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Monday, November 26, 2007
Have been following the news regarding the drowning of the Singaporean dragon-boaters in Cambodia. It's really a devastating news to many, especially the family of the deceased, where they were such fine men.
God, I know the deceased would be in your good hands, but please guide their family and friends out of the darkness.
At this difficult period where the pain and the loss are hard to bear, I hope time will heal the sorrow. May the fond memories of your dear ones sooth you in this grueling and arduous phrase.
Life is really so vulnerable and unpredictable. You will never know when you will lose your loved ones or when you will leave your loved ones. Hence, please treasure your loved ones and show your appreciation to them before it's too late.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
Will be leaving for Batam on Monday. The scale of this OSL trip is considered relatively smaller compared to the OSL Yunnan trip. The preparation was not that intensive too.
For the Batam trip, the preparations include sorting and packing the donated clothes and storybooks, as well as packing the stationery that we have bought for the orphans at the orphanage at Batam. Most of the coordination of the activities and the programme will be done by the facilitator at Harris Resort, so it's considered quite relaxed.
I can still recall the intensive preparations we needed to do for OSL Yunnan, from the several fund-raising activities, preparations of teaching materials and performance, to the packing of storybooks and clothes and the coordination of all the nitty-gritty matters.
Wow, the whole preparation back then was so massive and tedious. The students conducted English lessons for five classes of Sec 3 Yunnan students and we bought stationery packs for all the 650 students in the school. The number if students who have benefitted from our OSL trip is really huge compared to the small number of 24 orphans that we are helping.
The group going for OSL Batam is smaller, 24 students and they are all from the Normal Academic and Technical stream, except for one who is from the Express stream. Some of the students might have the impression that the trip is catered for the naughty students, but it's not the case. These students are very enthusiastic and helpful with a positive attitude.
For OSL Yunnan, we had 33 students, but we had a choice in the selection of the students in the group and those were students who were motivated and easier to work with. Those were the fond memories again. Time to create new memories.
Hmm, the teachers going for this trip are Ms Gopal, Patsy, Siraj, Tan Huong and Angela. Our trip has the honour of having Ms Gopal and Patsy to join us for the trip despite their busy schedules. I still remembered asking Patsy to join us for the Yunnan trip last year, but the school disapproved of her going because the school needed her to be around for the Foundation Programme last year. Ms Gopal's presence would be good to control some of the mischievous students in the group. haha.
Patsy is good at raising funds. She is our Lobang Queen as she has all the lobangs for stationery, cheap clothing and donations. Moreover, she is the one who sees to all the admin matters for the trip and liaising with the tour agency.
Angela has been a great help too. We went to get the stationery and party packs together, and she helped me with the reflection booklets. Wow, if not for her help, I think I would need a longer time to complete the reflection booklets.
We were thankful that Tan Huong is willing to join us. He has just come back from the NPCC Bintan trip on Monday and he's joining us for this. Wonder if it's too tiring for him? I think the person who is most thankful for Tan Huong's presence has to be Siraj. Otherwise, he would need to share room with his 'best' friend who whines constantly and he would freak out, haha. I'm not refering to Subair. He's Siraj's best friend definitely, but without the inverted commas. Papa would know who I'm refering to, haha.
Oh ya, I was talking to Weilun on MSN before typing this post. He told me that he was heartbroken. I thought he had fallen out of love, but I didn't remember him telling me that he was attached or had a liking for any girl. And guess what, haha, he was heartbroken because of me, because my favourite student is not him anymore. Haha.
He was reading my blog and I was blogging about a few favourite students, Hazmi, Sean and Qin Hong, and not forgetting my wonderful student in my previous posts.
Haiz, silly boy, don't be upset. As the years go by, the evil teacher will 'accidentally' practise favourtism and 'adopt' a few favourite students. Oh man, this sounds so unprofessional ar. But ultimately, my dear Weilun will still be my most favourite student. Haha.
