Being a teacher, you sometimes get to see moments that might be passed on as insignificant or trivial, but at times, these incidents just trigger off the emotional part of you and makes you go "aww.. so sweet..".

Yesterday, I was walking back to the staff room after teaching 2 Grace, and it started raining quite heavily all of a sudden. Looking across the school track, I saw a class of girls frantically running for shelter. At the other end, a P.E. teacher, Mr Ho was shifting the sports equipment (i.e. baseball bats, hola hoops, etc) to prevent them from getting wet from the rain.

As I continued walking, another class of girls (lower sec, I presumed) was heading the specatators’ stand for their P.E. lesson. There were these 2 girls, who were about 20 metres ahead from the rest. One of them spotted Mr Ho, and said something to the other girl. At that point of time, I thought: They must be wanting to ask Mr Ho if P.E. lesson is gonna be cancelled.

But, unexpectedly, one of them immediately shouted out: "Mr Hoooo!! Duu yew need heeellppp??" Even before Mr Ho acknowledged them (the rain was too heavy for him to hear the shout), both girls immediately ran down the spectators’ stand and into the rain, eagerly wanting to help Mr Ho move the equipment into the shelter more than caring about themselves getting wet.

As I was rushing for time, I didn’t have the chance to see what happened later. But I thought that it was really a sweet gesture from the 2 girls. 

These are moments that keep assuring me that I’ve chosen the right job. Witnessing such simple yet thoughtful actions makes my day.

Yeah, back from school early today! Well, I was giving remedial just now with my "form" class 2 Grace, and nearing the end of the lesson, they were trying to guess the chinese characters of my name.

The following names were written on the board immediately:

温为

文微

The most ultimate one, sounded so correct but looked so wrong…  

吻尾 (!!!)

For goodness sake, it’s

文伟.  

• helping the students to understand their subjects better
• planning interesting lessons that students will look forward to
• remembering each and every student’s strengths and weaknesses, so as to better cater to their individual needs
• changing students’ perspectives of viewing school life (for the better, not worse)
• being a confidant to the students when they need one

Well, that’s about all the important factors I could think of to being a great teacher (at least for myself). Still can’t quite achieve all of them, but I’m trying hard nevertheless. =)

Yes, never give up! 

Have you ever been embarrassed by your school’s cleaner auntie before? Well I suffered from that today, not as a student, but as a teacher!!!

(I was giving remedial to 4 girls in their classroom, when the auntie stepped in and wanted to chase us out of the classroom.)

Auntie: Eh, when are you people leaving??

One of my students:  Erm, 15 more minutes, ok?

Auntie: Ahh? 15 minutes ah? Is your teacher around or not??  (!!)

Me: (speechless)

(All my 4 students giggling and laughing)

Me: Auntie, I’m their teacher!!

Auntie: Ah? You’re their teacher ah?! Wah, I thought you are their friend, you look so young!

Me: (speechless, @#$^&*%$%^…)

Auntie: (Continues) aiyo, you really young leh, looks like below 20! Hmm.. so, you must be in your early twenties??

Me: (feeling damn helpless) Er, yah.. I’m twenty-something.

(Girls still laughing. Can she just GO away?!?!)

Auntie: (Still very persistent and keeps on emphasizing I don’t look like a teacher) Wah, but really, can’t see that you’re a teacher! You really look like one of them (referring to the girls)!

Students: Haha, Mr Lin.. you can wear pinafore already.

This is so super duper embarrassing! Auntie ah.. do you know that the whole class will be laughing at this tomorrow???!!! 

Two evenings ago, when my family and I were eating dinner, the phone rang and my mum went to pick it up.

Caller: Hello, mother arh?

My mum: huh??

Caller: er, mother 在吗? 

My mum （as a matter-of-factly): 你打错了，这里没有 mar-der.

