Teachers are the root of the problem

I was browsing through the Strait Times Forum page when this article caught my attention. The headline reads " Teachers are the root of the problem ".

The article is written by an ex-student who grew up as a Peranakan but her mum wanted her to learn Chinese instead of Malay. She was very enthusiastic at the beginning but the passion for Chinese was killed by her Chinese teacher who did not translate what she was saying into English to help her learn better. Nevertheless, she managed to score distinction but she believed it was due to luck. She thinks that she did not have a good grasp of the subject and blames it on the teachers as many teachers are not bilingual in Chinese and English. She mentioned this line before she signed off:

"The failure of generations of Chinese Singaporeans to master Chinese is not the failure of students, but of the teachers."

I would like to comment on her last sentence. In my opinion, no matter how terrible she claims her teacher to be, no teacher wants their students to fail. Teaching is not an easy job and at times, quite a thankless job because parents and students nowadays are hard to please. Teachers always get the blame when the students do not do well but the fact of the matter is if the students do not want to learn, there is really nothing much that the teachers can do to help. As the saying goes, "God help only those who help themselves.".

I also want to being up a common complaint among the students. "The lessons are boring," is a common cry. Students expect their teachers to do a lot of things to make the lesson more interesting. The problem is the students just know how to rave and rant about it, they do not suggest to the teachers on what they can do and expect magic to happen overnight.

At the end of the day, one thing is very clear, teachers and the students must work hand in glove to make things happen. And in all that we do, we must always learn to compromise and put ourselves in the other person's shoes.

Demand raises questions about effectiveness of remedials

This letter to the forum page caught my eyes. I am really tempted to share my views as this is a topic close to my heart.

In recent years, there have been a growing emphasis on work-life balance. However, efforts seem to be targeted at only the working adults.

What about children like us ? I have no doubt the adults need to juggle work and family. But students need just as much school-life balance.

Everyday, after school, we have to stay back for project work, activities, co-curricular programmes and on top of that, we also have remedials. And it is not only just one day, it is on various days. Take me for example, 3 days are taken up by co-curricular activities and another 1 day for project work. I just can't imagine what life would be like moving on to upper secondary.

Personally, I think that what we need to know is already taught in school. If the student thinks he can rely on remedial and does not need to pay attention in class, he will suffer when he goes to the university because I don't think there is anymore tuition. I believe things are manageable if we spend time to read up on time and do our homework seriously. The key is consistency.

Another problem about too much tuition is the passion for learning. The writer thinks that remedials will kill the passion to learn in children and I agree with him fully. Too much of anything, good or bad, is no good. The same goes for remedials. Too much will make the children sick of studies. Steve jobs once said: " I love what I do." and that is the reason for his success. He did well because he was passionate about his work.

At the end of the day, just like what the writer says, we all need time to rewind and relax. We need to go out with friends, families, play and simply have fun. Sometimes, we comprimise on our sleep and meal time. Is this we want ? Surely not.

I would like to end off by quoting my math teacher " Right now, you all should be enjoying yourselves. This is the only time of your life you can do so and at the same time, work hard." True, before we finish school and step out to work.

I am still trying to strike a balance in my life.

Hi all! Today for e-learning, I will be talking about Figurative Language in Poems and how it is displayed in the poems. I chose this poem "Father" by Simon Armitage. This is how it goes:

My father thought it bloody queer,

the day I rolled home with a ring of silver in my ear

half hidden by a mop of hair. 'You've lost your head.

If that's how easily you're led

you should've had it through your nose instead.'



And even then I hadn't had the nerve to numb

the lobe with ice, then drive a needle through the skin,

then wear a safety-pin. It took a jeweller's gun

to pierce the flesh, and then a friend

to thread a sleeper in, and where it slept

the hole became a sore, became a wound, and wept.



At twenty-nine, it comes as no surprise to hear

my own voice breaking like a tear, released like water,

cried from way back in the spiral of the ear. If I were you,

I'd take it out and leave it out next year.

First up: Personification. It is displayed in the sentence: The hole became a sore, became a wound, and wept. Personification means to give a non-living thing an action. In this case, the hole was said to have wept, which is impossible as holes do not weep. Therefore, it is a personification.

Next, Metaphor. It is displayed in this sentence: You should have had it through your nose instead. Metaphor means to use another sentence or word to convey the same message. In this case, you should have had it through your nose instead means that you should have put the ring through your nose, like how they tame a wild bull, so that the persona can be "tamed".


