If you are made to sit in a quiet corner and asked to reflect on the past few years of your life, what comes to your delicate mind?
If you are made to do things against your will, which facade of your character would you want to portray?
If you can change one thing in your life, which one thing would you meticulously pick?
If you were asked to realise one of the many dreams and fantasies you have, which would it be?
Perception.
It is whether you want to be confined within the box or be like Alice in her wonderland.
Opportunity.
It is whether you want to hold it firmly in your hand or let it slip away.
Choices.
It is whether your perception of the opportunity sways in your penchant.
I urge you to indulge yourself in these thoughts.
Native, defined by the Oxford dictionary, means inborn and natural or a person belonging to a specific place. Native people are usually people who are entrenched into the culture and language of their own local society. These are people who are often said to be the classic, if not the best, representation of their culture and in some cases language.
Recently, the Education Minister proposed the idea of hiring native English teachers to raise the standards of our English. Many questions were raised pertaining to the employment of native English teachers. Some were in favour while some were against this idea.
The use of native English teachers to teach English is somewhat similar to the Ministry's take towards the teaching of the Chinese language or other foreign languages such as German, French and Japanese. In the teaching of these languages, we see that native people have been hired to teach these languages. After all, these languages did not originate from Singapore. When native Chinese teachers were employed to teach Chinese, detractors lamented on their strong accent as one main flaw to counter the argument. However, these detractors were of a very small minority. In many schools today, we see native Chinese teachers being able to engage with their students on both a personal and professional level and have enriched many students through the culture and most importantly, the history of their motherland that they bring along with. Furthermore, the Ministry has, over the years, been sending batches of their teachers-to-be to renowned universities in China to master the language. This move has been widely accepted by the general public.
The use of native English teachers to teach English is however drawing much more public scrutiny and debate. The reason is simple. Singaporeans cannot accept the fact that the language that they have been using as a means for communication all these years, is riddled with flaws. To us, it seems that we have butchered a language so refined and pure in its absolute core but yet have embraced for such a long time. However, the question we should ask ourselves is whether our English standard is really at an acceptable level?
Today, when you go to a school and listen to students communicate with each other, it is distinctively clear that many of the sentences they speak are erroneous and grammatically flawed. Today, when you ask a student which paper is more difficult to pass in an exam, they will tell you that it is the English paper and not the stumbling Chinese block. This is very much so because in both papers, the method of testing is very much different. Unlike Chinese, in English, we do not see a common textbook with words for students to memorise and form sentences out of it. Rather, the English paper tests students on their understanding and appreciation of the language. There is no fixed syllabus for students to apply their all-so familiar rote-learning. The paper is very open and spans across wide genres for testing.
The issue at hand here should not be about the nostalgic approach where the earlier generation learnt and mastered their English. Neither should it be about accent. Rather, it should be about the teaching and use of the language in all areas and subjects. Listen to your Science or Mathematics teachers when they teach you Science or Mathematics. Pay attention to their enunciation, their grammar and their choice of words. Do you spot any flaws?
English is used as the medium for teaching in Singapore. Hence, if you want to talk about raising the standards of our local English, then deal with how this medium for teaching is being mangled by teachers who may not be teaching the language but are using it as a language for instruction in their teaching. If you can change them, then you can confidently change the bulk of Singaporeans.
Singlish, is to some, a 'native' language for Singaporeans because we 'invented' this language. To some ardent lovers of the English language, they often frown upon the use of Singlish. To them, Singlish is a vulgar and if not crude street language that speaks poorly of a person. Yet, is Singlish any bad?
The excessive use of Singlish such that it becomes our mode of communication with others is regrettable. However, as a street language for communication with people, there is nothing unfortunate about it. Think about it, if the use of Singlish can make you get a bowl of noodles at the coffee shop, rather than one that is prim and proper, which will you use?
Is there a then contradiction or should it rather be a status quo approach instead? It is neither. The rules of grammar in English should be very much emphasised in schools. It is a pity that after ten years of struggling with the English language at the primary and secondary level, many students are still unable to produce a work with minimal grammatical errors. The creative approach to the teaching of the language where understanding, appreciation and application should be enforced and recommended. A more thorough approach that involves more writing and oral should be encouraged. The idea of engaging students to articulate their thoughts on issues such as euthanasia, education, family etc. Should be favoured over a rather placid approach where the teacher and student communicate through their sub-standard written work.
