It has happened! Amazon is offering its digital downloads of MP3 to the international market! I can finally get some esoteric music by individual tracks! It's a chance to replace tracks that I lost due to the CD rot too, such as the 2nd to 4th movement of Schubert's glorious G major quartet by Quartetto Italiano.
Encoded at 256kbps, the quality should be real close to CD quality. It makes me wonder if I should go back to my CDs and see how much I am missing out when I listen only to my ripped music encoded at 128-160kbps these days.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Bad boys
Sometimes people ask me whether I have problem at work dealing with the bad hats in school (usually boys), those who create trouble, make noise, are defiant to the school system etc. I don't - they just don't deserve that much of my time, and no one else should suffer for their misbehaviour except themselves.
It does waste my time trying to deal with those kids if they act up in class - I mean the really psychotic ones which are totally oblivious to the teacher's authoritative presence. If they don't respond to prompts, I will take them out of class. Or at least that is what I think I will do. Truth is, I never do that, because I think it's a plain waste of the time for the rest of the class if I have to send these jokers down to the office myself.
But nonetheless, that's how things go - teachers should go outsource the problem kids (not those who are merely talkative mind you, but those truly disruptive ones) to the pupil management and get on with it. No students should have their lesson time wasted because their teachers are busy dealing with a few recalcitrant kids.
I teach in a new neighbourhood school, and I have my fair share of kids to discipline. But do I worry about them? No. I look forward to teaching those who wants to learn, or even those who need constant reminders to be serious. Those who are not interested to learn at all, suffer the consequences themselves. Their parents usually have no right to blame the school for not giving them equal treatment as the rest, because most of the time the parents is culpable for the kids' faults. It's sad, but true.
Parents out there - if you want to bring a child into the world, make sure you give them all the attention they need (which is not the same as giving them all the attention all the time). How they turn out to be depends on you.
It does waste my time trying to deal with those kids if they act up in class - I mean the really psychotic ones which are totally oblivious to the teacher's authoritative presence. If they don't respond to prompts, I will take them out of class. Or at least that is what I think I will do. Truth is, I never do that, because I think it's a plain waste of the time for the rest of the class if I have to send these jokers down to the office myself.
But nonetheless, that's how things go - teachers should go outsource the problem kids (not those who are merely talkative mind you, but those truly disruptive ones) to the pupil management and get on with it. No students should have their lesson time wasted because their teachers are busy dealing with a few recalcitrant kids.
I teach in a new neighbourhood school, and I have my fair share of kids to discipline. But do I worry about them? No. I look forward to teaching those who wants to learn, or even those who need constant reminders to be serious. Those who are not interested to learn at all, suffer the consequences themselves. Their parents usually have no right to blame the school for not giving them equal treatment as the rest, because most of the time the parents is culpable for the kids' faults. It's sad, but true.
Parents out there - if you want to bring a child into the world, make sure you give them all the attention they need (which is not the same as giving them all the attention all the time). How they turn out to be depends on you.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Dry spell
I remembered that the sky threatened to pour every morning and will eventually wash out the island with rain in the afternoon. The past week, it was just plain, simply dry.
Felt that I'm having a dry spell recently too. I stayed at school for a straight 12hours on Thursday and it made me quite upset somehow, to be held back so much at work. Long hours at work is very stressful for teachers as I think almost every teacher has to do a bit of work even after office hours.
Things are manageable right now for me, but I feel restless, I want to do something exciting, extraordinary. My weekly sporting activities are only there to make my life bearable, sessions for me to look forward to at the end of the day/week. But I wanna do something more, though I have no idea where I can find time for anything much.
Should structure my life a little more, a little planning might make me feel more productive. Not much fun blogging if I have a boring life, and I don't wanna talk about my daily struggles at work.
Felt that I'm having a dry spell recently too. I stayed at school for a straight 12hours on Thursday and it made me quite upset somehow, to be held back so much at work. Long hours at work is very stressful for teachers as I think almost every teacher has to do a bit of work even after office hours.
Things are manageable right now for me, but I feel restless, I want to do something exciting, extraordinary. My weekly sporting activities are only there to make my life bearable, sessions for me to look forward to at the end of the day/week. But I wanna do something more, though I have no idea where I can find time for anything much.
Should structure my life a little more, a little planning might make me feel more productive. Not much fun blogging if I have a boring life, and I don't wanna talk about my daily struggles at work.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Revisiting the shopping experience
It is not something that I am not too familiar with actually, but the intensity of the shopping experience inside certain fashion boutiques like Zara etc is not something that one will forget easily.
It is just such a spectacle really, a mass of females congregating together almost as if they are in a frenzy to feed; indeed, other animals have little other need to come together like this other than for reasons purely biological or social. One can argue that this is a psychosocial need of a higher level though, and it is distinctly different from a feeding frenzy because the crowd here are highly selective of their catch.
