Why 4, and not 3?

Ever wondered why there were four terms in a year instead of three? I mean, theoretically, it is definitely possible. With four months in a term, everyone, both teachers and students, is surely capable of doing a great deal more. Consider the possibilities of having more time to learn, to prepare for examinations and not to mention more time for marking. With just three terms, students will realise the importance of each and every exam, and will tend to make the most out of them. Which is presumably a good thing. So why four, and not three?

It is not unusual to hear students lamenting about the lack of time they have in school nowadays. Juggling so many external commitments that include their CCAs, CIPs, Projects etc, how exactly are students able to squeeze in any additional time to study for their examinations?

This inevitably brings us to the point on “last-minute-work”.  Understandably, students would be left with no choice but to study late through the nights, thereby placing an unhealthy compromise on their own health. The idea of working late into the night has already turned into a widespread phenomenon throughout Singapore across the ages, but is exceptionally common amongst students.

Every parent would hope that their children receive the very best education from the school that they send them to, and we all know that this goes far beyond the textbook. Instead, of teaching the students solely according to their examination requirements, teachers are often tasked to teach at greater depth, which would be beneficial in allowing a student to get a grasp of the bigger picture of things. But as of now, the chances of that happening are gradually decreasing as students’ progress towards the more crucial years of their education. Not because of the teachers’ unwillingness to do so, but sorely due to the lack of time to complete the syllabus. Since they are quickly approaching the examinations, the teacher has to make sure that she completes the syllabus and that every student understands every examinable topic covered. This often translates into many remedial sessions which teachers call the students up for during the afternoons or even during the holidays. With so much time spent on teaching, will the students, in turn, have enough of time to learn and absorb all that has been taught? The issue here cannot be attributed to the students’ lack of time management, but with the system, for how are we going to revise when the topic has yet to be covered? Therefore, think of what an extra month could do to help the teachers and students?

These four extra weeks would also enable the students to be exposed to a greater array of non-academic activities that would promote their holistic development. Activities such as overseas learning camps, job-attachment programmes or excursions are just a few examples of what schools can offer. In our modern education system, there has been an increasing emphasis on the aspect of holistic development. It requires students to be as all-rounded as possible, in areas such as community involvement, character development and their academic achievement. No longer are job-interviewers targeting straight-A students, but rather those who are competent in areas involving human interaction; those who are capable of communicating effectively with others.

 

Notice that there will only three tests in a year, one towards the end of each term. If we were to do the Math, we can see that the percentage (waitage) for each exam would be slightly higher than if we were to have four exams. However, this a very flexible issue, in which every school will decide exactly on the percentage which each test in a term, carries. Some schools would choose to place the emphasis on the End-of-Year exam, while others would prefer an equal distribution of percentage throughout the three terms, so as to ensure that the students put in consistent effort. I would prefer that the latter be adopted since it instils the need for consistent hard work from students. Such a system would also discourage the students from banking on last-minute revisions in order to ace a test. I believe that this is a good practise for us students and hope that everyone sticks with it after they graduate.

As students, we are not born to be stuffed with information, but rather to learn what we can and apply what we have learnt into our lives. This, like everything else, requires time. What better way to do this than by having three terms, instead of four.

Tan Ming Shi

Jia You Singapore!

Hey all! I guess tonight may be one of the biggest nights in the history of Singapore football as our Youth Olympic Soccer team competes against Haiti at approximately 8.40 LIVE! Indeed our Singaporean team has worked hard to reach into the Semi-finals and we ought to give them all the support they need... I think.

Just last friday, on my way to the Singapore Sports School along with Marcus and Samuel Yu, we chanced upon a taxi-driver whose son was from St. Andrew Secondary School and was coincidentally in the water-polo team. Well, we had a fun and beneficial discussion with the taxi driver, talking about the YOG games, entrance to Secondary Schools and then a short lecture on the way the meters worked in the taxi. It did seemed that we were fortunate enough to flag down the 10 minutes before 5, which meant that we did not have to pay extra, for some reason. I was glad to hear that Singapore was doing quite well in ares like Soccer and Sailing, as the taxi driver was confident that Singapore would get a Gold medal for Sailing.

However, he then told us that would be also cheering for other countries, like the Swimming event later on. He then jokingly expressed his dissatisfaction with the rest of the other Sports Singapore would be competing in, saying that they were not up to par in comparison with other countries especially outside Asia.

To me Sports is something that is meant to be judged on its own, regardless of the country people come from. It's just another form of entertainment, and you get to enjoy the wonderful skills and talents portrayed by each individual competitor. Basically,

I just watch to enjoy the game. As I belong to Singapore, I should rightfully support my own country. On the contrary, I often think about it.

Why should I just narrow this scope of mine? Personally, I believe that there is always someone who is better than you in something, no matter how good you are at it. As the Chinese saying goes “一山有比一山高”；there will always be one mountain that is higher than the other.

My point is not saying that I do not support Singapore. I mean, I will give my very all for my country. But if, if Singapore does not manage to make it through somehow, be it whatever the reason, I will then change my focus to the other competing countries. Instead of stopping and lamenting over the loss of Singapore (touch wood!). I guess it's just about time we see things from a global perspective, be exposed to everything else beyond our comfort zone, just like the Singapore Table Tennis team which sent their team overseas to train and be exposed to how the real competition will be like.

On the whole, let us not give up and continue to hope for the best for Singapore. Jia You Singapore!

