Whose Fault?

Student can be a motivational factor or could also be a demoralizing factor. I still remember how surprise I was when I saw some students coming back during the holiday to attend extra lesson conducted by one of my colleague. It was not a compulsory lesson and it was meant to be an enriching lesson and yet, I saw a group turning up. It encourages me as I could see their desire to learn.

But on the direct opposite direction, I see students coming to school and not doing anything. Only last week, when I went to a class, not my lesson, and hidden behind was one students so bored that he does not know what to do. Whose fault? The teacher or the student? (I am sure my daughter will say “teacher’s fault!!!”) Neh, neh, not necessary the teacher’s fault. I could see that the teacher was teaching and was busy with one group of students. It was this student who wasn’t interested to do what was instructed, so whose fault? I believe that the teacher was teaching something useful as the rest of the students were doing what was instructed. But this particular student only compliant if being bored, not knowing what to do, claiming that he had nothing to do etc?

Hello, if you do not follow what is being instructed by your lecturer, then do blame the school or the teacher. What do you want the teacher to do? You want the teacher to teach you all how to play counter strike, warcraft? You want to teacher to allow you to go msn the whole day? Then this is what you call interesting? Helloooooooo, get a life lah! As student, you may want to do all these, but once you enter into the workforce, then you will understand the good intention of your teacher who tried to stop you from playing computer games the whole day, or to laze around in the class the whole day.

I may sound harsh in this blog. But for the sake of my young reader, mostly my students, what is being done had always been with the good intent for our students. Teachers ARE NOT SADIST, enjoying seeing what our students are being punished for. Sometime, I wished that I do not need to lecture our student, but unfortunately I had to do so. So I hope that from this blog, my young reader will learn to

Show A Little Care For Your Elder

Today, I witness a very touching scene. Late in the afternoon, I was in the car waiting to pick up my father-in-law from the elderly home where he went 3 times a week. There was a young adult, probably about 40 years old, and on one hand was holding to an very aged old man and with the other hand holding on to a very old lady. The elderly couple had difficulties in walking and I could see that he really have a heart for them as he was walking so slowly to accommodate these elderly couple. At first, I was thinking, “What a filial son, putting his heart for his elderly parent” Then later I realize that he was just the driver for the aged home. This makes it more touching. Even though he is not related to them, yet he is willing to treat them just like his own.

As I reflect on our youth, it saddens me a lot. At the age of 40 plus, this young man, probably had undergone the age where life is a struggle. As I had shared in my previous blog, I too had experience many struggle in my life. Had any of you ever lived in a one room flat, hey, it is a one room flat, i.e. to says, only one room, the hall and the bedroom are the same one, with 10 people squeezing in it. I remember that at times, I had pig’s ear, just as food for my porridge. Hello, pig’s ear, any of you eaten that before, actually it is yummy!!! Hahaha.

Back to what sadden me. I really dreaded to think how our present youth will, treat their elders. Singapore will have an aged pollution in just probably 10 to 15 years time. I hope I am wrong, but I had a bad feelings that I will soon see many elderly home mushrooming. As I mingled with my students, I seldom seem to detect their concerned for their parents, more often; I hear of them complaining, wanting their own life and have their parent out of their lives. So my young reader, if you are reading this blog, do learn to show a little more care for your parent who had slogged for years to provide for your comfort!!!

Change Before It Is Too Late!!!

34 years old, still asking for money from parent and refusing to work where he is fit? Worst still, imagine if the father was on a wheelchair with both legs amputated? What is going on in this man’s mind?

This is the true story report on today new paper. It report about this young, fir and able bodied man, lazing around daily and not working for the past 3 years and asking his parent for money. Even when the parent are no longer working and living from the meager sump of money. The father had both legs amputated and still it does not move this lazy bun to look for a job. The new paper reported that when the reporter asks this young man for the reason, he just shrugged and walks away. Do you know what does this reminds me of? It reminds me of some of our students. This was exactly how they reacts when we, the lecturer tries to counsel them.

It just happens to me this morning! Here I was telling the students about the evil of being too engrossed in computer game and how it could lead to mental illness as reported in the newspaper. And a little later, I saw one of them, always playing computer game, and went over to have a talk with him, trying to emphasize the importance of not being too engrossed in computer game. He simply seems to, as the saying goes, words going in from one ear and immediately going out from the other ear!!! They may realize that they could be shaping their character to be just like this lazy bun reported in the newspaper. Sooner or later, they will be like him, shrugging off advices from people and falling into a state of “tidak apa” attitude that could soon destroy their whole life!!! You know what tidak apa mean? It means, dun care attitude!!!

