Make Setting of End Target Result (ETR) Pupil's Responsibility

Source: Google

Wait! What??

Yeah. You read that right. Make setting of ETR to be the pupil's responsibility, not the teacher's.

I personally don't favour test and examinations in the primary level of education because I believe character building is more important; to cultivate the right attitude that will greatly help them in anything they do next time.

But, ah...We can only hope for a change to happen soon. Now, let's think of other alternatives.

Why not educate the pupils on responsibility from practical things like this? Let them know and plan what they want at the end of that particular academic year, instead of we teachers setting them without the pupils know what exactly that means. This way, we can indirectly guide and prepare them to :
1. look for their goals in life
2. make decisions (one of topic in Year 6 English textbook)
3. be responsible for what they want, be independent
4. be responsible for the outcome of their decision and action (when they get their test results)

Every year, we set pupil's target. We forgot that we have already disrespect them by doing so. We didn't give them a chance to be responsible for their studies. They aren't given a chance to speak out and make a decision. And we call them spoon-fed? Didn't we, the adults (admins, teachers as well as parents) just keep allowing that to happen?

And when the pupils don't achieve the targeted result, teachers are to write a report on that? And the report will be on a one-sided blame - the teachers! ...Urmmm....I personally don't think there is any purpose in doing so, unless it is for special need child who cannot make decisions and for really young children (age 7-9).

We can start this practice when they're in the upper primary (age 10-12). Of course, they need guidance to do this. Do not just throw this to them without explaining to them beforehand.

End Target Result need not be super impressive! It's NOT to impress people, but to know where they want to head to and to know how much they want to achieve by the end of the year.

I took about 1 1/2 hours to explain and guide them on this, which turned out well. They understand why they are doing it and are excited about it. For the first time they are given the chance to make decision for themselves!

Some people will disagree to this idea. But, do not fret. This is just an idea that I share and not forced to be implemented. I find it more meaningful for the pupils themselves to know what's happening with their own studies instead of me dictating everything for them. From there, they can start to monitor their own progress too.

A teacher's job is to guide as part of educating. This may look trivial and takes up time, but think of the implications in the long run. Someone needs to set the stepping stone for them-creating the opportunity for them.

Here's a short video of my pupils setting their own ETR. Enjoy the video! ~

And oh, this quote here - just for a laugh!

How My Class Looks Like During Lesson: Be the Respected Teacher.

Me, slowly taking the camera (mobile phone) out of my handbag, intending to take their picture silently.....but, oh well! They're just too alert and sensitive to the camera! Hahaha!

Here goes:

The typical look when their 'antenna' sensed the camera!

Let's see more photos of them! ^w^

Making themselves feel at home. Feel free to move about~

Are you crowning me with your tie, friend? Lol

Bro, can you help me with this question, please?

Let's check the dictionary together. Checking......checking......checking.....

While the two are completing their work together......there will be someone at the back to photobomb

Photobomb successful!

Look at his shocked expression! He got shy after that! Haha!

Hey bro, I need your help again!

Yeah, I know. Looks messy, right?

But you've got it wrong~ They are in control. 

I like my class to be this way. They are active in learning. They move about to ask questions to me or their peers. This is the best time to let them actually practice using the language! 

Some teachers asked: 

How do you do that? How do you keep them in control while letting them move and talk?

How did you make the problematic pupil to do your work?

Wow, you are very successful in gaining their interest in your lesson.

My answer: Be the respected teacher.

I wouldn't expect every teacher to be able to do like this in a short while. This actually takes time. But, do not give up. Continue to do your best for them.

For this class, I have been with them since they were in Year 3. They gave me quite a headache at first. I learnt from my mistakes along the journey with them.

Get to know your pupils better. Listen to them instead of just lashing out without giving them a chance to speak for themselves. 

Imagine, how would you react to a boss who doesn't respect you as a person? Yes, you will tend to not have the motivation to work your best anymore. Same goes for the pupils.

One of my weakness which I learned to overcome: >>  Expectations!

Lower down your expectations! Underachieved expectations will lead to frustrations. 

Frustrations will lead to more disappointments. 

Accumulated disappointments will lead to giving up...and that's where everything starts to crumble.

We need to remember that they are still children. Let them have their childhood, if not outside, create one in your classroom! This is where teacher-pupil connections and mutual respect are built. 

When relationships and respect are built, it is easier to get your message across to the pupils. Why? Of course! Let me ask you then; Do you listen to someone whom you like or dislike? That's right. To the one whom you like~  ;)

On a note; be stern and firm on discipline!