After all, you were one of my first few favourite students and you were my English rep for two years, and you are one of the two students whom I've rewarded with Popular vouchers for two years, the other student is Yu Xiang. Then you were one of the few favourite students that I've brought on the overseas trip to Yunnan, and we spent nine days together as an OSL family, remember? If I recall clearly, you were my eldest son in the family, and there were Xinwei, Eunice, Zhong Yan and Haojie in our family too.
See how special you are in my heart, so don't be heartbroken k and I won't forget the good times that I've spent with my most favourite student, the tears that you have shed at Kunming Airport, and the many MSN conversations that we had where you shared your problems and secrets with me, and I would be there to advise and nag at you.
That's how endearing my dear Weilun can be. Gosh, does this sound like pacifying a small child? Oops! Haha. I hope he doesn't think that way, because I'm really sincere about it. Haha.
Ok, will update when I'm back from Batam. Ta-ta.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
This picture was taken before the Grad Nite at the entrance of the ballroom. We were looking for Subair to join us for the photo-taking but he was in the ballroom preparing the video-clips.
While the students were busy taking pictures among themselves, we teachers had our fair share of fun taking pictures too. Haiz, this collage would have been perfect if Subair had taken his picture with Grace, but he was busy scotting for gorgeous students to take part in the competition.
Some students commented that Siraj and Subair looked like brothers because of the shirts that they were wearing, and they believed me when I said that both of them got the shirts from the same boutique. Haha.
We wanted to take our royal family portrait, but our grandmama, Maziyan was busy taking pictures and videos of the events. With Esther's not longer in BVSS, Marhaini is our latest addition to the royal family.
But sigh, not sure if the students were aware of this, but Subair's leaving BVSS too. Sad sad, one less member in the royal family. Before that, our princess, Esther quitted, now, our prince, Subair is quitting soon. Sigh...
Subair's quitting because it's the last term for his Masters programme next year, and he needs the time to complete his thesis. After he has gotten his Masters, he will probably be teaching in a polytechnic. Oh man, it's really a great loss to the English Department, we will be short of English teacher. Haiz, like what Patsy said, it's a bitter sweet farewell.
Picture of people in black. Haha. This is the picture that we have taken with our darling class. Patsy and I have taught this class since they were in Sec One. Patsy was their English teacher from Secondary One to Four. I think she was their form teacher in Sec One and Two. I only taught them CPA in Sec One, Two and Four.
This 4T1 is the best Normal technical class so far in Bukit View's history. They are so well-behaved, even better than some of the Express and Normal Academic classes. We were saying that Patsy has really tamed them in Sec One, such that they are not as naughty as the typical NT students.
More pictures of them. The girls didn't attend Grad nite, so can't take pictures with them.
That's the picture taken with my favourite student. Haha. The infamous Hazmi. Handsome ya, especially when the ugly evil teacher was standing next to him. Haha.
Subair asked Siraj and I to walk around with him to look for handsome dudes and pretty gals, so naturally, his name surfaced, not that I'm showing favourtism or what, but he has to be good before Subair gave the final approval. haha.
The first round, Subair shortlisted ten candidates for the boys and ten for the girls. They were supposed to do a catwalk on the stage, then go to the audience, find two persons and danced to them, and lastly, strike a pose on the stage. He made it to the final round where the best five students were selected.
But I guess, dancing is not his forte. Singing is. If not, he wouldn't have performed during the Teachers' Day concert. Nevertheless, to be able to make it to the top 5 is already an achievement when there are so many boys present. Ok, shan't praise him too much, in case he gets ya ya papaya. Haha. My only hope for now is that they do well for the N levels. Got to wait till mid-December for the good news.
My mentoring students for the English Mentoring programme. I've taught Guan Qian in Sec One and Two for English. Linghuan was in my form class in Sec One. As for Bronte, I only got to know her this year, but I like her as she's such a bubbly and cheerful girl.
That's Jia Jie, Nurdin and Fauzi. Patsy looked quite cute when she's taking picture with them. Nurdin loves to look up instead of looking straight when his pictures were taken ar.
