While I was waiting my turn at the clinic yesterday, a little boy of about 5 was also there. His sister was running a fever and was brought there by the grandmother. Since both siblings were under her care, he went along.
Not long after, both their parents arrived at the clinic.
His behaviour reminded me so much of many of the seasoned hypocrites I see at work. That fake smile, that calculativeness in pitting grandmother and mother at odds when his mother asked him to do something that the grandmother didn't.
That fake smile. That fully exposed frontal teethy smile with those conniving, calculative eyes... The last I've seen such a display was during my basic military training, when one of the recruits tried to wiggle his way out by acting dumb and moronic. And yet, this is a 5 year old boy.
I still get shudders when I think about him.
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, May 03, 2010
Writing Proofs
I will be teaching a course in graph theory to some secondary school kids in about three weeks and as I prepared the course materials, one key point stuck out: Students need to write proofs.
Writing proofs is inevitable in dealing with most mathematics. Many theorems come with their most commonly used proof or proofs. The Pythagoras' Theorem, for instance, can be proven over a hundred ways.
In comparison, some problem solving questions require a proof as a solution but there are unfortunately no standard proofs that the instructor can rely on or turn to.
Particularly in graph theory, many questions require solutions that are highly demanding. It is not enough to say that the answer is "n". Often, you have to show why all other answers other than "n" are not acceptable, even though they satisfy the general conditions of the question.
In this regard, constructing a logically water-tight proof is difficult because many of us do not use contradictions and exhaustion as strategies, unless we are involved in certain types of work. It would not be suitable for me to exclaim the beauty and prowess of such proof techniques as I don't want to be guilty of playing up my areas of interest and "semi-expertise" but having a good grasp of the techniques can help solve a lot of problems quite elegantly.
The proof by contradiction is often elusive and hard to figure out. One needs to know which condition is likely to undergo "reductio ad absurdum". One common claim that relies on the proof by contradiction is "square root 2 cannot be expressed as a fraction with whole number numerators and denominators." Intuitively, this looks simple and the claim seems more like an axiom than something to be proven. However, it is not axiomatic and how do we construct a proof to validate our intuition? Interested readers can click on the word proof to see a proof by contradiction of that claim.
Proof by exhaustion is something elementary learners of mathematics used to resort to when they first come across claims such as "there is no largest integer." Frequently, a child who has learnt concepts such as a million, a billion, a trillion, and so on will attempt things like "a trillion trillion trillion" and when you tell them, "how about you add one?" they will quickly come to terms that exhaustion is plain exhausting. And frequently, exhaustion does not prove anything. Before long, proof by exhaustion becomes an antiquated technique to these learners of mathematics, until they are forced to face their inner demons again.
In graph theory, in particular, the need to establish uniqueness in the solution often means that the other competing answers must be rendered inadmissible. While it is probably not sensible to show a full graph theory question to elicit thoughts on how to construct answers that rely on the proof by exhaustion, folks who have a propensity for factorization might delight in seeing how the proof by exhaustion is daintly applied in this example: If n is an integer, then (n^7 - n) is a multiple of 7.
The study of mathematics can often lead its learners to develop logical thought processes. Writing proofs is one of the tools that play an important role in developing a person's logical acuity. As with all pursuits, there is no gain until one gets their hands dirty and begin practicing.
I hope my students will appreciate the package that I'm putting together for them. After all, whoever said learning was always easy?
Writing proofs is inevitable in dealing with most mathematics. Many theorems come with their most commonly used proof or proofs. The Pythagoras' Theorem, for instance, can be proven over a hundred ways.
In comparison, some problem solving questions require a proof as a solution but there are unfortunately no standard proofs that the instructor can rely on or turn to.
Particularly in graph theory, many questions require solutions that are highly demanding. It is not enough to say that the answer is "n". Often, you have to show why all other answers other than "n" are not acceptable, even though they satisfy the general conditions of the question.
In this regard, constructing a logically water-tight proof is difficult because many of us do not use contradictions and exhaustion as strategies, unless we are involved in certain types of work. It would not be suitable for me to exclaim the beauty and prowess of such proof techniques as I don't want to be guilty of playing up my areas of interest and "semi-expertise" but having a good grasp of the techniques can help solve a lot of problems quite elegantly.
The proof by contradiction is often elusive and hard to figure out. One needs to know which condition is likely to undergo "reductio ad absurdum". One common claim that relies on the proof by contradiction is "square root 2 cannot be expressed as a fraction with whole number numerators and denominators." Intuitively, this looks simple and the claim seems more like an axiom than something to be proven. However, it is not axiomatic and how do we construct a proof to validate our intuition? Interested readers can click on the word proof to see a proof by contradiction of that claim.
Proof by exhaustion is something elementary learners of mathematics used to resort to when they first come across claims such as "there is no largest integer." Frequently, a child who has learnt concepts such as a million, a billion, a trillion, and so on will attempt things like "a trillion trillion trillion" and when you tell them, "how about you add one?" they will quickly come to terms that exhaustion is plain exhausting. And frequently, exhaustion does not prove anything. Before long, proof by exhaustion becomes an antiquated technique to these learners of mathematics, until they are forced to face their inner demons again.
In graph theory, in particular, the need to establish uniqueness in the solution often means that the other competing answers must be rendered inadmissible. While it is probably not sensible to show a full graph theory question to elicit thoughts on how to construct answers that rely on the proof by exhaustion, folks who have a propensity for factorization might delight in seeing how the proof by exhaustion is daintly applied in this example: If n is an integer, then (n^7 - n) is a multiple of 7.
The study of mathematics can often lead its learners to develop logical thought processes. Writing proofs is one of the tools that play an important role in developing a person's logical acuity. As with all pursuits, there is no gain until one gets their hands dirty and begin practicing.
I hope my students will appreciate the package that I'm putting together for them. After all, whoever said learning was always easy?
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Mathematical Brain
This post is synonymously titled with "The Mathematical Brain" by Brian Butterworth. I first read that book when I was a trainee teacher in 2001 and since then, my view of mathematics learning has changed radically.
Now I see there is actually a place for mathematics haters. They really have a place - far far away from me.
I'm not against people struggling with mathematics but I wonder why people wouldn't try. I know interest counts for a lot and I concede that point about interest. But then, if one weren't interested, explain why one would come for Mathematical Olympiad training sessions?
Question for the day:
Which of the following products is bigger?
20092010 * 2011 or 20112010 * 2009
Now I see there is actually a place for mathematics haters. They really have a place - far far away from me.
I'm not against people struggling with mathematics but I wonder why people wouldn't try. I know interest counts for a lot and I concede that point about interest. But then, if one weren't interested, explain why one would come for Mathematical Olympiad training sessions?
Question for the day:
Which of the following products is bigger?
20092010 * 2011 or 20112010 * 2009
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Teaching Conflict Management
The bitch fight arose when I was teaching my oral communication class conflict management. The students in the class are preparatory year students hoping to be admitted to the university after the necessary tests and interviews. All of them are foreigners. So, this is how the story went:
Two girls - a Burmese and an Indonesian - were supposed to do role play. Miss Myanmar was supposed to be an insistent comment giver, regardless of the receiver's interest in hearing them. She criticised the Miss Indonesia's slides and asked her to put in a blue background for the slides to make them look more professional.
The Indonesian retorted saying that the slides "are meant for university. Why choose blue? Do you think this is the beach?"
Of course, slang and accent were in play here and Miss Myanmar looked at Miss Indonesia in disbelief and asked, "What did you call me?" She then turned to the class and asked, "What did she call me? Bitch?"
By then, there was a huge commotion in class and the kids made things worse by replying, "She (Miss Indon) said 'beach'" to Miss Myanmar. Things became worse when the next lines that came out was, "Beach, you know, beach?" A lot of laughter was going on at that moment and Miss Indonesia added "fuel" by telling Miss Myanmar, "I said beach. The beach..." Miss Myanmar was really perturbed until someone finally said, "Beach, you know. B-E-A-C-H."
There was so much laughter in the class. I guess the students and I never had such fun since the class began. To be honest, I was almost rolling on the floor with laughter.
Miss Myanmar finally figured out her faux pas and the play acting continued to the end. I think many other people will be talking about this singular episode. How appropriate that conflict management found its most natural teaching point. And how truly important, teaching table talk!
Two girls - a Burmese and an Indonesian - were supposed to do role play. Miss Myanmar was supposed to be an insistent comment giver, regardless of the receiver's interest in hearing them. She criticised the Miss Indonesia's slides and asked her to put in a blue background for the slides to make them look more professional.
The Indonesian retorted saying that the slides "are meant for university. Why choose blue? Do you think this is the beach?"
Of course, slang and accent were in play here and Miss Myanmar looked at Miss Indonesia in disbelief and asked, "What did you call me?" She then turned to the class and asked, "What did she call me? Bitch?"
By then, there was a huge commotion in class and the kids made things worse by replying, "She (Miss Indon) said 'beach'" to Miss Myanmar. Things became worse when the next lines that came out was, "Beach, you know, beach?" A lot of laughter was going on at that moment and Miss Indonesia added "fuel" by telling Miss Myanmar, "I said beach. The beach..." Miss Myanmar was really perturbed until someone finally said, "Beach, you know. B-E-A-C-H."
There was so much laughter in the class. I guess the students and I never had such fun since the class began. To be honest, I was almost rolling on the floor with laughter.
Miss Myanmar finally figured out her faux pas and the play acting continued to the end. I think many other people will be talking about this singular episode. How appropriate that conflict management found its most natural teaching point. And how truly important, teaching table talk!
