Making Teachers Great Pt2

Previously as a part series of How To Make Teachers Great (Link)
Check out the series here! (Link)

The TED Talk video mentioned 2 things that grabbed my attention. First, how the World viewed or prioritise issues. For example, in the video, more research is put into balding in the US then Malaria vaccines. This shouldn't be a surprising result of the shift of focus. Malaria is controlled in US and it doesn't seem natural for the government to continue research when something is already 'solved'.

But the harsh fact that they, and we, ignore is that Malaria is still not cured. Poorer countries are still having Malaria infections in a large scale basis. They do not have the freedom to research and find a cure because they are not rich. Resources are not as freely accessed as opposed to richer, well to do neighbours. So that is why the rich has a 'control' on what gets solved.

One side note that I just thought is how time plays a part in problem solving. Things evolve and fall a part: Diseases morph to become resistant to vaccines, carriers change behaviour, vaccines get outdated. When a problem is tackled swiftly and efficiently, there is a tipping point where the problem just shrinks and becomes another controlled variable. Effectively, it becomes solved. Another issue that couples the rich and poor dilemma is with only limited to no access to resources, poorer countries take a longer time to solve problems.

The second item that really got me thinking is how Bill Gates related feedback as a way to become great. I resonate with him that only when we know that we are doing the wrong things that we enable the opportunity for us to learn mistakes and correct ourselves. We ENABLE it. Whether we choose to learn or correct is another issue on decision making.

And let's look at how our body function. When our body senses pain, it sends signals to our brain and we direct our attention to the pain. Naturally, we will move our body away from the source of pain to cease the act of pain. Feedback is evident here. When the signals are being sent, our body feedbacks to us and we act accordingly.

SO! What is the state of teaching that we have in Singapore? I suggest we stop referring this as another industry. It is not some other business avenue. In fact, if we do look at it that way, it shares the same concept with prostitution. We are paying people to service another human. Teaching nowadays seems heavily capitalised. People look it as a career, with the salary in mind.

Thankfully, when you have passionate people, 9 out of 10 times, they are really, really good. Why? Experience. No matter if they took 5, 10, 15 years to be of a standard we define as good, they have solid experience that goes a long way. And from what I've studied so far, you can't replicate experience. It's like cloning a sheep. It's identical, but fake.

What about sustainability? Obviously, you would want to keep them for as long as they can. So we got this money paying system called le salary to quantify the rewards of teaching. Screw that will you? Your rewards are the smiles on the kids' faces. In fact, that is all you need. Do it for free.

Have you forgotten? You really REALLY know what you love and passionate about when you would do that for free.

I would, will. I would come back to Leo Club for free. I would help Singapore Red Cross without a price tag. I would help because it's not about getting karma points or gaining hours for a scholarship application. I just want to help. Don't you?

The Science of Fear (1): Indecisive

"Why are printers so fucking dumb?"

Really. Why? When they are suppose to print one friggin' document and they OUT OF THE BLUE tell me they just run our of ink. Decide numb-fucks. Don't tell me "Low On Ink". It's got ink or no ink. Can't you give me a definite answer? NO INK MEANS NO INK LA. Can't you put a sensor in that dumb cartridge at the bottom that works when that box is empty? Ass backwards printers. DECIDE TO BE USEFUL CAN?

Decisions sucks. Yeah, it forces you to think (I don't know why we can't like to think.) and it makes you wonder about the things you're not suppose to think. Like the what-ifs or the should I or the could I. The most dangerous one is the could I because it hangs you up in the air. You put yourself in an imaginary situation if you could have done that better... done this better... And then you think a lot more if you really did that. Then, you cast yourself in dire doubt that sinks you into near regret. All at the back, you are just brewing useless guilt.

Don't be dumb. Of course YOU could DO that. But you didn't. Don't waste your brain cells please. Come back to reality. The matter of fact, you didn't do your "Could I" moment. 2nd matter of fact, for those believers, is that fate/destiny/karma/ying and yang/whatever that decides your life have you not do that "Could I" moment. But for real, if you did do the "Could I" moment, it meant that you realised the need to do the "Could I" moment. And to realise it means that you either were so cautious in your work or you just know it because the last time round, you didn't do it. And you made it a point to do it this round. For my life, I have never seen anyone that cautious in his/her work. And even if I did, it would be some OCD kid who has been bullied since the start of time. Really. If you're that cautious, society has it that you have no life since your life is to be cautious. I'll put my 10 bucks bet on the "know it because the last time round, you didn't do it".

And then some might argue, "BUT hey! It means that I must *think* or fret over the "Could I" moments so that I would remember." Nope. You don't fret over it. You sit down, you just ask, ask now Why. And you move on from there. The fret-ters are like old aunties that complain under a void deck after a long morning of groceries shopping and kopi-o 'lepak'. They do that every Sunday. But they do nothing to do anything to stop complaining.

Fellas, please be 'decisive'. Decide for once in your life to do something. Save a kitty on a tree or something or help a lady cross the road. Once that is done, STICK TO IT. Don't be a girl that changes bfs like she changes her clothes. That makes you an indecisive slut.

I know you can't decide. Maybe you're scared. Maybe you can't handle the consequences of wrong decision. Maybe... just maybe... you suck. If you're scared, make yourself NOT TO BE scared. If you can't handle it, MAKE YOURSELF handle it. And if it helps, try fuelling yourself with fear. Or, this helps for me, think what if you succeed?

