Though I had a tiring day today -I was pleasantly surprised to see a dedication for me on the website http://teachersday.sg/ . It is always great to know that we are appreciated - thanks Afidah. I am sure many of you are grateful to your teachers - may it be the teachers who had taught you in the Primary School or even as a mentor to you in some projects. Post the dedications to them now on the website - I am sure they will feel appreciated.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
A very challenging day
Didn't know that first day back in school would be so challenging!
I took a cab and reached school at 6.15 a.m. The area below the staircase was converted into an art area(?) and it looked quite threatening with its dark colour scheme. I had to switch on all the lights in the staff room as I was the first to arrive - I couldn't sleep last night and decided to go to school early to sort out my stuff. I was perspiring as I could not find the air-con remote control - I realised later that the attendant now keep it and will switch the air-con remote control at around 6.30 a.m. It was sauna for me early in the morning. My desk was totally in a mess!
My department was kind enough to let me use the humanities room for most of my classes except for 2E6 and 2 periods of lesson with 4E4 on Wed as there wasn't enough classrooms ......
I went to the hall for assembly with the normal stream students. I saw some of the students from my former form class - pretty touched that they missed me and wanted me back as their form teacher. I would love to but I realised that my body does not permit me to stretch beyond my means. I will remember them fondly as my little babies and hopefully they still tag on their class blog which I had created for them.
Some of my 4E4 boys came in 10 minutes late.... I don't understand why they are still so unmotivated even though it is only 3 wks to their Prelim? The same goes for some of the 4E3 boys who were playing with a computer at the back... as if I can't see it! I couldn't move as fast as before and I know that by the time I moved to the back they would have switched it off. I can only pray hard that they realised the very little time left for their revision before the Prelim! It is really frustrating not being able to move around to monitor them. I wonder whether I should exclude them from my class if they are really not interested. ... quite sad as this will be the 2nd last batch to take the syllabus with MCQ.
I reminded my 3E5 that if they repeat they would have to sit for the new syllabus with no MCQ - just 4 essays. Some of the 3E5 students are really very motivated and eager to ask. However, some of them have problems grasping concepts and take more time to understand - but it is still a comfort knowing that they are willing to learn.
2E6 was pretty challenging. I know most of them since I taught 1E4, 5 and 6 last year. However many of them had changed. Though they are pretty kind to me and welcomed me back, I was kind of disappointed with the behaviour of some of the students. Multiple earstuds, nose studs, outrageous haircut and I even caught a girl talking over the phone when the lesson is ending - such audacity!
My legs were aching badly after standing for so long and climbing up and down the stairs. I couldn't wait to go home to apply some Chinese medicated oil to soothe the pain. However Mdm Tan came over and told me that Aidil got hurt in the Music Room. Ms Wong and I went over to check on him. Even though he shows that he was in pain, we checked the area and did not see any swelling or protruding bones, We told them that most probably it is not a fracture but it is still safer to be examined by a doctor. Mdm Tan called his mother to bring him to a doctor. I called up Mdm Tan at night and sure enough she told me that the X-ray shows that there was no fracture.
Well - I hope tomorrow will be a better day! I must clear part of my desk which is still in a mess and change my laptop to a new one.... and many more!
I took a cab and reached school at 6.15 a.m. The area below the staircase was converted into an art area(?) and it looked quite threatening with its dark colour scheme. I had to switch on all the lights in the staff room as I was the first to arrive - I couldn't sleep last night and decided to go to school early to sort out my stuff. I was perspiring as I could not find the air-con remote control - I realised later that the attendant now keep it and will switch the air-con remote control at around 6.30 a.m. It was sauna for me early in the morning. My desk was totally in a mess!
My department was kind enough to let me use the humanities room for most of my classes except for 2E6 and 2 periods of lesson with 4E4 on Wed as there wasn't enough classrooms ......
I went to the hall for assembly with the normal stream students. I saw some of the students from my former form class - pretty touched that they missed me and wanted me back as their form teacher. I would love to but I realised that my body does not permit me to stretch beyond my means. I will remember them fondly as my little babies and hopefully they still tag on their class blog which I had created for them.
Some of my 4E4 boys came in 10 minutes late.... I don't understand why they are still so unmotivated even though it is only 3 wks to their Prelim? The same goes for some of the 4E3 boys who were playing with a computer at the back... as if I can't see it! I couldn't move as fast as before and I know that by the time I moved to the back they would have switched it off. I can only pray hard that they realised the very little time left for their revision before the Prelim! It is really frustrating not being able to move around to monitor them. I wonder whether I should exclude them from my class if they are really not interested. ... quite sad as this will be the 2nd last batch to take the syllabus with MCQ.
I reminded my 3E5 that if they repeat they would have to sit for the new syllabus with no MCQ - just 4 essays. Some of the 3E5 students are really very motivated and eager to ask. However, some of them have problems grasping concepts and take more time to understand - but it is still a comfort knowing that they are willing to learn.
2E6 was pretty challenging. I know most of them since I taught 1E4, 5 and 6 last year. However many of them had changed. Though they are pretty kind to me and welcomed me back, I was kind of disappointed with the behaviour of some of the students. Multiple earstuds, nose studs, outrageous haircut and I even caught a girl talking over the phone when the lesson is ending - such audacity!
