Back!

Hah.. yes, I've not been blogging for a while. For some strange reason, I thought that I'd be more free after the exams, but no! For a few days, I was hardly at my desk... Running around from class to class, doing relief and then invigilating for the O-level practical exam.

So, that got me busy for a while, then it was just meetings and meetings and more meetings!

Yes, I'm finally seated in front of my trusty notebook, trying to recall any significant events...

HIHS had their thanksgiving mass today. I love masses. Somehow, I feel that it's my moment with God. I speak to him, and pretend I'm leaning by his knee, resting my heavy head and pouring out my heavy heart of worries. Sometimes, I feel comfort just knowing he's there.

These few days saw me crying each time I talk to God. Maybe there's just too much in me to pour out. Maybe I've been keeping my thoughts and feelings in me for too long, and now, I'm just pouring it all out. Well, at least I know the big one up there is listening!

Somehow, I am looking forward to the hols. The last day of school on 19 Nov marks a significant day for me where I intend to run away and hide and hibernate. I just feel tired. No, don't get me wrong. I haven't lost the zest for the work I do. I find tremendous fulfilment in teaching my kids, in seeing them laugh, in seeing them achieve. It pains me to see them cry, or get into trouble. I see them as my friends. Friends whose lives I want to nurture and develop into mature thoughtful adults who will be able to contribute to society and for the good of others. I see myself as a beacon of inspiration for them, to show them that they can succeed in life no matter what happens in their lives.

This afternoon, one teacher realised that I came from a single-parent family. Slowly, she realised how I struggled through uni financially. It brought back memories. I'd rather leave it there behind, but somehow, it gets back to me. "It's OK." I said. "Eveything happens for a reason." She agreed.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter what backgrounds we come from, whether we are rich or poor, or whether our families are perfect or not. What matters is that we are unique individuals that have our talents and gifts. It is really up to us to make use of our talents to drive us to high levels of achievement. It is up to us to decide if we want to take things in our stride, or make that difference. I decided the day my dad walked out on us that I wanted to make that difference - and I did it.

I remember in sociology class, I read about how divorce and deaths can affect children negatively. Sociologist found a clear link bewteen children from divorce families and delinquency. But yet, they also found another group of children they termed as superteens. This group, as obsorved, seem to display exceedingly postive habits, and even excel beyond normal standards despite the trauma in the family.

When I read that, I made up my mind - I want to be a superteen. And I worked towards that.

Think about it - when was the last time you said you wanted to be something, do something, be someone, and did something about it? It's called challenging yourself.

I've been challenging myself in more ways than one thought possible, even right now. It's not easy, but I know I'm learning.

Learning. It's not all about books, sometimes...

Marking Done..

Finally, markings done and scores tabulated. Along the way, I've learnt how to key in formulas on Excel sheets so that it automatically converts the scores into grades, and then another formula that tabulates the grades to churn out what we call MSG - no, it's nothing to do with the seasoning you put in your food. It's kinda like the average score of grades for the whole class... Yes, enlightenment...

I was busy prancing around from place to place helping teachers keying in the formula. I seemed like a guru for a moment.. Ha.

I've fulfilled my teaching objective for today. To mark one pile of journals. I could have done more if i didn't need to help with the formulas, but hey, as long as I can, why not? Tomorrow, I will continue with the next pile of journals. Then it's filing cos all the papers are all on my desks unfiled.
____________________

Babies...
Yes, two of my closest friends are pregnant. And they are both due next June! I will have my hands full as Godma again... But I'm so happy for them! :) I think my mum will have a nice time playing with two babies at the same time too

:)

Marking Humour

I really shouldn't be doing this, but I can't help it. Like Addie, I have begun to find humour in my students' work while marking their compositions... No names shall be mentioned here, but my Sec 2s - if you're guilty of it, you know it's you! :)

On writing about a traffic accident:

1. The police have classified the case as murdering. Fortunately, the boy did not die.
2. It was a fatal accident. The boy was sent to the hospital with only minor injuries.
3. Yesterday, Dennis Tan had a car crush.

On writing about "Students should never work part-time"

1. A student's role is to study. An adult's role is to work and raise a family.
2. Students will learn the value of money. They will save and be more spendthrift.

That being said, there were some words of wisdom...

"If you find yourself working so hard til you drop just to earn as much money as possible, then there is something wrong."

"If students work part-time, they will not have enough time to do their homework or spend time with their family."

It's things like these that keep you going through two hundred over scripts to mark...

:)

Time Fulfilled

Yesterday was a fulfilling day. Somehow, I like my day packed. It's like maximising the limited time I have. Taking stock...

1. 7am - checked emails, got things printed out, replied to email
2. 7.40am - had a good long conversation with a friend on the phone. Managed to get lots of things sorted out.
3. 8.30am - started marking the comprehension exam scripts I took over from a fellow teacher.
4. 8.40am - invigilated a Literature paper for an hour
5. 10.30am - scooted off early from school to get to the polyclinic cos the congestion in the chest still didn't go away.
6. 11.15am - continued marking while waiting an hour plus for the doctor - managed to clear the cloze passage and half of the compre questions from the first passage.
7. 12.45pm - doc told me I was stressed and told me to rest, do light exercise (read walk... am I getting old or what!!?)
8. 1.00pm - took a bus and MRT to HarbourFront. Silly me missed the Outram stop to change to the NEL. Had to take the train back from Redhill.
9. 2.20pm - plonked myself at Starbucks for three good hours with a grande cup of hot cocoa and chocolate biscotti to finish up the rest of the marking.
10. 5.10pm - finished all the marking... all 40 scripts, with marks all tabulated!
11. 5.25pm - replied an SMS to a friend and decided to treat myself with window shopping... OK, shopping. I got myself a good bargain at Fila.
12. 6.30pm - went swimming for an hour... after all, the doctor did say I needed light exercise, right?
13. 8.00pm - met a friend for dinner followed by a discussion of sorts
14. 9.40pm - made my way back home.. well, did a little detour so ended up home later than I should! :)
15. 11.00pm - home. Plugged in my laptop, checked more emails, did some work.
16. 11.30pm - called a close friend, and had a good conversation with her til...
17. 1.30am - sleep!