Do I want a native English teacher to teach me my English? Maybe. However, so what if you can speak an immaculate English and you come from a country where everyone speaks English; if you cannot teach the language, then regardless of your credentials or birth country or even skin colour, you will be considered as the weakest link in the teaching of the language. Period.
To me, it is not and never about the person teaching. Rather, it is about the quality in the teaching.
I visited Villa Francis Home at Mandai Estate today. It is a home for aged and many of them were either abandoned by their children or were placed there because of medical reasons that required constant supervision. None of them had true and real happiness on their faces; most had expressions of loss hope.
I didn't get the chance to talk to any of them as I together with the rest from my unit were tasked to do area maintenance. The place looks well-maintained considering the wear and tear over the years. The staff is pretty friendly though they can get a little edgy sometimes.
Today's visit brought a little smile on the faces of most of the residents there. Yet, like them, we knew that this smile was only temporal. Nothing beats having to see their family one more time.
May you find your true happiness.
---till later---
Punggol Marina Country Club. That was the place I had to go to for HQ Armour's 27th Anniversary Celebration. The journey there reminded me of the journey to camp. The club is situated no where near civilisation. It was no surprise that people actually got lost en route to the country club.
The turn-out was abysmal considering the number of people in HQ Armour. The high-ranking officers were mostly not present. Perhaps without the presence of the chief and deputy chief of armour, it made it seem pointless for them to attend the event.
The whole set up was pretty organised and looked pretty much like an indoor children's carnival. The games for the telematches were pretty engaging and challenging. Those who participated had quite a lot of fun.
I think the committee did a pretty commendable job and it injected some fun and laughter in what most would expect to be another boring activity.
I bought a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice-cream from Cold Storage today. I am astonished that they raised the prices. I like shopping for my groceries at Cold Storage but sometimes their prices are way too off tangent as compared to the other supermarkets.
---till later---
Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
God uses circumstances to develop our character. It is during sufferings that we learn to pray our most authentic, heart-felt, honest-to-God prayers.
We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. This purpose is to become like his son, Jesus Christ.
God's purpose is greater than our problems, our plan and even our sin. God is in complete control of our universe and it is also a said fact that God loves us.
Every problem is a character building opportunity and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fibre.
How should one then respond to our problems as Jesus would?
1. Remember that God's plan is good.
God knows what is best for you and has your best interests at heart. It is therefore vital that you stay focused on God's plan rather than your pain or problem. On the surface,this may seem difficult to do so. However, if one chooses to focus solely on his pain or problem, one would be seemingly stuck in the rut because of a constant microscopic perception that you have placed yourself in.
2. Rejoice and give thanks.
God will never leave us on our own. He is always there with us and this is what makes our relationship with God so unique and special. Give thanks to our God for even the smallest things in life. Remember that nothing is insignificant in the eyes of God.
3. Refuse to give up.
Regardless of the circumstances, never bow down to fear. Ask God for his wisdom and courage to help you see through your difficulties. It is interesting that you will know that you are maturing when you begin to see the hand of God in the random, baffling and seemingly pointless circumstances in your life.
The above sharing was extracted from 'Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren - Day 25: Transformed by Trouble'
Often times when we say we want to start something, we tend to use the words 'I think I will try' or 'Let's give it a shot, but...' By saying such things, it actually gives people the impression that you ain't going to put in your fullest effort in achieving your goals and much less fulfill your ultimate objective. When you want to embark on a new project or kick start a new plan, it is a decision so why not start by saying 'I decide'?
When there is definition in what you say, there is an obscure motivational force that will enable you to overcome the obstacles and odds that come in your way. It is a decision to make.
---till later---
I chanced upon this on a singtel website. 'Get your hands on examination papers from top Singapore schools. Sign up now'
I begin to think how being a student is really tough. Being a Singaporean student is much worst. An examination is supposed to be a measure of how well you have understood the work for the term or for the year. Rather, it comprises of prestige, even if it were at a face-value, monetary incentives that extends beyond what your parents give to you in lieu of your results and the list goes on.
What is wrong with our education system? Often times, we hear of students and parents-alike mumbling about how stressed up they are and how our education system is not one that is enriching and diversified in it's entirety. Yet, who gives these people the stress?
Stress is an innate feeling. There is no negative connotation to it either. It is a perception; it is a way of thinking; it is fundamentally dependent on your upbringing. Stress and pressure are two synonymous words. They are often placed together in the same sentence and especially so when one is explaining the either. Stress is something that people give themselves as either a motivational push or as an excuse for their appalling or in their own opinion, an unsatisfactory performance. It can be derived from external sources and your environment but the ultimate decision to embrace stress still lies in your very own hands. This same principle applies to ones attitude towards his or her education.
