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Be good, and if you can't be good, be careful.
Intro
i am who i am
i hate squatting toilets and people who cycle on pedestrian paths
i love my sg gibson bass guitar and playing crisis core
i spend half my life in yuhua secondary school
nothing to say
Monday, May 25, 2009
Today I'm very tired. I have been planning the 4E5N English oral exam. 4E5 was very naughty today in class, all playing afool and not being serious. Sigh. I hate when my lesson is at the end of the day. Today was the first day of intensive MT lessons too... knowing them, their brains were probably fried after like 20 mins? Let alone 3 hours...
I wish we could have intensive EL lessons too, but I know people will play around, talk rubbish, throw things at each other.
I looked at their EL grades (the ones in the report book slips) and I almost cried. So many C5s? So many D7s? E8s? And only 2 A2s, Krystal and Erin... How?
Other subjects can score well. Maths is practice. Science is understanding (or force-feeding yourself information, depending on what kind of person you are and who teaches you). Humans is remembering facts. MT is... you lucky, you pass, not lucky, you fail... English? How to score for English? I'm an English teacher and I really don't know. I tell people to read. READ, for God's sake, READ. They do (well, some of them) but then everyone else is very lazy to read. Then no one wants to speak English either. Halfway Chinese, halfway Singlish, here, there, everywhere. No one wants to write... Write halfway, say very tired, don't want to write anymore.
I think I'm just not a good enough teacher. Maybe I don't plan my lessons properly. What can I do better so that people will learn? So that they will remember what I tell them... the important things, not just what "pervy" and "salacious" mean? What am I doing wrong? I really don't know. I don't want them to suffer just because I am still new to this and am picking up everything as I go along. I'm not smart, and I'm not very efficient, but I love English and I love my students, and I want to teach them what is right.
And then I won't be here for the supplementary lessons... I almost didn't go to Spain because I was worried about them, about them missing EL. But my parents want to go and they don't want to go without me, and I don't know when I will get to go with them again, because you never know when something might suddenly happen so that you never get the chance again. Honestly? I am scared of my parents suddenly dying on me... They are not that old, but they are old-ish... and lately I am closest to my parents cos I am the only one without a significant other/kids to take up most of my time. I don't want to lose chances to spend time with them. But then 4E5 and 5N1? I know 5N1 will be very happy cos they hate supplementary lessons... But I look at their EL grades... who's going to clear the Os with those? None of them take HMT... So EL is all they have. Same goes for 4E5. BUT PEOPLE ARE FAILING. SPECTACULARLY.
I know people are going to look at 4E5's grades and go, eeee, why they so bad in English one? because that's what people do. They expect things of you. But what can I do? I nag, and scold, and threaten... maybe I don't do it enough, that's why they don't listen...
I don't know la. E5? I am tired. And I'm sorry, I'm trying really hard to not be tired... but I'm failing.
and i'll return to you somehow: 19:38
seven tee three
Friday, May 22, 2009
I don't have many neurons in functioning mode right now, so I shall just mention a few things worth noting.
1. OMG 7t3 ROCKS MY SOCKS. I love you guys. You are the best. (For those not in the know, 7t3 includes the following lovely people:
- minnie my moneylender wife (backup vocals)
- nicholas my beloved (rhythm guitarist)
- yewliang my gay b&^!$ (keyboardist)
- wei ping (ping ping!) (drummer)
- melvyn my dear kitty cat (bassist), and
- lincoln my hero (who is also my ling ling!) (lead guitarist). OMG!)
2. The gig on Tues with Pervy Boy and Dezygote rocked. The studio was small and crampish, and 4 airconditioning units WERE NOT ENOUGH (I was sweating like a pig), but omytian. The audience was kickass! They cheered for every song! They headbopped! They waited like 15 million years before the LCube people would let them in! They bought Pervy Boy goodies! :D
3. Well since then I have almost died several times trying to finish marking, but thankfully all has been done and completed and I can focus on getting through last week of school. Cos I am leaving for Spain in a week. OMG! A WEEK! *panicks* Never pack! Must bring along lesson prep for Term 3! Oh noes!
4. But in the meantime, I am thinking of buying a netbook (to bring to Spain).
5. There is also another Pervy Boy performance on Sun (24 May), 4pm at Vivo, if anyone's interested and bored. :) It's free.
6. I think I had better go sleep, before I completely lose the ability to sleep.
Goodnight pretty people. Here's what I'm going to dream of tonight (excepting it doesn't have my laling's pic, and I dream of her every night ^^):
Pervy Boy is having a private gig on Tuesday 19 May, at 730pm, specially for students of Yuhua! Tickets are $2 per head, and the venue is L-Cube Jamming Studios, at 145A Jalan Besar. Click here for the map.
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON GETTING TO L-CUBE
1. The MRT closest to it is Farrer Park; come out and walk down Rangoon Road till you reach Serangoon Road.
2. Kitchener Road should be directly ahead: walk down Kitchener Road till you hit Jalan Besar. Turn right.
3. Walk down Jalan Besar. Pass Sam Leong Road (on the right) and Maude Road (on the left).
4. Pass Syed Alwi Road, Desker Road and Rowell Road (all on your right).
5. You will see some shophouses after Rowell Road: walk past those till you reach another side road (which is Hindoo Road).
6. There is a coffeeshop there which sells bak ku teh (according to my sister). Walk past the coffeeshop to a small door at the side (looks like it's the coffeeshop toilet). It will say L-CUBE JAMMING STUDIOS. Yay!
