Finally had a satisfying game today. 4-1. Totally snuffed out the opponents. The match wasn't easy. Had to weather out the early pressure. But once the opponents lost hope, the game became much easier.
Last week's game was too traumatising for most of us.
Finally, the way 77 played was so reminiscent of the Ah Lang of old. Simple and no nonsense. No need to pretend to be sophisticated when I am not. No need to play possession football when my skills are not there yet.
Just do the simple things.
1) ffb style.
First 15 mins of the game or so, all defenders safety first. Got ball just clear. Don't even think of playing the ball. Don't give the attackers any incentive or motivation to run at the defence. Start passing only when their attackers are not aggressive.
2) talk.
Sweeper must talk, whether like it or not. It will help the DMs and defenders and make them more confident if they are reminded what to do throughout the game. If not during tua zong situation then I finally open my mouth the defenders will gabra.
Also remind the DMs whether they can turn or not.
3) No half fuck.
If don't want to challenge, hold ground all the way. If want to go in, either the ball or the man. Think of Moga. The snapping tackle.
4) Hot.
We can talk about how best to play soccer all our lives. But if there is no fire, there is no football.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
01:21 in the morning
I wonder how much of my life had I lost to not recording them in this blog. A lot of things had passed since I last blogged satisfactorily.
Just set a 8 mark trigo identity question for the end of module test for a trigo module. I think that question will murder the whole cohort, including some of the foreign scholars. ^^
Now I know the power of capsizing a boat with a point of the finger.
What had happened to the affable, amiable, friendly, and nice Mr Khoo in his ESE and practicum days? What caused Mr Khoo to transform into the monster that he is now?
Fierce, unfriendly, sadistic (in a sense that the exam questions he set are murderous), and extremely loves to scold students?
Isn't that simple? A nice man may not necessarily be a good man. A good teacher may not necessarily be a nice teacher.
Between nice and good, I chose the latter.
This, I learnt from another teacher. Four words from her made me realise what teaching is all about.
"I am pro-student."
Just set a 8 mark trigo identity question for the end of module test for a trigo module. I think that question will murder the whole cohort, including some of the foreign scholars. ^^
Now I know the power of capsizing a boat with a point of the finger.
What had happened to the affable, amiable, friendly, and nice Mr Khoo in his ESE and practicum days? What caused Mr Khoo to transform into the monster that he is now?
Fierce, unfriendly, sadistic (in a sense that the exam questions he set are murderous), and extremely loves to scold students?
Isn't that simple? A nice man may not necessarily be a good man. A good teacher may not necessarily be a nice teacher.
Between nice and good, I chose the latter.
This, I learnt from another teacher. Four words from her made me realise what teaching is all about.
"I am pro-student."
Saturday, June 16, 2007
牛车水人家
今天不经意的从收音机听到一首非常怀念的歌，一首总能勾起我成长岁月美丽回忆的歌。
听着听着，一丝丝脆片般般的回忆渐渐地涌上心头。
年幼时的我住在牛车水一带。由于父母双职，所以外婆便成为了我的兼顾人。外婆的朋友大多都住在牛车水，所以牛车岁便成了我追随外婆脚步的地方。她时常到牛车水做凛凛种种的生活琐碎事。吃饭，打麻将，喝凉茶，买疼条，逛街，荡秋千。。。那时候的我只觉得牛车水是一个很杂吵，充满着威胁的地方。为何威胁？
你爱到一个天天都有七老八十的阿公阿婆围着你来调戏的地方吗？
然而，外婆过世已有十六年了。现在的我虽然还是住在牛车水附近，但到那里的次数却一点也不及年幼时的频率. 以前可是几乎每天都到那里。现在可能几年才去一次。
听着听着，埋在下意识里的片断一个个地浮现在眼前。
那时的人潮与繁华，坐三轮车回家的经验，熟食中心的食物，巷口的凉茶店，祖屋里的“赌档”，外婆似乎几十年前的打扮。。。
真想回到那时！
现在的我是否也在想着，讨厌过着现在的生活？白天忙忙碌碌分秒必争。晚上夜深人静时，脆弱的心灵被寂寞侵蚀。。。以前无忧无虑的生活，天天向外婆撒娇的日子可真令人向往！
想归想，但人总要活在现实。现在的牛车水也已面目全非，和当年的完全判若两人。但还好还有这首歌给与心灵上的寄托。
那这首歌到底是什么？
《情谊藏心底》-巫启贤
夜已深，我仿佛听到风雨声
一阵阵，洒落在路中寂寞人
在风里，在雨里，走过的路程
已经随着岁月的声音消失在黄昏
情不归，一个人空巷独徘徊
找不回，往日的情谊藏心底
有你的，有我的，成长的痕迹
这里埋藏过去的感情，教人心碎
生命就像流水，像轻烟慢慢延续
我的记忆却渐渐蒙上尘埃
回来的路上，不断回头望
在那依然成长的地方，以往成长的地方
从今以后，风雨有谁相伴？
从今以后，风雨有我相伴
听着听着，一丝丝脆片般般的回忆渐渐地涌上心头。
年幼时的我住在牛车水一带。由于父母双职，所以外婆便成为了我的兼顾人。外婆的朋友大多都住在牛车水，所以牛车岁便成了我追随外婆脚步的地方。她时常到牛车水做凛凛种种的生活琐碎事。吃饭，打麻将，喝凉茶，买疼条，逛街，荡秋千。。。那时候的我只觉得牛车水是一个很杂吵，充满着威胁的地方。为何威胁？
你爱到一个天天都有七老八十的阿公阿婆围着你来调戏的地方吗？
然而，外婆过世已有十六年了。现在的我虽然还是住在牛车水附近，但到那里的次数却一点也不及年幼时的频率. 以前可是几乎每天都到那里。现在可能几年才去一次。
听着听着，埋在下意识里的片断一个个地浮现在眼前。
那时的人潮与繁华，坐三轮车回家的经验，熟食中心的食物，巷口的凉茶店，祖屋里的“赌档”，外婆似乎几十年前的打扮。。。
真想回到那时！
现在的我是否也在想着，讨厌过着现在的生活？白天忙忙碌碌分秒必争。晚上夜深人静时，脆弱的心灵被寂寞侵蚀。。。以前无忧无虑的生活，天天向外婆撒娇的日子可真令人向往！
想归想，但人总要活在现实。现在的牛车水也已面目全非，和当年的完全判若两人。但还好还有这首歌给与心灵上的寄托。
那这首歌到底是什么？
《情谊藏心底》-巫启贤
夜已深，我仿佛听到风雨声
一阵阵，洒落在路中寂寞人
在风里，在雨里，走过的路程
已经随着岁月的声音消失在黄昏
情不归，一个人空巷独徘徊
找不回，往日的情谊藏心底
有你的，有我的，成长的痕迹
这里埋藏过去的感情，教人心碎
生命就像流水，像轻烟慢慢延续
我的记忆却渐渐蒙上尘埃
回来的路上，不断回头望
在那依然成长的地方，以往成长的地方
从今以后，风雨有谁相伴？
从今以后，风雨有我相伴
Ah Bee
This entry is about my brother, and this entry is meant for him.
