Am watching a Nat Geo documentary on South Korea and its gaming culture there. It's basically stories after stories of people being addicted to computer games because of the easy access of high-speed internet. The kids start using it from a very young age, and most of them gets addicted to the screen in some way or another.
The kids talk about not going to school to play games, wanted to go professional, and am really quite unable to do anything social other than that. The parents don't know how to raise kids in the internet age, and can only let them live out their lives this way. Some of the kids play 24-48 hours non-stop, eating by the computer, and then faint from exhaustion (Quite a few die, of course).
It's a really crazy world - the teenager here on the screen is now saying that he feels that he has achieved something when he kills characters on the screen. He confuses reality with cyberspace, fearing that people be hiding behind doors stalking him, and have to sleep with his dad, waking up several times a day.
I hope this post can warn parents about the dangers of early exposure - there's already so many cases that I see in school, with the parents being unable to admit that they have long relinquished their control over to the computer screen. Sigh, and now I am reminded of the silly parents I'm dealing with, those that needs advice from their just-married, young and childless teacher...
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
OE Symposium
I sacrificed my weekend attending the OE Symposium, and come away with ambivalent feelings. I do have a clear sense that symposiums ain't lectures and one don't 'learn' things from it as if it's a classroom, and with this mindset, I think I gained a lot more from it.
For one thing, I made a conscious effort to do some networking with the people there. It was a small group and thus pretty informal, making it easy to find chances to talk to people. It's this interaction that I learnt much from, knowing about how people do things within their own sphere of influence. And I also wrote down the names of the people I met, so that I can call them at the next such event!
Most importantly, the symposium made me imagine possibilities of how I can push OE into the school, and spread it to students beyond my ODAC. Contentious questions raised also helped me to reflect and consider my own opinions on them -
For one thing, I made a conscious effort to do some networking with the people there. It was a small group and thus pretty informal, making it easy to find chances to talk to people. It's this interaction that I learnt much from, knowing about how people do things within their own sphere of influence. And I also wrote down the names of the people I met, so that I can call them at the next such event!
Most importantly, the symposium made me imagine possibilities of how I can push OE into the school, and spread it to students beyond my ODAC. Contentious questions raised also helped me to reflect and consider my own opinions on them -
- Should one explore within 'our own backyard', or is 'the further, the better'?
- Is facilitation a bad word? Should we let the mountain speak to the students instead?
- Specialised programs for the selected few, or exposure to OE for the masses?
- What exactly is our sphere of influence and power, when trying to push OE to schools?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
New sports
Have been taking up new sports recently, and it's nice to get a chance to play more, particularly since I dropped canoe polo already.
James got me into trying handball, and it is really easy to pick up. My polo training definitely helps with the passing and shooting, and I had a great game last week, when our newbies team won or draw other teams with experienced players! It is really nice to play with people whom you have camaraderie with, and the memory of last Friday night's games lingers still.
Am also playing football on a street soccer court regularly for about a month already, and it's fun even though I'm not really good at it. I play the persistent defender, and does manage to score at least a goal or two every session with good positioning. Will want to learn how to hold up the ball confidently and dribbling skills though.
Actually, I got a chance to join next month's canoe polo national champs competition with a team looking for people to fill up their team list, but turned it down. I don't like to play knowing that I'm not well-prepared for it, and ultimately, the one-off chance to play again is meaningless if I'm not going to join the team permanently. Have learnt to let go of it finally, though it's hard to do so. Truly, a little part of you dies when you drop an activity that you loved, but I've to let it rest in peace.
And perhaps I can spend effort and teach my ODAC kids to be the promising polo players of the future!
James got me into trying handball, and it is really easy to pick up. My polo training definitely helps with the passing and shooting, and I had a great game last week, when our newbies team won or draw other teams with experienced players! It is really nice to play with people whom you have camaraderie with, and the memory of last Friday night's games lingers still.
Am also playing football on a street soccer court regularly for about a month already, and it's fun even though I'm not really good at it. I play the persistent defender, and does manage to score at least a goal or two every session with good positioning. Will want to learn how to hold up the ball confidently and dribbling skills though.
Actually, I got a chance to join next month's canoe polo national champs competition with a team looking for people to fill up their team list, but turned it down. I don't like to play knowing that I'm not well-prepared for it, and ultimately, the one-off chance to play again is meaningless if I'm not going to join the team permanently. Have learnt to let go of it finally, though it's hard to do so. Truly, a little part of you dies when you drop an activity that you loved, but I've to let it rest in peace.
And perhaps I can spend effort and teach my ODAC kids to be the promising polo players of the future!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A new leatherman!
The guys gave me a new leatherman for my birthday present, the new Skeletool CX!
Actually, I requested for it because they asked what I wanted, and I thought it'll be great to get another tool after my leatherman Blast was confiscated at the airport on a previous trip.
The Skeletool CX looks cool, is compact and light, and has all the basic tools that I'll ever need. I didn't used like 80% of the tools on the old Blast before anyway. This is so much better for carrying around. Hope the pliers don't break, like a few Amazon reviews purported!
Actually, I requested for it because they asked what I wanted, and I thought it'll be great to get another tool after my leatherman Blast was confiscated at the airport on a previous trip.
The Skeletool CX looks cool, is compact and light, and has all the basic tools that I'll ever need. I didn't used like 80% of the tools on the old Blast before anyway. This is so much better for carrying around. Hope the pliers don't break, like a few Amazon reviews purported!
Thursday, July 09, 2009
So late...
This is the first time since Semester 2 started that I stayed till so late in school to do work. Actually I'm waiting for Karen to pick me up to go back home together, but still, I'm no longer used to staying till this hour. Everyday, I would think about what time can I make my escape out of school, and unless absolutely necessary, everything should be brought back home to do (although it's not a conducive work environment).
Still, it's the most comfortable place for me right now. I actually had this nightmare last night of being forced to move house and to go through another renovation process! Really love the place right now and hope I can stay there for the longest time.
Anyway, work is full of crappy admin work these days because of my recalcitrant students and the H1N1 flu. Hate to stay up late at night to do nonsense like these.
6.30pm! I must make my escape now!
Still, it's the most comfortable place for me right now. I actually had this nightmare last night of being forced to move house and to go through another renovation process! Really love the place right now and hope I can stay there for the longest time.
Anyway, work is full of crappy admin work these days because of my recalcitrant students and the H1N1 flu. Hate to stay up late at night to do nonsense like these.
6.30pm! I must make my escape now!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Paddling with my kids
Some of the more enthusiastic students asked me to go paddling with them before the holiday, and I kept the promise to them on Saturday. 6 of them rented boats, I brought my playboat down let them try, and got them the ball to play with. There was Dog and Bone games with the ball, teaching of ball shielding and stern dips and of course, rolling practice. Here's one of them camwhoring with my boat.
Yet another record for me - I taught a 13 year old how to do a handroll, within an hour!
Here's one of them trying to do handroll with forward recovery - I taught him to forward leaning handroll previously and he couldn't make himself learn the backward recovery handroll after that, and he's now so close to learning what most paddlers can't do!
I think they have so much potential, and I wonder if I should ask them if they want to receive specialised training in canoe polo or even playboating regularly. If they were to continue training like this on a regular basis, I think they will be at a second-year polo player level the moment they go into an IVP team! They only thing holding me back is...should I take up this commitment of time and effort, with no promise of reward other than gratitude?
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