It is a scene that is bewildering and endlessly fascinating at the same time. The females in the shop all have sharp eyes darting rapidly from rack to rack, mentally discounting those the majority of clothings which have no appeal for them. There are strewn pieces of clothings all over trailing in the wake of the numerous shoppers, attracting the attention of shop assistants who hopelessly attempt to fold up the mess in neat piles.
Seats all around are filled with males huddling side by side beside the snaking queue for the fitting room, finding solace and silent companionship in each other, as strangers stuck in the same unfortunate situation. And then there are those others on active duty, having to provide arbitrary fashion judgments when their girlfriends models the latest look in fashion. Hovering near the vicinity of the fitting room, he has to keep a lookout on the appearance of the model while trying not to look like a pervert staring at women trying on clothes inside.
The stakeout place is of vital importance, to have vantage view of the fitting room without obstructing human traffic and risk offending irate shoppers who find male escorts in a female fashion boutique a nuisance for not knowing where to park themselves.
Only duty compels me to follow into a place like this, because I cannot imagine a worse shopping experience. It is as if the theme 'Sale!' have a lingering scent in the air that attracts the females in and induce them into this shopping frenzy. For the other sex however, it is just so stressful...
It is just such a spectacle really, a mass of females congregating together almost as if they are in a frenzy to feed; indeed, other animals have little other need to come together like this other than for reasons purely biological or social. One can argue that this is a psychosocial need of a higher level though, and it is distinctly different from a feeding frenzy because the crowd here are highly selective of their catch.
It is a scene that is bewildering and endlessly fascinating at the same time. The females in the shop all have sharp eyes darting rapidly from rack to rack, mentally discounting those the majority of clothings which have no appeal for them. There are strewn pieces of clothings all over trailing in the wake of the numerous shoppers, attracting the attention of shop assistants who hopelessly attempt to fold up the mess in neat piles.
Seats all around are filled with males huddling side by side beside the snaking queue for the fitting room, finding solace and silent companionship in each other, as strangers stuck in the same unfortunate situation. And then there are those others on active duty, having to provide arbitrary fashion judgments when their girlfriends models the latest look in fashion. Hovering near the vicinity of the fitting room, he has to keep a lookout on the appearance of the model while trying not to look like a pervert staring at women trying on clothes inside.
The stakeout place is of vital importance, to have vantage view of the fitting room without obstructing human traffic and risk offending irate shoppers who find male escorts in a female fashion boutique a nuisance for not knowing where to park themselves.
Only duty compels me to follow into a place like this, because I cannot imagine a worse shopping experience. It is as if the theme 'Sale!' have a lingering scent in the air that attracts the females in and induce them into this shopping frenzy. For the other sex however, it is just so stressful...
Saturday, January 19, 2008
It's the weekend!
I have been slaving everyday in school, running about doing a few things wherever I go, and I'm gonna enjoy my well-deserved break!
Just woke up at one, and gonna leisurely do some work planning till I meet Karen for some walking about town tonight. Badminton and training comes tomorrow!
I am out to play with a vengeance, because I realised that this initial period of school opening is so busy that I hardly have time to go to the gym or relax for just an hour or so in the evening after work. Can't let that happen to me for long!
Resolving to work hard during work hours and not feel guilty about enjoying myself after that. Maybe I need to get rid of my perfectionist and there's-always-work-to-be-done attitude first.
Just woke up at one, and gonna leisurely do some work planning till I meet Karen for some walking about town tonight. Badminton and training comes tomorrow!
I am out to play with a vengeance, because I realised that this initial period of school opening is so busy that I hardly have time to go to the gym or relax for just an hour or so in the evening after work. Can't let that happen to me for long!
Resolving to work hard during work hours and not feel guilty about enjoying myself after that. Maybe I need to get rid of my perfectionist and there's-always-work-to-be-done attitude first.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Helping families
I was called to attend a counselling session of between my school refusal kid's parents and the school counsellors just now, and it ended up being 2 hours long. I didn't know what I should do there, but just thought I listen and learn something from it. I learnt a real lot.
- The kids' parents are reluctant to push themselves to drastic situations to control the situation. At the end of the conference, after all that has been said and with the action plan decided, the mum still said "actually she's ok one lah...", and tried to absolve her from blame by blaming some other external cause for her behaviour. The dad is more rational but is ultimately soft at heart too. These were the reason why the situation was still not resolved when it surfaced in primary school.
- Counsellors has a complex role in mediation, and rightly should handle things very delicately. They must analyse the case and come to accurate conclusions. They need to tease out details of the case gently, phrasing words the proper way so that parents are not influenced by their own perception of the situation. They must present options clearly to resolve the case without pushing for any of them or tempting parents to make hasty judgements. At the end of the interview, one of the counsellor even had to assure the father that the case doesn't not make him a lousy dad.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The most irritating thing in office...