His school sent him a letter today. It was more like a threat to be honest.
"We regret to inform you that your son is performing under expectations. He may be retained or even be transferred to the Normal Technical stream if he continues to perform badly at the year end exams." Signed by the VP of the school.
What would be anyone's first impression of him? A poor student? Poor attitude towards studies? No interest? Lazy? Stupid? Couldn't be bothered? Truancy?
I can tell you, none of the above is correct. My brother is a good boy. But he had been very much maligned, and very deprived of opportunities.
Of course as his family members we made mistakes in the choice of education so far.
Mistake 1: Choice of Primay School
We should have sent him to a better primary school. I wonder why my mum sent him to the NEAREST primary school from our house instead of much better one a few bus-stops down the road. If they could afford to send me and my sister to good primary schools so much further away from our house years ago, why the double standard for my brother?
Mistake 2: Choice of academic stream in Sec School
This one was my sole responsibility. I thought that he would benefit more by doing N(A) stream in a good neighbourhood school somewhere near our place. This would be like righting the wrongs of his primary school, because
a) Time could be saved on travelling. The extra time could be used for revision.
b) His foundations were weak. The extra year would help him a lot.
c) Why do express stream in a lousy school faraway from our house?
The initial results were rewarding. He was one of the top few students in his stream for sec 1. Unfortunately things had nosedived during his upper sec. The school inexplicably grouped students in his stream according to subject combination instead of by calibre. Thus he ended up with some of the most disruptive company in his class. He still tried his best though, but while he persevered, many of his teachers gave up. How did I know about this? I was teaching in his school before. His class was notorious. After a while, he resigned to his fate.
Then came his ECA. Inexplicably he joined a very demanding eca that took up a lot of his time. Sometimes he even came home at night.
I just got this very bad feeling that his grades will suffer. The letter we got today just confirmed it.
It wasn't fair to him really. History had shown that if he was placed in the right environment, he had the ability to do well. His sec 1 grades don't lie. Yet to put the blame of his slip solely on his class, or soley on his eca is not fair too.
The way my parents talk to him is not encouraging either. They always talk to him in a manner that he is not good enough, or he cannot do things right. They never gave him the encouragement he needed, even if it meant backing down a bit at times. Their old fashioned way of lecturing kids will not work these days. Handling kids in the 90s is different from handling kids in the 80s.
Look, given his current situation what he needs is alot more encouragement than criticism.
It is not hard to tell that he has already resigned to fate and conformed to his belief that he is just another normal stream boy not good in his studies.
Which is rubbish of course.
He can do it. Just that he fell prey to one of the fallacies of our education system - That it favours early performers than late bloomers.
All he needs is just that courage to stand up against the deprivations thrown at him since he was a boy, and give himself a try deserving of his conscience.
Why allow your selfish classmates to ruin your future for you? Yes I agree that you can't stop them from disrupting the lessons. Yes I agree that most of the precious curriculum time in class was wasted. Yes I agree that most of the teachers do not really like teaching your class.
It is a tough environment to study in compared to your sec 1 and 2 days, but if you are willing to be brave and stand up to them, you can do it, because I know you can. No one can be more qualified than me in saying those words.
Because I know you best, being your brother who grew up with you.
I also admit that I was not around in the important days of his education. I had been away from home for 6 years due to NS and uni. (Since he was primary 4 to sec 3). I had never been much of a help anyway. I always turn him away while playing my computer games. As time goes by he also stopped approaching me for help.
But,
Can you take it lying down that your selfish classmates had ruined your future for you? Can you take it lying down that you denied yourself a better future by sticking to your beliefs that you are not good enough?
Can you take it lying down or not?
I was useless, but at least I am back for the most important year. Time may not be enough, since there is only a couple of months left before the N levels start.
But I know you just need that courage to try and turn things around in such unfavourable conditions. I am not telling you to get straight As, but I know you have what it takes to get what you want.
Because you have the ability and you can do it.
All you need is just the courage to try for a better future.
His school sent him a letter today. It was more like a threat to be honest.
"We regret to inform you that your son is performing under expectations. He may be retained or even be transferred to the Normal Technical stream if he continues to perform badly at the year end exams." Signed by the VP of the school.
What would be anyone's first impression of him? A poor student? Poor attitude towards studies? No interest? Lazy? Stupid? Couldn't be bothered? Truancy?