Teach for mastery, not test scores! 

Just like building a house, the foundation is the most important! 

Imagine a four storey house will be built.

First, they have to prepare the base. After the given time, inspectors came and said "Ok. 75% done".

Then, they continued doing the first floor because of time frame. And again, after the given time, it was 70% done. 

They continued to the 2nd floor: 80% done.

3rd floor: 60% done.

By the time they continued to the 4th floor, everything came crumbling down because the weak base couldn't support the heavy top layers.

Same goes with education!

There are many more things for me to learn in the coming years. But for now, I just want to give my pupils enjoyable time in school. Children nowadays are so much burdened with tuitions! Everything is about studying, studying, studying......for EXAM! Their face is literally in the book from 7.30a.m - 10 p.m everyday in average. They are still so young (6 years old - 12 years old) but already deprived of their childhood.

Do you know that playing is one of the way children learn things best?

We need to balance out study and play! Help bring back the smile on the children's faces.

Another reminder for myself too~

All the best, educators!

Awaken from Death | True story by Tony Low

Shalom!

It was a great oppurtunity for us to meet and listen to testimonial by Tony Low, a man labeled as "Wireless Man".

His testimonial was so powerful and inspiring. Giving all praises to God, he now lives as a new person born again in Christ.


This is his testimonial:
Born as a non-believer, he lived a normal life with his wife till one day, he was diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer. All the top Oncologist in Singapore told him that treating the cancer is futile because they have never seen a man with so much cancer in his body. He was basically a walking tumour. They told him to take 3 months of holiday to visit all the places he wants and when he's back from holiday 3 months later, he will be gone. Time to prepare his own coffin by then. It was devastating to hear that not only from 1 doctor, but many! Each doctor said the same thing.

But, there was one doctor who asked him if he wanted to try chemo, a new type of drug under testing phase (20 years back, chemo was not as modern as now) even though the risk was that he might be killed by the chemo drug instead of the cancer . At wits end, he said yes. After 4 months, the doctor was surprised to see his body reacting positively towards his drug and said "Someone up there really loves you!". Tony, at that time, a non-believer did not understand that. The doctor, a Christian, smiled because the tumours decreased by a huge amount. Tony went deeper into Buddhism, travelling to India, Sri Lanka, meditating in the forest and even under the Bodhi Tree. He did everything to understand life.

Unfortunately, the cancer relapsed and this time it was in his brain, as big as an orange. The pressure was so great that Tony couldn't control his body and went into fits. The doctor arranged for immediate brain surgery or he will be gone by night. Doctors cut his skull and part of his brain. Covered it up again but he was still shaking terribly. So, they have to open up his skull again and throw away more of his brain. 1/4 of his brain was cut away. They have to leave open the skull as they didn't want pressure on that part. He was in coma when he was wheeled out of the OT. They had all the tubes stuck into his body to monitor his vital organs, even one into his open-wound brain as there was no skull to cover it to monitor brain activity.

After 4 days, the specialists declared him dead as there was no brain activity and vital organs shut down. His wife, Ashley Low,  has to sign the paper to declare her husband dead. But she refused to do so. She was certain her God will heal her husband. The doctors thought she went cuckoo but they couldn't do anything without her signature. Surprisingly, Ashley accepted Christ 3 months before he was diagnosed with brain tumour! And so, they transfered him to the ICU to wait for her signature before transfering him into the mortuary.

Praise be to the Almighty God, after a full 7 days ordeal, Tony was awaken from death! A miracle just happened! The specialists used a few machines to convince themselves that he is alive! And yes, he is alive!


Now, let's hear what Tony Low experienced during that 3 days of death:
     "I stood up. I saw my own body on the sick bed. I was thinking "What is happening???". I got   terrified. Looking down on your own body is not a good sign. Am I dead? Oh.....what do I do now?As I was getting puzzled and frightened, I heard a voice saying "LOOK UP". Well, better to look up than to look down on your dead body, right? So , I looked up and saw a bright light, the sides opening up like curtains and bright light shining down, .... the picture here is what I can let you see how it roughly feels like that time. I definitely can't show you the exact thing I saw ,but this is some how like that. Just to let you have a feel of it....

Bright light coming from the sides that pulled up like curtains

      I thought to myself, "Is that Heaven?" And the next thing I saw was something like a man with white robes, with both arms wide open....