That's Amos, Zuo Jia and Qin Hong. I called them the Rose Gang, haha. Each of them has two roses in their pockets. Amos has three. Look at the way he's showing off his roses.
Haha, I forced Qin Hong to remove the roses before taking picture with me. Bad ar, but it looked so weird with the roses in his pockets. Back in 2004, when I first joined the school, these were the two boys in my form class, my so-called favourite students. We did spend quite some time talking online about so many things. They are very helpful and obliging too. Those were the fond memories.
Come to think of it, when Sean was in Sec One, I was his form teacher. Now his sister, Chloe is in my form class too. What a coincidence. Last time, we would talk online about his mei-mei, and a few years down the road, mei-mei is my student too.
After 'chasing' the students to leave the ballroom, we went for a drink. Initially, we wanted to go to Coffee Club but it was so crowded, so we went to the Balcony at Heeren instead. The 'boys' were so fascinated with the seats, so Mama took a picture of them, a few pictures actually. Haha.
But all that swinging of the seat made Subair sleepy, as in it sort of put Subair to sleep. Haha. and they made me dizzy too, because when I talked to them, the seats would be swinged and it's giving me a headache trying to stay focused and not be distracted by the swinging. haha.
We stayed till 2 plus and we shared a cab home. Oh I didn't know that we can't flag taxis from the streets in Orchard anymore. We have to wait for the taxis at the taxi stands, but we couldn't be bothered during those wee hours. Haha. We just flagged one near Heeren and just hoped on to the taxis, and it's Home Sweet Home.
That's all the update for Grad Nite. Time to Zzz.
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
Slept for more than 15 hours after coming back from the camp. Haha. Very piggy right? I know you are thinking of that too. Came back from the camp on Saturday afternoon, unpacked my stuff, bathed and surrendered to the comfort of my bed at 2 plus. I was reluctant to wake up when my mum woke me up for dinner, and I didn't wake up after all. In the end, slept through the night and only woke up at 10 the next day. Oh that's about 20 hours. Oops! Haha. That's really an indulgence.
I enjoyed myself at the camp. The games played were creative and interesting, other than the game station that I was stationed at with Zhong Yan. It's lame, singing the alphabets backwards. It was worsened when Zhong Yan became emo when his hp was confiscated by the evil teacher. Boy, it's only an hp and it can make you so upset. Haiz.
But the fright night was fun. Scary too. Subair and I both agreed that Aishah can really scream, and her screams really made the fright night scarier. haha.
Got to give credits to Kee Peng for facilitating the games. It's really a lot of time and effort on his part to coordinate the games with the student leaders. Of course, not forgetting the fantastic group of student facilitators. All of you have truly made the camp an enjoyable experience for the new group of Sec One and Two councillors and PSLs. Bravo!!
The concept of having a BBQ was good, but it seemed that most of them were eating half-cooked food and it's a lot of effort on Zul and Patsy to set up the pit and cleaning up after that.
Luckily, the teachers don't need to start the fire to barbecue the food. Mrs Chan made sushi and potato salad for the teachers. Her potato salad was simply yummy! Patsy went back to bath and bought Hokkien Mee for us on her way back to school.
After lights-out for the students, I was so tired and went to bath. But strangely, I was more awake after that. Probably, the icy cold water woke me up instantly. Went to look for Patsy after that at the HOD since she was alone there. She was hooked on Facebook. Haha.
After that, we had a long chat till 2 plus, talked about a lot of things, about different people, teachers and students, the good and the bad, about the good old times, about the future. Haiz.
Honestly, it really requires a lot of passion and patience to stay in this profession. It's really shit work at times where the things that we have done are not appreciated and when there are so many things to do, but we also get the satisfaction and fulfilment from our job too.
I enjoy the teaching process. I love the interaction with the students in class and outside class. I love the bonding and the friendship with the colleagues. But when other admin matters come into reality, teaching will not just be teaching only.
