Phonics Fun YEC Project

23 November 2013 is the date of the first project I headed under West Coast YEC! The project was entitled 'Phonics Fun' and it is about learning phonics through fun activities.

I approached West Coast Student Service Centre to find out about their needs for projects to educate the students at the centre to improve their phonics and literacy skills. Together with the YEC Community Service team, we came up with proposal and presented it to the centre. After gaining approval, we started to prepare for the project.

I was feeling very nervous nearing the date of the project as I was afraid that something might go wrong or the students might not be engaged or interested in the activities. However, with the assistance of other volunteers, we managed to conduct a successful and meaning event for the students. They have enjoyed themselves and brought home with them the phonics phones and small gifts from us.

I have learnt a lot through the event, about planning projects, managing people, liaising with external organizations etc. The process has enriched my experience as a youth leader and I am definitely looking forward to head my second project!

Reflection on the CST course

Please answer the following question based on your experience in the QLK 520 CST Blended Module:

• To what extent do you think you will be able to apply what you have learned in this course to your future teaching career?
• Please answer in terms of the communicative skills you have learned as well as the "blended aspects" – the online and F2F elements of the course.
• Support your answer with examples if possible.

The course QLK520, entitled Communication Skills for Teachers, has provided insights into various aspects of communication, namely Pronunciation, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Classroom Communication and Vocal Health. Personally, I feel that I would be able to apply the content learnt in Oral Communication and Vocal Health to my future career as a Chinese Language teacher.

Firstly, the module on Written Communication reminded me that having effective oral communication with another person does not really require accurate pronunciation or perfect grammar, instead, our choice of words, tone and body language are more crucial in conveying ourselves in an appropriate manner. The practices on making presentations and announcements (http://lonline.nie.edu.sg/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_10_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_179703_1%26url%3D) are helpful as it emphasizes on the importance of identifying our audience and thus choosing the most appropriate approach.

Secondly, the module on Vocal Health reminded us the importance of maintaining our vocal health which is something that most teachers might fail to see the importance of it. A teacher without a loud and clear voice would most probably meet with trouble when delivering his/her lessons and managing the classroom. For effective classroom teaching to take place, it is important for us to be equipped with the knowledge of the proper use of our vocal cords and how to take care of it. Personally, I like the techniques taught in the module (http://lonline.nie.edu.sg/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_10_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_179703_1%26url%3D) which really helped me to correct the way to project my voice with good posture.
Lastly, the most important message that has been conveyed to me since the beginning of the course was that all teachers have the responsibility to promote and encourage the use of Standard Singapore English in schools. It is important for teachers to set good examples for students to model after and provide students with an ideal environment to improve their spoken and written English.

In conclusion, the whole module has been helpful to me to a certain extent, and I would be reminded to pracitse what I have learnt in the course in my future endeavours.

Project Cinta at Jamiyah Home

I have spent a beautiful Deepavali at Jamiyah Nursing Home last saturday with West Coast YEC and a bunch of lovely volunteers from NTU and NUS medicine.

We had breakfast at the nearby market and head over to the home. The volunteers wheeled the elderly for a walk while the three of us stayed to set up the place for our activities. Due to the shortage of manpower, the each elderly could only go downstairs for a walk once or twice, thus our volunteers were glad that more elderly could enjoy the walk that day.

A series of acitivities followed. We had a professional hairdresser who cancelled all her appointments that day to come down to the home to volunteer her service. The elderly were happy to receive haircuts, and take photos with interesting props and the photos were developed instantly by a photographer who we engaged for the event. Another team of volunteers went around to interact with the elderly and provide them coloring papers and crayons, some of the elderly really enjoyed coloring and didn't want to stop while many others just want to rest. There was another team of volunteers who went around the wards to put up windmill decorations for the elderly and stick their photos at their beds.

What touched me was that although some of the elderly were really ill, they remained cheerful and were really friendly towards us. They were strong and kept their spirits up! And this, is what I should remember whenever I feel defeated, that keeping my spirits up would give me the hope to move on.

Coming to the End

After more than three months of struggles/torment/fun, we have finally come to an end of our first term in NIE! Besides the nouns mentioned above, I would just like to sum up by saying that I did learn a lot in these three months.