The morning began again today at 5am. I'm feeling happy. I have a mission today. I must finish one stack of marking. Tomorrow, I have another. I want to be red-pen free by Thursday!

:)

It's things like these...

I was marking the end of year exam scripts for the Sec ones, and it so happened I was allocated to mark a question "The Nicest Person I Know". This is what one of my students wrote...

Among all the people I know, there is a person who I have a deep impression, is Miss Chew, our English teacher. She was a new teacher to us since the last few months.

On the first day when she stepped into our class, she would have the first impression of us which is 'noisy', as we were totally noisy. We were very happy when we saw her. We knew that we could make a lot of noise in her lesson but we are wrong. She asked us to get back to our own place and she introduced her to us and told us what she will do with us every lessons until we had our End of Year Examinatio. Next, she asked us to form our own groups and began to start her lessons. Her lessons are interesting.

The impression I had of her is that she is a caring, kind, friendly and patient teacher. She cares for us fairly like the way she treats her family. She was kind to us too. She was a friendly teacher who will make friends with you in order not to let us be scared of her. She was patuent in teaching those who are weak in the subject. She willf ind some time to teach us after school, going through those things we had made mistakes.

She has totally changed my life. I was poor in my English and do not have any passion in it and now I started to have interest in it. She always tells us that nothing is impossible and telling us not to give up. She had passed her knowledge of English to us and I will promise her to be a teacher when I grow up to pass my knowledge to others like what she did. She was the nicest person I ever knew.

Forgive her for the grammatical errors. When I read the essay, I was lost for words. I didn't know how to give her a grade. To me, it wasn't just any other exam script. It was like a confession in all earnestness. I put down a grade, but will make a fellow teacher moderate the marks in all fairness.

But that aside, I was touched. It brings to mind the starfish story which now almost everyone associates me with. I have tried throwing many starfishes back into the sea, and reading this piece of writing made me realise that though I do not know how many others I have made a difference to, I know I had made a difference to this one.

Another of my Sec 1 kids wrote in a letter as part of a writing practice I had assigned him in remedial class that he was motivated to learn English because of my sincerity to want to help him improve.

Yet another told me that day that he has started to read the newspapers and is beginning to enjoy doing so ever since I started encouraging them to read the newspapers. He told me, "Miss Chew, I learn one new word a day, and I use it." "Good for you," I said. To think he was once a problematic kid in my class.

It's things like these that make my heart warm, that make me feel that this road I chose to walk is all worth it. It makes all the late nights with red pen in hand all worthwhile.

It pains my heart to see my kids try so hard yet they fail to make the grade. Not counting the scores as yet, I am crossing my fingers that they will make it through, especially those that had a change of heart.

Back to more marking. I have just inherited one more pile of marking to lessen another teacher's workload. I volunteered for that, with a smile. Somehow, it just felt right doing it.

:)

Dance Classes

My Sec 2 kids asked me where they can take up dance classes. Apparently, they didn't get into the interest elective programme of their choice.

Fret not my dears. Surf on down to the UAN website at www.uanworld.com Look under What's On > TNS Schedule. There are many dance classes offered by The Next Stage. Whilst there, maybe you'd like to pick up other classes too? Call Paige or Jiahui at 6735 5752 to book for your classes. They're very nice people.

But do remember to study for your exams, ok?

All the best!!!

:)

Busy week

It sure has been a busy week. So much so that I hadn't realise that I haven't been blogging for a while. For those of you who have been faithfully reading my blog, my deepest apologies.

For one, I have been busy preparing my kids for the end of year English exams. That meant extra remedial, extra marking, extra worksheets and notes. I had to make sure that my Sec 2 kids wouldn't fail their English, especially since this is their streaming year. Failing would mean they would be transferred to the Normal Acad stream. None of them want that. Neither do I.

I cannot deny the fact that the paper I had set was a killer paper. But it was good training for them. It was a paper that distinguised between those who are weaker at the language, and those who are better.

I have begun to mark a few scripts and though I am disheartened by the amount of crosses and red marks on the papers, I have a strong feeling they'll pull through somehow.

To my Sec Two kids, don't worry too much about the paper, okay? Concentrate on your other subjects now, and make sure you score for these!

I'd be tied up most of this week invigilating and doing up some report for some SEM workshop this Saturday. At the back of my head, I'm wondering how I'm going to get all those piles of marking done with me being away at the exam hall almost the whole day (and afternoon too, mind you!).

Alright - the truth sets in. I have to go back to my marking now... Tomorrow, I'd be meeting up with Pris and Lee Yee to celebrate their birthdays with them at Gelare... yes, it's Tuesday.. Half priced waffles and ice-cream!!! Yum.... :)

Starfish marking now...