Making Teachers Great Pt1

Previously as a part series of How To Make Teachers Great (Link)

At this point of time, my programming teacher simply lost me already. It only seems ever true that programming is a down to earth discipline of sit-still.

And it seems ever more that they are selling this product instead, jamming us with product specs. I mean, it you are teaching us, you’re teaching. Not selling. Let the salesman do that. What to teach? A good rule of thumb; teach the things that a salesman don’t discuss.

Talk about the rival’s better products, or how your investment in this product is a waste as technology is approaching at a pinnacle standpoint with nanotechnology. Yeah, those kind of stuff.

Okay okay, I’m way to harsh here. Let’s give them a benefit of a doubt. Maybe they want to implement experiential learning. So they take one product and showcase the specs then link to the general theories. It’s no doubt a good direction but COME ON, HALF OF THE CLASS IS SURFING FACEBOOK. And don’t you feel a bit creepy when a class is this silent. Or this class don’t even look at the projector screen? Is it even called experiential learning when you don’t even learn the experience?

Manners aside, I think a responsible student also requires a responsible teacher. And these responsibilities morph and change and fluctuate accordingly. I’m not saying that our teachers today are irresponsible. I think MOE has done a pretty fab job of generating passionate teachers who go extra miles. (And of course those that go way extra in the recent cases of unnecessary assistance from teacher to student… sigh) But seriously, the teachers I have would gladly have extra lessons if I don’t understand. No forgetting the countless hours of bickering of particular topics knowing fully that I was sleeping in his classes. In fact, I think teachers are strong to meet demands of pesky students like me.

But the class don’t make up of only pesky students.
All in all, like many other occupations, our world changes every time and the responsibilities also changes. As the time ages, these responsibilities gets bigger. Not to worry, our teachers are strong. But are they strong for the right areas and reasons?

Seriously, I think in this emerging age, schools and classes are overrated.

How To Make Teachers Great

An excellent speech by Mr Bill Gates, Chairman of MicroSoft. Doesn't mean I'm an Apple Fanboy, I always play down anything with realtions to MicroSoft. I'm not evil you know...

In the video below, he talks about how he sees the many problems of the world and explains how we can consolidate our efforts once more, especially in these trying times, to combat and eventually eradicate these problems. A thing to note, he only talked about 2 since only 20 minutes could give so much. I became really interested in his speech 7 minutes in. Take a look.

Born in 1977, Part 1: Smashing Buttons

Today, let's pray tribute to the all to famous Nintendo Entertainment System. It was the PS3, Xbox or even Wii for that time. Every kid wants it as it became a hot topic. The NES. Countless hours spent finishing Mario. Somehow, the game still doesn't bore me! And what about the moments of furiosity when the cartrige wasn't working. What to do? BLOW IT. Haha. Somehow, it worked!



Who says that we can't play ice hockey in sunny Singapore?!
















MAN! Let the Zambonis clear up the ice!

















GET THE PUCK!!!

















WE WON!!! By a goal. SIGH.

What'ssss Yourrrr Viewwww?! NJRC 2007

I wonder, I really wonder what would happen if the world is perfect? HAIK! Who cares about that! You only have a hundread years to live so make the most out of it!

Yesterday was my competition and it wasnt really as I was expecting. In fact, it turned out really bad. So bad that it was more of a joke than a disgrace! Haha! I guess that's the fun part! But let me tell you something. I was sitting at my team's booth, watching fellow competitors running up and down the narrow aisle with their robots in hand. Man! That's dangerous! If they were to miss their footing and tumble down robot first, the solid looker would be in peces. I MEAN MANY PIECES. It got me wondering, why are they rushing to program their robots at the very last minute??? And also, they called the fields, CALIBRATION FIELDS for one purpose only! And that is to calibrate your robot so it can run smoothly in that environment. So you know what I concluded?

Singapore NJRC teams have a COMPETITIVE NATURE evident from their sole desire to win and fix their robots on-the-spot when it demolishes. However their "pride", has only allowed them to be too confident. (No wonder frs kenna cancelled...)

But hey, at least we have pride that stands out!

MONTHLY TOPIC POST: being short aint that bad

Well hi guys, welcome to my MONTHLY TOPIC POST. i'm not being lame lah. it's just that i like to think of stories. [how odd! i had always disliked thinking...] ANYWAY! the main reason is that i've, in reality, nth to talk abt. BUT i always find a reason or 2 for me to blog....LOL! well then, lets get on w/ it!

well then 2day, let's talk abt SHORTFORMS. basically, we teens hav revolutionised the English Language. We hav created many SHORTFORMS to fit our everyday sms-ing. [jus for the sake of a few characthers]. well in 2day's special post, let's review on the known n not-well-known shortforms!

1. w/ with *i think this was started by me....i mean w/o is without...so w/?*
2. [all words w/ ' like can't] *it'll save us 1 character in our sms....i got only 160 characters... -.-*
3. hav have *c'mon lah...as long as it sounds the same can already*
4. nvr never *same like the 2nd one...save space*
5. nvm nevermind *3 letters v.s. 10 letters....wad's yur decicion?*
6. frm from *i think it looks much more cooler as frm*
7. afk away frm keyboard *a Maple Production*
8. ks kill-stealer *a Counter Strike Production*
9. smo someone *a Zul Production..... lol!!*
10. sth something *frm the dictionary one!*
11. de the *same as point 3*

Well that's all! tag me if you hav anymore!
nitez