I can tell you, none of the above is correct. My brother is a good boy. But he had been very much maligned, and very deprived of opportunities.
Of course as his family members we made mistakes in the choice of education so far.
Mistake 1: Choice of Primay School
We should have sent him to a better primary school. I wonder why my mum sent him to the NEAREST primary school from our house instead of much better one a few bus-stops down the road. If they could afford to send me and my sister to good primary schools so much further away from our house years ago, why the double standard for my brother?
Mistake 2: Choice of academic stream in Sec School
This one was my sole responsibility. I thought that he would benefit more by doing N(A) stream in a good neighbourhood school somewhere near our place. This would be like righting the wrongs of his primary school, because
a) Time could be saved on travelling. The extra time could be used for revision.
b) His foundations were weak. The extra year would help him a lot.
c) Why do express stream in a lousy school faraway from our house?
The initial results were rewarding. He was one of the top few students in his stream for sec 1. Unfortunately things had nosedived during his upper sec. The school inexplicably grouped students in his stream according to subject combination instead of by calibre. Thus he ended up with some of the most disruptive company in his class. He still tried his best though, but while he persevered, many of his teachers gave up. How did I know about this? I was teaching in his school before. His class was notorious. After a while, he resigned to his fate.
Then came his ECA. Inexplicably he joined a very demanding eca that took up a lot of his time. Sometimes he even came home at night.
I just got this very bad feeling that his grades will suffer. The letter we got today just confirmed it.
It wasn't fair to him really. History had shown that if he was placed in the right environment, he had the ability to do well. His sec 1 grades don't lie. Yet to put the blame of his slip solely on his class, or soley on his eca is not fair too.
The way my parents talk to him is not encouraging either. They always talk to him in a manner that he is not good enough, or he cannot do things right. They never gave him the encouragement he needed, even if it meant backing down a bit at times. Their old fashioned way of lecturing kids will not work these days. Handling kids in the 90s is different from handling kids in the 80s.
Look, given his current situation what he needs is alot more encouragement than criticism.
It is not hard to tell that he has already resigned to fate and conformed to his belief that he is just another normal stream boy not good in his studies.
Which is rubbish of course.
He can do it. Just that he fell prey to one of the fallacies of our education system - That it favours early performers than late bloomers.
All he needs is just that courage to stand up against the deprivations thrown at him since he was a boy, and give himself a try deserving of his conscience.
Why allow your selfish classmates to ruin your future for you? Yes I agree that you can't stop them from disrupting the lessons. Yes I agree that most of the precious curriculum time in class was wasted. Yes I agree that most of the teachers do not really like teaching your class.
It is a tough environment to study in compared to your sec 1 and 2 days, but if you are willing to be brave and stand up to them, you can do it, because I know you can. No one can be more qualified than me in saying those words.
Because I know you best, being your brother who grew up with you.
I also admit that I was not around in the important days of his education. I had been away from home for 6 years due to NS and uni. (Since he was primary 4 to sec 3). I had never been much of a help anyway. I always turn him away while playing my computer games. As time goes by he also stopped approaching me for help.
But,
Can you take it lying down that your selfish classmates had ruined your future for you? Can you take it lying down that you denied yourself a better future by sticking to your beliefs that you are not good enough?
Can you take it lying down or not?
I was useless, but at least I am back for the most important year. Time may not be enough, since there is only a couple of months left before the N levels start.
But I know you just need that courage to try and turn things around in such unfavourable conditions. I am not telling you to get straight As, but I know you have what it takes to get what you want.
Because you have the ability and you can do it.
All you need is just the courage to try for a better future.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Promised Land
Today I was at my weekly madness again - Run from my house to ECP Mac. I even had to firmly turn down a dinner invitation by Bollocks and Chioh to persist with my madness, much to their disappointment.
Retribution did strike me later.
I arrived at my destination in good time. I.e. It took me just around an hour to get there. Once there I got down to my usual business.
1. Buy a can of H2O from the 7 eleven.
2. Sit on one of the saloms by the beach and enjoy the well-deserved can of H2O.
3. Listen to the sound of the waves.
4. Sort out/Forget all my troubles.
5. Go to macdonald and buy chicken foldover and green tea.
6. Go home.
Usually the cabs would be waiting for me by the road. But today... today... there was a rumble for cabs. There were couples everywhere waiting for cabs. Along the same stretch of road, some pairs were ahead of me, some after me, there was even a pair hugging each other beside me! lol. Being in pairs help. Can hug to kill time while waiting for cab.
Is today Valentine's Day at ECP?
Determined not to be outdone by the hordes of couples straying further upstream to intercept my cab, I overtook them and stood in a supposedly good position.
15 mins had passed. No vacant cab came.
I wandered back to mac, and went further downstream. Another 15 mins had passed. Again no vacant cab came.
Today business was really good at ECP. I thought the crowd would usually be present only on friday and weekend nights. Maybe there could be another way to explain this phenomenum. On friday nights (which I usually do my runs), people don't have to work the next day, so they could afford to stay up and hang around at ECP. That's why I had all the cabs I wanted at around 9 plus. On thursday night, everyone had to go back early for work next day. So I had to compete with the world for cabs at around 9 plus.
I swear I will never do my runs again on anyday other than a friday night!
So how on earth am I going to get home with all these competition? If I were to faithfully just follow law and wait for a taxi to come my way with all these people around,
I will never make it back.
And I had already wasted 1 hour trying to get a cab. Time check: 2215. Usually I would have been home by 2130. Sigh.
I must get out of this place if I were to have any chance of getting a vacant cab. But without vacant cabs how am I going to get out of this place? Chicken and egg question. Lucky I am a rather unorthodox person.
Just be shameless and hitch a ride from someone and get out of this place first.