Before entering NIE, I knew that teaching is tough, but I never knew that it is THIS tough. In fact, the degree of difficulty follows a positive relationship with how good a teacher one wants to be. It is the expectation that I have for myself as a teacher that is propelling me forward while adding on to the burden on my shoulders. However, I believe that I need the drive and motivation to keep moving on, which means that it is important that I constantly set high expectations of myself (this is something which I am still working on).

Anyway, one of my favorite classes in NIE is QED526 Teaching and Managing Learners at JC/Secondary school Level. It is also one of the classes I have learnt the most from. It teaches practical strategies we as teachers could adopt when managing our classroom and it is really fortunate that our tutor for the class is a great mentor! I would really miss attending his class and would definitely put what we have learnt into good use.

A Great Book

I have just completed a wonderful book entitle "Tiny Beautiful Things" by Cheryl Strayed. This book is a compilation of letters from distressed individuals and replies from the columnist, Sugar.

I love the book as Sugar provides honest amd genuine replies to her readers. Sugar's replies were intriguing as she does not only responds to the problems asked by also shares her own life with the readers. 

This book made me think hard about life and reflect upon my own. My perspectives have again been widened and I guess, this is really what good books do.

The above extract shows one of my most favorite parts of the book.

Lighting up Lanterns

As part of West Coast Community Centre Youth Executive Committee, I went to help out at a Mid-Autumn event. Our job was simple - helping the residents to light up their lanterns. Simple as it may sound, I have really enjoyed the experience!

I love the lighting up process and of course, the lit lantern.  The process could be fast, if the wind cooperates and remains obedient so that I could stabilise the candle in place and light it up. But the wind was not always so cooperative and the lighter did not always follow commands too. What I loved about the process was the sense of anticipation of the children waiting for their lanterns to be ready. They have so muc hope in their eyes which instantly grew wide and brightened up when the lanterns were ready!

Actually this reminds me of my career. Isn't the person lighting up the lantern the teacher, and the lanterns as students? The process of lighting up is not always smooth sailing and there are obstacles to be overcome along the way. The children waiting for their lanterns are like the parents who pin their hopes on their children, hoping them to shine and succeed in life.

Therefore I say, lighting up the lanterns could be fun, meaningful and satisfying! :)

Teachers' Day Present

Today, towards the end of QED526 class, our teacher asked if we celebrated teachers' day last Sunday. Many of us replied 'no' and he held up a yellow bag and said, 'it's okay, here's a teachers' day present for all of you.'

All of us were so shocked! It should have been the other way round! Sadly, it didn't cross my mind that I should prepare something for my teachers and this sets me thinking...

I remember when I was young, I was always looking forward to special days like children's day, teachers' day, youth day etc. But I realised, as I grow older, these days to me are just like any other. This is really quite a depressing phenomenon that as we grow, we forgot about the simple yet significant things that we once held close to heart. I am thankful, for being reminded of this fact, for being reminded that it is always heart-warming to feel appreciated and remembered.

Back to Alma Mater

I was really glad and excited to be back to my secondary school, all thanks to an assignment for the QED526 class which requires us to observe a lesson.

 

 

I had not been back for quite some time and I am really grateful to the teachers who were so willing and ready to help! They were really an inspiration to me and I was truly touched by their selflessness. It was a busy period for all teachers as they were all preparing for the year-end examinations but yet they took time off to help us with our assignment.

 

A trip back to alma mater had really brought the sense of nostalgia to me, for everything still seems so familiar and I felt like I went back in time, to my secondary school days. I saw the wall which I painted when I was in secondary two, and was amazed that it still stood tall and proud.

 

So, I went to the "Problem-Based Learning" classroom for my lesson observation.

 

 

Jurong Secondary school provides the students with the necessary ICT to learn in an innovative and fun way! I was amazed by how well equipped the school has become, and how fortunate the students must be.

 

It was a great trip and it made me want to return to the school as a teacher, for the school holds many beautiful memories of mine...

 

 

 



What is learning without reading?

http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/08/28/10-inspiring-bookshops-around-the-world/

I have been a bookworm since I was nine, and I have really enjoyed reading, for it brings me out of my world and enter into a world which is constructed both through the author's and my imagination!  I guess this is really how readers and authors connect with other, which is why no two people who read the same book could share identical sentiments for the stories are often created through our own perspectives and connections with the author.