Friday, February 05, 2010
The Linear Human Mind
It can't turn-around
It never amazes me that students cannot appreciate when you write something like
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9
= 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5
+ 9 + 8 + 7 + 6
= (1 + 9) + (2 + 8) + (3 + 7) + (4 + 6) + 5
= 4 * 10 + 5
= 45
The second step of the turn-around almost always eludes them.
Actually, another way of going about to do the same thing is:
S = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9
If we invert the sum, we get
S = 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1.
Adding both sides, we get
2S = (1 + 9) + (2 + 8) + (3 + 7) + (4 + 6) + (5 + 5) + (6 + 4) + (7 + 3) + (2 + 8) + (9 + 1)
2S = 2(1 + 9) + 2(2 + 8) + 2(3 + 7) + 2(4 + 6) + 2(5)
Therefore, dividing both sides by 2, we get
S = (1 + 9) + (2 + 8) + (3 + 7) + (4 + 6) + 5
= 4 * 10 + 5
= 45.
I have no idea why it took our kids such a long time to figure out that both ways are the same.
Our learners expect a lot of crutches and hand holding. They want to be told how to think. They don't want to think. And that is worrying me.
Many conundrums in life require time and, if not mere elbow grease, mental grease. Our brains are there to work things out. We need to spend time to work things out.
It can't pick up new tricks
The human mind is also so trained to finding the final solution that it often forgets that the final solution is not exactly the solution we are looking for.
For instance, what is the value of the second last digit of the sum
66669 + 6669 + 669 + 69 + 9?
Many students are very content to solve the entire sum proclaim that the answer is 74 082.
They plain forgot that the answer is looking out for the second last digit.
Teach the child to use a butcher's knife and s/he'll use it even to kill a little chick.
After you teach them some technique to solve questions that involve larger numbers, they immediately resort to the technique without asking themselves if it was necessary.
For instance, how does one solve
8 + 18 + 28 + 38 + 48 + 58 + 68 + 78 + 88 - 9 * 8?
It is amazing that few realise that the answer is as simple as:
8 + 18 + 28 + 38 + 48 + 58 + 68 + 78 + 88 - 9 * 8
= 10 + 20 + 30 + 40 + 50 + 60 + 70 + 80
= 360.
I guess all I can say is creativity and innovation requires a keen eye for detail and an open mind to consider all possibilities.
We may have become too reliant on fixed gauges of success that we have forgotten the true measure of a person is on his/her extended ability to apply what s/he has learnt in school for life and not merely to solve test-style problems.
It never amazes me that students cannot appreciate when you write something like
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9
= 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5
+ 9 + 8 + 7 + 6
= (1 + 9) + (2 + 8) + (3 + 7) + (4 + 6) + 5
= 4 * 10 + 5
= 45
The second step of the turn-around almost always eludes them.
Actually, another way of going about to do the same thing is:
S = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9
If we invert the sum, we get
S = 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1.
Adding both sides, we get
2S = (1 + 9) + (2 + 8) + (3 + 7) + (4 + 6) + (5 + 5) + (6 + 4) + (7 + 3) + (2 + 8) + (9 + 1)
2S = 2(1 + 9) + 2(2 + 8) + 2(3 + 7) + 2(4 + 6) + 2(5)
Therefore, dividing both sides by 2, we get
S = (1 + 9) + (2 + 8) + (3 + 7) + (4 + 6) + 5
= 4 * 10 + 5
= 45.
I have no idea why it took our kids such a long time to figure out that both ways are the same.
Our learners expect a lot of crutches and hand holding. They want to be told how to think. They don't want to think. And that is worrying me.
Many conundrums in life require time and, if not mere elbow grease, mental grease. Our brains are there to work things out. We need to spend time to work things out.
It can't pick up new tricks
The human mind is also so trained to finding the final solution that it often forgets that the final solution is not exactly the solution we are looking for.
For instance, what is the value of the second last digit of the sum
66669 + 6669 + 669 + 69 + 9?
Many students are very content to solve the entire sum proclaim that the answer is 74 082.
They plain forgot that the answer is looking out for the second last digit.
Teach the child to use a butcher's knife and s/he'll use it even to kill a little chick.
After you teach them some technique to solve questions that involve larger numbers, they immediately resort to the technique without asking themselves if it was necessary.
For instance, how does one solve
8 + 18 + 28 + 38 + 48 + 58 + 68 + 78 + 88 - 9 * 8?
It is amazing that few realise that the answer is as simple as:
8 + 18 + 28 + 38 + 48 + 58 + 68 + 78 + 88 - 9 * 8
= 10 + 20 + 30 + 40 + 50 + 60 + 70 + 80
= 360.
I guess all I can say is creativity and innovation requires a keen eye for detail and an open mind to consider all possibilities.
We may have become too reliant on fixed gauges of success that we have forgotten the true measure of a person is on his/her extended ability to apply what s/he has learnt in school for life and not merely to solve test-style problems.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
The Damage Begins Here...
Is it me or am I not alone in feeling that one's head damage begins as one navigates the graduate school application process?
The applications - hitherto - do not seem to be going anywhere and there isn't even the faintest hint of any success. When the deadline descends upon you, you simply send in whatever draft version you have, never mind the draft was sitting there since a week ago.
I think it feels so unlike being in the program already, where each word written is one word closer (I hope) to the finish line.
I'm not sure... but it sure as hell feels as though my brains are becoming dumber already.
The applications - hitherto - do not seem to be going anywhere and there isn't even the faintest hint of any success. When the deadline descends upon you, you simply send in whatever draft version you have, never mind the draft was sitting there since a week ago.
I think it feels so unlike being in the program already, where each word written is one word closer (I hope) to the finish line.
I'm not sure... but it sure as hell feels as though my brains are becoming dumber already.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Freaking Frustrated For F***?
I gave Four F grades, actually Five, but then after a thorough review and convincing myself that I have been too demanding in my grading, I reduced it to Four.
I am Freaking Frustrated. Did I teach so badly that my students did not manage to learn anything or have I expected too much from the knuckleheads who slipped past admissions this year?
I have people who make A grades and I also have people who end up with C grades. In fact, like the other two Assignments 2 in my earlier terms, the students are categorized into their respective mastery levels on this assignment and, thus, their likely end of course grades.
I am largely ok with a pigeon holing exercise. It is a course requirement that students have to be graded. But in the past terms I only had to deal with very few D grades; this term, I get a handful of F graders to manage. The bulgeoning C population is common for this assignment. It is a paper where one synthesizes two texts to support one's thesis statement. One either does the synthesis fully and correctly or one underdoes it. If one falls short at the synthesis, then the grades drop to the B range. If one falls short at the summaries (and, inevitably the synthesis thereafter), one drops to the C range. Poor writing will cause futher grade drops. My Fabulous F grades are, in all honesty, harder to get than an A grade. I am that certain, sure, confident and proud to say. I reward effort when writing falls short. But how does one reward a paper that is 25% short of the minimum page length? Or a paper that averages 10 mistakes per 8 line paragraph? Or a student who writes whatever s/he feels like writing, with scant regard for the rubric of the assignment?
I try very hard to reflect if it were my poor teaching that caused such a disaster. Well, it seemed like a disaster to me when I have to award Fs in this manner. Ok, let us assume that I taught badly. Then how do you explain the nearly half of the students who got A and B grades? They were spread across both my sections! And how do I explain the other nearly half of the students who got C grades, those who were already weak to begin with, as evidenced by their Assignment 1 performance? If I had taught badly, then surely the assignment question, having gone through a round of eyeballing by the course coordinator, would have explained clearly the demands of the assignment?
The reading packages and the remedial website resources would have also played their part in helping the lost sheep to find their way home. And what about my open email communication channel where they actually have direct access to me via my home email? My students even have my cell phone number, for f***'s sake!
Another consolation I have is the fact that I have assigned short writing pieces to the students for them to practise writing thesis statements, topic sentences and paragraphs. They were also required to use evidence from their reading articles to support their arguments. The marks the F graders received on those assignments are actually indicative of the students' real writing and reasoning abilities. Those fellows are the ones scoring 3 and 4 out of 10. And to not demoralise too much, I set a minimum score of 3 marks on all these short pieces. Any written sh*t would have gotten 3 marks if it were submitted.
On a related note, the fellows who bombed Assignment 2 are the intended recipients of my earlier email telling them of the importance of reading and coming to class prepared. I shouldn't have to or need to feel sorry for them.
The circumstantial evidence of my not having derelicted my duties is complete. I should feel vindicated. Still, I feel Freaking disappointed. A colleague told me to get rid of that "secondary school teacher" mentality in me. "Why should you care, Eugene?" he would ask. "They are already adults and if they are not bothered to get up to speed with the demands of university, why should you mother them?" Well said.
He is a dear friend of mine and he's been really helpful to me ever since I began teaching at that institution. I should lay down my burden and not labour under these rotten straws that threaten to break my back. I shall only help those who bother.
I shall push on and perhaps give a few F grades at the end of the course to the truly deserving. Perhaps Darwin's theory can take over and straighten out the population some...
Of course, Four rounds of reviews later, there are only two students who received F grades (pending confirmation). I'm almost certain my grade distribution will stand. The rest are upgraded but are given stern warnings to buck up.
I am Freaking Frustrated. Did I teach so badly that my students did not manage to learn anything or have I expected too much from the knuckleheads who slipped past admissions this year?
I have people who make A grades and I also have people who end up with C grades. In fact, like the other two Assignments 2 in my earlier terms, the students are categorized into their respective mastery levels on this assignment and, thus, their likely end of course grades.