Singapore's education system is indeed not as diversified as it claims to be. As much as we are pragmatic and realistic people who are market-driven and somewhat of an economist, our education system is slanted towards fulfilling the economic needs of our society. Singapore is a small nation with its people as its main source of resource. In many parliamentary speeches made, the debate was always about the people. In fact, about selected groups of people who are somewhat not on par with the government's expectation of its people. The debate was and still is today, people-oriented.
Singapore's education system has its merits and its demerits. While flexibility and diversity may be its pitfall yet, if one were to analyze our education system in its entirety, one would see how structured, perhaps a little rigid and how inclusive our education system is. Of course, with streaming and bench-marking, our education system comes across as one that is elitist but everyone is of a different calibre. That is a said and given fact. What our education system is attempting to do is to group people of the same calibre together and allow them to have an education that best suits them. It sounds very much like a propaganda but it is a fact, and a well-received fact too. Think about it, if you have people of wide spectrums of calibre in one class, how do you expect yourself to be taught such that it is advantageous to everyone in your class and for yourself. How do you expect yourself to teach such a class? Will you think of segregation or still hold on to this tight rein even though it is highly possible that you may leave some students out?
It is not the best but neither it is the worst. Our education system has rooms for improvement and mindsets to change too. Expectations of our education are indeed high and that is also why parents are willing to invest their confidence in our education system.
Give our education system some ounce of hope!
---till later ---
Dear Psykedelic,
I have hurts in my life that while I have cast them aside yet I have really never dealt with them. I am a person who is pretty good at concealing my inner most thoughts and feelings. I have a natural tendency to keep all my emotions to myself while being expressive on my opinions that do not require my emotive side. I appear strong and stable on the surface but deep down, I can be a nervous wreck when someone asks me 'How are you feeling?' It is a facade you may say, but it has been a facade that I have been holding onto for a very long time and I am still fine. Yet, it has somewhat become a stumbling block in certain areas of my life.
The one thing that has made a significant impact in my life would be how my father momentarily appeared and disappeared for the good part of my life. As a child, I yearned for a chance to see my father when I was at home. Yet, I never did got the chance to do so. Often times, he would be out working or as so my mother wanted me to believe so. My father never did once gave me an allowance when I was in school. There was never any pocket money for food for recess or to buy some candy from the provision shop at my house's void deck. There was never anything of that.
I remember my father as a chauvinist, well somewhat of a chauvinist, who was not a provider and was never once a father figure in my life. I remember my father being a brute though to me, when I did really horrible things like calling him an invalid and useless in primary three in front of my maternal grandmother when he met with a motorbike accident and was forced to stay at home. I never once felt that I had a fatherly love.
My grades in primary school were decent but not excellent. My father never once showed any ounce of concern towards my grades. I couldn't care less about my grades either. In primary school, because I then did not know how to control my temper and emotions, I flared up at even the slightest disagreement and was not only a talking point among my peers but also a source of worry for my teachers. People shunned away from me; all the friends I made left me. One by one. I was alone. All I wanted was for my father to show me some attention. I wanted a fatherly love in my life. Yet, that never happened.
My parents separated when I was in primary six. I was discouraged and I began to keep my feelings to myself. I turned my anger towards my father into hate. I never really spoke to him as a son to a father. Never once. Never once did I even consider him as a helpline to my problems. I thought of myself first then my mother. Some nights, in my quiet room, I would cry myself to sleep, hoping that all these bad memories, if I can classify them as bad, will be left behind.
It was left behind. Eventually.
My father re-married to a woman whom he had been seeing for years while married to my mother. I look at his life today and I see a man devoted to his wife for reasons I do not wish to indulge myself in. I see a man who has a decent house, a decent car but two children who have unfortunately lost faith in him. I attribute the things I have in my life today, first to God's blessings and second to my mother's insistence on providing for and sacrifice for me and my sister.
Today, I do not have any form of hatred towards my father. It takes too much strength to do so. I just don't wish to spend time with him as I feel that there is no need to. I have let go my unhappiness and displeasure towards my father years ago but I have not forgiven him altogether.
Through the grace of God, you can forgive a person. On my human abilities, I am weak. But you are strong. Let me, through the grace of God, forgive my father for the things he has done in my life and allow me to see him as a father, albeit it just for name sake, rather than as a stranger.
