'Cher 'Cher

I remember my early teaching years when the students would call me 'Cher 'Cher, a shortened version for the word 'teacher'. In all probability, that word started with rather lazy students. I have not heard that version for a long time now.

Today, I was at Heart Bistro at Palais Renaissance for lunch. As I was leaving the restaurant, I heard a gentle "Ms Poey. Is that you Ms Poey?" I turned around and saw a group of 3 ladies having lunch. One of them jumped up and introduced herself and her one friend as my ex-students. They enquired about my health, updated me on theirs, gave me a name card and after a short exchange, I left. They continued with their lunch, no doubt sharing stories about their JC days and their wonderful PE teacher!

I beamed with much pride that they remembered me after almost 35 years! Of course it helped that I was featured in the Straits Times (with a very large photo) on Christmas day.

This I thought, is what teaching is all about. If you are a teacher and you are feeling down and discouraged, don't be. As you continue your work of facilitating learning, you will not know the moment when you would have touched a life. The students too may not know it then. But they will, years later.

Push on, dear teachers. Don't give up, either on your students or on yourself. Your reward is not that raise in pay, or that bonus, or that promotion (all very good to have!). Your reward will be that little quiet voice calling out "'Cher 'Cher is that you?" many years down the road ...