Thus I stood hawkishly at the taxi queue. The next cab that comes along I will pounce on it irregardless of whoever approaches it first.
A few minutes later, a cab came true to my expectations. A rather hostile couple went into it. The guy was clearly pissed off at having to wait so long for a cab.
Ok better not be a light bulb and antagonise a fire boar. I shall wait for the next cab to come.
My heart sank when another hostile looking couple went up to the next cab. The guy got ang kongs all over his arms. The girl smoked until she looked like a chimmey. Would I be kidnapped and sold to Desker Road if I got into this cab? But inexplicably, they got out.
The cab was not going in their direction.
A young lady reacted swiftly and pounced on the cab before me. This might be my only chance to get out of this cursed place. I better act fast. I put on my most pitiful and desperate face and opened front door of the cab.
"Miss, may I hitch a ride to wherever you are going? I desperately need to get out of here because it's so hard to get a cab!"
他妈的... Sounded so 琼瑶。It's like I will 陪你走到天涯海角like that. So mushy. I think she must be super chua dio lah.
But somehow it worked! She agreed to let me tag along free of charge! Must have been the tears (of desperation) that sparkled in my eyes which did the trick.
I triumphantly rode my way out towards Bedok. Yes I was clearly embarassed with my bold behavior, and yet grateful to the generosity of the young lady. The cab driver let me off somewhere near Tweety's house.
Now comes the key question. Was my reasoning right? i.e. It would be easier to get a vacant cab as long as I am out of ECP.
I wouldn't know for sure. My previous experience of getting vacant cabs at this area was pretty good because I used to take cabs home from my camp (which also happened to be around here).
Would I be rewarded again tonight?
Let's just cross the road, then wait and see. 5 seconds later, not 1 but 3 vacant cabs appeared out of the slip road and sped towards me! I even had the luxury of choosing which brand I wanted. Comfort, Citycab, or SMRT.
I knew I had reached the promised land.
I took the Citycab taxi home because my dad also drives for Citycab.
So here I am, drinking my brother's heartwarming campbell soup and writing all these happening stuff online. I wonder what would happen if I did not shamelessly approach that lady for help. I wonder what time would I reach home if I just followed law. In any case,
If not for that cab, I will still be drinking tears at ECP.
Retribution did strike me later.
I arrived at my destination in good time. I.e. It took me just around an hour to get there. Once there I got down to my usual business.
1. Buy a can of H2O from the 7 eleven.
2. Sit on one of the saloms by the beach and enjoy the well-deserved can of H2O.
3. Listen to the sound of the waves.
4. Sort out/Forget all my troubles.
5. Go to macdonald and buy chicken foldover and green tea.
6. Go home.
Usually the cabs would be waiting for me by the road. But today... today... there was a rumble for cabs. There were couples everywhere waiting for cabs. Along the same stretch of road, some pairs were ahead of me, some after me, there was even a pair hugging each other beside me! lol. Being in pairs help. Can hug to kill time while waiting for cab.
Is today Valentine's Day at ECP?
Determined not to be outdone by the hordes of couples straying further upstream to intercept my cab, I overtook them and stood in a supposedly good position.
15 mins had passed. No vacant cab came.
I wandered back to mac, and went further downstream. Another 15 mins had passed. Again no vacant cab came.
Today business was really good at ECP. I thought the crowd would usually be present only on friday and weekend nights. Maybe there could be another way to explain this phenomenum. On friday nights (which I usually do my runs), people don't have to work the next day, so they could afford to stay up and hang around at ECP. That's why I had all the cabs I wanted at around 9 plus. On thursday night, everyone had to go back early for work next day. So I had to compete with the world for cabs at around 9 plus.
I swear I will never do my runs again on anyday other than a friday night!
So how on earth am I going to get home with all these competition? If I were to faithfully just follow law and wait for a taxi to come my way with all these people around,
I will never make it back.
And I had already wasted 1 hour trying to get a cab. Time check: 2215. Usually I would have been home by 2130. Sigh.
I must get out of this place if I were to have any chance of getting a vacant cab. But without vacant cabs how am I going to get out of this place? Chicken and egg question. Lucky I am a rather unorthodox person.
Just be shameless and hitch a ride from someone and get out of this place first.
Thus I stood hawkishly at the taxi queue. The next cab that comes along I will pounce on it irregardless of whoever approaches it first.
A few minutes later, a cab came true to my expectations. A rather hostile couple went into it. The guy was clearly pissed off at having to wait so long for a cab.
Ok better not be a light bulb and antagonise a fire boar. I shall wait for the next cab to come.
My heart sank when another hostile looking couple went up to the next cab. The guy got ang kongs all over his arms. The girl smoked until she looked like a chimmey. Would I be kidnapped and sold to Desker Road if I got into this cab? But inexplicably, they got out.
The cab was not going in their direction.
A young lady reacted swiftly and pounced on the cab before me. This might be my only chance to get out of this cursed place. I better act fast. I put on my most pitiful and desperate face and opened front door of the cab.
"Miss, may I hitch a ride to wherever you are going? I desperately need to get out of here because it's so hard to get a cab!"
他妈的... Sounded so 琼瑶。It's like I will 陪你走到天涯海角like that. So mushy. I think she must be super chua dio lah.
But somehow it worked! She agreed to let me tag along free of charge! Must have been the tears (of desperation) that sparkled in my eyes which did the trick.
I triumphantly rode my way out towards Bedok. Yes I was clearly embarassed with my bold behavior, and yet grateful to the generosity of the young lady. The cab driver let me off somewhere near Tweety's house.
Now comes the key question. Was my reasoning right? i.e. It would be easier to get a vacant cab as long as I am out of ECP.