Through the grace of God.
Sincerely,
aLbert
Sometimes the last thing you want comes in first
Sometimes the first thing you want never comes
But I know waiting is all I can do
Sometimes
Strange and Beautiful (I'll put a spell on you) by Aqualung
I have officially been attached to Manpower Branch of my unit. I am now the Routine Orders Clerk. Basically, that means I wait for people to tell me what they want to include in the day's routine orders and I just have to type it out accordingly in the appropriate format. Not such a difficult job actually but para-phrasing and editing what some people write can be quite tormenting at times.
My appointment to Military Medicine Institute (MMI) has arrived. Finally! It is very funny how the mechanics of things work. I had actually wanted to see a specialist at Alexandra Hospital on my accord as I had already given up hope on my camp's medics. My case was tossed around for a matter of months and they even lost my appointment date at Alexandra Hospital! Oh well, I guess with my appointment now, I see a glimmer of hope. Yet, I wonder why my referral letter landed up at the HQ Manpower Branch which is at a separate building from mine.
Things happen when you least expect it. Yet, everything will eventually fall into place. It is all about perception.
I enjoy watching The Simpsons. The Simpsons is really a nonsensical and non-restrictive adult cartoon. The concept is very creative and very current. It is very interesting and of course entertaining to see how the writers actually use these characters to take digs at our everyday mundane lives. I always enjoy watching The Simpsons.
The family in today's society has a very different mission to fulfill. Unlike the past, where the family is one where they stick together in spite of circumstances, the family of today are more inclined towards diversification and living in segmentation. Hardly today, will you find different generations of people living under the same roof. This does not come because of choice or a lack of, but rather it is in relation to the dynamics of society and it's pace. There is a saying that a family that eats together, stays together. This old adage would perhaps be of much practical sense in the past but not today. In our Asian culture, having a meal together as a family holds a deeper significance.
A meal with the family symbolises unity in the family and allows for people to communicate with each other and share their personal thoughts. It gives fathers and mothers the opportunity to talk to their children and bridge closer ties conceal the generation gap. It allows children to understand the intentions and way of thought of their parents, and more so to avoid putting them down. It is not only the physical sustenance that is fulfilled but also the spiritual, moral and simply the intangible sustenance that is being attended to. However, as the pace of society increases exponentially, people are inevitably caught in the humdrum of society and find themselves spending less time in the family or as a family but more in their work lives. Even their social lives take a degree of beating. A meal in today's family is one that is done hurriedly and more so in front of the television. It almost seems that the television is now the focal point of having a meal and even so, the meal may not include everyone in the family.
How then do the family of today attempt to stick with each other. Each member makes sacrifices and compromises. While communication within the family is still very much depended on to keep the family together, it is how this communication is done and when. The children of today, having gone through a vigorous education which centers on encouraging opinions and being more expressive will not emulate similar characteristics of their parents when they were young. They are more willing to question and will say 'no' to you more than they will say 'yes'. It is not the rebellious spirit in the youth of our generation but rather the different mindset and perspectives in which we have and encouraged to do so. But, this does not mean that parents accede to all demands of their children or do not attempt to reason with their children albeit the imminent conflict and possible quarrels. Parents have to be objective and flexible. The dogmatic or tyrannical approach where the father, being the head of the house, has the final say is an approach where many family counselors will frown upon and will divide the family even further. This approach is well, a thing of the past. Involvement within the family and from family members will keep the family together. When everyone takes a conscious effort to make this family work, when parents and children contribute in the sharing, a new family dynamics is shaped and the old is preserved.
Like the Simpsons, Homer does really stupid things and sometimes, the family relations are strained. Yet, when there is compromise, when there is communication, when there is sharing and the willingness from all parties to make this family work, everything will fall into it's correct place.
--till later--- doh!
When I was young, I looked forward to the weekends. Every weekend, I would see families, whole and complete families, going out for either a meal or for a family outing. Be it a simple breakfast at MacDonald or kite flying at Marina South, the family still went out together. I often sat in my living room, anticipating for that moment to come. Yet, that moment never once materialised.
When I was young, I loved throwing objects at people who anger me. I often allowed my anger to take control of my actions. I did not really like myself, honestly speaking.
My childhood has been riddled with events that I now cannot remember, do not wish to remember or try not to remember but is still coming back to me.
The process of life is one that has its many ups and downs. It is how you want to look at it and then move on.
---till later---