My legs were aching badly after standing for so long and climbing up and down the stairs. I couldn't wait to go home to apply some Chinese medicated oil to soothe the pain. However Mdm Tan came over and told me that Aidil got hurt in the Music Room. Ms Wong and I went over to check on him. Even though he shows that he was in pain, we checked the area and did not see any swelling or protruding bones, We told them that most probably it is not a fracture but it is still safer to be examined by a doctor. Mdm Tan called his mother to bring him to a doctor. I called up Mdm Tan at night and sure enough she told me that the X-ray shows that there was no fracture.
My Red Cross cadets gave me something to welcome me back - My heart goes to them - I will be seeing them on Saturday and after that I will go over to Yio Chu Kang Sec to support our cadets who are taking part in the first aid compeition. All the best to the cadets here. Mrs Lai is so kind to have taken charge over bulk of the Red Cross work when I am away. I would really like to thank her and my Red Cross cadets here.
After experiencing a fracture - I must tell all of you it is worst than giving birth! It was a bad experience for me and I would not want anyone to go through the pain. I can't help but feel sad over the incident as the boys are taking their O level this year and they are still playing around. Adil got hurt as three boys actually sat on him - what a foolish game to play - have they ever thought of the consequence? If something serious happened, they will regret it for the rest of their lives.Well - I hope tomorrow will be a better day! I must clear part of my desk which is still in a mess and change my laptop to a new one.... and many more!
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Butterflies in my stomach
Getting a bit tensed over the fact that I will be back in school on Tuesday. I have yet to see my new timetable and where I can have my lessons. I was just told that I might not be able to use the humanities room and the school is looking for another room for me. I felt so bad having to impose on so many people.
Though I look forward to going back to school, I am having butterflies in my stomach - will I be able to cope with the hectic life and the students after being away for so long (four months)? Plus I will be having a new class 2E6. I must say I had slacken a lot - I have yet to set the prelim papers which I planned to. I was going out almost everyday so that I can get used to the walking. My sole is pretty sore and the joints hurt. I will give myself a break tomorrow since I am going back on Tuesday. I think the femur fracture will take at least 6 months to heal - I am not that young anymore and I think it might take longer. I have scheduled my next X-ray during the Sept holiday so that I won't miss out any lessons with my students. I hope the X-ray will show good results.
Maybe I shall go back tomorrow to arrange my table? I missed my students - I met some of them and I must say I am pretty touched when they called me or tell me that they missed me. However I am also worried when some of them could not even tell me which topics they have covered during my absence. Quite a lot of repair work to be done!
Though I look forward to going back to school, I am having butterflies in my stomach - will I be able to cope with the hectic life and the students after being away for so long (four months)? Plus I will be having a new class 2E6. I must say I had slacken a lot - I have yet to set the prelim papers which I planned to. I was going out almost everyday so that I can get used to the walking. My sole is pretty sore and the joints hurt. I will give myself a break tomorrow since I am going back on Tuesday. I think the femur fracture will take at least 6 months to heal - I am not that young anymore and I think it might take longer. I have scheduled my next X-ray during the Sept holiday so that I won't miss out any lessons with my students. I hope the X-ray will show good results.
Maybe I shall go back tomorrow to arrange my table? I missed my students - I met some of them and I must say I am pretty touched when they called me or tell me that they missed me. However I am also worried when some of them could not even tell me which topics they have covered during my absence. Quite a lot of repair work to be done!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
A better home
Though I am still not feeling too good ( had diarrhoea for 3 days!), I decided to blog on something which really touched me from what I saw on TV:
1. The movie 'From Homeless to Harvard'
A touching movie on how a little girl struggled out of poverty and made it to Harvard University. She was hardly in school when she was young as her mum was down with AIDs and was often down with drugs and alcohol. Rather than her mum taking care of her, she was often seen taking care of her mum, including cleaning her up when she was really drunk. She hardly turned up for school due to her family condition but she amazed the teacher when she scored for her tests. At the end the social worker put her in a home. She was tortured there and finally she ran away after witnessing her a girl was burnt with acid that was poured into her shampoo when she was bathing. Her mother and sister took refuge in her grandfather's place. However, she refused to go there as she had always suspected that her grandfather had raped her mother when she was young. Her best friend had also suffered the same fate of being raped by her father and they decided to run away from home. Rather than resigning to fate like what her best friend did, she decided to enroll herself in a school. She worked hard and finally earned herself a scholarship to study in Harvard. I wonder how many of us can really brave such adversity and rise to success. It really takes a lot of courage and determination. No matter how bad or desperate the situation may look - there is always a way out - if you are determined enough.
2. Recycling elephant dungs.
I remembered I told my students that in India, cow dungs are mixed with water and the gas emitted is then channeled through a pipe to a stove and used for cooking. This would reduce the demand for fossil fuels or chopping down the trees for fuel wood. Now it seems that a man is actually making paper out of elephant dungs in Thailand. As elephant dungs contain a lot of fibre, he mixed it with water and then sieve out fibre which will be dried and made into papers! What a way to recycle stuff. Some of our students had also experimented with using hair to make paper and ink. I think it is really good that we are more concern about our envronment and make an effort to conserve our resources. We should blog to promote the importance of the 3Rs - reuse, recycle and reduce wastage. Our earth is our only home and it is our responsibility to make it a better place to live in.
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