I wouldn't know for sure. My previous experience of getting vacant cabs at this area was pretty good because I used to take cabs home from my camp (which also happened to be around here).
Would I be rewarded again tonight?
Let's just cross the road, then wait and see. 5 seconds later, not 1 but 3 vacant cabs appeared out of the slip road and sped towards me! I even had the luxury of choosing which brand I wanted. Comfort, Citycab, or SMRT.
I knew I had reached the promised land.
I took the Citycab taxi home because my dad also drives for Citycab.
So here I am, drinking my brother's heartwarming campbell soup and writing all these happening stuff online. I wonder what would happen if I did not shamelessly approach that lady for help. I wonder what time would I reach home if I just followed law. In any case,
If not for that cab, I will still be drinking tears at ECP.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Blog (Week 6)
Haven't had time to write blogs for blogspot these days, because I have a blogging assignment from NIE!
One of my modules require us to blog weekly. Sai. That explains why my scarce blogging energies was sapped up by a non-appreciative audience.
Anyway I had decided to "da bao" one of the blogs from my assignment for everyone to take a look. Sounds like the most meaningful/sane piece of shit I had put up over there so far.
Blog (Week 6) - edit history delete
Created on Thursday, 02/22/2007 10:33 PM by . KHOO SHUN CHIH (PS0607)
Updated on Thursday, 02/22/2007 10:40 PM by . KHOO SHUN CHIH (PS0607)
I think I had missed out on last week’s blog.
Nevermind, I think it would be all right to “da bao” one week’s worth of blog from Dr Khong. At most she also “da bao” one week’s worth of marks from me. That would only be fair.
Anyway I am seldom so “hardworking”, as in posting a new entry on a weekday. However it would be a good idea to write down my reflections and thoughts after Mdm Aslinah’s sharing session while they are still fresh in my mind.
I found her opinions very refreshing, since the bulk of the module had been emphasising on homes as important stakeholders due to the school-home partnerships. Then came along a practitioner at ground level telling us that “students comes first, students first, students are our primary stakeholder, everything we do is for the benefit of the students.”
That really highlighted the gulf between NIE as a “think tank” institution and schools the “reality”. I feel that an exposure to both extremes is important for the complete development of a teacher. No point having a teacher who is so idealistic that none of his/her ideas can be implemented. Also no point having a teacher who is so jaded and seasoned that he/she rejects any refreshing changes/solutions.
I rather liked her ending message, which was about “staying true to the service”. Teaching is not a lucrative job, but it provides more than enough to get by. Since we are all in it, we should make the most out of it. It will be encouraging to know that at the end of the day, we had done something to change the lives of students positively, or at least make their learning experience more enjoyable.
I was a victim of teachers who were highly proficient in their CK and PCK such that their lessons were a mechanized production of ’A’ producing products/students year after year. I am grateful to them for the quality education they provided, but not so grateful for the quality of time spent in the classroom.
The greatest testimony a teacher could receive from students would be the memories of the time spent in the classroom with the teacher. It would be a tragedy if students could not remember anything, or could only remember the grades they got in that subject, or worse remember the teacher for all the wrong reasons.
Whenever I look at my brother before he leaves for school, it was a reflection of what I was during my school days. “Sian, have to wake up early and be tortured to tears again.” or “wah today have a lesson from this )@)(#@*%#(&%*(#$&. I don’t want to go to school already!”
Sounds like schools haven’t improved much over the years.
Why not do something such that they would think “wow today this guy is coming to give us a lesson again. Sometimes he is funny, sometimes he is lame. He knows our names and is concerned about our grades. His assignments we can manage and he encourages.”
I think if anyone could ever do the above, students will confirm wake up with a rage... err I mean wake up with a start in the morning before they go to school.
A clown cannot teach, a clown can only entertain. A sage can teach, but a sage might find it hard to entertain. So a teacher should be somewhere in the middle.
A sagely clown? Or a clowning sage?
No. A teacher should just remain as what he or she is, because he or she is unique.
That is simply, a teacher.
One of my modules require us to blog weekly. Sai. That explains why my scarce blogging energies was sapped up by a non-appreciative audience.
Anyway I had decided to "da bao" one of the blogs from my assignment for everyone to take a look. Sounds like the most meaningful/sane piece of shit I had put up over there so far.
Blog (Week 6) - edit history delete
Created on Thursday, 02/22/2007 10:33 PM by . KHOO SHUN CHIH (PS0607)
Updated on Thursday, 02/22/2007 10:40 PM by . KHOO SHUN CHIH (PS0607)
I think I had missed out on last week’s blog.
Nevermind, I think it would be all right to “da bao” one week’s worth of blog from Dr Khong. At most she also “da bao” one week’s worth of marks from me. That would only be fair.
Anyway I am seldom so “hardworking”, as in posting a new entry on a weekday. However it would be a good idea to write down my reflections and thoughts after Mdm Aslinah’s sharing session while they are still fresh in my mind.
I found her opinions very refreshing, since the bulk of the module had been emphasising on homes as important stakeholders due to the school-home partnerships. Then came along a practitioner at ground level telling us that “students comes first, students first, students are our primary stakeholder, everything we do is for the benefit of the students.”
That really highlighted the gulf between NIE as a “think tank” institution and schools the “reality”. I feel that an exposure to both extremes is important for the complete development of a teacher. No point having a teacher who is so idealistic that none of his/her ideas can be implemented. Also no point having a teacher who is so jaded and seasoned that he/she rejects any refreshing changes/solutions.
I rather liked her ending message, which was about “staying true to the service”. Teaching is not a lucrative job, but it provides more than enough to get by. Since we are all in it, we should make the most out of it. It will be encouraging to know that at the end of the day, we had done something to change the lives of students positively, or at least make their learning experience more enjoyable.
