My work now

My work at this school has been rather busy as I was involved in the marking of scripts for the whole level. Only 2 questions but there was so much to learn as I looked at the paper and studied the students' responses to the questions.

I started to pour into stuff that I used to work on at NIE and this was just fabulous. I realized more and more that I really hated to mark and the thought of going back into the system to mark irks me. Every teacher will complain that there is just too much marking except for a rare few who love to bury students' scripts in the sea of red.

What I am excited about is that as I investigated on repeated issues with the papers I started to dig further into why students could not grasp the skills. 

One very difficult skill I find is with inference. I took on the challenge to teach yesterday on the skill of inference and found a lot of research paper on that. I found that this skills is very difficult for students who don't know their content and who refused to stay current and use their background knowledge to support their answers. I failed my students for that and so when I taught, I told them I was the marker who gave them the zero. Some students clenched their fist and I just smiled. They were just trying to be cool with me. 


Not all the 4 classes that I taught stuck to me. The first two classes was a disaster. The system didn't work and my Mac couldn't respond. The room was hot and yesterday was terribly hazy and hot, almost sizzling. The second lesson was just the perfect lesson. 


The students greeted me and the teachers "Good morning teachers!" I asked them how they know I am a teacher. One student quickly mentioned I was holding a marker pen. Ah...the concept of a teacher is one who holds a marker pen. But who else holds a marker pen. Is that inference. Partially. 


Then I went on to show a picture of Jack and Jill and asked if they were to interview them, what questions would they asked. The questions generated were so good. I praised them. Then I asked them to answer! Aha. They were giving me a lot of answers and each them there was an answer, I asked them how they know.

I told the students that given a source, they have to defend the case using the evidence provided as well as their background knowledge. One student wanted to ask Jack and Jill why they only fetched a pail of water. Herein I asked how it was possible that the student know about the pail of water. And they were stumped. This all happened at one of the weakest of the 4 classes that morning.


The last class was terrible. The students were smartest. Terrible not because they were not smart. Terrible because of their attitude towards learning. I found myself having to discipline more than teach and I kept all of them silent when I told one student whispering behind a bag to the friend. I cordially asked the student to remove the bag so they could converse in comfort. Then they stopped.


Walking into class again was a funny feeling. I don't have much of the passion in the classroom anymore these days. I prefer to work with the curriculum.


Last night was an interesting night. For the past months, I have been trying to set up my own business. I waited and waited for this person to call. We met up last night and God is just so wonderful.


I may not get the pay I want. But I will get to work with teachers and to develop curriculum. I will also have a chance at working at the primary level and training teachers at something I am totally not familiar with. 


Together with another ex trainee, Ronald, I have also worked on a package deal and we have sent it off to a school to test grounds. We are going to launch our proposals to various schools soon.

If the Lord is willing, I prefer to work on my own and not serving the interest of the Ministry but the interest of the teachers.

Teachers are very tired. There is a lot to do everyday. I never knew I was under tremendous stress until I walked out of it two months ago. It has been a blessing for me because I saw how my students past and present cared if I have enough to feed myself.


I have loans to pay off and a house to renovate. And I am not worried as I continue to watch how God is leading me.

All these circumstances have taught me to rely on GOD. They taught me to learn to do things out of my comfort zone. Driving to JB alone is a great feat. Learning to network is another. God is teaching me to use my gifts and I am going to listen to how I can bring my network together so I can link up the pieces.


In the mean time, those of you with exams, get on and study. Those who finished the marking, enjoy life ba. And those of us who have to continue to do the routines, thank God for the work you have. God says, "Thou sluggard, go to the ant." Even with the smallest of creatures, God wants us to learn from. So learn ba.

Rumours about where I am right now

I heard there was much speculations and rumours where I will be next year in the staff room. Some said that I will be teaching in Raffles Girls School and that I will be joining Raffles Institution. I shan't tell where I am then.

For the moment, I am busy. Trying to settle my new house. Yes, I was there to check it out with Melvin and the following week with Joshua to clean it. I have since driven to Johore Bahru and survived most of the roads. There were many times when I was lost just by following the road signs but the best GPS system is my lips. I asked for directions. 

When Joshua and I were on our way back from cleaning the house, we wanted to try and look for Bukit Indah. Well we tried several times and in the end we headed towards Tuas and went home. The last time Melvin and I tried to get out of Bukit Indah to Nusajaya, we were also lost. So today Joshua and I are going to overcome this myth about getting there. Fortunately this time, I was there with my dad and so I managed to reach the other side of Bukit Indah. So let's hope I will be fortunate today to get straight there.

I will be working more regularly starting next week. Then I will be involved in some ad hoc workshops. There is an offer to work on the business I am to start with Ronald and I am all excited.
I don't know if I should go back to the regular school system because I am enjoying the freedom to hire and fire the bosses I work for. 

Shin Miin is right about one thing. I will not thrive under a controlled environment. I am slowly awakening to more ideas as I talked to Ronald. We are both clear on one thing. We are passionate about our students and we are both good in our own field. Ronald is a trainer for toast master and I am a trainer of teachers. Ronald happened to be trained by me while he was at NIE and he told me it was difficult to forget me. So he has always kept in touch with me. We are both going out to network so that our business can launch next year. 