Let's see how long the passion can sustain.
Anyway, after all the talking, Patsy felt sleepy and went to sleep on the table in her sleeping bag.
I wasn't that sleepy yet, so I went to check on the kids. I saw Haojie and Aung Thet sitting on the chairs outside the classroom. We were talking outside the HOD room and they were talking about things that I was really skeptical about. Haha. They knew what it was about, but seriously, I don't think it's good to think too much about that.
Anyway, Aung Thet is one interesting boy. He reminds me of Kumar and Najip Ali. Haha, does it have a negative connotation? He's one nice guy, always full of praises for people and it will make people feel good. But when he overdoes it and does it too often, it sounds so insincere and hypocritical. Haha.
We talked until 3 plus in the wee hours, and they suggested staying awake throughout the night. But the evil teacher is old already, cannot tahan the whole night, so ya, nite nite.
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Thursday, November 08, 2007
Brought the students to attend the Awards Ceremony. Although we did not win any award, it was a good experience for us. They have really put in a lot of effort to produce this video. During the ceremony, they did explain the judging criteria for the various categories. At least, we knew what they were expecting when they were judging the video. Well, we will try again next year.
I was really disappointed with that wonderful student yet again. I was disappointed that he couldn't be honest with me even though I've found out the truth way before I questioned him today.
That particular incident happened two or three weeks ago. I was kept in the dark all along. But it's God's will that I found out about it yesterday. When I smsed him and asked about that matter, he gave me a different story. He sounded so convincing that I even doubted student A who had told me about it. But the fact was that the wonderful student had contacted Student A and asked him to lie about certain parts of the truth.
I'm like, How could he go to such extent to lie to me? Doesn't he know that once he has told a lie, he would need to tell more lies to cover the lie that he has told earlier?
His reasoning was that he did not want me to be disappointed further if I had learnt the entire truth. What 'good' intentions he had. A case of 'Ignorance is bliss'? Not when I already knew the truth, and the fact that truth really hurts, or rather truth hurts even more when he was blatantly lying.
Between 'Ignorance is bliss' and 'truth hurts', I rather he told me the truth right away, rather than lying to me. It takes a lot of courage to say the truth, I can understand that, and yet, he didn't even have the courage to do that when I questioned him about it in school today.
I really hate the person who has caused all these, the person that wonderful student has looked up to him as a senior, but it turned out that the senior was just a coward, a coward who is good at cooking up stories to cover his backside, a coward who had cooked up unrealistic and illogical stories that one wouldn't believe at all, a coward who is selfish and wouldn't think twice about harming his junior, a scheming coward who has made use of wonderful student as a scapegoat, a coward who doesn't have the courage to confess the wrongs that he has done, a coward who is not the least apologetic for the selfish acts that he has done to harm his junior.
The look of him really irked me. I really hated it when he showed me the pathetic look hoping that I would believe him. The ugly side of him showed when I asked him to write an incident report when wonderful student was not asked to write yet.
He's the second coward that I have really despised. The first coward that I have mentioned in my previous post was in the same CCA as this coward. But don't worry, I'm not that irrational to condemn that CCA just because of two cowards.
Anyway, I've faith in God. He would definitely be fair and mete out the punishment for these two cowards.
As for that wonderful student, should I really give him one last chance? I have given him more than one chance, and he always promises me the sun, the moon and the stars. In the end, look at what happen. Promises made are always broken. I've so much faith in him after the promises that he has made, and yet, I was disappointed time and time again. I really think that he has the capabilities to be a wonderful student, to the extent that I've paved the way for him to take up leadership position, but look at what happened, he has given in to such temptation.
Is my judgment really that bad? When expectations are higher, disappointment will be greater too. Like what he said, temptations are everywhere, will he be able to resist the temptations? He did apologise and asked me to give him one last chance to prove himself again. I asked him to give me three reasons. The last reason that he gave really touched my heart.
"I want to be that wonderful student again." He wrote that in the sms that he sent me.
