Learning to Adapt: My First Week in a Government School

Learning never ends. This is one thing I have learnt from life, and in many cases, we’ve had to be taught in different ways. At different stages, we find ourselves trying to adjust to new environments, unlearning old assumptions and embracing unfamiliar systems.

Currently, one thing I am learning at this stage of my life is how to adapt to the new culture and structure of a government school where I was recently employed.

Interestingly, this is not my first time experiencing such a setting. I worked in a government school during my National Youth Service year. So, the whole thing isn’t new to me. However, at that time, the experience felt temporary. It was just a one-year service, and I thought that once that was completed, I would move on to something else. Unknown to me, God has something planned out for me, which I didn’t know at the time. And everything feels different now.

Having recently secured a job in a government school, I know this is no longer something temporary but a place I may spend many years working, growing, and possibly retire from. That realisation alone changes how I perceive this new chapter of my life.

It’s my second week, and since I have resumed, I have been learning the system and observing how things are done gradually. You would agree with me that every school has its own rhythm (if you are familiar with this), and one has to understand the rhythm with patience.

I am not trying to rush things to fit in, but to be more intentional about learning the culture of the environment.

If you have ever worked in a government school, you can attest to how demanding it can be, but from my perspective, I don’t think it’s as draining as many private school environments.

In private schools, teachers are often pushed to their limits, sometimes being drained of their last energy just to meet expectations, and in the end, they are offered little pay. So far, my experience here has been quite different and refreshing. Though the work is still serious, you’d notice the sense of structure and cooperation among the teachers.

One of the things I love is how the primary six classes are organised. There are four different classes for Primary Six - A to D, and each class has a teacher responsible for it.

Since I resumed, the Primary Six pupils have also been having morning lessons that start at 7:00 am. This is to prepare them for their common entrance to the junior high school (although the official school day begins at 8 am).

Currently, the school is on its revision week, and exams start next week; the pupils are preparing academically. My role so far has been moving from one class to another to assist the teachers. My task is to help mark notes, check tests and support the learning process where needed.

These may seem like a simple task, but they have really helped me observe the pupils and understand how the teachers manage and handle them. I am also learning to make the classes interesting for them because I noticed this with the teachers and pupils' interaction.

What has really stood out for me is the lives of the pupils themselves. I am observing how they interact, respond to their work and engage with their teachers.

For me, it's all about learning, to keep observing until I find my feet within the school environment. I am learning to be patient with the process as I understand that growth doesn’t happen overnight.

I want to understand how things are done and to adapt correctly. I believe this experience will help me grow not only as a teacher but also as a person who can thrive in new environments while ensuring I give my best to shaping the lives of the students.

Imagine meeting other teachers who have been working in the school for over 28 years and what they have learnt so far. I would want to experience that, too.

_{Images are mine}