...is to have work that you cannot do. Kanna arrow already nevermind. Give you the job with no info then jialat.
I was thrown the task of obtaining certificates and plaques for the annual Prize Presentation ceremony with scant info. No info about where to order anything, no info about design guidelines, no templates from last committee, no confirmation of prize recipients. And the event is on 6th Feb and I supposed to confirm my orders of those things tomorrow.
So how many times should I go check back with my mini-task group manager, who is equally lost because the head of the entire ceremony committee haven't got much firmed up? You can't just sit around and hope that the latest confirmation of information will filter down to you automatically. In the end, I probably will end up getting the necessary info late, kill myself organising the data to pass on to the company for plaque-making, and end up getting a reply from them telling me they can't do it cos it's too short notice.
I feel like saying something vulgar to this...
I was thrown the task of obtaining certificates and plaques for the annual Prize Presentation ceremony with scant info. No info about where to order anything, no info about design guidelines, no templates from last committee, no confirmation of prize recipients. And the event is on 6th Feb and I supposed to confirm my orders of those things tomorrow.
So how many times should I go check back with my mini-task group manager, who is equally lost because the head of the entire ceremony committee haven't got much firmed up? You can't just sit around and hope that the latest confirmation of information will filter down to you automatically. In the end, I probably will end up getting the necessary info late, kill myself organising the data to pass on to the company for plaque-making, and end up getting a reply from them telling me they can't do it cos it's too short notice.
I feel like saying something vulgar to this...
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Blog reading...
I just stumbled upon the blog of someone I knew in NIE, and reading it was churned up all sorts of poignant memories of the past. His entries were all as sincere as he is in real life, and he wrote how he felt upon being posted to his current school, his attachment to his former classes, his new life now, and his memories of a different life in the past (with all the what-if questions). He spoke of people we both knew about, and that brought back much memories of my own.
Sigh, I'm in such a melancholic mood now because of that read. I don't think I ever wrote very much personal and revealing entries here, just about things that I am passionate about, but which is not necessarily in the private domain. Not that I think you'll be interested to know about my petty concerns anyway. If we are close and the timing is right, I would rather tell confide details in person rather than on this blog - think it devalues your status as a confidante if I publish the same things I shared with the rest of the world eh?
Anyway, I am so unfocused when it comes to work, often choosing to do other things that I have a personal interest in. Really shooting myself in the foot when I should actually get going and move on with things.
Sigh, I'm in such a melancholic mood now because of that read. I don't think I ever wrote very much personal and revealing entries here, just about things that I am passionate about, but which is not necessarily in the private domain. Not that I think you'll be interested to know about my petty concerns anyway. If we are close and the timing is right, I would rather tell confide details in person rather than on this blog - think it devalues your status as a confidante if I publish the same things I shared with the rest of the world eh?
Anyway, I am so unfocused when it comes to work, often choosing to do other things that I have a personal interest in. Really shooting myself in the foot when I should actually get going and move on with things.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Pampered and Spoilt...
...are some of the kids we have here in Singapore today!
My second literature lesson, I showed my class pictures of my Nepal trek, and of the small kids who walked hours to go school everyday, as well as websites such as the Nepal School Project and this blog on International Education Statistics to show them how privileged Singaporeans are to have access to education. Next I got them to write several points in considering "What does one gains with an education" and reiterated that they basically wouldn't amount to anything much in their lifetime without an good education and trying to survive in Singapore.
Sigh...feel that parents are really not doing their jobs well still; we need more parents who are aware of parental issues and who are concerned with the way their children develop. I last read that 40% of the students in Singapore are in the Normal Academic stream...is that 'normal'? Is it too much to expect the majority of 15 year olds to start tackling literature and Biology? I am inclined to think that things can definitely be much better, and that the education system definitely needs further improvements, especially at the Primary school level. All the teachers with degrees and masters should be made to taught at the Primary level instead, that might set the foundations right for children here.
- I got a boy in my CCA who is a habitual smoker - the PE HOD talked to the father and the father has zero reaction to the news. Can you blame him?
- A sec 1 kid in my class is having school refusal problems - parents cannot control her and she might be throwing her tantrums sometimes as a symptom of withdrawal from computer games addiction.
- There are 2 retained kids in my class and 2 that got transferred from the Express to their current Normal Academic classes - None of them is interested in paying attention in class, and some go further to piss the teachers off.
My second literature lesson, I showed my class pictures of my Nepal trek, and of the small kids who walked hours to go school everyday, as well as websites such as the Nepal School Project and this blog on International Education Statistics to show them how privileged Singaporeans are to have access to education. Next I got them to write several points in considering "What does one gains with an education" and reiterated that they basically wouldn't amount to anything much in their lifetime without an good education and trying to survive in Singapore.