I am largely ok with a pigeon holing exercise. It is a course requirement that students have to be graded. But in the past terms I only had to deal with very few D grades; this term, I get a handful of F graders to manage. The bulgeoning C population is common for this assignment. It is a paper where one synthesizes two texts to support one's thesis statement. One either does the synthesis fully and correctly or one underdoes it. If one falls short at the synthesis, then the grades drop to the B range. If one falls short at the summaries (and, inevitably the synthesis thereafter), one drops to the C range. Poor writing will cause futher grade drops. My Fabulous F grades are, in all honesty, harder to get than an A grade. I am that certain, sure, confident and proud to say. I reward effort when writing falls short. But how does one reward a paper that is 25% short of the minimum page length? Or a paper that averages 10 mistakes per 8 line paragraph? Or a student who writes whatever s/he feels like writing, with scant regard for the rubric of the assignment?
I try very hard to reflect if it were my poor teaching that caused such a disaster. Well, it seemed like a disaster to me when I have to award Fs in this manner. Ok, let us assume that I taught badly. Then how do you explain the nearly half of the students who got A and B grades? They were spread across both my sections! And how do I explain the other nearly half of the students who got C grades, those who were already weak to begin with, as evidenced by their Assignment 1 performance? If I had taught badly, then surely the assignment question, having gone through a round of eyeballing by the course coordinator, would have explained clearly the demands of the assignment?
The reading packages and the remedial website resources would have also played their part in helping the lost sheep to find their way home. And what about my open email communication channel where they actually have direct access to me via my home email? My students even have my cell phone number, for f***'s sake!
Another consolation I have is the fact that I have assigned short writing pieces to the students for them to practise writing thesis statements, topic sentences and paragraphs. They were also required to use evidence from their reading articles to support their arguments. The marks the F graders received on those assignments are actually indicative of the students' real writing and reasoning abilities. Those fellows are the ones scoring 3 and 4 out of 10. And to not demoralise too much, I set a minimum score of 3 marks on all these short pieces. Any written sh*t would have gotten 3 marks if it were submitted.
On a related note, the fellows who bombed Assignment 2 are the intended recipients of my earlier email telling them of the importance of reading and coming to class prepared. I shouldn't have to or need to feel sorry for them.
The circumstantial evidence of my not having derelicted my duties is complete. I should feel vindicated. Still, I feel Freaking disappointed. A colleague told me to get rid of that "secondary school teacher" mentality in me. "Why should you care, Eugene?" he would ask. "They are already adults and if they are not bothered to get up to speed with the demands of university, why should you mother them?" Well said.
He is a dear friend of mine and he's been really helpful to me ever since I began teaching at that institution. I should lay down my burden and not labour under these rotten straws that threaten to break my back. I shall only help those who bother.
I shall push on and perhaps give a few F grades at the end of the course to the truly deserving. Perhaps Darwin's theory can take over and straighten out the population some...
Of course, Four rounds of reviews later, there are only two students who received F grades (pending confirmation). I'm almost certain my grade distribution will stand. The rest are upgraded but are given stern warnings to buck up.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
One gets it right!
Got this youtube video in my email this morning.
Honestly, this is what I wish I could do to parents out there when I first began teaching.
I stand by my belief that some people ought to be neutered and never be allowed to have children. After all, we should not let stupidity propagate.
Oh, but then we begin to welcome foreign talents [sic].
Honestly, this is what I wish I could do to parents out there when I first began teaching.
I stand by my belief that some people ought to be neutered and never be allowed to have children. After all, we should not let stupidity propagate.
Oh, but then we begin to welcome foreign talents [sic].
Monday, September 07, 2009
Answer to a Question
Someone asked why there was a need to write a thesis statement for an argument. After acknowledging that "the thesis statement will form the fundamentals of (an) argument", he goes on to argue that "this is still not a strong argument,... there must be other reasons that will make us write our own thesis statements instead of just writing a response towards the author's thesis statement."
In closing he hopes to be enlightended "on the meaning behind writing ... thesis statements," so that he will be "able to appreciate it." The person goes on to belittle what he learnt. In his own words, "What I am doing now is like following the 'rulebook' that you gave me which I believe I won't be able to learn (sic) beyond the semester. I hope you can help me appreciate writing my own thesis statements."
If this person wishes to impress me by showing that he is a thinking student, then I cannot be more disappointed. To denigrate the importance of the thesis statement to an argument is akin to saying that the foundation of a skyscraper plays no role in holding the building up.
Sure, writing a thesis statement is difficult. Trust me - Singaporeans do not dare to articulate anything that requires them to take a stand. Fence-sitting is our secret past time. That's why human kebabs are what we have. With the big wooden fence stake up their ass, many Singaporeans are stuffed anally. They bitch and complain about the pain but if we tell them to tell me what is exactly they are unhappy about so as to relieve themselves of the stake up their asses, they clam up and say nothing or they literally say "nothing". After growing up in an environment where taking a stand is all frowned upon - trust me, for argumentative compositions in secondary school, teachers still insist on making an ambivalent statement and argue on "both sides of the question" - there finally comes a time when taking a stand is necessary. The first thing many writing teachers have to fight is to teach students to take a stand, and not argue for both sides. (After they can write theses, we take the fight to making them write topic sentences. That'll be another entry, if another question erupts.)
I reproduce my full email reply below:
If I want a summary, I can write my own. If you want to criticise the author, you need to state your boundary and tell me the yardstick against which you are measuring the author before you can criticise him/her. Even then, you still need to explain to me what exactly is wrong with the author's argument, based on your main claim/thesis. For example, I can't possibly throw you out of class for long hair if the university does not have a policy that says "male students with long hair may be barred from class." If the uni has such a policy, you can certainly then test the university's policy (main claim and thesis) and see if they back up their thesis with evidence (i.e. throw you out of class and ban you from returning until your hair is cut). But there is no way the university can do anything to you if they do *not* state upfront their stand/thesis on long hair. One typically can't fight with one's shadow or argue with one's echo.
When there is one reading, it may not seem important that you come up with a thesis to guide your analysis of the article. But if you do not have a new position/view/argument to present on the reading you have done, you will be doing a mere article review. For instance, I can read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and write a review, telling you what the story is about. Then that review is a mere summary retelling me the story.
But if I argue that Snow White is about the triumph of good (White) over evil (Black), then this is a new perspective that I derive from my reading and I need to defend it. For instance, apart from the fact that SW is fair, there are the seven dwarfs working in the deep dark woods - they are expectedly doing work there and one can argue that they are therefore "reducing the dark parts" of the woods. Extending, these little unsung heroes are slowly chipping away at "evil" and such work is likely to be hard and slow, especially given their small stature. By extension, I would argue that evil is slowly chipped away in a slow and protracted process. Of course, the white knight on the white horse can be another piece of evidence I quote for my argument. Now, can you see the difference between a mere review and an analytical read?
Now, if you read 2 or more readings, then what can you do after reading them? Surely, your readings must lead you to some kind of new insight and perspective. Having the ability to form a point of view separates us from primates, and we develop points of view not just for reading, but for most intellectual activities. For instance, after watching two movies, you may want to compare the underlying themes and make a fresh argument about them. What argument can you come up with after you watch, say, "Iron Man" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"? You can't possibly write me a piece about the two movies where you just give me their plot summaries. Surely, you must have a new perspective. For one, I would argue that "an irony that movie entertainment seems to promote today is the use of violence as an answer to violence." That would be my TS. Someone may argue that "the act of vanquishing evil usually requires the good to resort to the same means as their opponents, thereby making good and evil largely undistinguishable" and have a different TS. Each different perspective adds to the overall picture for anyone interested to know what separates the two movies and how some viewers analyse the same shows.
In any academic pursuit, the thesis statement forms the basis of the argument. In math and sciences, you have laws and theorems that you prove (a form of argumentation) either by theoretical construction (e.g. in Math and some sciences) or experiments and trials (physics, chemistry). Thesis statements therefore can come in many guises but they essentially say the same thing. Yet, they are and can be proven differently, each proof being as good as the other. The Pythagoras' theorem, for instance, has more than 100 proofs (arguments), and all are valid. In this regard, there is no such thing as a "fixed" thesis in science and math, nor are there unique proofs/arguments.
The same observation may be said of theses and proofs in the non-science disciplines, there are many ways of making a case, mostly by alluding to evidence which are in the written or spoken form. Such arguments require interpretation and are considered indirect arguments. Even if you were to let everyone watch Ironman and Transformers and then give everyone the same TS to work on for their essay, you will get as many different essays as there are people. But if well taken, each and every argument is valid.
The thesis statement undergirds the job that you want to do and projects your intended outcome. For example, you cannot make a presentation on a business plan without telling people what your plan will achieve. No one is interested to know what you propose to do unless you tell them first what you can achieve; what your business plan intends achieves is your business thesis statement aka business proposition (yet another fancy name for the same concept). e.g. "Adopting double sided printing for notes to be given out to students will save an office up to 30% in printing costs, mostly accrued from saving extra paper."
Writing basic responses to a reading without making any constructive arguments on how to improve the reading is more similar to the work done in primary schools. That's when basic book reviews were taught. At university level, many basic skills you learn may not seem useful (to you) beyond the course; if it were indeed the case, the course where the skill is taught would have long been withdrawn.
In closing he hopes to be enlightended "on the meaning behind writing ... thesis statements," so that he will be "able to appreciate it." The person goes on to belittle what he learnt. In his own words, "What I am doing now is like following the 'rulebook' that you gave me which I believe I won't be able to learn (sic) beyond the semester. I hope you can help me appreciate writing my own thesis statements."