Will he be able to be that wonderful student again? Should I give him one last chance? Should I still bother? Should I still care?
In the midst of all this disappointment, I was surprised to see Hazmi in school. He claimed that someone called him to come to school to see Patsy, but Patsy did not ask him to do that. Anyway, I talked to him for a brief while outside the office. I had to settle that matter so I could not talk to him for long. But he waited for me. When I was so frustrated with that coward and the wonderful student, his humour and bright smile lightened the whole atmosphere. He's such a darling. In that kind of tense situation, he could cheer me up and make me smile. I will definitely miss this favourite student of mine when he's no longer around in school after he has graduated.
Let's see if he would wear a dozen thongs to Graduation Night as what he has proclaimed.
Oh ya, come to think of it, that sickening incident has wasted so much of my time. Initially, I have arranged to meet Brian. He has lost his holiday assignment and he needed a new copy. Of course, being the evil teacher, he wouldn't be able to get a new copy so easily. I wanted him to file the English worksheets and test papers for my Sec 3T level file before fulfilling his wish. But because I knew that incident would drag and I wouldn't want Brian to waste his him waiting, so I told him to go to my table and take a copy. Duh, now I've to waste time filing in the papers on my own. Does anyone of you need an extra copy of holiday assignment? Haha.
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Sunday, November 04, 2007
Marhaini invited us to her house for Hari Raya on Saturday. For Round 1, we had lunch at her place. There were so many kids at her place. I was telling Esther, I haven't seen so many kids at one go for such gathering for a long time.
There were four kids in the picture. Two from Grandmama and two from Papa. Missing from the picture were 3 kids, Jia Bao's daughter, Marhaini's son and Charmane's son. Wow, seven kids in a house. Power sia! Haha.
Jia Bao, Tan Huong and wife came too. As they left earlier, they were not in the group picture.
Oh ya, Jia Bao was trying to matchmake Papa's son with Grandmama's daughter. Haha. Then we were teasing her that she should also matchmake her daughter with Charmane's son. Haha. Is this a case of childhood lovers? Haha
Gone were the days where the kids would call us Jie-jie or Kor-kor, Haha. The children called us Auntie or Uncle. Feel so old instantly. Haha.
Oh Esther traded in her long hair for a shoulder-length haircut. Subair commented that Esther looked like Rihana with the new hair-do.
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For Round 2, the royal family went to Papa's house for coffee. Papa showed us his wedding pictures. Wow, Papa looked so dashing and his wife looked so pretty back then. Although it was so many years ago, Papa didn't seem to have aged. Disgust. Haha.
Yes, Papa is ever so charming and dashing, to the extent that he could set up a fan club at the school that he was 'CPEing'. The PE told him that the students commented that he was so handsome. Usually, the students would ask the teachers about the questions that had appeared in the question papers after the exam has ended. However, Papa's charm broke the norm as the students were busy telling their teachers how handsome the CPE was. Haha.
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Met Weiling at Westmall Sakae Sushi for dinner after that.
We ordered the Chicken Sukiyaki. Initially, I thought it's something like the Japanese Steamboat, but the stock was too sweet. Found it weird to drink soup that is so sweet, Yucks. Should have ordered the Chicken Kaminabe instead.
The name sounded a bit vulgar ar, haha. Sound like some Hokkien vulgarity. Haha. It means Paper Steamboat actually. When I tried it the other time, I love the taste of the clear stock.
Anyway, we were supposed to go to Charlotte's place to play mahjong, but it was postponed because Charlotte has forgotten that Lek and her were supposed to go for a dinner appointment.
We hang out at Westmall instead, so unhappening ar. haha. There goes one weekend. Next weekend would be spent at the Councillors cum PSL camp.
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Oh the Twinning Programme people are leaving for Guangzhou later. Come Monday, that's when the madness starts, shifting from old staff room to the temporary staff room. Goodbye, small, squeezy and cramp staff room. Hello, equally small, squeezy and cramp temporary staff room. LOL!!