Sigh...feel that parents are really not doing their jobs well still; we need more parents who are aware of parental issues and who are concerned with the way their children develop. I last read that 40% of the students in Singapore are in the Normal Academic stream...is that 'normal'? Is it too much to expect the majority of 15 year olds to start tackling literature and Biology? I am inclined to think that things can definitely be much better, and that the education system definitely needs further improvements, especially at the Primary school level. All the teachers with degrees and masters should be made to taught at the Primary level instead, that might set the foundations right for children here.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Victory!
My polo juniors just won the 3-on-3 canoe polo competition! I am elated at the news and am gonna treat them pizza tonight with my co-coach Zhiwen. During the competition, the junior captain messaged me to say they are going to win it all for me and Zhiwen, and I am deliriously happy that they could keep the promise.
Their win validated our coaching approach, and justified the time that I committed to coaching them. I didn't do it in the hope that they could win competitions in the these few years though, so it was a really pleasant surprise. Their win felt like mine, just as when the BMT section that I taught in my army days won a BMTC games day event a good time training together for it. I had considered that moment a high point in my life, and the news of the win today equaled that moment.
Their win validated our coaching approach, and justified the time that I committed to coaching them. I didn't do it in the hope that they could win competitions in the these few years though, so it was a really pleasant surprise. Their win felt like mine, just as when the BMT section that I taught in my army days won a BMTC games day event a good time training together for it. I had considered that moment a high point in my life, and the news of the win today equaled that moment.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
First week in school
Some pictures of my newly decorated workdesk this year! Go count the number of toys all around me...
Ok the first few days of school isn't that bad la. First day with my sec 1 form class saw me collecting lots of paper and settling administrative stuff, and that got my table all messed up. Things are clearing up much better today, and no lessons is taking place still. The weekends should be devoted to getting down to proper planning, but at least I can do that in peace and calm.
There's quite a number of new teachers around me at my staffroom now (we have two rooms, mine is the smaller and cosier one), and any office area is now bursting with office cubicle partitions. The noise level is still remarkably low however, and I am quite grateful for that.
Oh, by the way, if there's something on your wishlist this year and you can afford it, go ahead and grab it. Seems like every single bloody thing on this island with a price tag is experiencing price inflation; Houses, wedding banquets and even my Old Chang Kee sticks increased prices by 20 cents each - a whopping 20% increase!! So get anything you want before you regret ah!
Ok the first few days of school isn't that bad la. First day with my sec 1 form class saw me collecting lots of paper and settling administrative stuff, and that got my table all messed up. Things are clearing up much better today, and no lessons is taking place still. The weekends should be devoted to getting down to proper planning, but at least I can do that in peace and calm.
There's quite a number of new teachers around me at my staffroom now (we have two rooms, mine is the smaller and cosier one), and any office area is now bursting with office cubicle partitions. The noise level is still remarkably low however, and I am quite grateful for that.
Oh, by the way, if there's something on your wishlist this year and you can afford it, go ahead and grab it. Seems like every single bloody thing on this island with a price tag is experiencing price inflation; Houses, wedding banquets and even my Old Chang Kee sticks increased prices by 20 cents each - a whopping 20% increase!! So get anything you want before you regret ah!
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
A new year....
...and I'm not very happy about it, because that means a whole load of new workload is coming my way. I don't know, but I can't imagine that being in any other careers will give me this much stress.
But to be honest, my timetable is actually better this year, less things to prepare I think. The more important thing is still to learn how to control my irrational anxiety about work. That's why teachers go crazy - we are all constantly inundated with so many little things to do daily that we habitually believes that there is always something left to be done that has not been attended to yet.
To combat potential stress, I have allocated a portion of my work area to putting up cutesy toys and photos to remind myself that I have a life outside of work and to keep myself happy. Hopefully it will improve productivity too, as it is probably wastes less time to play with my toys than to indulge in chain url-clicking activities. A big reason why this blog wasn't updated recently is because I was busy building up my biggest and meanest Gundam robot model thus far. Look out for more pictures soon!
Looking forward to CNY in a month's time...mahjong and more!
But to be honest, my timetable is actually better this year, less things to prepare I think. The more important thing is still to learn how to control my irrational anxiety about work. That's why teachers go crazy - we are all constantly inundated with so many little things to do daily that we habitually believes that there is always something left to be done that has not been attended to yet.
To combat potential stress, I have allocated a portion of my work area to putting up cutesy toys and photos to remind myself that I have a life outside of work and to keep myself happy. Hopefully it will improve productivity too, as it is probably wastes less time to play with my toys than to indulge in chain url-clicking activities. A big reason why this blog wasn't updated recently is because I was busy building up my biggest and meanest Gundam robot model thus far. Look out for more pictures soon!
Looking forward to CNY in a month's time...mahjong and more!
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