week 4

Time really flies when we are busy eh, it's been an eventful week. My boys started their games, got off to a grinding start, losses against the strongest 2 teams in my group, New Town and Raffles. after the game it got me thinking, how can I replicate the glorious past that my earlier teams had?

I have come to the conclusion that what has changed is me. My level of involvement is no longer as high as it was when I first joined the school. When I was first posted into this school, I spent my entire tuesday and thursday afternoons training with my boys. Running with them, doing the same drills, correcting their mistakes, it was super tiring, but I was happy. Now, I can barely find time to stand with them (in my rediculous teaching uniform) and providing some guidance.

I want to be able to run with my boys again, I want to be free to train with them, if this cannot be then we will never be able to return to the glory days of before. In the past 5 years, I've gotten my team to a National Top 8 position, produced the youngest ever Singapore Men's Basketball Team player (Wong Weilong) and another (Koh Yong Ann). Will it end here? I dont want it to end here, everyone says that they want the team to do well, but where's the tangible help? Where's my buddy who can really help me train the boys? Where is the time set aside for me to be training with the boys and not for me to be engaged in some training of another? I need time? Anyone care to sell me some?

next 2 games are very likely the last games that my captain (Jiewei) and vice Captain (Brian) will ever play for the school at the school level, why must it be so? sigh, hope the next week will be a better week, it's been too gloomy already...the rain seems to be perpetually falling, dampening the spirits and knawing away at our souls... ... until next week.

week3 2K7

Week 3 is over, time really flies when we are occupied rite? I completed class tests for the Sec 5NA Pure Geography already. Also had tests for the 4NA Elective Geography students.

It’s been a tiring 5 days, started training the ‘C’ Division already, to free my coach up to do specific training for the ‘B’ Division. It’s tiring but I will continue to do it as it is on the court and in the classroom where I belong. My passion to teach has led me to this career but like all jobs, there are parts of it that we would rather not exist but nonetheless still are around.

Hope lady luck will be kind to my boys in their games next week (Tues & Thurs). Sigh…

week 2 2k7

Week 2 has been a blast, collecting the holiday homework, getting to know my new students, whew!

I realized something about express students, maybe I’ve not taught them for too long, I am so used to having to pressurize students to submit homework. This phenomenon is apparently not required anymore when dealing with express classes! Hope I can tailor my lessons to further empower them with the skills to start on their journey to learn more while I teach less. . .

Meetings have begun, just waiting for training to start too, my basketball team has gone for their draw, will be playing New Town and Raffles, ACS (Bkr) and Beatty. Hope we can somehow squirm our way into the 2nd round, my boys seem to always get the short end of the stick when it comes to such draws, maybe I should stop attending them, send my ever-changing 2ics for it instead.

week 1 2k7

It’s been an hectic week, my Pure Geography afternoon class group is proving to be an interesting experience. They seem pretty intellectual, just wondering to myself if I will be able to complete their syllabus within 10 solid months of intensive lessons. If I can accomplish that, I’ll have the entire Sec 4 year to do past year papers! Very tempting thought, since they are such a small group.

My form class (5A1) has been allocated the Air-conditioned container room, it’s quite nice, rustic view outside the window, when the class is engaged in work, I can even hear the crickets outside the room. One of my student even remarked that we dig a pond outside the room. Hope that it will get better from now onwards.