Breaking my heart!

Last posting, was so happy to see changes in student and this posting, breaks my heart.

Today, 2 things happen. Shall not and not elaborate too much. There was this student that a few of us were trying to help, explaining to her why we were doing such a thing (even though it was not right). But surprisingly, instead of being appreciative of we bending our backs to help her, she turn round as says that she does not need our pity. Hello, for sure, I am not pitying her, I was just trying to help her as I saw the fact that she was trying and doing her part! Tried explaining to her that what we are doing is trying to ensure that her life will not be shattered if she cannot continue in her studies as she had only a "N" level and this is not sufficient for her to survive in a country like singapore where it seems that you need a paper, not just a paper, but a good paper to survive! Somehow, I could see how strong her ego was. Even when we tell her the case had been and she is free to go, she refused to bulge from her seat, maintaining that she does not need our "pity" and we can sack her if we want to! Arggggg!!!! I felt sorry for her (not pity her), that after all that was done, she still cannot see that we are here to help students and do all we can to ensure that they will get a NITEC cert! Anyway, finally she left still crying and not accepting this fact.

Then later in the afternoon, the 2nd case happen. Again cannot elaborate and it might harm the students. 3 students foolishly did some stupid thing. I hope I had not handled it wrongly as I seek not to report it to higher authority or the police. Angrily, I get them to undo what they had done by the afternoon and if not I told them that I will call the police. Thankfully, though they had already left the Institute, they cam back and undo that which they had done. I sincerely hope that they have learnt their mistakes and will not do it again.

Don't really understand students why they have to do such thing. As I had always says, ITE is the last chance and only chance for them to pursue higher education if they want to progress, but it seems that my words are falling on deaf ears. Hello, will all my reader be awaken, especially my students? Take this place as a stepping stone for higher ground!!!

Mr Chu

What Makes Me Glad

Today was having a chat with 2 of my students in one of the computer lab. A pleasant surprise for me. These two were one of those that had some problem between themselves and I remember how one of them says that the misunderstanding was too hard to be forgotten. But it pleases me to see that both were in talking terms and were as before, laughing and being friends with one another.

This is what I look for in my students. It was my desire to see them developing a character that is forgiving. Thankfully they had a forgiving heart, not holding grudges against one another. Can you imagine them carrying and holding grudges against one another? It will make life miserable for others and even for themselves. They have to see one another everyday and can you imagine what their days will be like? Every time they see one another, it will spoil their days. But thankfully they had each a forgiving heart, willing to forgive and forget what misunderstanding they have for each other. Though they may not be perfect at least, they are cultivating a good character and attitude. To both of them, I applaud your forgiving heart!!! Keep it up!

But unfortunately, this class has only about half a year more to go with me and there are still some whom I sincerely wished will changed. Their changing is what makes me happy. Their change in life will not give me a promotion, will not ensure I get a pay increase, will not get me a pat of the shoulder by the principal etc, but it had gladden my heart. This is what makes me a teacher! It is the change that I could make, whether small or great that gives me great satisfaction as a teacher. Hopefully, I could see more changes in the lives of everyone before they graduate from the school.

SAD! SAD! SAD!

This week had been a dazed for me. Was very shattered by a comment from one of my student (though that student may have apologized) but I am still trying to recover from that comment. It was a small comment but that comment had such deep piercing effect on my heart that I am still having trouble getting over it.

I had never ever realized that things which I tried to do for my students could be so badly interpreted. Never had I any intention of claiming credits or gaining glory for the work of my students and surprising, some of them think so. All I had ever wanted was that my students could find ways and means to progress in their studies and their studies in ITE will not be sufficient for them to survive in this harsh world, especially in Singapore, where they need a good certificate to achieve a better lifestyle. All the opportunities and all the competitions that I had encourage my students to participate were meant for their good so that it will better portray their position when they seek to progress on in their studies.

SAD! SAD! SAD! It caused me to wonder what was that that I do to make them think otherwise, thinking that I want their credit. I am already on my last lap of teaching life (retiring in less than 10 years) and I am not seeking for promotion, nor am I seeking to use my students to score points for myself. If ever I am doing it, then I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE A TEACHER!!! I do hope that if ever any of you grow up to be a teacher, you must always bear this in mind, students are there for you to mold, to shape, to challenge, never to be used as a tool for your advancement in your career!

With this, I would like to end this blog.

Mr Chu

Inane Insecurity

The serenity of having the fountain of peace flow from within has definitely taken me by surprise.

Being human, I would be agitated at being misunderstood, probably would like to wrestle the problems and try to pin and nab down everyone. But like I said, WERID as it does sound. Its funny how some people would like to waste their time and life fighting or judging other people and trying to sum up the lives of others, probably even going to an extent of sketching out a whole lifestyle of another with their own imagination or supposed hear say. These people certainly put the writers of "Days of our Lives" to shame and I feel sorry that these people are not investing good quality time trying to build friendships and relationships with people they love and treasure instead of withering away, trying to slain, slander and burn...

Oh well, the truth will see the light of day. All in due time and I pray that there will be a veil of protection over our tongues and our hearts. That we should guard it and not fight back or judge other people in our own lives. I know many of you have problems with your friendships at school or people that disappoint you. Life certainly isn't easy!!!! But we can choose how we want to deal with things. Our focus, our perspectives and what controls our lives. If we govern our lives trying to fend off the world and trying so hard to please everyone and make a good impression, we'd be burnt out! That inner circle of friends and family, that circle of trust, integrity, love and peace is so important and integral in our lives.

