yes, i am sick again... flu bug...
the bug's going round in the staff room and it has hit me. yesterday, my doc drowned me with four different kinds of tablets, two just to keep the swelling of the throat down. "infection" she says.
still, i dragged myself to school today cos there's just too many things to be done. i sorted out the IEC list, finally! now, to tie down the vendors, churn out lists, chase after students.... i wish i were less sick so i can do more..
i hope justin and ming hui found today's session with sph a fruitful one. ben's experience at the pakistan earthquake's really cool, ya? maybe you'd be like him one day! i'm counting on you two to be the backbone of the new media club i'm setting up, so don't let me down, ya?
as for now, i shall put aside my grand plans and take some time off before my nose falls off...
hope to be well soon.. can't afford to be sick with so much happening!
starfish.. out...
24 February 2006
15 February 2006
Drumline
I hope my class appreciated the movie I screened at today's LCE lesson. I used it to teach the sec 2 cohort about managing their emotions, anger in particular. I taught them about how to respond to someone who's angry with us, and how to manage our anger. Cos at the end of it all, like they realised in the video, anger gets us nowhere.
Much like the band focused on their goal to win, they didn't let anything come in their way. It didn't matter that their rival crossed the line and drummed on their drums. It didn't matter that they continued to taunt them. They just had one thing on their mind - to win. And they did just that by managing their emotions well.
When we look at our lives, there are many a times when people did us wrong, and naturally, we'll feel angry. But like I had shared with my Sec 2s - we all have choices. We can decide what we want to do with this anger. We can use it for us, or against us. And so, many of my kids were surprised when I told them anger is neither good nor bad - it is what we do with it that makes it good or bad.
I'm naturally faced with circumstances that made me angry many a times. I could choose to fight or argue, I could choose to take revenge, or backstab. I could choose to spin tales and destroy the one that hurt me, but I could also choose not to. Because, I realise that at the end of it all, if I win, what do I win? What good does it do to me to see another suffer because of my doing? What good does it do if I have to resort to such underhand methods just to prove that I am right?
The band didn't have to resort to underhand methods, or cross the line to win. They stuck to their goal, managed their emotions, remained focused, and won at the end. And frankly, all of them are winners in their own right, for not only winning the competition, but their own battles of impulsivity. They won their own internal battle of emotions by learning to manage it well.
I hope my Sec 2s learn this lesson well, and keep their heads above their shoulders in good stead, regardless of the circumstances that may face them.
I hope you all enjoyed and learnt from Drumline as much as I did.
:)
starfish
Much like the band focused on their goal to win, they didn't let anything come in their way. It didn't matter that their rival crossed the line and drummed on their drums. It didn't matter that they continued to taunt them. They just had one thing on their mind - to win. And they did just that by managing their emotions well.
When we look at our lives, there are many a times when people did us wrong, and naturally, we'll feel angry. But like I had shared with my Sec 2s - we all have choices. We can decide what we want to do with this anger. We can use it for us, or against us. And so, many of my kids were surprised when I told them anger is neither good nor bad - it is what we do with it that makes it good or bad.
I'm naturally faced with circumstances that made me angry many a times. I could choose to fight or argue, I could choose to take revenge, or backstab. I could choose to spin tales and destroy the one that hurt me, but I could also choose not to. Because, I realise that at the end of it all, if I win, what do I win? What good does it do to me to see another suffer because of my doing? What good does it do if I have to resort to such underhand methods just to prove that I am right?
The band didn't have to resort to underhand methods, or cross the line to win. They stuck to their goal, managed their emotions, remained focused, and won at the end. And frankly, all of them are winners in their own right, for not only winning the competition, but their own battles of impulsivity. They won their own internal battle of emotions by learning to manage it well.
I hope my Sec 2s learn this lesson well, and keep their heads above their shoulders in good stead, regardless of the circumstances that may face them.
I hope you all enjoyed and learnt from Drumline as much as I did.
:)
starfish
01 February 2006
My Sec 2 class
I was especially sad today. I wondered if anyone noticed. My close friends did cos I lacked that usual smile and somehow I found tears welling up in my eyes as I looked hard and straight at my new Sec 2 class.
It saddened me that for a class that had a perfect score in camp, for a class that put in so much effort to do up the class, for a class that had the best camper, and a class that had its history of being the best decorated class, it was somehow divided.
I'm not talking about cliques here, because that's normal and part of growing up. I'm talking about having such negative thoughts and feelings of others, thinking one is superior to others.
I wondered where all their values have gone to as I wondered how I were to deal with the issue come English lesson. It didn't help that I had a million and one things on my table to do and complete by today. Somehow, I felt like screaming, but I kept it all inside.
I never knew that children of their age could be filled with so much hate, that words that stung hard and deep were used on each other. Nevermind how they were said, or the manner in which they were conveyed. The truth of the matter is that it hurt.
