National Weather Project Presentation 9 April 2007

A picture taken with the judges and the team members of D-Tect - Tee Kuan, Kit Man, Qi Yin, Cheri and Utama on the day of presentation in our school.

One of the judges commented that their presentation is good. The followings are the points raised by the judges which the team can improve on:

1. What triggered the students to embark on this project and whether they did a survey? The team members mentioned that it was because some of their friends or relatives were actually affected by dengue and that was why they started on this project. They could improve by doing a survey or interview before they start on the project.

However the team mentioned that they visited the NEA exhibition on dengue at the HDB in Nov last year and they learnt more about the Aedes mosquitoes and how dengue is spread.

2. The judges also wanted to know whether the team is sharing their project with the school. The members told the judges about the information which they had shared on the Humanities notice board and mentioned that they will need to collect more data before they can present it to the school.

3. The faciliator also suggest that the students broaden their data collection ie. refer to esphere.net for more information and weather data. The students do not need to confine to the weather data they had collected with our mini-weather station. One of the judges actually asked for the graphs to be interpolated so that the comparison between the weather data and dengue cases can be made more clearly.

4. One of the judges mentioned that the title was good ' Hotspots, Dengue Probe" and the students could actually provide more interesting information on the hotspots.

The results will be released after the 20th April.

World Red Cross Celebration 7th April

A picture of our Flags for the World Red Cross Celebration Day Flag Design competition as well as our Sec 1 cadets taking the Red Cross Pledge in the enrolment ceremony.

We had spent almost a month conceptualizing the design to purchasing the materials and putting them together. We could not find the wire as skeleton for the hand which is made from the surgical gloves and stuffing - At the end we had to use aluminium foil which proved to be better! We shaped the aluminium foil into the shape of a hand before inserting it into the glove which was stuffed with cotton. It allowed us to bend the fingers into the position we wanted. We had a hard time as not all the Sec 1 knows how to stitch. However, we were very pleased with the results and had confidence that we will do well in the competition.

In the morning of the World Red Cross Day Celebration, 5 cadets had to go for the rehearsal for the marching contingent and another 5 cadets as casualties for the Disaster Preparadeness exercise. Sad to say, due to the heavy down pour, we could not really see the performance cadets in the DP exercise.

The heavy downpour also meant that our celebration ended early and the results of the flag design competition could not be announced. We were told that we will be notified later of the results. I just hope that our flags are not damaged by the heavy downpour. Thank goodness we used waterproof paint materials for the flags.

I will update the results once I receive it.

P.S. Just received the news on 12th April 2007 – we won the FIRST prize in the “celebrating service with compassion and passion” category and the 1st runner-up in the ”7 Principles of Red Cross” Category!

Good Ideas

Some ideas for the innowits project. I was told that I will be in-charge of the Sec 2E3 with Mr Wong. The project idea is to get the students to share good ideas with the school. It might not be sometime which they invented but good ideas which they would like to share. I must say I had learnt a lot of good ideas from the following website:




Simply love this Taiwan show:



http://tv.ettoday.com/ettv/include/goodidea291_1.htm

You can definitely get a lot of new ideas from them! e.g how to recycle empty bottle and plastic bag for storage:

HS Red Cross

Sec 2 cadets with the Finger Players @ Ren Ci Day Care centre on the 28th March.

As mentioned earlier - our unit received Gold for both the Excellent Unit Award and the Community Service Award. The picture below was taken at the Award ceremony on 30th March 2007. Mrs Lai and myself were promoted to the rank of Senior Youth Officer.

Standard First Aid Refresher Course

I was down on a 2-day SFA Refresher course and I am glad to say I have learnt much from it. I realized several errors which I had made and I would share them with my Red Cross students so that they are better prepared for the First Aid Exam.

