“Those who can’t do Teach”
That was a phrase I heard used lately and admittedly it was one that I used to have. In the creative industry, (advertising, designing, arts) the hectic unrewarding life of tight deadlines and late nights are the norm. It is expected of you and being in an Asian ‘creative’ company, some bosses demand their employees to be ‘value-for-money’.
Coming back to that phrase, a lot of people leave the industry and wind up in the teaching / lecturing profession. This in turn gives the impression that those that leave the industry can’t survive in it. It’s frustrating but in someways true. It is also a notion that has to be dispelled individually.
The life of an educator is a more structured one. Work begins, lessons are thought and work ends at a set time. (This is to the exception of certain events of course). Beyond that, our time is our own. Now in academia, there will always be research and studies to conduct but all that is optional, some might opt not to do anything beyond their tutorials and cease self-development. I feel that that is the most dangerous thing you can do to yourself.
Time is valuable, so cliched but true. Time is the only commodity we have that can be used to further improve ourselves at what we do. I notice that some educators have fallen into a rut and they themselves have stopped learning. They develop bad work habits, become dissatisfied that the job has nothing to offer them and in turn become disgruntled and irresponsible.
This is stupid, I find the environment where we are allowed or even ENCOURAGED to research and further develop ourselves a fantastic thing indeed.
Probably the best way to avoid falling into a rut of disconnection (loss of purpose) would be to have one foot in the industry. Freelance is important eventhough most institutes of learning in Malaysia discourage it, I think all lecturers should have a hand in the industry even if just a minute role. This keeps us informed and open to business possibilities.
The world is everyone’s oyster and education is the shucking knife.