Reading empowers my life as I learned about things which I could never experience,  therefore I really hope that I could spend more time on reading and influence my future students to fall in love with books to explore a world of their own.

The above link is a small compilation of beautiful bookstores around the world by a blgger. I would really love to visit each and every one of them when I can! And this inspires me to first explore Singapore's unique bookstores and hopefully I can share it with everyone else too!

One month into NIE

So I've come to my forth week in NIE, and I must say that PGDE is really an ultimate crash course. Besides having a crazy timetable, the workload of each module is really overwhelming,  with weekly tutorials to prepare, tests and dxams, individual papers etc. But ironically, I must say that I have been enjoying myself.

The education pedagogical classes are really essential and important to equip us with the knowledge we once thought we knew. It is only after attending these classes that makes me realise what I have known was only the superficial. I especially like the ICT classes which we are being exposed to many ICT tools which would be a great help to our teaching in the future. I believe that these classes would enrich us with a better ability to teach!

So I shall really make full use of my nine months in NIE, to prepare myself better for future endeavors!

Oh, and I really love the greenery in NTU! :)

Enhanced School Experience (ESE)

I had a great ESE at Commonwealth Secondary School! I was there four years ago right after my A levels, as a teaching intern and then as a relief teacher. I taught there for about five months and made really new friends. It was also where I decided that I want to continue to be a teacher as I realised I really love interacting with students and to be able to share my knowledge with them is a very meaningful thing to me.

When I realised that I was posted back to Commonwealth Secondary School, I was thrilled! It was great to be back after four years to see familiar faces!

I was allocated three classes to teach, Sec 1 NT, Sec 2 Higher Chinese and Sec 3 Chinese Literature. I have learnt a lot from the teaching experiences and made me realise I am still inadequate as a teacher. But I was not discouraged, as my mentors kept encouraging me and reassuring me that I would become a great teacher.

I had a difficult time managing the Sec 1 NT class as more than half of the class did not show interest in learning and disrupted every lesson. I could not deliver what I have prepared for them and spent a lot of time making sure they listen and not play with their classmates.

And from teaching the Sec 3 Chinese Literature class, I realised that I really love teaching literature as it is a joy to share my understanding of the texts and hear from the students' perspectives about different issues. However, it is a challenge preparing for the lessons as there isn't any proper guide to what and how I should be teaching and so I had to spend a long time preparing materials and revising my lessons. I was really fortunate to have Mr. Liang Lu to share his experiences with me and he kept giving me feedback and suggestions to improve.

I hope to be able to spend my time in NIE learning pedagogies which would equip me with the skills to better manage my class and the content knowledge for me to share more of what I know with students who too, have a passion for learning.

Teachers' Compass Ceremony

Teachers' Compass Ceremony was held on 1st August 2013. It is a significant event, especially for us, student teachers because it is where we reaffirm our obligations as a teacher and being recognised as a to-be teacher.

In my opinion, the most important moment of the ceremony was when the Master teachers who have just attained the achievement led us in the recitation of the Teachers' Pledge. I was sitting pretty far from the stage so I couldn't really see what was happening (fine, it was also due to my height), thus, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard a familiar voice leading the pledge, I know the person, she was my Secondary School's teacher!

After the pledge, my friend (who was from the same Secondary School as me) told me that our Secondary School's Chemistry teacher was also on stage! She has also become a Master teacher! We eagerly went to look for them after the ceremony.

Both me and my friend were amazed at how after all these years, the two Master teachers still remember us, and one of them could even call us by name and remember the year we graduated from! They gave us a lot of encouragements and advice and told us that they are really happy to see us joining them in teaching. I was truly inspired by how the fire in them still continues to burn brightly after so many years of teaching and never seems to flicker. Their passion and commitment touched us deeply and reminded us to be aware of our roles as teachers.

Honestly, my greatest takeaway from the ceremony was meeting my Secondary school teachers again, for they are truly inspiring and are ideal role models for me. I want to be like them, who put students as their top priority, who love teaching, who always strive to make a difference.