Oxymoron In The Tropics

Today a friend asked me for some advice.  Should he go to the PPD (education district office) or stay in school? Well, it all really depends. I know why he asks me for advice.  I am currently working in the Kota Kinabalu PPD and I have past experience working in the State Education Department.  I've also racked up a reasonable number of years in school, if you'd call 11 years reasonable.  Here's what I want to say to him and I'll make it clear that this is my OPINION. How many years has one been in school?  Two years?  Six years?  I'd want to have at least three years of school service time under my belt before I try the challenging walk of a PPD officer.  Some people would scoff at that and say more years are required.  However, if a teacher has been in school almost seven years, I'd advise him to stay put.  He has better promotional chances in school.  HOWEVER, there are many reasons for one to serve as a PPD officer (note...

Or should I call them survival skills? Skill No. 1 : How To Be A Team Player The school organisation is like wheels in a cog, fitted together, sometimes well, sometimes awkwardly.  But STILL fitted together.  Those who aren't team players will find themselves facing hard times.  They'll still get on... but not as easily as when they take the team into consideration. Skill No. 2 : How To Identify Team Leaders In The Staffroom Every school staffroom has leaders.  They could be the Loud Busybody or the Strong Silent GC or the Smiley I-Love-Everybody Gossip.  They could be the principal's first cousin or the Education Director's wife.  But usually what they say goes.  And it tends to go a long way.  Getting on these people's good side is usually the smarter thing to do.  Unless you really have no choice.  Then I wish you luck. Skill No. 3 : How To Identify Clique Leaders In The Classroom In any group of people, there will be the followers and there will be the leade...