(hangs up)

Geez, I just can’t imagine how my mum responds to things sometimes. heh

Music has always been a part of my life. Since I was young, I had an interest in playing the keyboard. I think it was during kindergarten when my dad bought me a mini-keyboard not longer than 10 inches, and it became my constant companion. After much pleading through the subsequent years, my parents finally agreed to let me take up piano lessons (in pri 3).

Although I slowly lost interest after learning for 4-5 years, I still enjoy playing non-classical pieces (usually english pop songs). Being a lazy person, I hate (to the power of 5) reading scores! And so I started to learn the skill of improvisation (read "avoiding reading scores").

It was not only after I finished my A levels when I finally tried to "compose" my own original piano piece. Nothing great, but it was quite fun writing scores and brainstorming on how to get the tune to sound nice. Since then, I’ve like completed around 10 short pieces (yeah, really short.. around 3-4 minutes per piece), but unfortunately didn’t have the time to continue my passion since I started working.

Well, I hope I will be able to find time soon, to rekindle my passion for writing simple pieces and playing them. Holidays, when will you come?

Anyway, here’s a piece that I’ve done somewhere in mid 2003. It’s still untitled.. anyone has any suggestion how I should name it?

Click HERE to download. (Do let me know if link is broken!=P)

And so, I’ve survived yet another week of school. =)

Day after day, I finally find myself gradually fitting into St Nicholas. After two weeks of teaching, I finally begin to feel that my classes are getting more used to me teaching them. And this is a very positive sign that keeps me looking forward to going to their classrooms again.

It is always very encouraging to see your students writing down notes as you feed them with important information, and I am glad most of my students are showing enthusiasm during my lesson by diligently copying down things that I explain. Of course, there’s bound to have some "cheeky" students requesting for early recess, refusing to let me write down what I want them to do for homework on the chalkboard (yes, CHALK!!), or complaining that I’ve given them so many hand-outs to do. But that’s what makes the lessons interesting, and I am beginning to enjoy it. (just like the good old days in PHS )

Well, the long-awaited weekend is finally here, and I can finally put my work aside and relax for a day or two. Feeling rather peaceful now, my stress-level has gone down considerably.

Of course, not forgetting to thank my PHS students for encouraging and de-stressing me by leaving funny tags on my tagboard. U people rawks!!

Ok, so this is my second week at St Nics, and I’m beginning to feel the heat and stress that I didn’t have when I was doing my practicum. No, it’s not that the school is not good. In fact, there’s no disciplinary problems with the girls at all (except that I still have to chase after their homework). There isn’t even a discipline master/mistress here.

Along with good things come not-so-good ones. Maybe it is just my expectations of myself, and I haven’t quite reached them yet. I now have 3 classes of students, making up to a total of 120. And remembering girls’ names and faces are so ** hard!! There are like 3 Natalies, 3 Eunices, 2 Reginas, etc, etc in my classes, and some girls really do have "template" faces so much so that I can’t tell them apart! 

And one of the things I miss most is having boys in my classes. When there are boys in the class, you could always make them the scapegoats and make fun of them or scold them when disciplining the class(hehe). Right here, you gotta take care of the girls’ "sensitive" hearts? Haha, anyway, I guess it doesn’t make much difference ‘cause I suck when it comes to disciplining students.

I need to get to know my students better soon. And try to remember all their faces and names. To break away from the robot-teaching style that doesn’t suit me at all.

Hmm.. well, hope I didn’t sound like I was complaining.. I’m not. Just need to let off some steam and motivate myself to work towards my goals. =)

(Wanted to post some pics that I’ve taken during the SYF opening. Guess I’ll do that during the weekends.. Till then, cya!) 

Oh well, I’m going to attend the SYF opening later. Will be bringing some classes to watch the event.

Anyway, I’m in the mood to post some pictures taken some time back, so here they are. (Jiahao.. dun nosebleed)

These are pictures from the Calypso Cabaret Show that my gf and I watched in Bangkok last year. Oops, and I forgot to mention that none of the above dancers are "naturally female". bleahs