If this person wishes to impress me by showing that he is a thinking student, then I cannot be more disappointed. To denigrate the importance of the thesis statement to an argument is akin to saying that the foundation of a skyscraper plays no role in holding the building up.
Sure, writing a thesis statement is difficult. Trust me - Singaporeans do not dare to articulate anything that requires them to take a stand. Fence-sitting is our secret past time. That's why human kebabs are what we have. With the big wooden fence stake up their ass, many Singaporeans are stuffed anally. They bitch and complain about the pain but if we tell them to tell me what is exactly they are unhappy about so as to relieve themselves of the stake up their asses, they clam up and say nothing or they literally say "nothing". After growing up in an environment where taking a stand is all frowned upon - trust me, for argumentative compositions in secondary school, teachers still insist on making an ambivalent statement and argue on "both sides of the question" - there finally comes a time when taking a stand is necessary. The first thing many writing teachers have to fight is to teach students to take a stand, and not argue for both sides. (After they can write theses, we take the fight to making them write topic sentences. That'll be another entry, if another question erupts.)
I reproduce my full email reply below:
If I want a summary, I can write my own. If you want to criticise the author, you need to state your boundary and tell me the yardstick against which you are measuring the author before you can criticise him/her. Even then, you still need to explain to me what exactly is wrong with the author's argument, based on your main claim/thesis. For example, I can't possibly throw you out of class for long hair if the university does not have a policy that says "male students with long hair may be barred from class." If the uni has such a policy, you can certainly then test the university's policy (main claim and thesis) and see if they back up their thesis with evidence (i.e. throw you out of class and ban you from returning until your hair is cut). But there is no way the university can do anything to you if they do *not* state upfront their stand/thesis on long hair. One typically can't fight with one's shadow or argue with one's echo.
When there is one reading, it may not seem important that you come up with a thesis to guide your analysis of the article. But if you do not have a new position/view/argument to present on the reading you have done, you will be doing a mere article review. For instance, I can read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and write a review, telling you what the story is about. Then that review is a mere summary retelling me the story.
But if I argue that Snow White is about the triumph of good (White) over evil (Black), then this is a new perspective that I derive from my reading and I need to defend it. For instance, apart from the fact that SW is fair, there are the seven dwarfs working in the deep dark woods - they are expectedly doing work there and one can argue that they are therefore "reducing the dark parts" of the woods. Extending, these little unsung heroes are slowly chipping away at "evil" and such work is likely to be hard and slow, especially given their small stature. By extension, I would argue that evil is slowly chipped away in a slow and protracted process. Of course, the white knight on the white horse can be another piece of evidence I quote for my argument. Now, can you see the difference between a mere review and an analytical read?
Now, if you read 2 or more readings, then what can you do after reading them? Surely, your readings must lead you to some kind of new insight and perspective. Having the ability to form a point of view separates us from primates, and we develop points of view not just for reading, but for most intellectual activities. For instance, after watching two movies, you may want to compare the underlying themes and make a fresh argument about them. What argument can you come up with after you watch, say, "Iron Man" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"? You can't possibly write me a piece about the two movies where you just give me their plot summaries. Surely, you must have a new perspective. For one, I would argue that "an irony that movie entertainment seems to promote today is the use of violence as an answer to violence." That would be my TS. Someone may argue that "the act of vanquishing evil usually requires the good to resort to the same means as their opponents, thereby making good and evil largely undistinguishable" and have a different TS. Each different perspective adds to the overall picture for anyone interested to know what separates the two movies and how some viewers analyse the same shows.
In any academic pursuit, the thesis statement forms the basis of the argument. In math and sciences, you have laws and theorems that you prove (a form of argumentation) either by theoretical construction (e.g. in Math and some sciences) or experiments and trials (physics, chemistry). Thesis statements therefore can come in many guises but they essentially say the same thing. Yet, they are and can be proven differently, each proof being as good as the other. The Pythagoras' theorem, for instance, has more than 100 proofs (arguments), and all are valid. In this regard, there is no such thing as a "fixed" thesis in science and math, nor are there unique proofs/arguments.
The same observation may be said of theses and proofs in the non-science disciplines, there are many ways of making a case, mostly by alluding to evidence which are in the written or spoken form. Such arguments require interpretation and are considered indirect arguments. Even if you were to let everyone watch Ironman and Transformers and then give everyone the same TS to work on for their essay, you will get as many different essays as there are people. But if well taken, each and every argument is valid.
The thesis statement undergirds the job that you want to do and projects your intended outcome. For example, you cannot make a presentation on a business plan without telling people what your plan will achieve. No one is interested to know what you propose to do unless you tell them first what you can achieve; what your business plan intends achieves is your business thesis statement aka business proposition (yet another fancy name for the same concept). e.g. "Adopting double sided printing for notes to be given out to students will save an office up to 30% in printing costs, mostly accrued from saving extra paper."
Writing basic responses to a reading without making any constructive arguments on how to improve the reading is more similar to the work done in primary schools. That's when basic book reviews were taught. At university level, many basic skills you learn may not seem useful (to you) beyond the course; if it were indeed the case, the course where the skill is taught would have long been withdrawn.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Compassion of Guanyin's Twin
Two student-related incidents stuck out very clearly in my mind since term started three weeks ago.
The first incident relates to a student who gave me the feeling that he was trying to pull wool over my eyes. The student said he could not locate the lab where he was supposed to meet me for writing conference for Assignment 1. He claimed he asked the guards at School X and they did not know either. So he went home. After that, he wrote me an email to ask to see me on another occasion for his Assignment 1.
It is not that I am unreasonable but I faced many internal hurdles to say yes. First, he had my cell phone number. If he were in school, he could have easily given me a call, when he found out that the guards were none the wiser where the lab is. Second, I did tell the class where the lab is. Third, a student who also could not be sure she could locate the lab arrived two hours earlier than her scheduled timeslot. She just completed her "recce" of the lab, she said. I saw her immediately when she arrived, since I could fit her into my schedule. Fourth, I made his classmate call him. I'm not sure if the classmate made the call, but he certainly sent out a message. Fifth and last, he could have called a friend. At the end of it all, I replied with these reasons and told him that if he has one good and honest reason to explain his absence, I would see him.
I am easy. Even an admission that he wasn't in the university and a simple apology would work for me. What I do not want is to accept his lame excuse that he could not find the place. How can it be that of the nearly 50 students I meet, he was the only one who cannot find the place?
The second incident involved students not reading the assigned articles and coming to class unprepared. Their actions culminated in the love letter two entries down. I went to class the day after the love letter was sent out and immediately realised those whom I knew did not read their articles during earlier classes chose seats at the back of the class and in the middle of each seating row, hoping that their relative inconvenient location could escape my prying eyes.
I surprised both classes by telling them I would not throw them out of class that day, since the email went out to them less than 48 hours in advance and that would not be nice of me. However, I told them firmly that on Tuesday next when we meet, if I catch them unprepared, I will humiliate them in class before I throw them out and mark them absent. They have been warned. I know I am giving tough love; the best medicine for them is the bitterest pill. But am I so glad to be such a monster?
In class, I discussed the abridged Toulmin argumentation method and used the love letter as an example to illustrate the argumentation techniques. I think it left them with a deep enough impression, since I taught them how to write excellent stinkers. After that, I took them on a tour of how to dissect the arguments in an article using the technique. While the class enjoyed themselves for that class, I told them that I no longer care if they are Freshmen; if they can't keep up, tough luck.
All in all, I told them I have the as much compassion as of the twin brother of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy). Many of them knew who I was referring to straightaway.
The first incident relates to a student who gave me the feeling that he was trying to pull wool over my eyes. The student said he could not locate the lab where he was supposed to meet me for writing conference for Assignment 1. He claimed he asked the guards at School X and they did not know either. So he went home. After that, he wrote me an email to ask to see me on another occasion for his Assignment 1.
It is not that I am unreasonable but I faced many internal hurdles to say yes. First, he had my cell phone number. If he were in school, he could have easily given me a call, when he found out that the guards were none the wiser where the lab is. Second, I did tell the class where the lab is. Third, a student who also could not be sure she could locate the lab arrived two hours earlier than her scheduled timeslot. She just completed her "recce" of the lab, she said. I saw her immediately when she arrived, since I could fit her into my schedule. Fourth, I made his classmate call him. I'm not sure if the classmate made the call, but he certainly sent out a message. Fifth and last, he could have called a friend. At the end of it all, I replied with these reasons and told him that if he has one good and honest reason to explain his absence, I would see him.
I am easy. Even an admission that he wasn't in the university and a simple apology would work for me. What I do not want is to accept his lame excuse that he could not find the place. How can it be that of the nearly 50 students I meet, he was the only one who cannot find the place?
The second incident involved students not reading the assigned articles and coming to class unprepared. Their actions culminated in the love letter two entries down. I went to class the day after the love letter was sent out and immediately realised those whom I knew did not read their articles during earlier classes chose seats at the back of the class and in the middle of each seating row, hoping that their relative inconvenient location could escape my prying eyes.
I surprised both classes by telling them I would not throw them out of class that day, since the email went out to them less than 48 hours in advance and that would not be nice of me. However, I told them firmly that on Tuesday next when we meet, if I catch them unprepared, I will humiliate them in class before I throw them out and mark them absent. They have been warned. I know I am giving tough love; the best medicine for them is the bitterest pill. But am I so glad to be such a monster?
In class, I discussed the abridged Toulmin argumentation method and used the love letter as an example to illustrate the argumentation techniques. I think it left them with a deep enough impression, since I taught them how to write excellent stinkers. After that, I took them on a tour of how to dissect the arguments in an article using the technique. While the class enjoyed themselves for that class, I told them that I no longer care if they are Freshmen; if they can't keep up, tough luck.