I believe that this young man reported in the newspaper, he was not born like that. As reported, it started 3 years ago. So likewise, to all my young reader, you do not change overnight! What you are today, the “tidak apa” attitude, if being persistently done everyday, will be part of you and then it may be too late to change!!! So, please change now when there are people around you, advising you, counseling you, before it is too late!!

Appreciate What You Have!!!

A plate of chicken rice is a luxury? I believe none of my reader will ever think that a plate of chicken rice is a luxury. Bur unfortunately this was true in article that was reported in the new paper.

I winder how many have read that article of a man committing suicide leaving behind his wife and 2 kids, one 13 or the 15 years old. Before he took his own life, he gave one of his sons $10 and ask him to buy chicken rice for the family, which is very rare. Normally, all they have were just simple plain porridge or if better a little vegetables. Birthday celebration? It was non existence for this family.

As I read this article, it pulls my heart string. Why? Probably many of my young reader had never known what is poverty? I had grown up in poverty and life was hard for me. I can vividly remember an incident to show how bad it was.

Once I went to our national library (now already demolished) with some of my classmates. I was so poor that when my classmate went to buy a cup of drinks (costing 5 cents, in those days, 5 cents can buy you a drink, take a bus home) and I was too shameful to tell them that I had no money and just claimed that I was not thirsty. So all of them had a nice drink in that hot weather except me. After borrowing the books, it was time to go home. But unfortunately, I had no money for the bus fare, so how. Can you imagine what I did? Too shameful to ask for money ( 5 cents also don’t have, they will probably ask, “how can?), so I walked behind them slowly and as they move further ahead of me, I simply vanish into the crowd and hide myself somewhere until all of them went up the bus, probably wondering where I was. After they had taken the bus, I remember that I walked all the way home. Can you imagine walking all the way from the former national library (near to the present city hall mrt to Whampoa, that was where I was living in the past). Those days the road was not as well paved as now, potholes all over, muddy road etc. It took me almost an hour before I reached home and I was dead tired!!

This was life for me in my young days. And let me tell you that there are still some very poor people in Singapore. I had gone for house visit in Bukit Merah one room flat. You can never how some of the flats were. One of the houses was full of rubbish piling up; the poor old lady was hoping to see what could be salvage for her use, she just simply collect whatever she can.

Why am I writing this blog? Hopefully all my young reader who had never experience poverty will spare a thought for those who had little. Sometimes it is sad to hear of youngster wanting only branded things. It is time for my young reader to learn to appreciate life as you have. Appreciate what you are having now as I believe that none of you are in the situation of the family reported. Their mattress, so thin, with the foam exposing, new clothes, only when there is bonus for their parent’s salary. Time to appreciate your parents, time to appreciate what you have, your clothing, your weekly allowances, simple things in life that most of you have taken for granted!!!

Such A Distrubing Sight

Last Saturday, I witness a very disturbing sight. It may probably meant nothing to most of you, but it had such an impact on me that till today, I can still visualize it so clearly in my mind. So what was that, that was so disturbing to me.

Here it goes. I was at Kallang MRT station waiting to pick my youngest daughter home from her visit to some of the JC Open House. As I was standing by the road path, there cam a young mother coming out of the station. She was a young mother, probably about 20 or 21 year old. With her were 3 very young children. One was probably about a year old and she was carrying him on her arm. The second one was about 2 to 3 years old and the oldest was not more than 5, most likely 4 years old. There she was struggling with one on her arm, the second one was crying to be carried. She must be very tired from all the walking. I could see that every step the mother takes, the second daughter had to take 3 steps to match her mother one step, it must be so tiring for this kid. The frustrated mother was scolding her all the time. The elder one was trying to hold the second kid’s hand, trying to play the role of a big sister. So what was it that was so disturbing?

One, the mother was so young and already with 3 kids. They were walking towards those 2 room flats, probably living in a rented flat. So young and with so little means for survivor. At least if she had more money, she could probably catch a cab and they will not be so frustrated. My heart goes out for the young kid, at such a small age, they already had to struggle in their daily living. Can you imagine what their future will be?