A man so bright with both arms wide open. Our God is light ( 1 John 1: 5)

  ....and said in a loud, thunderous voice (Job 37:4-5)
                     "TONY,
                       DO NOT BE AFRAID. (written in the bible for 365 times)
                       I WILL WALK IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE". (Isaiah 45:2, Deuteronomy 31:8)

Each word was loud and echoed like thunder. He was too bright for me too see, I'm scared I will go blind. He was always on my right hand side.


When Tony woke up, it was past 3 days since he was dead. But now, resurrected and born a new person. The doctors could not explain this miracle. But, the doctors said, without his brain, he will be a complete "vegetable" because there are no veins or "connectors"to control the limbs. And yes, he went back not being able to move from chin down.

He went to ask the pastors about this wonderful and almighty God that he met when he was dead. The pastors told him that all the answer can be found in the Bible. He needs to read the bible to know about Him. The Bible is God's mind, His words.

In 30 days, Tony finished reading the Bible. How did he do that? Who turned the pages for him? God is full of humour. He allowed Tony's little pinky to MOVE and that was how he used it to flip the pages! If Tony can walk and move freely after death, maybe he will just be enjoying himself and have no time for the Bible. So, you see, God is stern yet merciful!

And after flipping the last page and the back cover of the bible (30 days) , as the cover drops, Tony felt as if his legs were on fire. He panicked and jumped away from his wheelchair. Then, he got another shock. He's standing! Wow!! Praise the Lord! After a few hours of baby-like walking, he was walking, and after a few more hours he was running and the next day, he was ballroom dancing with his wife!

6 months passed and it's time to get another check-up. The doctor got another shock of his life and told him to walk while he observed till his jaw dropped to the ground. There was no need for check up that day anymore and was told to go home. That doctor became a believer of Christ after that incident! Hallelujah!

God is using each and everyone of us to spread His love, to be a good testimonial and to raise His Kingdom just like how He used Tony to do His will on earth.

O Father in Heaven, continue to use us to do your will on Earth. Let everyone, of all races, of all skin colour, of all languages, come to you, talk to you for the only language You listen to is PRAYER. Let us pray fervently, continue praising You for the wonder of your works, your grace, your mercy and unfailing love. Thank you, Lord for the every moment in our life. Guide us the way to lead a fulfilling life as You desire of us and to be more like You till we meet again in Heaven. In Jesus precious name, Amen!

History of Baba Nyonya (Peranakan)

Baba Byonya (Peranakan, the term used popularly for descendants of early Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region, including both the British Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang, and the Dutch controlled island of Java among other areas, who have partially adopted Malay customs in an effort to be assimilated into the local communities.

The word of Peranakan, is also used commonly to describe Indonesia Chinese. In both BM & Bahasa Indonesia, Peranakan” means descendant. Baba refer to the male descendants and Nyonya the female. Most Peranakan are of Hokkein ancestry, although a fair denomination of them are of the Teochew or Cantonese descent. The language of the Peranakan, Baba Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baba), is a dialect of the Malay Language which contains many Hokkein works.

The Nyonya Baba were partially assimilated into the Malay culture, especially in food, dress and language used, while retaining some of the Chinese traditions and culture, like religion, name, folk medicine and festival celebrations, thereby creating a new kind of mixed culture of their country of origin with local, among those, like "Nyonya cuisine" has developed the spices of Malay cuisine, examples are curry recipe cooking, Inchi Kabin, Chicken Kapitan, fried or curry chicken & sea foods, with local spicy and spicery. Wearing the Baju Kebaya, most of the Peranakan are not Muslim, but have retained the ancestral worship tradition of the Chinese, especially of their wedding ceremony is largely based upon the Chinese tradition.

From :  http://www.jonker88.com

                                                               

                                                                  The Nyonya Kebaya

                                                      Exotic Sulam on the Nyonya Kebaya

                                                                        Keronsang

                                                                         Beaded Shoes

 

~SAKURA~

~ SAKURA ~

Spring time has finally arrived,

Alluring flowers blooming bountifully,

Keeping all eyes focused on them,

Undeniable beauty of nature,

Ravish is the sakura,

Alive are the scents and colours of the world with thee...

A Blog at Last? =D

I have never ever thought of writing a blog of my own. Well, I think blogging needs a lot of time to keep it updated and alive. But oh well, maybe I can just have a little Scribble and Scrabble over the net here to share anything interesting in life with people out there. So, here goes my blog. Welcome to My Scribbles! Smile and let the sunny bits shine upon all sparkling fun moments of your life! Cheers everyone!  =D