All in all, I told them I have the as much compassion as of the twin brother of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy). Many of them knew who I was referring to straightaway.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Exasperation 4
I have had enough! As I can no longer tolerate any more nonsense during my lessons, I sent out the following as a part of a larger email to my groups.
Class Conduct
"COURSE X" requires all students to come in prepared for the lesson. During my rounds in class on Tue 1 Sep as well as during the previous few lessons, I noticed many of you came in to class prepared. At least you have read the articles and tried to come in prepared. Thank you and keep up the good work. However, I also observed that some of you did NOT read before coming to class. You know who you are; you were trying very hard to evade detection (especially when I ask for volunteers for class presentations) and were furiously trying to catch up during the discussions. I am not oblivious to your unbecoming behaviour. There is another telling sign of your unprepared state: Your reading is annotation-free. Surely, there are questions that you might have, clarifications that you might need or notes that you can make to remind you of the idea flow of the passage.
Reading and making sense of the assigned readings is the first and most elementary step in a student's preparations. Coming in prepared is also the minimum respect students show themselves, the minimum basic courtesy they show their friends and the minimum effort students put in to being contributors in the group. Given that you are freshmen, I have already given you a two week grace period for you to get used to university life and get up to speed with the demands of university classes. At this point, you have exhausted all the goodwill that I can possibly offer. I HAVE RUN OUT OF PATIENCE AND TOLERANCE FOR STUDENTS WHO COME TO CLASS UNPREPARED.
From the next lesson onwards, students who have entirely annotation-free article printouts and claim that they have read and understood the assigned article shall immediately take the floor and lead the class in the discussion of the article. At the same time, they must be able to answer all the questions that I have regarding the article. If any student is unprepared or if I deem him/her unprepared, the student will be removed immediately from the lesson and may be considered ABSENT. It is my duty to remind that the university's absenteeism policy will still apply.
We can all be very adult when handling matters related to class conduct; if students cannot behave like adults and be responsible for themselves, I will have no choice but to resort to management methods meant for younger students.
Class Conduct
"COURSE X" requires all students to come in prepared for the lesson. During my rounds in class on Tue 1 Sep as well as during the previous few lessons, I noticed many of you came in to class prepared. At least you have read the articles and tried to come in prepared. Thank you and keep up the good work. However, I also observed that some of you did NOT read before coming to class. You know who you are; you were trying very hard to evade detection (especially when I ask for volunteers for class presentations) and were furiously trying to catch up during the discussions. I am not oblivious to your unbecoming behaviour. There is another telling sign of your unprepared state: Your reading is annotation-free. Surely, there are questions that you might have, clarifications that you might need or notes that you can make to remind you of the idea flow of the passage.
Reading and making sense of the assigned readings is the first and most elementary step in a student's preparations. Coming in prepared is also the minimum respect students show themselves, the minimum basic courtesy they show their friends and the minimum effort students put in to being contributors in the group. Given that you are freshmen, I have already given you a two week grace period for you to get used to university life and get up to speed with the demands of university classes. At this point, you have exhausted all the goodwill that I can possibly offer. I HAVE RUN OUT OF PATIENCE AND TOLERANCE FOR STUDENTS WHO COME TO CLASS UNPREPARED.
From the next lesson onwards, students who have entirely annotation-free article printouts and claim that they have read and understood the assigned article shall immediately take the floor and lead the class in the discussion of the article. At the same time, they must be able to answer all the questions that I have regarding the article. If any student is unprepared or if I deem him/her unprepared, the student will be removed immediately from the lesson and may be considered ABSENT. It is my duty to remind that the university's absenteeism policy will still apply.
We can all be very adult when handling matters related to class conduct; if students cannot behave like adults and be responsible for themselves, I will have no choice but to resort to management methods meant for younger students.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
If it sounds too good to be true...
It probably is.
I bet this is what many people who paid up to S$12 000 for a ONE-YEAR Bachelor degree from the ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY found out.
How is that even possible? I also wonder...
How is it possible for near academic morons - sorry, I don't know how else to describe them - achieve a degree from a top Australian university in ONE year when top government scholars take at least 2 years of full loads (including two summer terms at full loads) to complete the same degree at the same university. In fact, most top students attempting to do so at any of these accredited universities need about 2.5 years to complete a degree.
And many of these people paying for the shortcut cannot even write a proper sentence to save their lives.
I bet this is what many people who paid up to S$12 000 for a ONE-YEAR Bachelor degree from the ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY found out.
How is that even possible? I also wonder...
How is it possible for near academic morons - sorry, I don't know how else to describe them - achieve a degree from a top Australian university in ONE year when top government scholars take at least 2 years of full loads (including two summer terms at full loads) to complete the same degree at the same university. In fact, most top students attempting to do so at any of these accredited universities need about 2.5 years to complete a degree.
And many of these people paying for the shortcut cannot even write a proper sentence to save their lives.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Super Mario Galaxy
The Wii machine met a new friend last weekend. The new friend needs to be inserted into the machine's hole. And after inserting the friend, new pleasure results. In fact, it was so pleasurable that hours are spent trying to top each previosu climax as the positions got progressively more challenging and each round more tedious.
Welcome to my Super Mario Galaxy semi-addiction.
The game started slowly enough. The moves were initially clumsy and the movement slow. But trust me, at the grand old age of... heck, you'll figure out my age anyway. The point is, even if you can teach an old dog new tricks, you can't overcome the fact that aged joints and ancient habits are hard to overcome. I therefore concede: my moves are still clumsy and the movement slow. Trust me, you won't want to read how many times I steered Mario into the black hole. Ok, I didn't steer him into the black holes but the imprecision of my moves inevitably meant Mario became BH fodder one time too many. How many, you ask? Well, try from 15 lives to nothing and then from 10 to nothing and then another 1 more before I cleared some particularly difficult stages.
And you know what's even better about SMG? The programming folks allow you to return to the game from the last point you left off instead of requiring you to begin from scratch. So you get new frustrations when the positions and techniques don't work and new highs when they do. The mind keeps telling itself that it can top the stage and one reaches for the start button after each game over. The ass is rooted to the seat and the mind loses all track of time. (Maybe, Wii and a slower version of SMG can be introduced to old folks' home to keep the residents engaged. Maybe not; they might fight over who's turn it is.)
Yet, the amazing graphics aside, the trick is to know... the tricks. The programmers are not very smart. I've got them figured out mostly. In certain worlds or galaxies, I pick up so many lives that I was incredibly elated. At the same time, I knew the extras would never be enough; how does one pick up extra lives quickly enough a whole game when one needs 26 of them to clear some particularly tricky stage? I don't know how I managed to clear some of those inhuman stages, but I did.
One can usually progress after mentally working through the algorithm required to clear that stage; keeping Mario alive long enough to clear the stage is the larger problem for me. Unfortunately, though, mental dexterity did not make up for the lack of finesse in the finer movements. The fingers were not stiff - digital (pun intended) gravity works differently, I'd say. Of course there are many excuses. This is where I spend all my time moaning about my exciting life, regardless how exciting it really is. Did you expect otherwise?
For all the fun and pleasure it brings, SMG is a silent time killer. I take anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 hours to clear a stage and I've sat in front of the Wii for almost 6 hours yesterday. That is bad. Extremely bad, if you ask me. And at 1.30 am this morning, when I tried to sleep after my shower, all I saw when I shut my eyes were the stars and the coins I was supposed to pick up in the games. My mind was all hyperactive; I can't get to sleep. The brain was devising ways to pick up stars and coins in the various configuration set by and for itself.
At that moment, I think I'm getting out of control. I need to do something quick. I got out of bed, removed the Super Mario Galaxy CD, returned it into its cover and asked for it to be returned. I can't be addicted to it. I can play other things like Wii Sports. That's fine, because there is a limiting factor called physical exhaustion. Wii Sports require you to mimick the actual sports action and with such physical activity, you get worn out and at the opportune moment, you'll decide you've got enough of a workout, turn off the Wii and resume life. SMG does not wear you out. It makes you addicted. And I worry about addiction.
So, there'll be come cold turkey today. And I'll be back to Wii Sporting.
Oh, did I tell you I chose Princess Peach as my avatar? I wanted to choose Queen Bitch if it (Note at edit: Oh man, that's a Freudian slip!) existed. But then what would I do with Q**nsy? Sigh. So, Princess Peach... that's right. Sounds like Princess Bitch anyway.
This semi-addiction seems worse than I imagine...
Welcome to my Super Mario Galaxy semi-addiction.
The game started slowly enough. The moves were initially clumsy and the movement slow. But trust me, at the grand old age of... heck, you'll figure out my age anyway. The point is, even if you can teach an old dog new tricks, you can't overcome the fact that aged joints and ancient habits are hard to overcome. I therefore concede: my moves are still clumsy and the movement slow. Trust me, you won't want to read how many times I steered Mario into the black hole. Ok, I didn't steer him into the black holes but the imprecision of my moves inevitably meant Mario became BH fodder one time too many. How many, you ask? Well, try from 15 lives to nothing and then from 10 to nothing and then another 1 more before I cleared some particularly difficult stages.
And you know what's even better about SMG? The programming folks allow you to return to the game from the last point you left off instead of requiring you to begin from scratch. So you get new frustrations when the positions and techniques don't work and new highs when they do. The mind keeps telling itself that it can top the stage and one reaches for the start button after each game over. The ass is rooted to the seat and the mind loses all track of time. (Maybe, Wii and a slower version of SMG can be introduced to old folks' home to keep the residents engaged. Maybe not; they might fight over who's turn it is.)