I believe that if she had a higher education, she may have work for a period before settling down and then life would not be so tough for her and most of all, for her kids. That’s why I had been trying to extol all my young reader to put a little more effort in their studies. Even after I wrote the previous article about playing computer games, I still see many were playing this morning. It seems that my blog had fallen on deaf ears. If only my readers will awake from their “foolish behaviour”. I could see that many were having the thoughts that since they are earning a “living” now, so what’s the big deal. I am working in NTUC as a delivery man, as a waitress in a restaurant, as a temporary salesman in a shopping center, etc, so what is there to worry about? Please lah!!! Try imagining that this young lady was your wife, the 3 children were your kids, can you bear to see them in such a struggling circumstances? Let me tell you, that this is the HARSH REALITY in life. What you are “enjoying” now (the money that you are earning) will be suffice for a better future!!! Do “pick up” before it is too late!!!

I do hope that I will never see such a sight about my students. I sincerely hope that all of you will be able to make a decent living to support your future family and such scene will not materialize in any of your life.

Appreciate Your Teacher And Live A Moral Life

2 days ago, one of the students called me up and says that some of them were in school waiting for a teacher to open the lab for them, and as no teacher were around, he called me and ask me to go to school to open the lab for them. Hellooooooo!!! Your teacher is also a human being. They need a break too. Even when it is a holiday period, many of them were in school, preparing for the next term or getting the lab ready for the students when the new term starts. Please show a little more appreciation for your teacher, don’t expect them to be on 24 hours stand by for you. We may try to be as available as possible, and if need be, we can attend to you even in the late of the night, but do give us a break and don’t expect us to be at your call whenever you want even if it is of no urgency!!!

Do you know that we teachers had even visited students in the night, trying to get them and encourage them to report for class and not to attrite so that they can have a better future? I know of many teachers who had spent a fortune in their handphone bill, just to call up students. So you see, please do give your teacher a break, especially during the holidays and you can be sure that they are not having a “full blown” holiday like all of you. As I say, out of the three week of holidays, they probably enjoy, like one week of it only!!!

Coming back to the graduating students, please do take good care of how you spend your life. In today New Paper, it is saddening to read of how an unwed mother was trying to give up her soon to be born baby for adoption. She had stayed away from her family for the last 5 months, trying not to break her parent hearts, so that they will not know of her pregnancy. But in the 1st place, why had she gotten into such situation, If only she had learnt to live a more wholesome life, then thus this will not happen. No I am not condemning her, in fact, I appreciate her value of a life. She decides not to go for an abortion as she does not want to take away a life. This, I salute her and it is a correct thing to do, as every unborn child, is a LIVING PERSON!!! If she had only learnt to live a life of better moral value, then this issue will not have happen in the first place.

So to all my readers, do understand that the way you live your life, does not only affect you but also your parent, your friends and even your teacher, as we also feel for our students, even after they graduate. I was so happy when I met one of my former students 1 month ago, and he is now running his own company. He was my student 20 years ago and yet I feel so happy to see him so successful. So you see, how you live will also affect us, your teacher.

Do Not Destroy Your Own Life!!!

As I read yesterday New Paper, it sends a chill down my spine. So what was it that I read, gives me such terrifying fear. It was an article about computer gaming. There article wrote of how a boy was so hook to computer gaming that he rarely left his home and had even sat on the ledge of his room’s window, with his legs dangling. It had happen 3 times and it was during his last “stupid” act that someone called the police. Imaging how shock his parents were when the police came knocking on their doors. They didn’t even know what was going on as their son had locked his room door. As the paper reports, they had tried stopping their son from playing and he flew into such rage that he even pull down the whole window grilles!!! Such “possession” by the computer games!

You may ask, why should Mr Chu bother as he doesn’t play computer games? I worry for my students!!! In every class that I went to, I can see that many, though not all, of the students came to school to play games only! As soon as they step into the lab, they will switch on the computer and start playing Lan games with one another. They were oblivion to what was going on, don’t even bother to listen to their lecturer. It will be a matter of time before they end up like this boy!

It is time to put a stop to such action! To all who reads this blog, if you are one of those that does nothing but play computer games day in and day out, then please put a stop to it before you are “possess” by such computer games. Hey, I am not against playing games. I had even told my students that if they lend me their ears and finished their assignment, I would permit them to play computer games. It is to those who come to school and start playing from the beginning of the day to the end of the day, that I am asking them to put a stop to it. You, my students, must know what is the purpose of being in ITE. This is your chance to move ahead and as I had repeatedly says, if you will not harness such an opportunity to move ahead, then you will indeed be FINISHED!!! Do take a deep thought of what I wrote as I sincerely do not hope to read about one of you in the newpaper on how you are so hooked to computer games and it is destroying your life!!

Mr Chu