实话未必好听，但是总比听谎言好。。。

做了这么多年的老师，从未受过那么大的考验。那一句话听了让我十分心寒，因为我从没想过自己竟有如此大的影响力。

谎言虽好听，但往往无法让人知道自己该在哪一方面寻找突破。如果是如此，倒不如不听。

Coming to the end of Term 1

Time seems to fly on certain days and crawl on slowly on others, but this I can say for sure, weekends whiz by, leaving me breathless.

I cannot believe we are coming to the end of February in 2010. It feels like so many things have taken place and I am still trying to collect and collate my emotions as I plod along this journey.

As I look at how far we have progressed, I am amazed by what is done and yet mindful that we have to take baby steps at time.

We must all learn to prioritise and find a way as we plod along.

Let's do this together!

Lunar New Year

15 Days 喜
Red Packets 新年
House Visiting 合欢齐庆
Relatives 身体健康
Get 狂食
T 步
O 步
G 高
E 升
T 龙
H 马
E 精
R 神

Eventful Week

It is amazing how time flies since the epiphany of the fragile nature of life.

I have not fallen sick for quite some time but I think my body finally succumbed to the viruses which attacked my two sons.

I have had an eventful week, family matters, school matters, well, we just have to manage them as we move along.

It is kind of sweet though how some students thought they had gotten me sick when I shared with them how I felt about their behaviour in class. They wish they had that power but seriously, they should consult their Biology teacher to know how one could succumb to illnesses (hahaha!)

To those who sent me their well-wishes, I am grateful because I believe their good thoughts did something to the universe and broke my fever. Thank you.

A Tribute to Someone I Never Knew But Whose Passing Taught Me Something

Life is...

...wonderful

When the people you love and care for

Reciprocate without expecting anything in return;

When the things you do for others

Are appreciated and celebrated;

When you walk around and notice

All things beautiful.

Life is tragic

When you do not know how to love

Or are not even aware that you have not loved;

When no epitaph is written

In sweet memory of you;

When you fade into non-existence

And vanish like magic.

Life is full of anticipation

When you wake up with a purpose

And you go to sleep feeling accomplished;

When things do not go the way they should

But you smile and make the best of the situation.

Life is now

As you realise the fragility,

And cherish whatever you have;

As you open your eyes and see

How much you can be.

What do you hope to achieve

In your life as Father Time capers?

He does not wait

As you wither and waver.

Life is now.

One Moment in Time

It was a very heartwarming night in the history of SST (15 days, haha!) on 15 Jan 2010.

Going into classes 1-04 and 1-07 to listen to the students talking to their parents about what they have all gone through during the orientation programme made me realise the past 15 days had been very busy but (I hope) meaningful for them. Seeing them suddenly that much more mature warmed me and I can only imagine just how proud their parents must have been.

The cameras clicking non-stop in the hall, video-cameras capturing the proceedings, the procession as the students came down from the front of the hall (I missed that by the way!), the emcees and student representative, the singing of the batch song - priceless.

I sincerely wish these young ladies and gentlemen an exciting and fruitful journey ahead.

Go forth, Cohort of 2010!

The class I teach

It's been a few days since I went into 1-07 and gradually I am getting to know them.

To be honest, they are a bunch of nice kids, not rude, many needing to develop themselves in terms of decorum, but generally linguistically good.

It is also interesting that I am teaching them Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) and I sometimes wonder if they get confused over the double identities I hold when I stand in front of them. Do they see me as their language teacher or do they see me as their I&E teacher?

I suppose I would like them to see me as who I am, a teacher, and that depending on the types of lessons we have in class, to open their ears and eyes (and I hope minds) to learn whatever they can.

I must confess (and I have already told them so, in not such a cuddly way) that I am also walking the journey of discovery with them. It is really tiring walking by yourself and I am glad I have my family to walk alongside with me. Now the question is: Will they walk with me? How can I get them to walk with me?

I suppose time will tell...