I am supposed to be invigilating now as I am typing out this blog. But I'm at home resting after the doctor slapped me with a two-day MC to rest at home to sleep. She says it's an occupational hazard for teachers not to get enough sleep, and the aching shoulders I have is a result of bending too much to mark. She packed me off with vitamin B and muscle relaxers and told me to get sleep. She says 6 hours is not enough. I didn't tell her I was having less than that sometimes! 6 hours of sleep these days is like a luxury to me!
Yes, yes, I can almost imagine Uncle Joel wagging his finger at me right now all the way in Paris (Pah-reeee!) saying, "I told you so..." :)
Still, like a typical teacher, I dragged myself to Popular book shop to browse at assessment books for the kids I'd be giving remedial to. I just want to drill them on very basic grammar. It's funny how my Sec 1 kids all want to come for remedial.. I thought it'd be a chore to them... Guess times have really changed.
Tomorrow, I'd be sitting down with two groups of teachers - one to discuss the EOY comprehension paper, and the other to brainstorm on ideas to plan a 5-day work week. I guess with me having so little sleep, I'm certainly one of those who will be looking forward to that!
Marking - I went to Popular to replenish stocks of red-inked pen... Tomorrow onwards, I'd be "mega-marking"!
OK - my Sec 1 & 2 kids who are reading my blog... no, I will not be giving tips nor answers. You'd have to learn. Learn to study smart. Learn to anticipate what you think is important. Learn to observe. Observe what the teacher is teaching. Learn to focus. Learn to prioritise.
Education is not just about getting the correct answers. It's about a process of learning, bringing you from a state of not knowing, to a state of knowing. Knowledge makes you richer as a person as you have more things to talk about with in your interactions with others in the future. Education is about learning to pick yourself up when you fail, and learn to road to success. It's about learning to live and adapt to the contrains of society. It's about being flexible. It's about being creative.
So, although your exams is a guage of your learning process, I'd like you to focus on what you are doing - are you doing it right? Ask yourself - Have I planned my goals? Have I been focused and disciplined? Have I done all it takes to learn? Do reflections - What can I do better? Am I studying effectively? Is there a better way to present my notes for learning? What about distractions? Have I put them aside for the time being? Have I learnt to prioritise what's important now?
Ask yourself these questions, and you'd realise that when you've found the answers, and plan to take action, carry out the action, and find yourself succeeding, then learning will just come naturally. It doesn't matter what subject you've aced in - you'd have learnt what education means.
:)
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