Yet, the amazing graphics aside, the trick is to know... the tricks. The programmers are not very smart. I've got them figured out mostly. In certain worlds or galaxies, I pick up so many lives that I was incredibly elated. At the same time, I knew the extras would never be enough; how does one pick up extra lives quickly enough a whole game when one needs 26 of them to clear some particularly tricky stage? I don't know how I managed to clear some of those inhuman stages, but I did.
One can usually progress after mentally working through the algorithm required to clear that stage; keeping Mario alive long enough to clear the stage is the larger problem for me. Unfortunately, though, mental dexterity did not make up for the lack of finesse in the finer movements. The fingers were not stiff - digital (pun intended) gravity works differently, I'd say. Of course there are many excuses. This is where I spend all my time moaning about my exciting life, regardless how exciting it really is. Did you expect otherwise?
For all the fun and pleasure it brings, SMG is a silent time killer. I take anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 hours to clear a stage and I've sat in front of the Wii for almost 6 hours yesterday. That is bad. Extremely bad, if you ask me. And at 1.30 am this morning, when I tried to sleep after my shower, all I saw when I shut my eyes were the stars and the coins I was supposed to pick up in the games. My mind was all hyperactive; I can't get to sleep. The brain was devising ways to pick up stars and coins in the various configuration set by and for itself.
At that moment, I think I'm getting out of control. I need to do something quick. I got out of bed, removed the Super Mario Galaxy CD, returned it into its cover and asked for it to be returned. I can't be addicted to it. I can play other things like Wii Sports. That's fine, because there is a limiting factor called physical exhaustion. Wii Sports require you to mimick the actual sports action and with such physical activity, you get worn out and at the opportune moment, you'll decide you've got enough of a workout, turn off the Wii and resume life. SMG does not wear you out. It makes you addicted. And I worry about addiction.
So, there'll be come cold turkey today. And I'll be back to Wii Sporting.
Oh, did I tell you I chose Princess Peach as my avatar? I wanted to choose Queen Bitch if it (Note at edit: Oh man, that's a Freudian slip!) existed. But then what would I do with Q**nsy? Sigh. So, Princess Peach... that's right. Sounds like Princess Bitch anyway.
This semi-addiction seems worse than I imagine...
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Murphy Strikes
Strike 1
University of Maryland wrote back and said my area is not a good fit with them. There goes a safety school.
Strike 2
Amtrak takes more than 4 hours to move from Chicago Union Station to Ann Arbor. I can't possibly do a day trip and return in decent shape. I will probably reach the hotel 1 am the next morning after the DAY trip and wake up in time the next morning.
Strike 3
To make it to Chicago O'Hare International Airport by 7 am to check in, I need to hop on the 4.57 am Metro at Davis, Evanston. The trip takes about 2 hours and the reason is that the journey taken by the Metro lines go down south and the back northeast. A direct journey east would have probably taken a third the time.
Strike 4
A big shot of a particular university, after seeing my background, says my GRE Verbal scores are slightly low but "I (referring to if he were me) would definitely apply to our program." I think this is a uber long shot since the university accepts only 2 PhD students a year. But then, this big shot is really big.
Pieceofpork, message me. This university is for you.
Strike 5
To go to visit this particular university, I'll have to spend 10 hours on an Amtrak train, give up 2 nights of hotel, rebook another night of hotel, and give up one part of an airticket.
Strike 6
Not yet. But another Airbus (Yemen) bites the sea. And I'm booked on two Airbus planes for my US domestic flights. Is that irony or what?
Stike 7
You people are sadists or WHAT? Don't tell me... Of course you are enjoying this. What better way to have fun than at another's expense.
Heck, I'm going to enjoy this US trip and I can't give a bloody damn about whatever happens. At this rate things are going, and with the bird flu raging, I wonder if tomorrow will ever come. Maybe I should extend yet another day in NYC...
University of Maryland wrote back and said my area is not a good fit with them. There goes a safety school.
Strike 2
Amtrak takes more than 4 hours to move from Chicago Union Station to Ann Arbor. I can't possibly do a day trip and return in decent shape. I will probably reach the hotel 1 am the next morning after the DAY trip and wake up in time the next morning.
Strike 3
To make it to Chicago O'Hare International Airport by 7 am to check in, I need to hop on the 4.57 am Metro at Davis, Evanston. The trip takes about 2 hours and the reason is that the journey taken by the Metro lines go down south and the back northeast. A direct journey east would have probably taken a third the time.
Strike 4
A big shot of a particular university, after seeing my background, says my GRE Verbal scores are slightly low but "I (referring to if he were me) would definitely apply to our program." I think this is a uber long shot since the university accepts only 2 PhD students a year. But then, this big shot is really big.
Pieceofpork, message me. This university is for you.
Strike 5
To go to visit this particular university, I'll have to spend 10 hours on an Amtrak train, give up 2 nights of hotel, rebook another night of hotel, and give up one part of an airticket.
Strike 6
Not yet. But another Airbus (Yemen) bites the sea. And I'm booked on two Airbus planes for my US domestic flights. Is that irony or what?
Stike 7
You people are sadists or WHAT? Don't tell me... Of course you are enjoying this. What better way to have fun than at another's expense.
Heck, I'm going to enjoy this US trip and I can't give a bloody damn about whatever happens. At this rate things are going, and with the bird flu raging, I wonder if tomorrow will ever come. Maybe I should extend yet another day in NYC...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wounded dignity is a powerful emotion
Of course, such a gem of an observation can only come from the ever-ascerbic and highly (if not already mostest) cynical Probligo.
Before I get an eyeful in my email, this is a compliment, my dear man. Remember, you are only supposed to sit beside me if you have nothing good to say!
Why, Probligo hit the nail right on the head with this astute observation. But feeling the pain of an wounded dignity is where the lesson ends for many people. Few people would bother to heal the dignity and learn how to avoid further injuries. Of course, another way is to develop a callous around one's dignity till one can laugh off any attempts to turn one into the butt of another's joke. "That's seen to say," one has "learlly" got to be impervious to such insults. "In another words," one decides never to learn.
Oh, by the way, I thought OKE would have added to the list and admonish me for missing out the still infamous "That's seen to say" from my earlier entry. But no, he asked me a question, which, together with Probligo's observation, inspired this entry.
What does one do when one's dignity is wounded, especially academically? One improves oneself through (i) identifying where one has gone wrong, (ii) find out what is the correct way of doing things, and (iii) consciously and persistently make adjustments to correct one's errant ways.
So, what does one read to improve one's English? The answer is already given by Probligo. I've a simpler answer: Anything.
Anything written in proper English is good for reading and learning. Even reading something as simple as Winnie the Pooh helps the reader understand how simple sentences can be effective. Reading more advanced books and articles help one understand how to use phrases and sentences effectively to convey complex and complicated ideas.
Reading is a complex activity. It is not just about taking in the words. It is much much more than that. Probligo has pointed out that people should read for grammar, sentence structure and so on. One should also question diction (word choice, word placement, punctuation) and larger issues such as cohesion and coherence. Idea placement can also determine the emphasis of each sentence and tell the readers about the author's intent and perspective. There are so much that one can glean from even a simple piece of writing.
One common reply I used to get as a bureaucrat is "Ministry X has no objections." When we first write an email to Ministry X, we often ask for their input and often, if they are agreeable with the position that has been set out. One should ask why Ministry X replies with "no objections" rather than "is agreeable" or "supports" etc. Why is it "no objections?"
When we write, why do we choose to front certain ideas while downplaying other ideas? Think of the effects when we write
Singapore's economy shrank 15% in Q1 2009. The figures are smaller than what analysts have predicted, suggesting that the economic downturn may have bottomed out.
vs
Singapore's economy may have bottomed out. Official figures point to a 15% contraction, out-performing the predictions by market watchers and analysts.
While the content is largely similar, writing the first way will shock many people because 15% seems significant. But when you frame it in the second way, people will see 15% as being not as severe. So when you read, you have lots of questions to ask yourself.
By and large, what the Singapore education system needs to incorporate at A levels is to introduce critical reading as a skill. Critical reading has to be explicitly taught. As we are not native EL speakers, we do not get the finer points in writing. Nuances are lost on many of us. We need to learn why people write in certain ways and therefore pick up those writing skills too. That way, we improve our writing.
And no, Probligo. I can't teach 8 to 10 year olds. I'll die before I finish a class. Those mistakes were made by 13 year olds. And I have no intention of ever going back to teaching secondary school English ever again. I'm traumatized enough already.
Before I get an eyeful in my email, this is a compliment, my dear man. Remember, you are only supposed to sit beside me if you have nothing good to say!
Why, Probligo hit the nail right on the head with this astute observation. But feeling the pain of an wounded dignity is where the lesson ends for many people. Few people would bother to heal the dignity and learn how to avoid further injuries. Of course, another way is to develop a callous around one's dignity till one can laugh off any attempts to turn one into the butt of another's joke. "That's seen to say," one has "learlly" got to be impervious to such insults. "In another words," one decides never to learn.
Oh, by the way, I thought OKE would have added to the list and admonish me for missing out the still infamous "That's seen to say" from my earlier entry. But no, he asked me a question, which, together with Probligo's observation, inspired this entry.
What does one do when one's dignity is wounded, especially academically? One improves oneself through (i) identifying where one has gone wrong, (ii) find out what is the correct way of doing things, and (iii) consciously and persistently make adjustments to correct one's errant ways.
So, what does one read to improve one's English? The answer is already given by Probligo. I've a simpler answer: Anything.