I was a victim of teachers who were highly proficient in their CK and PCK such that their lessons were a mechanized production of ’A’ producing products/students year after year. I am grateful to them for the quality education they provided, but not so grateful for the quality of time spent in the classroom.
The greatest testimony a teacher could receive from students would be the memories of the time spent in the classroom with the teacher. It would be a tragedy if students could not remember anything, or could only remember the grades they got in that subject, or worse remember the teacher for all the wrong reasons.
Whenever I look at my brother before he leaves for school, it was a reflection of what I was during my school days. “Sian, have to wake up early and be tortured to tears again.” or “wah today have a lesson from this )@)(#@*%#(&%*(#$&. I don’t want to go to school already!”
Sounds like schools haven’t improved much over the years.
Why not do something such that they would think “wow today this guy is coming to give us a lesson again. Sometimes he is funny, sometimes he is lame. He knows our names and is concerned about our grades. His assignments we can manage and he encourages.”
I think if anyone could ever do the above, students will confirm wake up with a rage... err I mean wake up with a start in the morning before they go to school.
A clown cannot teach, a clown can only entertain. A sage can teach, but a sage might find it hard to entertain. So a teacher should be somewhere in the middle.
A sagely clown? Or a clowning sage?
No. A teacher should just remain as what he or she is, because he or she is unique.
That is simply, a teacher.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Singapore vs Thailand (2nd leg)
I am ashamed to be a Singapore fan. I did not rush home after my game this evening to catch the live telecast of Sg vs Thailand. Reason?
Lions are lame. Thailand sure tok them if they play their usual game.
So there I was, dilly dally with Bollocks at the kopi-tiam near the field where we played our game today. We spent close to 50 mins criticising how fucked up they are instead of showing our support for them. Finally we had enough of the talk cock session and made our way home for the 2nd half.
When I switched on the tv, yeah. The result was as expected. Singapore was trailing by a goal. And Thailand had so much of the possession at this stage of the match (55++ mins), a second goal was beckoning.
And that goal almost materialised. I don't know what the fuck Aide and Lewis were doing. Aide let Sutee beat him, slide and got nothing, Lewis saw that and also slided and did nothing. The ball trickled to another thai player. The made a fucked up connection, then luck seemed to favour thailand again. The ball rolled nicely into the path of Nutnum. He just had to lap the ball firmly into either side of the goal and sg's misery would be completed. I really thought that was a gone fuck situation liao. How can the ball tyco-ly ended up in the possessions of two thai players in the box in succession? Confirm lady lucked wanted thailand to win, to redress the grievance Ravi caused at the national stadium.
Nobody expected Noh Rahman to make such a SUPERB, last ditch sliding tackle to save the ball. Really reminded me of Borhan Abu Samah's goal line clearance during the sg selangor match at Shah Alam stadium 12 years ago. The moment that ball went out, I felt something.
There was hope.
After that wake up call, the lions began to be more conscious in keeping possession to break down thailand's momentum. That worked. Cui kia (Amri) was running round like a circus, his touches failing him and Singapore every time he touched the ball. He was depriving me of the hope I stubbornly held onto.
Just then, sg won a free kick at the right flank. Cheena boy sui sui floated the ball into the box, Iskak the hard breast chested the ball way too far in front of him for him to control it. Just as all hope was lost, Alam sprang in front and made a mid air left foot volley which disappointingly ended up in the keeper's hands.
The longer Sg tried to hold on, the longer the pain in all the hearts of the fans lingered. It was like dying a slow and painful death. I wanted to switch off the tv liao.
The ball was passed to cui kia again. He was going to clown around and frown on the ground yet again. Cui kia shielded the ball and made a nice turn.
He shook off his marker.
Thonglao went to ji siao him, but he did not foul cui kia because thailand somehow did not give him much respect. They also had the idea that cui kia would self-destruct sooner or later. And so the defenders backed off and backed off.
Cui kia just tapped the ball forward and forward with small enterprising steps.
By the time cui kia reached the edge of the box, the thai defenders still did not close him down. Niweat Sirawong still steped away to allow cui kia a free shot at goal. They must be thinking he wouldn't have the composure to shoot properly, since the keeper was between the the space shown by the defenders.
Cui kia just lap the ball with his outstep. The sweet curl of the ball chopped the top right hand corner of the net.
GGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even as he was running around like a clown for good this time, even his facial expressions betrayed his own belief that he actually scored a potential winner for sg. That "wu ya bo" look followed by wiping his face with his palm was that tell tale sign.
Cui kia had a fucked up AFC in my opinion. 99% of his touches were like sai. But the 5 touches he made before he struck that goal were flawless. (Control + turn + tap + tap + shoot). All his lousy misses and lame first touches were forgiven.
Mr Amri, without you we would not have won the match. I thank you for the goal that rekindled national pride in Singapore soccer.
This time, we became dai gor for the third time.
This time, we became dai gor on foreign soil for the second time.
But most importantly,
This time we won the cup from thailand for the first time.
Lions are lame. Thailand sure tok them if they play their usual game.
So there I was, dilly dally with Bollocks at the kopi-tiam near the field where we played our game today. We spent close to 50 mins criticising how fucked up they are instead of showing our support for them. Finally we had enough of the talk cock session and made our way home for the 2nd half.
When I switched on the tv, yeah. The result was as expected. Singapore was trailing by a goal. And Thailand had so much of the possession at this stage of the match (55++ mins), a second goal was beckoning.
And that goal almost materialised. I don't know what the fuck Aide and Lewis were doing. Aide let Sutee beat him, slide and got nothing, Lewis saw that and also slided and did nothing. The ball trickled to another thai player. The made a fucked up connection, then luck seemed to favour thailand again. The ball rolled nicely into the path of Nutnum. He just had to lap the ball firmly into either side of the goal and sg's misery would be completed. I really thought that was a gone fuck situation liao. How can the ball tyco-ly ended up in the possessions of two thai players in the box in succession? Confirm lady lucked wanted thailand to win, to redress the grievance Ravi caused at the national stadium.
