I miss 403...

Just drop by gerlynn's blog, as I do from time to time.... to see how the young people are.... we are really mountains apart....in every way.... but it is very lovely to see them so happy and bubbling with life and vitality....

and she wrote 'I miss 403....'

Yes, so do I.... what i will miss most when nush days end for me:

1) 303/403....

i was really very very lucky to have this class... to this day, I remember the first time i met some of them in dec 2007 induction... ji eun asking questions;junyan looking timid; quzhi declaring he will be taking spore citizenship....

and the very first day i met them during orientation.... and the days thereafter.

I dont need photographs to capture the memories... like seeing stuart doing the dominoes at nus amazing race, seeing gerlynn 'throwing tantrum' on the floor, going to the nus labs for amazing race and the strange riddles...all of which stuart tang could answer and i wondered why.... weijin leaving his hp or wallet in the bus and was late... bernard looking for me becos they found kittens playing hide and seek!!! kashing, aikann and dylan trying to mislead me who is who...and aikann acting as a 'maid' in the skit...;

first sem wasnt that easy actually with them cos well, i guess, some really didnt take on to me...and i really really thought they didnt like me; i felt i was too old to teach actually and felt very inferior cos the teachers here were all so young....

but i think toward the end, all did? :) They always made me happy....their greeting was always so cheery; they did funny things, didnt seem to understand when to be serious when they should, and i have learnt to tone down things that are not of their 'maturity level'.... and honestly, most of them didnt really worked that hard... had they, they could have done very well....

but they were happy to do just okay... the important thing was they were happy, and contented... that was the beautiful part of them. ...

They dont (at least most) dont compete for glory, but they were motivated when they want to; cant say they do their best in projects....standard was really disappointing...

But they were happy....and very contented, and it is lovely to see when all around people are so discontent...

and they were really cooperative... i never had problem with attendance, temperature taking etc.... we were almost always the first to submit! :) Good sprint, aik ann.

i like module survey.... it helped communicate that after all the kids did know i care, that they did understand... and knowing that they accept me, and do receive what I taught them at ace especially was very encouraging, and gave me a lot of confidence to teach... actually confidence is vital in teaching... just as confidence is very important in any performance.... with confidence, you can soar about your own limits.....

i really owe it to 303/403... for helping me build up my confidence... in particular the humility shown by kashing in his quiet pointing out of a different method or inconsistencies.... he may be 'loud' and naughty.... but he was always unassuming about his abilities... very admirable.

Not that i didnt like 407 and 408. Well 407 got a brilliant Ryan that is far above my ability...and i was too concious of that .... and 408 was fun.... i enjoyed them and actually did like them... but i think i didnt mean much to them.... somehow i felt i was not good enough to teach them...

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2) 2008 sem 1

it was a struggle to adjust, to pitch, to understand the school system, and to teach the kids well. I withdrew from the Masters course at that time...

had i not, I would have completed it by now... nevertheless i have no regrets for the decision... i wouldnt have done my best for the kids and school, and i would have hated that... i entered into a new unknown zone.. and i should put in my best.

i did feel inferior to many, if not all of them both in age, qualification and ability and that was quite hard to overcome. I felt age was a real liability, the butt of many jokes, which they didnt seem to realise is rather cruel, a thing i never did when i was young. Some of the remarks really hurt and yes, i remember....... still...

but my course was alway kept in focus.... what education means to me, what being an educatior is, and well they are young....

That sem however was the best sem in my nush days i concentrate fully and only on teaching, was always up to date with marking; kept to myself, and really enjoyed the team I was working with.... they were varied and very refreshing... i felt very comfortable.... and yes, happy...

Life was relatively uncomplicated... didnt get drawn into anything... I consciously made sure of that.....i just stayed at my place and just work... very few managed to get me out to even eat a meal... only the one or two that i was really comfortable with... i was contented then....

there was no conflicts with anyone; not too many issues that i bother with, no clashes of ideologies, working was consultative and harmonious... i looked forward to work everyday... was in school early, usually by 0630, and never need to stay past 5 unless there were meetings/special occasions.....

there were many good conversations and sharings... this period will remain a time i will miss.

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(3) Through phases of difficulties, i met some wonderful people....kyc I will always remember to be among the first to help me over a very rough patch by showing she cared; cvl for understnd and empathy; ld for the special bond; sy for another special bond in our common love and feel for teaching; and many more, more than in any place i have been... i will miss them, very much

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i understand gerlynn's declaration.... some things are past and gone; it is poignant as those moment of joys ... time does not allow us to turn things back... but that we have lovely memories alone, is a joy.and a pain..

For me, when i left teaching in 2000, i never thought i would have this chance of feeling the joy of teaching again. Though things had not been the way one had wished... the feeling that I have had the chance to feel the joys of teaching, of being in a school, and a very good school, I am really very blessed indeed.

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It is good that we miss things/people.... it shows the humanity in us... that we care and feel...