Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Plight of the Teachers

Whenever I speak to my girl on the limited time Zain still gives us, she is almost always complaining about a cough. My brother is well from time to time complains the same. Of course they are asthmatic, and so am I. But I haven't had a cough for a long time. The only time I had it was when I was lecturing at University of Livingstonia. Chalk.

When did we notice this chalk problem, long time. Then people who had worst of the problem were allowed to transfer to other posts. But there have been many unwillingly made teachers, wanting to pursue the career of their choice such that they have abused this right so much that it makes it difficult for those who really need its benefit to get helped. So my brother and my woman are stuck in the career they have been forced into and it hurts their health and they can't get our even in their own field of education to pursue positions that are closer to their choices.

Some where in the search for solutions, nose filters are suggested. But its a solution that would cause students to make life difficult for their teacher. How about whiteboards and their markers? I should think the cost shouldn't be far from the cost of repainting the board and cost of buying new pieces of chalk. Besides the markers may last longer than the chalk and the whiteboard might not need frequent repainting. And further why stick to the past problematic blackboard? Even though the asthmatic are much more sensitive, the non-asthimatic are not left unaffected. Soon or later they might develop a worse problem from chronic exposure. It is not the chemical composition only that causes damage but also the dust itself which is a foreign body when inhaled in the lungs.

If this may be found too expensive still, the cost of their transfer should buy individual teachers portable whiteboards which they may use in the classrooms they teach and a supply of markers for each for their use. And further all for all schools being built now onwards, should have whiteboards in every classroom installed. This is the only way we can completely solve the chalk dust problem.