Some good news to share with those reading this:
1. Our HS Red Cross unit won the Excellent Unit Award Gold and the Community Service Award Gold as well!
2. Mrs Lai and myself completed the SFA Refresher course and pass our first aid exam.
3. We will be promoted to the rank of Senior Youth Officer next Friday at the Award Ceremony

Though overjoyed with the good news above, my mood was dampened by my form class. Before I left for the course, one student got involved in a fight with a 4E student and was very rude to me when I told him that the discipline committee had asked me to call his mum. One mother was very concerned about her son's performance, esp art. Another boy's father sent me numerous emails during my course about his son being bullied in the class. I simply could not do anything about it as I was not in school. Sometimes, I can't help but feel sad for my class. Despite the many efforts taken, they seemed to be getting into one trouble after another. Being a mother myself, I could understand the disappointments of the parents. Just praying hard for the day that they can be free from trouble and that they will do us proud.

I find myself really racing against time this year...... the national weather project is due next week and I have yet to see the students' work. I had just helped one boy to submit his entry to British council and will be looking for students to work on a e-card competition promoting Singapore as a tourist destination (uniquely Singapore). I am also monitoring the IPW work of 1A2 this term and another Sec 3 class for the innowits project.I will be bringing my Red Cross students for community service at the Ren Ci daycare centre with the Finger Play Group (finger puppets) next Wed. As mentioned in my last blog, I will be entering the Microsoft Powerpoint competition. This week I also have to prepare the Sec 1 cadets for the Flag Design competition.

Of course, I will be giving the Sec 4E their CA Test 2 next week Economics (Wed) and Geography (Thurs). The Sec 1 will be having their Geog CA Test 2 on 4th April. I planned to set my SA1 papers during the March Holidays but I couldn't. I also have 7 classes of worksheets to mark over the weekend.

I must say that this term is really challenging for me - God bless me and may I survive the term!

Sentosa Outing

Microsoft office academic skills challenge

Dear all,

Encouraging you to take part in this competition - please let me know if you are interested.
3 categories: Microsoft word, Microsoft excel or Microsoft Powerpoint. I am thinking of taking part in the Microsoft Powerpoint myself.


log onto http://www.acpcomputer.edu.sg/mos2007/ for details

Digital art competition on environment

Encouraging all my students to participate in this competition organised by the British council.

http://www.britishcouncil.org.sg/climate-change-digital-art/competition-about-this-competition-climate-change.aspx

If you need some help - come to lab 2 on Tuesday 30 Jan 2007 at 3 p.m. I can show you how to use Macromedia fireworks to create the digital image. You will also need to submit a 200 words write-up. We can help you to edit.

Do check out the link above. Register at the link above - deadline is 19 March.

All the best!

Thanks Graduants

Met quite a no. of students who graduated last year in yesterday's CCA recruitment drive. I was pretty touched that they are so willing to come back to help. Starting to miss them.... I must say we are always glad to see them back. My Red Cross cadets was so enthusiastic in recruiting the Sec 1 and I must say they had put in their efforts.Peiwen sms me to say that she is donating the uniform to the Red Cross and asked me when she can come back to school. I must say this to her again here - we welcome you anytime!

Would like to post this blog for the students who are waiting for their O level results - do register for the seminar and find out more about polytechnic life:

Beyond O-Levels Seminar 2007, jointly organised by Temasek Polytechnic and The New Paper.
Learn about polytechnic life, career opportunities, success stories and the route to university for poly graduates.
Be entertained with soulful performances by Singapore Idol and Temasek Polytechnic alumnus, Hady Mirza (above), and a performance by Dramatec, the student drama group.
Another plus? Opportunities to win passes to meet Hady after the seminar, and Apple iPods as well.

BEYOND O-LEVELS SEMINAR 2007 Where: Temasek Polytechnic Auditorium 1 When: Saturday, 20 Jan 2007, 10am to 1pm For: Students awaiting O-level results, their parents or ITE graduates To register: Log on to www.tp.edu.sg/tp4u/bol Seats: Free seating subject to availability Enquiries: Call 6780 5017, 6780 6556 or 6780 5024

Happy New Year 2007

New Resolution for a NewYear!