Nobody expected Noh Rahman to make such a SUPERB, last ditch sliding tackle to save the ball. Really reminded me of Borhan Abu Samah's goal line clearance during the sg selangor match at Shah Alam stadium 12 years ago. The moment that ball went out, I felt something.
There was hope.
After that wake up call, the lions began to be more conscious in keeping possession to break down thailand's momentum. That worked. Cui kia (Amri) was running round like a circus, his touches failing him and Singapore every time he touched the ball. He was depriving me of the hope I stubbornly held onto.
Just then, sg won a free kick at the right flank. Cheena boy sui sui floated the ball into the box, Iskak the hard breast chested the ball way too far in front of him for him to control it. Just as all hope was lost, Alam sprang in front and made a mid air left foot volley which disappointingly ended up in the keeper's hands.
The longer Sg tried to hold on, the longer the pain in all the hearts of the fans lingered. It was like dying a slow and painful death. I wanted to switch off the tv liao.
The ball was passed to cui kia again. He was going to clown around and frown on the ground yet again. Cui kia shielded the ball and made a nice turn.
He shook off his marker.
Thonglao went to ji siao him, but he did not foul cui kia because thailand somehow did not give him much respect. They also had the idea that cui kia would self-destruct sooner or later. And so the defenders backed off and backed off.
Cui kia just tapped the ball forward and forward with small enterprising steps.
By the time cui kia reached the edge of the box, the thai defenders still did not close him down. Niweat Sirawong still steped away to allow cui kia a free shot at goal. They must be thinking he wouldn't have the composure to shoot properly, since the keeper was between the the space shown by the defenders.
Cui kia just lap the ball with his outstep. The sweet curl of the ball chopped the top right hand corner of the net.
GGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even as he was running around like a clown for good this time, even his facial expressions betrayed his own belief that he actually scored a potential winner for sg. That "wu ya bo" look followed by wiping his face with his palm was that tell tale sign.
Cui kia had a fucked up AFC in my opinion. 99% of his touches were like sai. But the 5 touches he made before he struck that goal were flawless. (Control + turn + tap + tap + shoot). All his lousy misses and lame first touches were forgiven.
Mr Amri, without you we would not have won the match. I thank you for the goal that rekindled national pride in Singapore soccer.
This time, we became dai gor for the third time.
This time, we became dai gor on foreign soil for the second time.
But most importantly,
This time we won the cup from thailand for the first time.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Eason Chan Live in Singapore 2007!!!
Just got back from Eason Chan’s live in Singapore 2007 on 06/01/2007!!!
It had been the concert I had been waiting for since he released “Shi Nian” a few years back. I almost couldn’t believe my luck last September that tickets were on sale for this upcoming performance today!
That made me one of the first to book a ticket.
That early move paid off handsomely as I was rewarded with a pretty decent seat in my area. It was a blessing in disguise to have bought the $68 (the cheapest) one because those were the only elevated seats in the whole expo. For people like me who would be there to appreciate music and not jostle with the crowd, a seat that did not require me to tilt my head up to the stage and kept me away from the fanatics was everything I could ask for.
His opening number, “Bu Ru Zhe Yang” was spectacularly choreographed to usher his introduction. It began with just a spot light shone on the stage, with the silhouette of a man holding a guitar singing the beginning of the song. We didn’t even know that was a translucent curtain until it fell off emphatically upon the first word of the chorus!
And guess what? He was there all along with his band behind the curtains.
There he was, singing and playing to a guitar slung to his shoulder. So cool! I was very impressed with the quality of the sound reproduction. His voice was flawlessly reproduced on the speakers, crystal clear. That alone already made up for the also good lightings and lack of dancers (as compared to his Hong Kong version.)
Perhaps since this was the opening number, the lighting effects were more varied and spectacular than the rest of the songs. (Except for Lonely Christmas. That was song with the most effects in the entire concert.) But it was ok. I was very impressed with the introduction!
As with most concerts, the first few songs would be dominated by higher tempo ones while the singer was still fresh and had the energy to hop and dance. Although Eason did not win his accolades by his quick numbers, his notorious bubbly personality did not make those songs seem like making up the number. In fact, it livened up the whole atmosphere. As he admitted it later,
“I am going to lose 2 pounds after all these jumping.”
He was also a born joker.
“Lei dei hou mou? Ngoh yi ga zam see zong OK lah.”
(How are you guys doing? I’m still doing fine now.)
“My daughter looks like me? Of course man. If not look like you meh?”
I bet none of us paid just to listen to his more obscure songs. WE WANT HIS GREATEST HITS LIVE ON THE STAGE!
I think whoever planned the sequence of the songs was smart. There were no two great ballads in a row. Every ballad was sandwiched either by an obscure song or some Cantonese ding dong which I could not make sense of (with my limited Cantonese). Nonetheless with the quality of his voice, even Ma-ri-ki-ta would sound like a #1 hit on radio.
That’s the magic of a great singer. Their vocals alone can even make you enjoy songs that you don’t understand.
As I waited the whole night for its arrival, it came with the most subtle hint from the singer himself.
“The composers and I had this in mind when we came up with this song. We hoped that whoever listened to it will try to communicate better with his or her family and friends.”
What else could that song be? It was none other than SHALL WE TALK!!!
This was taken at the moment he began the song.
Sigh, by the time two great ballads DID come in a row, they were the last two songs of the concert. “Sheng Dan Jie and Ming Nian Jing Ri.”
“I am one of the few privileged singers to have my own Christmas song. I hope you will enjoy it.”
