Replacement classes

I understand if we need to replace for unavoidable circumstances, like sports day on a sunday and the haze. But I don't agree that you want us to replace classes when it's state holiday, which we as employees are entitled to. Well, I guess we could replace, but our employers have to compensate that with money. And they won't ever do that.

And I certainly don't agree to replacing class for your child if he/she misses the class due to sickness, appointments, personal/family issues. And on a freaking wed? You think we have nothing else to do? You think preparation work is that easy? Well, it could be, since I'm phasing into that. But it's not simple, mind you. And we have meetings on that day too.

Though I'll admit that currently we're not really utilising the time we have on wed to do all the things we're supposed to do.

Yes, when you calculate, it's not worth it when you skip any class. Yes, when you don't know how it's like teaching you don't know how much work goes into preparation. But I can definitely tell you that it's not fast food. Especially since we're new and there's not much ready materials.

I'm sorry to tell you that we're not therapists/doctors that you can reschedule your appointments with. Even if you can, our appointment slots are full.
Well, to be honest, we can certainly think about replacing some not so major public holidays (state holidays? Wesak?). But where do you draw the line? And religious/racist arguments will start coming up which will turn really ugly and that's a no-no. And if we start doing that, the other parents from other classes will start making lots of noise and we'll never hear the end of it.

Unless we follow some other countries' holidays. But hello, we live in malaysia and we follow malaysia holidays. It's just too bad we have so much of them.

I totally understand where you're coming from. But if you think about it objectively or realistically, from different sides, you'll come to a similar conclusion as I have. In this point of time.

Though we could operate like kindies, they still follow the damn malaysian holiday system. And when they have classes during the school holidays, you have to pay extra for those sessions. Yes, I know you could well pay for it. However, those are also our holidays/leave, and we do have stuff we have to do during school holidays.

Though in truth currently it's purely holidays. I miss those days when I still had to go back to finish up my work. Reports, education plans, making teaching materials, spring cleaning, etc.

Yes, I don't think we're working hard enough and efficiently enough. But what can I do about it when no one else think similarly? I do my part well, and I just hope it sets a good enough example for them. But I do think I really need to learn to communicate with my colleagues without feeling guilty/apologetic.

Ok, digress.

Bottom line is, we're not factory workers, we're trained teachers. We're not international/private/home school, we're ngo/npo special ed centre. We're malaysians, not other-country-ians. We don't have flexible schedules/sessions, you either come when it's on or you don't and that's it. No replacements for absence, however unavoidable/unusual the circumstances are.

And we're not your children's babysitters.