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Anyway, my humble blog turns three today. It was started on 4 November 2004, with the help of Xinwei and Qinhong. Three years of lame stuff?? Haha. How many more years of lamer stuff? We'll see.
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Saturday, November 03, 2007
Went for a CPA course after foundation programme on Thursday. Had the honour of sitting in Papa's new purple car as he drove to MOE.
Haven't had the chance to talk to him for some time as he was busy with the CPE duties for O levels. When he talked about those inviglation incidents, I realised that it's not an easy task to be the CPE, and it's so stressful.
The course was especially timely and helpful as it really prepares us to set the CPA coursework exam for the new N level exam syllabus. In the past, it was set by exam branch and we only needed to train the students to do the coursework, but now, we even have to plan the coursework carefully to guide the kids to do webpages. Sigh...and the problem is, there are some components of website design that I am not familiar with. Guess got to use the holidays to learn.
Anyway, Papa was behaving like a Normal Technical student during the course. Not that he would talk loudly or walk around the class, but he's really so restless during the course.
In order to keep himself awake, he would observe and see who's dozing off, and he would say 'See see, that teacher's dozing off', haha. If not, he would grumble that there's no pretty girl to see to keep him awake.
Sometimes, we would talk about lame stuff and laugh at ourselves when the trainer was teaching. Of course, it's not the loud 'hahaha' that attracted the unwanted attention, but still, as teachers, we should be good students and pay attention and don't talk unnecessary, just like what we have instructed our students to do faithfully. Oh, we are naughty students and Papa is naughtier.
Anyway, out of nowhere, there was a microphone on the table. While I was trying very hard to pay attention, Papa said, 'Come, use the microphone and talk.'
I paused for a short while before responding because it was like deja vu, haha, because Sheeraz did the same thing in Comp Lab 2 when I kept some of them back to pack the comp lab, and I scolded him for being so naughty. Of course, I didn't scold Papa for that. Instead we were laughing about it.
Die lah, Papa, you even did the same action as the students. Next time when your son does the same thing, let's see if we can still have a good laugh about it.
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Talking about students, I wanted to share about my dear Wei An. He's so thoughtful. Wei An thoughtful? Are you sure?
Haha, it's really Wei An, no doubt about it. While we walked along the corridor during one of the days for foundation programme, he grumbled, "Haiz so sianz, later got Miss Ang's lesson, so boring!"
Hence, I replied, "Maybe next year, you don't need to feel sianz when I'm not be teaching you."
The expression on his face changed. He seemed quite disappointed. He asked me to change my mind or even appeal to the Principal. I was like, "Wei An, you sure you want me to appeal? If I don't teach you, you don't need to complain that I'm so strict or fussy! Isn't that better for you?"
I didn't think too much about that issue after that. Then I received an sms from him. "Oie Teacher, must appeal to teach us next year arh."
Even though it's a simple message, I was very touched. The fact that he would sms shows that I do matter to him right, as in he appreciates my teaching and what I have done for him.
Me : You should be happy what! Don't need to be sianz anymore.
Wei An: I say only mah, U teach so good, LOL.
Me : Aiya u say say only, but u break my heart wo when I was so upset juz nw.
Wei An: LOL, I where got break yr heart. If break, u already die liao. haha
Me : Haiz, c lah, liddat also 1 2 argue with me. Yr EL so lousy, liddat hw nt 2 give up the class w/o worrying 4 u all.
Wei An: Haha, den next yr teach us leh, I also guai guai liao =)
Me : Haha. U'll really b guai guai meh? Scarly u bad mood again n shout at me how? Then I've 2 b LL ar?
Wei An: Will de. won't bad mood de.
After the exchange of SMSes, I was really moved by what he said. How can I bear to leave the class like that? How to bring myself to do that?
Wei An has really changed a lot. Perhaps the programme at Tiong Bahru really helps him tremendously. He hasn't realised the benefits of the programme and grumbled about the hassle to going there everyday after school.