Just by listening to that song in my car could put me into a trance. Now you want me to witness it sung live by the MAN himself in the midst of blown pieces of streamers simulating snow?
His final number was one of my favourite which I happened to catch Tweety singing it secretly in his room back in RH days. I seriously hope next year this time he will be back again for another concert. That will be confined to my day dreams though…
Unless I am willing to pay $6.8M for a ticket instead of $68.
Although he had disappeared from the stage, everyone knew that was an encore call. The crowd didn’t disappoint though, everyone crammed the front of the stage instead of leaving. Eason was back after a short rest.
To sum up the night, while his lesser known songs were able to generate a sense of respect from the audience out of his superb vocals, it were his hits that kept the audience captivated and mesmerized time and again. That surreal feeling that kept resurfacing time and again from “Bu Ru Zhe Yang”, “Ni De Bei Bao”, “Shall We Talk”, “Sheng Dan Jie”, “Ming Nian Jing Ri”, “Dui Bu Qi Xie Xie” and many more was testament to an unique aura that only an accomplished singer like him could command. While he was going through those songs, I could only watch in awe at the quality of the performance. Every cent of the $68 paid was more than worth it. I will regret not spending that money.
Nonetheless all good things have to come to an end. This time, he made sure he bade a perfect farewell.
“You are beautiful! Thank you SINGAPORE!”
Thank you Eason for this wonderful night too.
It had been the concert I had been waiting for since he released “Shi Nian” a few years back. I almost couldn’t believe my luck last September that tickets were on sale for this upcoming performance today!
That made me one of the first to book a ticket.
That early move paid off handsomely as I was rewarded with a pretty decent seat in my area. It was a blessing in disguise to have bought the $68 (the cheapest) one because those were the only elevated seats in the whole expo. For people like me who would be there to appreciate music and not jostle with the crowd, a seat that did not require me to tilt my head up to the stage and kept me away from the fanatics was everything I could ask for.
His opening number, “Bu Ru Zhe Yang” was spectacularly choreographed to usher his introduction. It began with just a spot light shone on the stage, with the silhouette of a man holding a guitar singing the beginning of the song. We didn’t even know that was a translucent curtain until it fell off emphatically upon the first word of the chorus!
And guess what? He was there all along with his band behind the curtains.
There he was, singing and playing to a guitar slung to his shoulder. So cool! I was very impressed with the quality of the sound reproduction. His voice was flawlessly reproduced on the speakers, crystal clear. That alone already made up for the also good lightings and lack of dancers (as compared to his Hong Kong version.)
Perhaps since this was the opening number, the lighting effects were more varied and spectacular than the rest of the songs. (Except for Lonely Christmas. That was song with the most effects in the entire concert.) But it was ok. I was very impressed with the introduction!
As with most concerts, the first few songs would be dominated by higher tempo ones while the singer was still fresh and had the energy to hop and dance. Although Eason did not win his accolades by his quick numbers, his notorious bubbly personality did not make those songs seem like making up the number. In fact, it livened up the whole atmosphere. As he admitted it later,
“I am going to lose 2 pounds after all these jumping.”
He was also a born joker.
“Lei dei hou mou? Ngoh yi ga zam see zong OK lah.”
(How are you guys doing? I’m still doing fine now.)
“My daughter looks like me? Of course man. If not look like you meh?”
I bet none of us paid just to listen to his more obscure songs. WE WANT HIS GREATEST HITS LIVE ON THE STAGE!
I think whoever planned the sequence of the songs was smart. There were no two great ballads in a row. Every ballad was sandwiched either by an obscure song or some Cantonese ding dong which I could not make sense of (with my limited Cantonese). Nonetheless with the quality of his voice, even Ma-ri-ki-ta would sound like a #1 hit on radio.
That’s the magic of a great singer. Their vocals alone can even make you enjoy songs that you don’t understand.
As I waited the whole night for its arrival, it came with the most subtle hint from the singer himself.
“The composers and I had this in mind when we came up with this song. We hoped that whoever listened to it will try to communicate better with his or her family and friends.”
What else could that song be? It was none other than SHALL WE TALK!!!
This was taken at the moment he began the song.
Sigh, by the time two great ballads DID come in a row, they were the last two songs of the concert. “Sheng Dan Jie and Ming Nian Jing Ri.”
“I am one of the few privileged singers to have my own Christmas song. I hope you will enjoy it.”
Just by listening to that song in my car could put me into a trance. Now you want me to witness it sung live by the MAN himself in the midst of blown pieces of streamers simulating snow?
His final number was one of my favourite which I happened to catch Tweety singing it secretly in his room back in RH days. I seriously hope next year this time he will be back again for another concert. That will be confined to my day dreams though…
Unless I am willing to pay $6.8M for a ticket instead of $68.
Although he had disappeared from the stage, everyone knew that was an encore call. The crowd didn’t disappoint though, everyone crammed the front of the stage instead of leaving. Eason was back after a short rest.
To sum up the night, while his lesser known songs were able to generate a sense of respect from the audience out of his superb vocals, it were his hits that kept the audience captivated and mesmerized time and again. That surreal feeling that kept resurfacing time and again from “Bu Ru Zhe Yang”, “Ni De Bei Bao”, “Shall We Talk”, “Sheng Dan Jie”, “Ming Nian Jing Ri”, “Dui Bu Qi Xie Xie” and many more was testament to an unique aura that only an accomplished singer like him could command. While he was going through those songs, I could only watch in awe at the quality of the performance. Every cent of the $68 paid was more than worth it. I will regret not spending that money.
Nonetheless all good things have to come to an end. This time, he made sure he bade a perfect farewell.
“You are beautiful! Thank you SINGAPORE!”
Thank you Eason for this wonderful night too.
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