I like this poem as it is very meaningful. Simon Armitage has successfully pen down a typical behaviour and language use of a teenager. Therefore, the poem sounds like it was written by a teenager himself. He also effectively conveys the message to readers that having earrings are bad for one. Also, it conveys a typical father-son relationship. It shows that usually, father and son relationship can be very casual and informal, from the language he uses. They may not be agreeable with one another, but the father always wishes for the best of the son. This is shown by the father giving advice not to wear earrings. In the end, the son would realise that what the father said it true. This is a very typical scenario that all readers should be able to comprehend.

Poster for Home Learning. Hope you like it! Click on the image below to enlarge image.

Liverpool selling Anfield? What will Shankly say?

As an ardent Liverpool fan, I feel obliged to speak up after reading the news.

Shankly is the manager that made Liverpool a legendary team that won 18 Premier League titles, on par with Manchester United. When Everton left Anfield a few decades ago, Shankly and a few other players stayed on and formed the "Liverpool" team. For quite some time, Liverpool dominated most of the leagues. All this while, Anfield was Liverpool's fortress.

However, the owners of Liverpool now wanted to sell Anfield to raise money to pay off their debts. The decision caused an uproar among Liverpool fans. Quoting Graham Agg, secretary of the German Reds official supporters' club : " The whole idea of leaving Anfield and knocking it down is the biggest act of self- destruction the club ever consider."

I could not agree more. I understand the owners must be under a lot of pressure to clear debts, but selling Anfield should never be on their cards. How can you take away something that represents Liverpool and has so much heritage, history and tradition? It is totally absurd. Would they think the team will train better at another stadium which is unheard of. Liverpool has been slacking and all the more, the owners should not risk the change that may affect their morale.

Bill Shankly once said: " Above all, I would like to be remembered as a man who was selfless, who strove and worried so that others could share the glory, and who built up a family of people who could hold their heads up high and say, ' We are Liverpool ' "

I see this change more of an act of self-destruction. I am not optimistic that it will bring better fate for the Liverpool team.

Raise tough leaders, not "fragile strawberries"

Indeed, when I first read this headline on The Straits Times dated 28 Feb 2010, it probed me to read on. The reporter mentioned that young teenagers nowadays are spending too much time in front of the computer and the television. I could not agree more. My ex-teacher once said that the generation Z are like “fragile strawberries”, considering that their parents accede to their every request and wish. Therefore, they are not independent and once they come out to the real, merciless world, they are doomed.

Senior Minister Goh said that the children are too protected and that they never get to taste hardship until they grow older, which by then would be too late.

What is the solution then? Scouting, SM Goh said. “Scouting builds character and nurtures the young to be independent and resilient,” he added. Celebrating the scouts hundred anniversary, he shared an anecdote when he was a scout.

“I was lost for a whole day in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve when I took a hiking test for my First Class badge in the 1950s. Without a reference point, I and my hiking companion could not use the compass to plot our way out. So, we used the sun as a guide and headed west, but we went deeper into the forest. Night came, but were still stuck in the forest. Plus, it rained. Nobody was aware that we were lost. At that time, there was no cell phone. I thought of my mother. We then stumbled out of the forest after more than a day of pushing through the dense underbrush of its height. I failed my test,” he said.

However, he did not throw in the towel. Instead, he tried again and this time, he earned his badge.

How many teenagers dare to say that they never gave up , persevered and eventually succeeded? I guess not many. I must admit I also take the easy way out at times. Many adults call us the generation of the strawberries. All the suicide news of children taking their own lives when they failed the school examination made me wonder if we are really behaving like strawberries. This is something we should not be proud of. One of my favourite catch- phrases is “Get a life!” There are many things we can do, do charity, play football, catch a movie, visit your relatives, whatever it is, just do it! There is more to life than just playing computer games. To toughen up, you have to start somewhere. You can find a CCA which you can sweat it out under the sun, that is why I am in water polo and I am way better than those who still needs their parents to move their legs or kick the water for them.

So, to those teens who are still under their parents protective wings, give it a try and do without any help, for just a day, then a week and in no time, you will know if you dare to try, the sky is the limit. The next opportunity for you to learn to be more independent is the 2 day 1 night camp at St. John Island. Be there to enjoy the freedom!