Life as a lecturer (part II)

So, here are the fun parts being a lecturer:

1. Flexible working time (especially my head of department is so cool, we are allowed to come in and out anytime that we like as long as we met dateline and dont skip class. Mostly end up with empty department or awkward silent with me and my hod only while others are disappeared)

2. Free vacation when you need it. Well, we are allowed to go to conference (although its only limited to local) and all the expenses are paid (luxury hotel and flight). Also, we can extend our conference to vacation for few days.

3. Others like you met new people every semester (aka students). and sometimes can share your stories with them (ok, maybe it just me)

Not so fun parts being a lecturer:

1. Never ending work load (at least teacher get a school holiday break!) Most of people thought that lecturer's job is only to teach. Well guys, you're wrong! We have lots of works to do. If students are on the sem break, we need to do a research (as it's in our kpi). or if unlucky lecturer like me, you have to teach for short semester which means in a year I have only 2-3 weeks no classes between sem (por kid) :(

2. Tedious works. For example: booklet and samplings at the end of semester, claims, admin work, formatting, SOP, accreditation. blergh....

3. Handle with problematic students. Well, it's part of our job although this generation has lots of problematic teenagers (I blame this on technology!)

Life as a lecturer (part I)

Five years ago, I was a teacher who teach for high school students in a private school for 2 months. I never quit be a teacher as teaching is my passion although that 2 months made me wanted to quit teaching for kids forever. When I was quitting be a teacher and wanted to becomes a lecturer instead, I thought being a lecturer must be easy; teaching adults instead of kids, have a majority power compared to teacher, and students will always listen to you. But I was dead wrong. Teaching this generation is not easy. It just as same as being a teacher 5 years ago. It's a challenging job. I never thought that I will be in this situation again where I am wondering whether I am a good lecturer or not. 

I try to be a cool lecturer that hangout with students, talk about football, video games and movies, but then they try to take an advantage. They still late to class. They didn't do their tutorial. And they still didn't want to see me if they didn't understand what I thought in class. It made me wonder everyday, "What I have done wrong?", "Do they hate me?" and so on. I want to help them and be nice to them at the same time but those two things are the hardest things to do right now. What make someone is a good lecturer? What is the criteria? And how in the world someone can be so much patience and full with passion at the same time? I feel like I am in mission impossible right now. Or maybe I just have to be like Great Teacher Onizuka.