Anything written in proper English is good for reading and learning. Even reading something as simple as Winnie the Pooh helps the reader understand how simple sentences can be effective. Reading more advanced books and articles help one understand how to use phrases and sentences effectively to convey complex and complicated ideas.
Reading is a complex activity. It is not just about taking in the words. It is much much more than that. Probligo has pointed out that people should read for grammar, sentence structure and so on. One should also question diction (word choice, word placement, punctuation) and larger issues such as cohesion and coherence. Idea placement can also determine the emphasis of each sentence and tell the readers about the author's intent and perspective. There are so much that one can glean from even a simple piece of writing.
One common reply I used to get as a bureaucrat is "Ministry X has no objections." When we first write an email to Ministry X, we often ask for their input and often, if they are agreeable with the position that has been set out. One should ask why Ministry X replies with "no objections" rather than "is agreeable" or "supports" etc. Why is it "no objections?"
When we write, why do we choose to front certain ideas while downplaying other ideas? Think of the effects when we write
Singapore's economy shrank 15% in Q1 2009. The figures are smaller than what analysts have predicted, suggesting that the economic downturn may have bottomed out.
vs
Singapore's economy may have bottomed out. Official figures point to a 15% contraction, out-performing the predictions by market watchers and analysts.
While the content is largely similar, writing the first way will shock many people because 15% seems significant. But when you frame it in the second way, people will see 15% as being not as severe. So when you read, you have lots of questions to ask yourself.
By and large, what the Singapore education system needs to incorporate at A levels is to introduce critical reading as a skill. Critical reading has to be explicitly taught. As we are not native EL speakers, we do not get the finer points in writing. Nuances are lost on many of us. We need to learn why people write in certain ways and therefore pick up those writing skills too. That way, we improve our writing.
And no, Probligo. I can't teach 8 to 10 year olds. I'll die before I finish a class. Those mistakes were made by 13 year olds. And I have no intention of ever going back to teaching secondary school English ever again. I'm traumatized enough already.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What's wrong?
Another exam season and another big hullalaboo about teachers posting students' bloopers on the teachers' webpages for public entertainment. What's wrong with this, as long as the teacher does not single out the student? After all, these are the usual bloopers we see year in year out. And didn't we most enjoy the NG sequences at the end of each movie? Why do we have double standards here?
I mean, anyone could have written "My grandmother was diagnosed with cologne cancer." And what's wrong with that? A spelling mistake is a spelling mistake. Some of these boo-boos actually become actual materials, which are used for teaching future teachers.
Some times, how you speak is how you write. That's why apart from small eyes and a flat nose, a man can have a "pork belly". If anything at all, teachers can reflect if they had been unclear or sloppy in speech. After all, many students spell by approximating perceived sounds. This is especially evident in how a student tried to learn how to "trap water."
Some times, the students themselves are at fault. That was also why for the longest time when I was teaching English, I had compositions that went, "Human beans are...," despite my constant reminding that it is "beings." Some students simply take a much longer time to learn, I guess.
And my then-principal, who speaks with a perceptible lisp since she had come from a foreign land, gave me even more grief when her "in another words" got repeated ad naseum in my students' writing, as they "learly" (another one of her mispronunciations) thought what she said was right. It took me long battles and many bouts of unofficial speech belittling to get the students back on track.
I still remember one particularly dense student who kept writing Emerald Teo for Admiral Teo because that particular cohort of kids was doing The Wizard of Oz for literature. She simply could not tell the difference between the rank and the rock. So homonyms often become a source of jokes in themselves. How else can you explain how one can get "cologne cancer"? Ok, granted that using too much artificial fragrances could land you in such trouble, but unless you are one of those super-duper well to do rich tai tais whose main aim is to outsmell the roses, how can anyone be so bedevilled?
Idiosyncratic phrasal verbs are another area where mistakes can be plentiful. The unknowing child could easily end up writing "night has fallen and the lamp posts are turned on..." Linguistic nuances are often lost on non-native speakers. This is similar to how the oddity of "is" vs "have" in French: "Je suis chaud" (literally: I am hot) and "j'ai chaud" (I have hot) respectively mean "I am horny" and "I am hot" in French.
Man, why wouldn't people face it that the best way to learn is to make the mistake, face the ignominy of it and put in the effort to correct it?
I mean, anyone could have written "My grandmother was diagnosed with cologne cancer." And what's wrong with that? A spelling mistake is a spelling mistake. Some of these boo-boos actually become actual materials, which are used for teaching future teachers.
Some times, how you speak is how you write. That's why apart from small eyes and a flat nose, a man can have a "pork belly". If anything at all, teachers can reflect if they had been unclear or sloppy in speech. After all, many students spell by approximating perceived sounds. This is especially evident in how a student tried to learn how to "trap water."
Some times, the students themselves are at fault. That was also why for the longest time when I was teaching English, I had compositions that went, "Human beans are...," despite my constant reminding that it is "beings." Some students simply take a much longer time to learn, I guess.
And my then-principal, who speaks with a perceptible lisp since she had come from a foreign land, gave me even more grief when her "in another words" got repeated ad naseum in my students' writing, as they "learly" (another one of her mispronunciations) thought what she said was right. It took me long battles and many bouts of unofficial speech belittling to get the students back on track.
I still remember one particularly dense student who kept writing Emerald Teo for Admiral Teo because that particular cohort of kids was doing The Wizard of Oz for literature. She simply could not tell the difference between the rank and the rock. So homonyms often become a source of jokes in themselves. How else can you explain how one can get "cologne cancer"? Ok, granted that using too much artificial fragrances could land you in such trouble, but unless you are one of those super-duper well to do rich tai tais whose main aim is to outsmell the roses, how can anyone be so bedevilled?
Idiosyncratic phrasal verbs are another area where mistakes can be plentiful. The unknowing child could easily end up writing "night has fallen and the lamp posts are turned on..." Linguistic nuances are often lost on non-native speakers. This is similar to how the oddity of "is" vs "have" in French: "Je suis chaud" (literally: I am hot) and "j'ai chaud" (I have hot) respectively mean "I am horny" and "I am hot" in French.
Man, why wouldn't people face it that the best way to learn is to make the mistake, face the ignominy of it and put in the effort to correct it?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
It's a crime when you can't write
Before you start protesting and hurling abuses at me, please have the basic courtesy to read the following paragraphs. After that, you can decide if you still want to hurl anything at me.
Writing serves many purposes and communication seems to be the most important reason why people write. Regardless of your job, it is important that you are able to write well enough to convey the idea that you wish to convey. If your work requires you to write extensively because the written word is the primary means you use for communication, then it is even more imperative that you write accurately, objectively, fairly, and succinctly.
While most people aspire towards these hallmarks of effective writing, there are people out there who resist learning. I've read pieces from civil servants that are so wordy and bombastic, they put the Marriam-Webster dictionary to shame. I've also read pieces from student writers that are so poorly written, I simply become convulsed with laughter. While the latter group still has time to can brush up on their writing skills, the former writers out there had better get their act together before they make mockeries of themselves.
Writing is becoming a dying skill. Good writers are a dying breed. I am not implying that I write well. I try to be clear but I am human after all. But at least I do not end up writing entire patches of work which you summarize with the infamous "What the ... is he writing about?" or "Huh? Run that by me again?"
We have to write with some consciousness. What does one mean by "He argues that terminally ill patients should be allowed to die after they have displayed their human capacity [sic] to stay alive?" Or "Mercy killing in some cases could have been a result of quality care and compassion for the paitents?" How about "Consider a terrorist who has been caught after bombing a lot of innocent lives...?" One more, "Although death may seem too harsh an option here to society, there are many other beneficial side-effects [sic] to it that we fail to realise. Of course, this has to come around, "Human beings are one of the few species or perhaps, the only specie that is capable of facing the test of death and discovering the significance of life in it."
I should find the quote about the doctors expecting a 99-year-old woman with a hip fracture to operate on another patient.
Can you imagine how writers like these are going to survive in the world out there? I have absolutely no idea but I do know what if anyone writes this way, their bosses are probably not going to be too pleased. Even if their bosses can't write as well, they are in their position by virtue of the fact that they have mastered, if not are reasonably proficient in, reading skills. That is another dying skill and a different blog entry.
Now if you really need to hurl anything, shoes are fine. Nikes US11.5W any model. If you prefer to throw something larger, Wesco Big Boss Boots US11.5EE are acceptable. Cash preferred though.
Writing serves many purposes and communication seems to be the most important reason why people write. Regardless of your job, it is important that you are able to write well enough to convey the idea that you wish to convey. If your work requires you to write extensively because the written word is the primary means you use for communication, then it is even more imperative that you write accurately, objectively, fairly, and succinctly.
While most people aspire towards these hallmarks of effective writing, there are people out there who resist learning. I've read pieces from civil servants that are so wordy and bombastic, they put the Marriam-Webster dictionary to shame. I've also read pieces from student writers that are so poorly written, I simply become convulsed with laughter. While the latter group still has time to can brush up on their writing skills, the former writers out there had better get their act together before they make mockeries of themselves.
Writing is becoming a dying skill. Good writers are a dying breed. I am not implying that I write well. I try to be clear but I am human after all. But at least I do not end up writing entire patches of work which you summarize with the infamous "What the ... is he writing about?" or "Huh? Run that by me again?"
We have to write with some consciousness. What does one mean by "He argues that terminally ill patients should be allowed to die after they have displayed their human capacity [sic] to stay alive?" Or "Mercy killing in some cases could have been a result of quality care and compassion for the paitents?" How about "Consider a terrorist who has been caught after bombing a lot of innocent lives...?" One more, "Although death may seem too harsh an option here to society, there are many other beneficial side-effects [sic] to it that we fail to realise. Of course, this has to come around, "Human beings are one of the few species or perhaps, the only specie that is capable of facing the test of death and discovering the significance of life in it."
