TOTAL DEFENCE

Singapore's future is in the hands of our youth

Rations for Total Defence Day

With our AVA boys who are great photographers and videographers

We both teach the same subjects - Social Studies

With a good friend - Vincent, SH/National Education

At the staff room. Parents' photos in the background

ENJOY THE PIX WE TOOK ON COMMEMORATION OF TOTAL DEFENCE DAY

WHAT TEACHER MAKES

WHY I TEACH?

I have been teaching for 3o years. Wonder what had made me and the other thousands of teachers choose and stay in this profession? Find out from Taylor Mali, a slam poet on why we have chosen this noble profession.


What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school

By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.

"I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says.
"Be honest. What do you make?"

And I wish he hadn't done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?

INDUCTION FOR NIE STUDENT TEACHERS

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops

TEACHING is a calling for us!

Look how their confidence had grown after being mentored

Student teachers sharing during our contact time

Rachel growing with confidence after a few months

YSS will provide me with the guidance and mentoring I need

Having some lighter and laughter moments during the induction

As a teacher.... I must possess a lot of skills

Sharing thoughts and reflections on teaching & learning

From L-R: Dimas and Nur Firdaus

From L-R: Yong Cheng, Rachel and Lynn

Welcome gifts for the five student teachers

Time spent on teaching is never lost...

WELCOME TO THE INDUCTION PROGRAMME

Received five student teachers for the Feb Intake from the National Institue of Education. I welcomed them warmly and went through the induction programme for them. As par tof the induction programme, I explained to them the mission, vision and the values of the school and managed their expectations as a student teacher. At the end of the session they were given a school tour and introudced them to the heads and staff of the school.

Dimas, Lynn, Nur, Rachel and Yong Cheng would be in the school for 10 weeks and each was paired with two cooperating teachers (CTs) who would assist them in their professional development through the provision of guidance and practicum learning experiences during the period of attachment. The cooperating teachers would also help to facilitate the learning and practice of classroom management skills during the student teachers’ teaching practicum stint at YSS. These CTs need to carry out 8 class room observations and write reports for the student teachers' classroom performance, lesson preparation and professional attitude.

The student teachers, on the other hand, must reflect on their lessons and teachings and have a lot of initiative to learn and explore new things. They should maximise the pairing with their CTs by having pre and post observation conferences and discussions. The two way communication was vital for the improvment in their classroom management, delivery of content pedagogy and dealing with students and school matters within and beyond the classroom.

Welcome to YSS and to TEACHING! We made a difference in our students' life!

DANGA BAY FESTIVE MALL

Lovely knick-knacks at Kota Raya

I love this pencil holder

The cobbler repairing my shoes

The spade for treasure hunting...any clues?

Carpark space is huge here!

Leaving the mall for Kipmart

Tini with mum

Posing in front of a boutique

The street adorned with banners/adverts

Papa Roti bakery

Rose painted crockery to decoarate your house

Baskets to fill your buys

Baskets and rattan products from Sarawak

Sirloin steak. I'm a meat eater.

Penang Char Kuay Teow with cockles

Having tea with hubby

Red lanterns hanging from the ceiling

Waiting for Joe to serve us

May grandfather's clock was too big for the shelf...

Speciality of the house - Fried Joe err.. I mean Fried Joe Mee

Had tea at this Kopi Station. Love the old setting

Entrance to Danga Festive Street Mall

TEA AT DANGA

Made a quick exit across the Causeway for tea after school. Tea was at Danga Bay Festive Mall. A quiet place with rows of cafes, boutiques, shoe shops, knick-knacks and souvenirs. I guess more crowds need to be drawn to sustain the businesses there. Otherwise, I would be welcomed with signs saying "Close" at most of the shops on my next visit.

Next stop was at Kipmart where I sent for my shoes for repair. I know I can't wrestle the title which Imelda Marcos held for her 300 pairs of unused shoes, but I do have a sizeable collection of shoes. My maid has been dissuading me from buying more because she can't find the space to store them anymore. My feet just keep asking for more shoes. That's one of my weaknesses in life......to buy shoes.

Our next stop was at Kota Raya where we window shopped. Nothing caught my fancy but there was this shop which sold all things country. Lovely to look at. When I retire, I hope to to fill my time with doing all these things like decoupage, glass painting, stencilling, jewellery-making, cross-stitching, embroidery, flower decoration, beads-making etc...In case you don't know, I'm also an art and craft lover.