Learning & Development; Work Life Balance

After attending a Cluster KP FGD session on 27 Aug 2010 in which the discussion topics were learning & development of teachers and work life balance. Basically, what I have gathered and learned from the session are:

- Teachers need to learn and develop in order to grow and improve their teaching skills so as to engage the new profile of students who are more IT savvy, inquisitive and vocal.

- Now, teachers are not only here to teach and impart knowledge to their students but to facilitate their learning.

- Learning and development is important for the growth of a teacher in order for the teacher to be effective and skillful.

- Learning and development can be attained only if the teacher is able to find balance in his/her life and work.

- All the schemes like part-time scheme, childcare leave, etc., have been put in place by MOE, Singapore, in order to support teachers in achieving work life balance.

- It is important for School Leaders and Middle Managers to build relationships with their supervisees so as to understand their needs and hence able to give support to them in helping them with balancing their family and work.

- No matter what structures have been put in place or support that have been made available to achieve work life balance, at the end of the day, it is still the choices that we make that matter the most. We need to know our priority and make the correct choices.

- We must have the responsibility to say that as we work together, we need to find the happiness, appreciation & recognition.

- When we have a healthy and happy family, then will we be able to find satisfaction and happiness in our work. This is true vice versa, that is, to be satisfied and happy with work, we will also find happiness and harmony in our family.