He's more tolerant and patient, and definitely very serious about his work. The old Wei An was like an atomic bomb which would explode anytime when someone pressed the wrong button. His hot temper got him into so many disciplinary records, and yet, he wouldn't be bothered about it.
However, the new Wei An tries very hard not to get himself into any trouble nor write any incident report. The other time I was just asking him what had caused the change in him to 'fa fen tu qiang', but he didn't know the reason. He knows, I think. Just that, he might not be comfortable to share it.
Since he's putting in so much effort, we must really give him the chance to turn over a new leaf right? But I really hate it when that coward used Wei An's name to frighten some of the students from my form class. He was the one who's acting like a pest, and when my students asked him to leave her alone, he used Wei An's name to threaten them that he would be coming to the bowling alley soon. Useless fool. Only knows how to threaten my students using Wei An's name when he can't handle my boys. Crap. Really disgusted with him. A Sec 3 boy and yet, he has to use such a lousy method to handle my Sec 1 boys. No wonder they find him a nuisance.
That coward has caused so much problem for her and yet, the selfish him refused to leave her alone. He only knows how to pester her and her friends like a pest. If he really loves her, he should be more considerate for her in the first place. When things happened, he refused to reflect on his mistakes and only add to her burden, and when he cannot take the stress, he called her classmates and cried. Such a wimp! Shan't get so angry with a weakling.
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After the course, we called Patsy and asked her if she wants to join us for a drink, but she was already at home.
In the end, Papa and I went to Rail Mall for a drink. Was talking to him about my brother and other stuff too. Comparatively, I think we are really fortunate to be teachers at BVSS, because they are so many wonderful teachers around, good-natured teachers who will selflessly render help, colleagues who are there to complement one another and most importantly, HODs who are very understanding and accomodating. Heard too much horror stories in other schools where teachers would not think twice about back-stabbing one another to rise to their desired position. We should really count our blessings ya and appreciate our colleagues. Thank God...
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Thursday, November 01, 2007
Tons of things to do that includes preparing the lessons for the foundation programme, Imagine, I'm seeing 3T1 for 11 hours a week for EL and CPA, and they are so restless during the lessons, miles apart compared to their good behaviour before the exam.
The CCA matters are really a handful, so many events to take note of and so many logistics to see to. Yet, there's ungrateful students who would grumble and complain that the evil teacher is being her usual evil self again and 'sabo' them to attend that particular event. Duh, if given a choice, I wouldn't want to send so many students too for so many different events, but what to do, it's mandatory. When we have so many concerns to attend on, on their minds were 'the place got aircon or not'. So DUH lor.
Sharon has been very helpful in sharing the CCA workload with me, really appreciate it. I know she's very busy with her OSL Cambodia stuff, and I felt bad troubling her, and Wee Choo is busy with the O levels matters as the PE (Presiding Examiner). Sigh, then had to settle some of these stuff on my own, CCA budget, ITQ request form for instructors and that tedious NYAA booklets. DISGUST! But thank God that for Maziyan and Moona, my saviours, and Kevin for his prompt reply. Phew!
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In the midst of all these, I need to meet parents too. All 40 of them. Actually, I don't need to see so many parents because I've seen some of them during Mid-year, so don't need to see them again, but decided to see them to convey some important points before they proceed with Sec 2 next year.
Hopefully can settle everything by the 9th. Some of the parents can only see me after work, after 6 plus or 7, and lazy me is so reluctant to stay so late when I need to be in school by 715 everyday. Since we need to stay overnight for the Councillors cum Councillors Camp, I might as well kill two birds with one stone and meet them at night. Haha.
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Oh ya, the major thing that is taking up a lot of the teachers' time is the dreaded packing that we need to do before vacating the staff room. Gosh, all those packing is really tedious and time-consuming. We packed all these stuff into boxes and transferred them to the temporary structure and unpack again. Then in late March, we need to repeat the same process again. It's really a hassle.
