Singapore PE teacher explains why she quit despite good pay, short hours, & travel

SINGAPORE: In a recent Instagram post, a young former PE teacher explained why she left the profession after some time, even though it came with many perks such as decent enough pay, bonuses, and more holidays than other professions.

Ms Sakinah (@notyet.whole), however, like others in the same situation who had to pay a sizable bond, which she described as “a hefty amount of $$” in her post, likely due to training subsidies or other financial compensation she received in the past.

Nevertheless, she appears to feel that it was worth it, though she stated clearly that she was merely sharing her own experiences, and expressed thankfulness for the teachers who have stuck it out in the profession through the years.

Why she quit

Ms Sakinah clarified from the beginning of her post that she had enjoyed the actual teaching part of her job, especially being with the students.

“Teaching is a profession that gave me the spark I lost along the way throughout my adult years,” she wrote, adding, “There’s something so special and fresh about seeing ideas come to fruition, seeing the kids innovate and get creative, once they’ve received the right type of guidance.”

However, this part was only a fraction of her duties. And administrative tasks, overtime, and other duties caused her to get “SO BURNED OUT” after some time. She mentioned the role of “security guard” to the students during recess, CCA-related activities, trips and excursions, equipment ordering and maintenance, meetings, and the like, which she said was only around 30% of what teachers have to do.

What bothered her as well was the red tape surrounding her job, such as having to stay at school until dismissal, even on days when her classes ended at 10:30 a.m., added to the fact that she could not pursue side hustles.

“It just felt like I was a chess piece in a chess game,” she wrote.

Ms Sakinah added that she was meant for more in life. “I also felt that my personality would be best suited in a role where I had to work hard for my money, as I ABSOLUTELY HATED ‘cruising’ and just getting by.”

The perks of teaching PE

Ms Sakinah, however, also made much about the upside of being a PE teacher, which she called “awesome,” and she obviously wanted to encourage those interested in giving the profession a go. 

Because she taught PE, she had no grades to fill in, and students looked forward to her class more than they did others. 

“Kids LOVE You,” she wrote, adding a smiley face.

In the same vein, she enjoyed that she was able to pretty much play for a living.

“My favourite part about PE lessons was teaching my kids the beauty of play, through playing alongside them. There’s something about a teacher being involved in a child’s learning that is irreplaceable,” Ms Sakinah added.

And while leaving teaching may not be the right choice for everyone, it was right for where she’s at right now.

“I’d rather take a bet on myself than be stuck in a system that didn’t align with the core of my being,” she wrote in the caption of her post. /TISG

Read also: Teacher leaves Singapore to work in New Zealand after seeing how normal it was for her students to be stressed