I spoke with my VP on how to deal with the issue. She said they should be warned, that threats are serious issues, and that a case can be made against them. And we're talking about police reports here. It doesn't matter if it be in written form, verbal or via cyberspace or telephone wires. It's all the same. A threat is a threat.
As I entered the class, I couldn't bear to bring any one of the faces I saw in front of me to case. They are too young to know how best to express their anger and displeasure, I concluded. And so, I got themt to write on "What I like/dislike about my classmates/class" in an effort to understand them better and for them to let it all out through writing. After all, that's what I do when I need to get all my emotions out.
It saddedned me again to know that whilst a handful saw the glass as half full, most saw it as half empty. "I hate" filled more papers than "I like". I wondered why the negativity. What is there for me to show them that the world in which they live in is not just about themselves, but of others too.
I'm sure deep in some of their hearts, I am hated for having changed their seats. I guess if I were in their position, I would dislike the arrangement too. But if they could make sense of the benefit they would get in making space for themselves, away from their usual friends, perhaps, they would better realise and make use of the time to do something positive instead, like helping their new friend sitting beside them, knowing them better, or taking that time to pay attention in class and learn more.
It's frustrating having to keep stopping during lessons just to make sure the class is quiet, so that they know what to do, what to learn. Sometimes, I wonder if I am at fault for not engaging them in a way that they would sit up and pay attention.
I look back at my Sec 2 classes I've taught before and I wonder if I can create the same magic I did for 2 Unity. Maybe I'm impatient, but deep in my heart, I do wish they can be more attentive and responsive.
But above all, I do wish and hope that my class will take some time to think about what drew them together during the camp, how they can put aside their differences then, and how they can put aside their differences from now on. Does it really mattter if one hates someone else? Who benefits from the hate at the end of it all? None.
So I ask of my class, to let go of their hate, because it only breeds negativity in them, and really, nothing good comes out of negativity.
Tomorrow, I don't see them, but I hope to feel better by Friday knowing that they have put aside their differences, and work together as a team.
My dear Sec 2 class - I know you can do it!
It saddened me that for a class that had a perfect score in camp, for a class that put in so much effort to do up the class, for a class that had the best camper, and a class that had its history of being the best decorated class, it was somehow divided.
I'm not talking about cliques here, because that's normal and part of growing up. I'm talking about having such negative thoughts and feelings of others, thinking one is superior to others.
I wondered where all their values have gone to as I wondered how I were to deal with the issue come English lesson. It didn't help that I had a million and one things on my table to do and complete by today. Somehow, I felt like screaming, but I kept it all inside.
I never knew that children of their age could be filled with so much hate, that words that stung hard and deep were used on each other. Nevermind how they were said, or the manner in which they were conveyed. The truth of the matter is that it hurt.
I spoke with my VP on how to deal with the issue. She said they should be warned, that threats are serious issues, and that a case can be made against them. And we're talking about police reports here. It doesn't matter if it be in written form, verbal or via cyberspace or telephone wires. It's all the same. A threat is a threat.
As I entered the class, I couldn't bear to bring any one of the faces I saw in front of me to case. They are too young to know how best to express their anger and displeasure, I concluded. And so, I got themt to write on "What I like/dislike about my classmates/class" in an effort to understand them better and for them to let it all out through writing. After all, that's what I do when I need to get all my emotions out.
It saddedned me again to know that whilst a handful saw the glass as half full, most saw it as half empty. "I hate" filled more papers than "I like". I wondered why the negativity. What is there for me to show them that the world in which they live in is not just about themselves, but of others too.
I'm sure deep in some of their hearts, I am hated for having changed their seats. I guess if I were in their position, I would dislike the arrangement too. But if they could make sense of the benefit they would get in making space for themselves, away from their usual friends, perhaps, they would better realise and make use of the time to do something positive instead, like helping their new friend sitting beside them, knowing them better, or taking that time to pay attention in class and learn more.
It's frustrating having to keep stopping during lessons just to make sure the class is quiet, so that they know what to do, what to learn. Sometimes, I wonder if I am at fault for not engaging them in a way that they would sit up and pay attention.
I look back at my Sec 2 classes I've taught before and I wonder if I can create the same magic I did for 2 Unity. Maybe I'm impatient, but deep in my heart, I do wish they can be more attentive and responsive.
But above all, I do wish and hope that my class will take some time to think about what drew them together during the camp, how they can put aside their differences then, and how they can put aside their differences from now on. Does it really mattter if one hates someone else? Who benefits from the hate at the end of it all? None.
So I ask of my class, to let go of their hate, because it only breeds negativity in them, and really, nothing good comes out of negativity.
Tomorrow, I don't see them, but I hope to feel better by Friday knowing that they have put aside their differences, and work together as a team.
My dear Sec 2 class - I know you can do it!