first year of teaching, I was given a Normal Technical class. It was definitely a challenge for me, trying to teach complex mathematical concepts when the students were not concentrating in class. Some of these students had to work after school hours while there were others who had difficulty drawing even a straight line with the help of a ruler. Initially, I was frustrated. I kept asking myself what I could do to help these girls learn and do well in my subject.

One day, one of the students fainted in class. It was only later that I found out that she was malnourished. When I sent her home, I was astounded by her home environment. The house was small, parents were not working, and there were so many children in the house. She told me that she had to work at the coffee shop to earn some money. On that day, I realised that teaching is essentially caring and not simply imparting subject based knowledge.

Another student once shared with me that she was physically abused by a family member. She felt so helpless and she did not know what to do. I remembered the tears that trickled down her face as she recalled those incidents and she shared her fear of going home. When we made the police report, she was very perturbed to see her family member charged and imprisoned. She was eventually sent to a foster home. In the next two years, I shared her journey of visiting her family member in prison and helped her to cope with the pain. I knew from that day that teaching was not just the time you spent in the classroom.

I have heard people say that “teaching is just a job”. But it cannot be just a job because a day that you spend with the students may just be ‘THE’ day that could change their lives, or your life because of something you have said or a small deed that you have done. This significant relationship would last for a long time to come.

Mrs Sharon Tng, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)

Is there a teacher who had led, cared or inspired you? Send a short note of thanks this Teachers’ Day on teachersday.sg.