I should find the quote about the doctors expecting a 99-year-old woman with a hip fracture to operate on another patient.
Can you imagine how writers like these are going to survive in the world out there? I have absolutely no idea but I do know what if anyone writes this way, their bosses are probably not going to be too pleased. Even if their bosses can't write as well, they are in their position by virtue of the fact that they have mastered, if not are reasonably proficient in, reading skills. That is another dying skill and a different blog entry.
Now if you really need to hurl anything, shoes are fine. Nikes US11.5W any model. If you prefer to throw something larger, Wesco Big Boss Boots US11.5EE are acceptable. Cash preferred though.
Monday, January 12, 2009
By who's standards?
The GCE O Level results are released today and the candidates that I presented for the math papers returned to collect the fruits of their labour.
The results were not astounding - of the 5 distinction (A2) grades garnered by the entire cohort of 60, my group of 23 picked up one. The rest went to the top class. While my group scored well for percentage passes, the students did not measure up in terms of percentage distinctions, not at least when compared against the national average. But the students were nonetheless elated with their results.
I should say I was rather disappointed when the students were so happy with their results. There was a kind of sadness in my happiness. I'm happy for them because when I had them, they were consistently failing all their tests and exams. I'm sad because I wonder how I will ever come to terms with their "satisfaction" criteria.
I guess this is a continuing journey of reviewing the standards that I used to know. These students, who had been consistently failing, had received reasonably respectable passing grades. On fact, a number of them have had good passing grades. These grades, to them, are like nectar to a parched man. They represented the sweet taste of victory.
To me, however, these were at best mediocre grades. But who am I to say so when even the principal congratulated the group for their "better than national average" showing.
It did not take me long to realise the irony of celebrating small victories. These are the roots of mediocrity. To partake in these celebrations is to magnify the trivial achievements and make them seem monumental. If mankind thrived this way, we would never be able to send anyone to the moon. Our neighbours up north would never be inspired to send a spaceship to the sun. Never mind it'll be too hot because they will fire off in the night.
Even as I remind myself, "Even the dull, they have their story," I cannot help but wonder if we are giving the dull a voice but never teaching them to grow any smarter. So, if not to make the dull sharper, what is the point of listening?
I am not for using my standards to measure my students' achivements. But if we were to benchmark the school's results according to national averages, then isn't it more sensible to remind the school and the students that there is no big deal being around or slightly better than the national average? To be truly good, one has to transcend this mindset and surpass national standards significantly.
But who is willing to put in the hard work? Who is willing to accept another's standards? Who are we bluffing when we shortchange the people to whom we are going to entrust ourselves in our silver years? I guess we reap what we sow. But I am not willing to accept this - in my books, they had failed to meet the standards which define excellence even if they had outdone themselves.
The results were not astounding - of the 5 distinction (A2) grades garnered by the entire cohort of 60, my group of 23 picked up one. The rest went to the top class. While my group scored well for percentage passes, the students did not measure up in terms of percentage distinctions, not at least when compared against the national average. But the students were nonetheless elated with their results.
I should say I was rather disappointed when the students were so happy with their results. There was a kind of sadness in my happiness. I'm happy for them because when I had them, they were consistently failing all their tests and exams. I'm sad because I wonder how I will ever come to terms with their "satisfaction" criteria.
I guess this is a continuing journey of reviewing the standards that I used to know. These students, who had been consistently failing, had received reasonably respectable passing grades. On fact, a number of them have had good passing grades. These grades, to them, are like nectar to a parched man. They represented the sweet taste of victory.
To me, however, these were at best mediocre grades. But who am I to say so when even the principal congratulated the group for their "better than national average" showing.
It did not take me long to realise the irony of celebrating small victories. These are the roots of mediocrity. To partake in these celebrations is to magnify the trivial achievements and make them seem monumental. If mankind thrived this way, we would never be able to send anyone to the moon. Our neighbours up north would never be inspired to send a spaceship to the sun. Never mind it'll be too hot because they will fire off in the night.
Even as I remind myself, "Even the dull, they have their story," I cannot help but wonder if we are giving the dull a voice but never teaching them to grow any smarter. So, if not to make the dull sharper, what is the point of listening?
I am not for using my standards to measure my students' achivements. But if we were to benchmark the school's results according to national averages, then isn't it more sensible to remind the school and the students that there is no big deal being around or slightly better than the national average? To be truly good, one has to transcend this mindset and surpass national standards significantly.
But who is willing to put in the hard work? Who is willing to accept another's standards? Who are we bluffing when we shortchange the people to whom we are going to entrust ourselves in our silver years? I guess we reap what we sow. But I am not willing to accept this - in my books, they had failed to meet the standards which define excellence even if they had outdone themselves.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The closing speech of Clarence Darrow in the Henry Sweet Trial (1926)
Keith Olbermann referred to Clarence Darrow's closing speech at the Henry Sweet Trial as he made a passionate plea for people to denouce Proposition 8.
Curiosity got the better of me as I searched for the famed closing speech in Google. I've found it. Darrow had a very incisive understanding of human nature. He knew people very well and the respectfully damning speech was persuasive and incredibly well-crafted. He allowed people graceful admissions without feeling shame. He let them feel that they were the righteous even though they were devil-incarnates.
It was indeed even more exciting than Atticus Finch's drama in To Kill a Mockingbird. A delightful read, indeed!
Curiosity got the better of me as I searched for the famed closing speech in Google. I've found it. Darrow had a very incisive understanding of human nature. He knew people very well and the respectfully damning speech was persuasive and incredibly well-crafted. He allowed people graceful admissions without feeling shame. He let them feel that they were the righteous even though they were devil-incarnates.
It was indeed even more exciting than Atticus Finch's drama in To Kill a Mockingbird. A delightful read, indeed!
Monday, November 03, 2008
What a difference a year makes...
... they did not have the sense or courtesy to keep drinks for others who have not had their share
... they did not care to leave their trash in the bins
... they left the otak otak wrappers on the window ledge
... they do not understand the meaning of pick up the litter on the floor
... their mouths are not yet fully developed, dropping satay and other tidbits all over the floor
... their eyes are not able to see things clearly, they can't even see the rubbish right in front of them
... they didn't think that spills ought to be mopped up
... they think trash cans are bottomles pits
... their idea is that dishes wash themselves up
... their belief is the food should be served to them for their picking
... and that the raw food will cook themselves
... they dirtied all the rooms in a span of less than 6 hours
... privacy meant nothing to them
... an overflowing bin is still a bin...
No doubt they were 14 coming 15 but they were nothing like my adorable students who already had developed manners, well most of them, when they were 15. My students knew to keep a room for me and keep out of it. They knew to keep the trash where they belong or at least there were trash police who would ensure that the socially less mature ones knew what to do. My students knew dishes need to be washed and made sure they were washed. They even counted the dishes before checking out and reported any damage. They kept food fresh, ensured that things went on well. They were definitely mature, taking turns to play and keeping their volumes down. There was more congeniality and much more fun.
I never recall having to stoop over washing dishes like Cinder-homme till my back ached. I never had to stand at the microwave to precook the food to 85% because the fire they started was too small and there was too little charcoal for the BBQ. My kids knew how to take over so that everyone can get some fun. Heck, even if they were not operating the microwave cooking, they would have come in to take out cooked portions so that their additional hands can make light work.
A few of them came by, of course, to ask if the food was ready but these are the ones who would, I believe, do their share of cleaning up. They won't be all packed up ready to go once the food is finished but the cleaning is not. Heck, they would even clear the bins and check that the windows are closed PROPERLY before they leave. My students would even check the lights and fans to make sure that everything was in order.
I think I want to have another BBQ with my class soon. Because they are worth it!
... they did not care to leave their trash in the bins
... they left the otak otak wrappers on the window ledge
... they do not understand the meaning of pick up the litter on the floor
... their mouths are not yet fully developed, dropping satay and other tidbits all over the floor
... their eyes are not able to see things clearly, they can't even see the rubbish right in front of them
... they didn't think that spills ought to be mopped up
... they think trash cans are bottomles pits
... their idea is that dishes wash themselves up
... their belief is the food should be served to them for their picking
... and that the raw food will cook themselves
... they dirtied all the rooms in a span of less than 6 hours
... privacy meant nothing to them
... an overflowing bin is still a bin...
No doubt they were 14 coming 15 but they were nothing like my adorable students who already had developed manners, well most of them, when they were 15. My students knew to keep a room for me and keep out of it. They knew to keep the trash where they belong or at least there were trash police who would ensure that the socially less mature ones knew what to do. My students knew dishes need to be washed and made sure they were washed. They even counted the dishes before checking out and reported any damage. They kept food fresh, ensured that things went on well. They were definitely mature, taking turns to play and keeping their volumes down. There was more congeniality and much more fun.
I never recall having to stoop over washing dishes like Cinder-homme till my back ached. I never had to stand at the microwave to precook the food to 85% because the fire they started was too small and there was too little charcoal for the BBQ. My kids knew how to take over so that everyone can get some fun. Heck, even if they were not operating the microwave cooking, they would have come in to take out cooked portions so that their additional hands can make light work.
A few of them came by, of course, to ask if the food was ready but these are the ones who would, I believe, do their share of cleaning up. They won't be all packed up ready to go once the food is finished but the cleaning is not. Heck, they would even clear the bins and check that the windows are closed PROPERLY before they leave. My students would even check the lights and fans to make sure that everything was in order.
I think I want to have another BBQ with my class soon. Because they are worth it!
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