PE teachers are the busiest teachers

I have been nursing a sore throat since last week, and it has developed into a dry cough and now cough with phlegm there but not coming out. Coupled with a runny nose, it signaled that my allergic symptoms are back again. I actually took time out to call the TCM clinic to try make an appointment again.

Anyway, I recently came to a revelation - PE teachers are the busiest teachers in school, contrary to popular notions that we are all jocks with too much free time and little marking to do. This false belief have always made some teachers jealous and others scornful of us, and frequently lead to the exploitation of PE teachers to do work unrelated to our profession.

Consider this if you are a teacher - how much of your time outside of the classroom is devoted to planning your lessons? Very little I assume. You probably slave a bit over the SOW during the holidays, but after that, with all the resources and lesson plans ready, you can go into class after printing the necessary worksheets etc. Teachers share the SOW planning work load too, so maybe 10-20% of your time is spent here.

Most of us will agree that what really sucks up a teacher's time is doing administrative matters. I do not begrudge the fact that we have to do it, for a lot of the work contributes to students' learning (by organising activities out of the classroom etc) or contribute in making the work environment better (staff activities, training issues etc). A necessary evil really.

If creating programs and organising activities takes up the bulk of work time, then the PE teacher must be the busiest person! No other department can boost of organising so many different varied activities on such a regular basis. Right now, I am arranging/monitoring/supervising programs for TAF club, Sports Education Program activities, Post-Exam activities, ACES day event, NAPFA testing, Cherish and SEM report contribution, just to name those I can remember off the cuff.

So, respect your PE teacher as the ultimate multi-tasker!