New Hopes for the Coming Year...

Yup, the new year is coming soon... A new year of hopes, dreams and maybe even success!

I mean success for all my classes, whether of 2009 or 2010. Every class I have taught in CSS has given me memories that I will indeed treasure...

I think some of you guys are pretty happy that I won't be teaching you anymore next year. Haha, no more scoldings, no more naggings. But then, as you grow a year older, you also will encounter other people or teachers telling you "no more playing, no more fooling around".

Some of you will be in your streaming year next year, while some of you will be now known as the mighty Upper Sec seniors. I do hope no matter which class you are in, you will remember all that I've said/nagged/scolded in class because I didn't say all those things for nothing.

I said/did all those things in the hope that you will learn and grow. Some of you probably still hate me for the things I said during the year to you, but I know you will understand one day. I trust you. I trust you will grow up and understand sooner or later.

Since the holidays are ending, I hope all homework is done (yes, homework!) and all books and uniforms are bought.

And since we can't delay the start of the school term and prolong the holidays (as much as all of us want to), let's look on the bright side and await a new beginning! A new beginning of maybe new friends, new teachers and better results!

Just a note: For those who think that Ms Teo will ignore you if she is not teaching you anymore, you are wrong. Anytime you need to talk to someone, and you think I can be a good listener, I'm always here :)


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Of the End in Sight

Time really flies, doesn't it?

It feels like year 2009 has just started, with new classes, new teachers and even new friends.

It has been a year of laughter and tears. Laughter every time I walk in and I see your happy, smiling faces. Tears every time the lesson doesn't go as I expected or something happens that takes the joy out of learning.

Even with tears, I still found the year extremely enriching and enjoyable for me. I love my classes of 2009 and I wish I can follow some of them up. Unfortunately, circumstances are such that they now have other EL teachers with them. The good part is, these other teachers have so much more experience than I have and so the students are definitely going to benefit.

I miss all my students, regardless of whether I've scolded/punished you before. I really care for every one of you out there, and I hope no matter what happens in future, you will remember you had this female PRETTY teacher who has tried her hardest to give you good lessons.

In fact, I hope at least some of you have learnt something from my lessons throughout this year.


Let's now look forward to the new year and rejoice! :) In the meanwhile, do enjoy your holidays!


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Yes I know it's been a long time since I last posted, but where do I find the time to post when I've been busy trying to mark all your assignments and tests so that I can return them to you before the exams?

And yup, Thursday looms.

Please get ready for Thursday's papers. They're not going to be easy at all.

But in any case, I know you guys can do it! :)

I'm sick, people!

Gah. Sorry for missing lessons.

Ms Tan will be taking over for this week, and I WILL know if you have been misbehaving in her lessons so... please pay attention! Plus, since the exams are coming, whatever she's doing now is way way important!

I'll drink more water and take more Vitamin C in the meantime... bleah.


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The Complexity We Face Everyday...

For those who are demoralised over your less-than-average English results, do not despair yet! How could we ever master the horrendously complicated English Language when it's like this???


Another English Lesson

We'll begin with box, and the plural is boxes;
But the plural of ox should be oxen, not oxes.
Then one fowl is goose, but two are called geese ...
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.

You may find a lone mouse or a whole lot of mice,
But the plural of house is houses, not hice.
If the plural of man is always called men,
When couldn't the plural of pan be called pen?

The cow in the plural may be cows or kine,
But the plural of vow is vows, not vine.
And I speak of a foot, and you show me your feet,
But I give a boot ... would a pair be called beet?

If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?
If the singular is this and plural is these,
Why shouldn't the plural of kiss be nicknamed kese?

Then one may be that, and three may be those,
Yet the plural of hat would never be hose;
We speak of a brother, and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.

The masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine she, shis, and shim!
So our English, I think you will all agree,
Is the trickiest language you ever did see.

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you
On hiccough, thorough, slough, and through?

Well, done! And now you wish, perhaps
To learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.

And dead; it's said like bed, not bead;
For goodness sake, don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat,
(they rhyme with suite and straight and debt)

A moth is not a moth in mother.
Nor both in bother, broth in brother.
And here is not a match for there.
And dear and fear for bear and pear.

And then there's dose and rose and lose
-- Just look them up -- and goose and choose.
And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword.

And do and go, then thwart and cart.
Come, come, I've hardly made a start
.A dreadful language? Man alive,
I'd learned to speak it when I was five,
And yet to write it,the more I sigh ...

(Taken from http://www.lifesmith.com/english.html#anchor17447254)


Now you know why English is not easy to master?
Master we may not, but learn and use we definitely can!
So don't give up on learning English ok? =)

I'm a little disappointed with the way some of my classes are behaving lately. They did not do well for the exams, yet they don't see the need to change certain kinds of attitude and behaviour they now have in class.

What more can I do? I'm at a loss now.

Have I not done enough?

Yahoo~~~

And yes, exams are finally over!

Isn't it a relief to finally not mug night after night anymore? Of course, all of you still have your final year exams to think about soon, but then it's alright to take a breather first isn't it? =)

I've been wondering lately, what makes a good teacher? Now, there are many different definitions of the word "good". Some of you may associate "good" with "likeable", whereas others might think "good" = "teaches well/I can totally understand the lesson".

Do you have other definitions of what makes a good teacher? Do let us know by leaving a comment in this post. Tell us what you think a good teacher is like and, if possible, tell us if you have a specific good teacher in mind (either in primary school or secondary school).

I'll be waiting for your comments... =)


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