A saying goes, “Those who matter don't care and those who care don't matter.”I pray you'd find the strength, within your family and close knit friends to lead the "Let Go" life. That you'd let go of things beyond your control. But to control your own mind and your own judgment of people, your own ways and to open up that door of understanding to love and to be greatly blessed coz you are special and no one can ever take that away from you ; )

Posted by: "Grand daughter"

What Are Young People Upto Nowadays (III)

Never had the intention to do so many parts. This is the 3rd part of my blog title. Will it never end? I hope that this will be the last time I will write my blog based on the above title.

It worries me and it also frightened me to see where our students are heading. Let’s not kid ourselves. ITE students are no angels. Though there may be some who are really “angels” but sad to says, most are not. The students are too easily agitated, always ready for a fight, trying to be a hero in front of their friends, seldom think before they act.

I had been teaching for years, but it seems that our students are getting worst. I had been penning in this blog, hoping that it will challenge or at least makes an impact on my students, thereafter; I could at least see some changes in them. But it does not seem to be happening. Had I failed in my duty as a teacher, to shape life for the better? Had I not been an influence to my students?

Maybe it’s time for me to send some of the students to see our counselors so that they can learn to handle anger in the proper manner. To all my students who are reading this blog, learn to be more self restrained. It may seem that you are like a hero in front of your friends, but let me tell you, if this continue, if will slowly become a part of our and when you grow older, it may be too late for you to changes and you may one day end up lying on the streets, with blood flowing all over from out of you. No kidding!!! It could happen if you do not start changing now.

I seem to have come to a point where I am slowly losing faith in myself as a teacher. Maybe, my calling as a teacher seem to be coming to an end, as I feel that I had not been effective enough to be an impact to my students.

Well, I will end here and hopefully my next entry would no longer need to be a continuation of this blog title, no more part IV!!!

What Sort Of Human Being Are We?

I write with a sad heart. It breaks my heart to hear of a girl, only 2 years old, and how her life was “cut” short. It’s amazing what human being can do. For those in the unknown, yesterday Sunday Times headline as “Found dead, 2yrs old Nol, Step father arrested…”

A few issues that I would like to share with my young reader. First, if you had read the newspaper, it reported of this 2 year old girl gone missing for the last 3 days and how all the family members spend almost overnight searching for her and the search group include even this step father. Then on Sunday, splashing across the front page was the abovementioned headline. I cannot imagine what human being will do to such an innocent 2 year old girl. How cruel can human being be. I pray that none of you, my young reader, will ever do such a thing. We are talking about a human life, not a toy!!! Life is very precious and should be valued above all, so we must never cause our life to “expire” prematurely either by harming others or by doing harm to ourselves.

Secondly, if you had read the whole report, you will note that nothing bad was mentioned about this step father. It was reported that he loves the child very much and that he had no problem with the family. Sadly to says, this is what I call, a wolf in sheep’s skin. Outwardly such a nice person, but inwardly a pervert, a killer, an insane person etc. Unfortunately, how true is this, in all of us, even myself! Very often, outwardly we look perfectly well, perfectly a nice person, but often, we are otherwise. This is why we need to build a character with true moral values. We may not attain such perfection, but if we have started developing since young, it will definitely be embedded in us. This is the reason, why I had started this blog, hoping that I could at least share with all of you some values that could mold you to be a good person. Hopefully, it had done so (do drop me a comment, if this blog had been beneficial to you.) I am not perfect, but I strived to be a good person, at least not doing any harm to my fellow human being. At times, I may be a hypocrite, doing things that I ought not to do or saying things that I should not, but I had always try to be remorseful whenever it happen. Being remorse is one of the best ways that we can cultivate a good character, as this will help us in taking the 1st step in acknowledging our wrong doing.

With this, I would like to conclude and hopefully, all my young readers will be moved so that they will think twice before doing any harm to others!

What are Young People Up To Nowadys (Part II)?

Never had the intention of continuing from where I stop in my last blog. But can’t help, feel the great need to write a 2nd part.

Been teaching for over 20 years and had never ever experience a situation where a student threaten to beat up a teacher. It happened yesterday (I was only told, was not actually there when it happen). The incident is as follows. Look like one of the student from another dept was interested in one of our girls. So he came over, peeping into the class. So one the girl’s classmate was trying to “shoo” them away by putting a note stating that this girl is not interested in any of them. This anger that particular student and he called his friends over, wanting to whack the student who puts up the note. When my colleagues saw the incident, they went over trying to ease that tense moment. Anyway, the story goes that, at that moment one of the student started to threaten one of the staff. So to keep the story short, my colleagues managed to take the names of most of the student involved and told them that should anything happen, their names will be submitted to the police. So that’s the end of the story.

My question is, how can a 17 or 18 year old kid point a finger at the staff and threaten a teacher? In my days, it will be immediate dismissal. But sad to say, due to some unspoken “guide”, such action cannot be taken. How I wished that it was otherwise. If these youngsters will not know what is right from wrong now, I cannot imagine what will happen when they grow up. Will they simply flash out a knife and stab someone whenever they are not happy? Or will they pick a chair and smashed it in the other person head (as is always shown on TV), irregardless of whether it will kill that person?

I sincerely pray that I will never ever read in the newspaper one day, that the police are looking for a killer and that killer is one of my students. To all my young readers, you may never grow up to be as successfully as Sim Kwong Hoo (CEO of Creative Tech), but at least I hope that all of you will grow up to be responsible citizens, someone with a heart for the underprivileged, someone who cares and show concern for their fellow human being.

That’s all I have to write. Happy reading

Mr Chu