I really pitied all those school attendants. There are so old and they have to carry all those heavy boxes. It really pains my heart to see them doing these. Some of them are my parents' age, and I can't imagine my parents carrying all these stuff.
That's why we really appreciate it when Patsy sent all those angels to help. These angels are students who need to serve their DC, but they are doing a good job, clearing the recycle bins in the staff room of the papers, clearing the rubbish and moving the boxes. Many hands make light work. That's very true.
Oh ya, Edgar has been a very good help. Initially, he was there to serve his DC. He only needed to do it till 2.30 pm, but he stayed on till 5 plus to tape the boxes for me and packed all my stuff into the boxes. He wanted to sort out the tons of paper for me, but he couldn't help much, but I needed time to look through the papers too. Those brown papers looked so dirty and dusty compared to those white papers.
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After that, we called his darling xxx and asked her to join us for dinner at Pastamania at Lot 1. Gave them a treat even though xxx didn't do much. Haha. Must make her do more things one of these days. Haha. Maybe ask her to file the confidential files for me.
I was telling her, maybe it's a wise choice not to have dinner with her because I was so disgusted with her. My good old nice xxx is gone. She has become such an inconsiderate girl who doesn't comb her hair. Haha. She just threw her rubbish anywhere because she couldn't find a dustbin. She fed poor Edgar with pathetic stuff like parsley and green peas when Edgar served the spaghetti and the pizza for her.
Initially, when I learnt that xxx was seeing Edgar, I was so surprised. Why is she associating herself with an Ah Beng? Haha. But after spending those few hours with him where he shared a lot of things about him and his friends, he's actually not that bad a thug that I have expected. He's quite mature, sensible and helpful. Like what I have told him, the only bad thing about him is that mouth of his.
Edgar, must really learn to speak politely and softly k, then you would be a good student and a good boyfriend.
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Anyway, if you are bored at home, and have nothing to do, be good boys and girls and help the teachers to shift the things to the temp structure next week, especially the Secondary Three students who can volunteer their time after their foundation programme. I'm sure the teachers will really appreciate that.
I know some of you must be thinking which crazy students in BVSS would do that, but I'm certain that there are definitely kind and helpful students out there right? As I'm typing this, a few names of helpful students quickly come to my mind, Zhong Yan, Haojie, Evelyn, Huimin, Bryan, Joel, Priscilla, Qi Heng, Beng Loon, etc. Haha. They are nice students ya, so they will know what to do ya, hmm... so ya, and thanks ya. Haha.
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Ok some random thoughts...
I've not done the work review with Grace on Friday because I was busy meeting parents and she's busy shifting her things out of the HOD room. But I couldn't wait till the work review on 9 Nov to find out which is the class that I need to give up, so I asked her about it. I shared my concern with her, and she has kindly explained the rationale and the decision to me. Sigh...I guess, when people make the decision for you, it's easier to accept the decision compared to making the choice on your own, because we can buy their reasoning better than our own lamenting. Haiz. Why can't we have the best of both worlds? Sad sad, resigned to fate or appeal?
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Anyway, I don't know what have come over my wonderful student that he would go for such a drastic haircut. Asked him to share what was bothering him and he gave me some crappy excuses that there would be positive surprises for me. His haircut was already a BIG surprise for me and my jaw nearly dropped when I saw him in school. And that 'sickening' boy refused to tell me what that positive surprise was all about. What's the big deal anyway about that? Bleah! Haha
"Oh gosh!" that was my first reaction when I saw him. He has become a 'monk' and gone is the handsome boy, Haha, but the thoughtful and mature side of him still stays lah. No more tall dark and handsome, only tall and dark and handsome in the eyes of monkhood. Haha.
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Ok random thoughts again.
This wonderful student reminds me of a dear classmate of mine whom I was very close to when I was in Swiss Cottage. They both shared the same initials coincidentally and they do share other similarities, even the way they explained why they had decided to enter 'monkhood'. Both are people whom I really feel for and care for, just that they play different roles in my life. Hmm......those fond memories of yesteryears.