Will share more when we can see more clearly.

The good thing about going to work late!

This morning, I decided to take my time slowly. I will be out in a jiffy for breakfast and then off to work. It is now 1015.

I watched this youtube broadcast of an actress. This lady was a famous Hong Kong actress, 姚炜。I hope you enjoy her sharing as much as I did. She reminded me again that money is not everything, serving God is. Listen to how God changed her life inside and out. Nothing is impossible with our God. I know He is watching over me.

Julian Treasure: Shh! Sound health in 8 steps | Video on TED.com

Julian Treasure: Shh! Sound health in 8 steps | Video on TED.com

Those of us who love headphones. Do take a look at this video. I hope we love our ears a lot more.

First day at school

Today is the first day at school. I slept rather early because I was a little tired. I woke up refreshed because I was going to meet Jinyao for an interview.

This young man is really impressive. Unlike many of the smart students I have taught, Jinyao was not my student. I got to know him because I was one of the mentors for MUN and he got into trouble with me for not asking for permission to go out of the Boston Sheraton to eat lobster. For that the entire group was severely reprimanded since I have already warned them not to act foolishly. They did but I got him to reflect on his actions and he did a great job. Since then we remain as friends.

Recently he wrote to ask to interview about my involvement with service learning over the past few years. It was a rather soul searching interview for me and we chatted about my intentions to do service learning with my students. 

Service learning started with me because I always believe my students will become government leaders and therefore I want them to have a heart for the poor. I make a deliberate effort to network for my boys so that they can go out and do service. Many who have worked with me must come to work knowing they will not gain any hours or benefit. They must first get to know the community and I will personally arrange for such meetings. Although I cannot be there all the time, many of those I have worked with are trustworthy and carried on their service even though I was not around. I am very thankful they are faithful to the call of duty.

Jinyao has served many different groups. He has a big heart for the lost and abused children and teenagers. He is also a speaker for girls with anorexia and bulimia. When his friends abandoned the project, he carried on and went out to meet some of these victims. They heard about him and wanted him to help them. He has gone to talk to psychologists and two of them from Mt Elizabeth Hospital gave him a lot of readings to equip and counsel him to help them.

I did warn him of getting burnout and told him never to be too kind such that he is also abused. He is a very kind hearted young person. But he doesn't know the Lord. As I drove him to a bus stop near his house, I cannot help but feel sad that he doesn't know Jesus. I tried to share about the second coming of Christ with him and I hope he continues to be kind but do it for the Lord.

The help we can give is only temporary. But God's help once given lasts a life time.

After meeting Jinyao, I had time to wash Altis and made sure he is all vacuumed and ready for the afternoon. I am pleased to say Altis is smart looking. When I got down an hour later I was surprised how smart Altis looked.

I parked my car just outside the office. There was a meeting going on in the staff room so I stood outside. I waited until the meeting was over and I found the seat. It was small and right along the main corridor next to the teacher's lounge. It was noisy but good to hear noise because it means everyone is busy and hungry.

I was instructed to teach natural vegetation but I didn't have the wireless working until the technician came. I thought I could get it working again but no such luck. 


It looks like I don't report to work until 1230 everyday. I leave school at 530pm. Looks good because I am paid 120 dollars now. Soon to come I will be paid 200 dollars. I am not after money. I am after the experience and to get to know the school system again. I want to be able to adjust to any condition so that I can be ready wherever God is going to send me.


Like all the neighbourhood schools, many things are not as efficient. But that is okay. I have been too used to efficiency that I have become less tolerant to the lack of efficiency because of the lack of money to be efficient. Here the teachers work within their means. There are still a few idiotic characters who tried to exert their greatness. I just laugh them off because I have tasted greatness and great people don't tell others they are great. The greatness of genuinely great people are felt and they will humble you. These that I have seen today makes you laugh. 

I walked into a computer lab where the humanities room is. And there were a few students with their teacher I am to help. I was left with 4 while she took the rest. These 4 were supposedly the top students but they were not at all interested because they were really tired. By the time they reached me, it was already 440pm. I taught till 520pm and dismissed them. Most of them want to stay on but I want to go. One of the girls had a math paper infront of her and I told her to keep because I am not nice when I am pissed. And to the piss word, the other girl just stick out her tongue and smile. Perhaps I should not say that in a convent but I was sending a strong signal not to be funny with me. She got my message and was more than 200% attentive.


There were girls who had never heard about the information. I could see their eyes rolling and their faces light up because of what I shared. 

I am beginning to put ideas together now. I hope this spree continues. Not going to work has become so good that I don't miss going to teach at all. But for now it is a good start for me. Getting back into the classroom with no air condition is good. 

The staff I must say is very friendly and curious who this new person was. I met a small lady Maggie who helps with printing. She looks like she is in her 60s and she was extremely nice. She was very eager to show me the pantry but this was the last thing on my mind because the most important thing for me are the tools for my teaching.


Perhaps the school will find me rather bothersome because I asked a lot of questions. I guess this is because having worked in an independent school for so long has trained me to be 100% dedicated to my pedagogy and the classroom. It was a good feel today being able to walk into class and leaving the class with students wondering how much more they don't know.