Reason why you should come for Rockin' Night Out:
That's right pretty people, several talented musicians from 4E5 (and one from 4E7 ^^) have been conned into performing with ME. Muahahaha! For some complex mathematical reason we are known as 7t3; for detailed explanation involving A Maths textbook and calculator, pls see Ms Minnie Tay Hui Min. Anyway we are doing two covers, along with another funky band some of you may know as Dezygote (did I spell it right this time?). For $2 you get to watch 3 bands. How value-for-money can you get? :D
If you'd like to go, you can get tickets from me or any of the funkmeisters in 7t3 and Dezygote. But you better hurry cos there are only 60 tickets and most of them are going fast. Hurray!
I was going to print this for my classes, but then I had no way of giving it to everyone. Then I thought of emailing it, but I don't have everyone's email. So, here it is, free for everyone (even those I don't teach). Disclaimer: if your EL teacher has taught you other things, please follow what your other EL teacher has taught you. Particularly for P1S2 format; there are many acceptable versions out there, and I'm merely presenting the most basic ones.
Paper 1 Section 1: Free Writing
There are at least 4 types of question they can give: 1) Descriptive 2) Narrative 3) Expository 4) Argumentative
Descriptive essays require (a) strong vocabulary, esp use of adjectives (like "colourful" and "vibrant"), and (b) strong content knowledge. If you have only a little of (a) and you're not even sure what (b) is, it may be better that you don't write a descriptive essay.
Narrative essays are what most people try to write, but actually are not good at. The thing is, you have to remember that if EVERYONE writes narratives, your essay has to stand out in some way, and be original, in order to get better marks.
The structure of a narrative is as follows: -> Orientation (who, when, where, what, why) -> Complication (the problem your main character has that starts the whole story) -> Series of Events (things that happen as result of the complication) -> Climax (high point of the story; the point where the problem has to be resolved) -> Resolution (the solving of the problem and the close of the essay)
In some cases the Climax and Resolution are replaced with the Resolution and Coda, which is still okay because they end up fulfilling the same functions. Don't worry about the names of the parts too much; just make sure you know what is supposed to happen in each part. That's more important.
Expository essays are identified by the question ending, "What are your views?" or "Discuss" or "Comment". In an expository essay you have to present a balanced view of the topic at hand. You are not required to take a stand. You may show that you are more inclined to one side than the other ("It is true to a certain extent that...") but it should not become a matter of you trying to convince the reader that only one side is correct. That's the task of the
Argumentative essay, which, by definition, is about arguing. Well not really, you're simply supposed to present a "for" or "against" stand on the topic at hand. Argumentative essays are different from expository essays in that they are not balanced, because they have to answer the question "Do you agree?" For argumentative and expository essays, they always like to ask about topics like euthanasia, animal cruelty, abortion, and other socially relevant/controversial issues that require content knowledge and having a personal opinion. If you are not sure whether you know enough to answer the question, please please please DON'T write an argumentative/expository essay. But if you are sure, go right ahead.
Paper 1 Section 2: Situational Writing
Situational writing is very straightforward. You are given a situation and asked to craft one of the following: 1) Informal Letter (to relatives or friends) 2) Formal Letter (to principal, chairman of residents' council, manager of company etc) -> Proposal (to spend donated money, to upgrade facilities, to recommend someone for an award, to recommend a venue for a graduation party etc) -> Complaint (about poor service, faulty product) -> Report (police report, incident report)
Format for Informal Letter ___________________________________________________________ Writer’s Address
Date
Salutation (Dear ______ )
Body of Text
Complimentary Close (Yours sincerely/truly/Love/Regards/etc)
Signature Writer’s Name ___________________________________________________________
Format for Proposal/Complaint ___________________________________________________________ Writer’s Address
Date
Rank/Title of Person-in-charge (eg. The Principal) Company Name/School Name Recipient’s Address
Salutation (Dear _______ )
Re: ________________________
Body of Text
Complimentary Close (Yours sincerely/faithfully)
Signature Writer’s Name ___________________________________________________________
Format for Report ___________________________________________________________
To: (Name of Recipient) From: (Name of Writer)
Date
Title of Report
Body of Text
Statement written by: Writer’s Name ___________________________________________________________
Note that: => the date has to be written as 1 May 2009, not 1st May 2009 or 01-05-09. => the complimentary closes for informal and formal letters are different. For informal letters there is a wider range that you can use. For formal letters, either "Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully" is acceptable. => you should worry more about the actual content of the letter than the format. At the most you get 2 or 3 marks off for the wrong format, but if you're off-topic it's a much more serious thing.
Situational writing is much easier to score for than free writing (for many reasons). Since the weightage is 10m for Task Fulfilment and 20m for Language, you should aim to get at least 7 or 8 for the task fulfilment. Most people get between 10-12 for language anyway, but if you get another 7 or 8 for task fulfilment, you would get about 19 or 20 out of 30. That would help if you don't do particularly well for Section 1.
How to score for task fulfilment? Simple. Fulfil the task. You do this by using the correct format and answering the question. Don't just lift all the phrases and words that are in the question: any literate monkey can do that. You should think of things that the question does not mention, elaborate on what it DOES mention and basically show the marker that you have carefully thought through the question and whatever the question entails. The only thing I can think of that will help you here is common sense, but no one can teach you common sense. Either you have it or you don't. Better go check that you have it.
Anyway, that's all I can think of for Paper 1. I may do another post for Paper 2 when the time comes, but in the meantime, please do yourselves a favour and be prepared for Paper 1 on Monday (especially YOU, 3N4, 4E5 and 5N1). I know Social Studies is very important and you will kill yourselves trying to remember everything for the paper in the morning, but ENGLISH IS MORE IMPORTANT! HOW TO PASS SOCIAL STUDIES IF YOU CAN'T DO ENGLISH!!!!!!
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