The way to success

Just today, I read a short passage from a Chinese book titled 《四面八方集》and I came across a very thought provoking phrase, “写文章不难，找读者不易啊！” In simple English, it means that it is not difficult to produce a piece of writing, but it is hard to find a reader for it. Just minutes ago, I tried to draw a little link with a previous book I have read, "The Outliers" written by Malcolm Gladwell. It gives a very comprehensive viewpoint of how the rich and successful people managed to become what they are now today. In part 1 of the book, it is 'Opportunity'.

As I think back, I am amazed at how much I have been exposed to and the countless number of opportunities I have received from God. Without them, I seriously doubt that I can be where I am today. With this thought in mind, I truly sympathise with those who were not given that same groundbreaking chance in life. An example would be people from Third World countries. As they are less economically developed, their children were helplessly forced to help out with the family in areas like farming. Their education have been neglected, their entire future ahead of them have been restrained just due to that major roadblock which a majority of them face--$$$. To me, it is a total waste of human intellect, for who knows! Some of them might even be the next Einstein!

They were born into this same World as us, breathe the same air and delivered their first cry. Why can't they start from the same starting line as the rest of us? After all, we will all end on that same finish line -- - death.

In contrast, allow me to quote from Malcolm Gladwell in his book "The Outliers", "It's simply that in Canada the eligibility cutoff for age-class hockey is January I. A boy who turns ten on January 2, then, could be playing alongside someone who doesn't turn ten until the end of the year--and at that age, in preadolescence, a twelve-month gap in age represents an enormous difference in physical maturity." It could just be purely God's grace that allowed that particular person to have a head start. To be able to have a greater advantage in the game.

So which is the way to success? No matter how good you are, you will always need a 伯乐 once in a while. You will always need that someone to realise your full potential, provide you with the perfect opportunity and only then will you excel.

So Justice or Mercy?

I don't know.

Is the world becoming more of a place for evil? Or is everyone just too unforgiving...

Justice is defined by "the system of laws in a country which judges and punishes people" or by the "fairness in the way people are dealt with". Justice is just there for us when we each want to get an equal standing in the society. It serves as a means of retribution and the offenders getting their "JUST DESSERTS". We assume that it is always the only way out of a situation. Well I agree to some extent that it does help one to gain back his or her own dignity lost and whatever that he should rightfully receive, but if we rely solely on Justice in our society and not mercy, will we survive long enough until the World ends (You must watch 2012, fabulous show!)?

No. But ironically, if we were just able to live on Mercy alone, I doubt that we will have much miseries... Mercy is defined as the "kindness and forgiveness shown towards someone you have authority over". Which also implies the people who have offended you.As a Christian, I believe that since God has shown us mercy by letting his son, Jesus Christ, die on the cross for our sins so that we can be saved, then we should naturally show mercy to others. Just think about it, we one person accidentally does wrong or maybe even intentionally, if one party is able to just relax, cool down and show mercy by forgiving the offender, then won't everything be solved? The offender is likely to bear that certain guilt in him and will think twice about doing wrong. Despite the victim may seem to be at the losing end, yet he or she will be able to avoid more conflicts should he or she not show mercy.

I feel that mercy is reciprocal. If someone forgives you then it is only right that you forgive others. It is also something that is constantly being passed on. If that someone does not forgive you; does not show you mercy, then you may either choose to be merciful to be someone else or to carry on with the nasty treatment. Quite often it is like a chain reaction; one will will not choose to be merciful for it is just the ways of mankind. But if Jesus was able to bear the countless numbers of humiliation and be harshly and unfairly treated by the rest of the society, and yet be able to show love and mercy to others, then as a Christian, we should also try our best to mould after him.

If the Christians were able to show mercy on Shylock by not insulting him from the start, then I would have guessed that Shylock would not have hated them that much. This would not have triggered his hate for Antonio as well, since he did say that "I hate him for he is a Christian". Without this mutual hate, the trial would not have really started at all. Just imagine if Portia had managed to show mercy to Shylock and let him off with "thrice the sum of money", then there may be a possibility that Shylock might have a varying opinion on the Christians later on.

Who cares about fairness at all! After all, this World is already so unfair... But if we are able to exact mercy unto one another, this would then surely overwrite all the losses and setbacks we may have faced in the past.

Think of the future ahead of us. Think of the Lord. Think of Mercy.

Just for one moment...

I love to cook! I really do. I feel that it gets my mind off everything else happening around me. It is my source of happiness and my reason to rejoice. I practically try to be involved in every single thing taking place in the kitchen. For most or if not all the weekends, I would cook lunch and maybe even dinner. It's basically the only thing I am good at.

It's just that one moment of peace and harmony, my precious eternity. Oh how I wish that I could cook for my whole life and not study at all! I would sometimes imagine the countless number of hours sitting down at the table revising my school work, and then ponder about the things I could have cooked using the same amount of time. I would wish that we were given a day of 25 hours, with that one extra hour for us to be still and indulge ourselves in the things we enjoy doing. Oh how I wish we had "Home Econs" in our school. Some people say that it gives us the most important life skill of all-learning how to cook to survive.

Many a times I would wish for that one moment in life when time just stops. When time waits for everyone to finish whatever that they enjoy doing before facing the challenges of tomorrow.

Our Lord God had given each and everyone of us unique talents, yet why can't we spend time to maximise them? To let them reach their full potential. Maybe our school should have a "Hobby Day" which is a day dedicated for us to carry out with our hobbies. If the future looks towards everyone specialising in something, then why are we all still cooped up with doing the things for the sake of getting the grade? Just think, if you only had one last hour to live on this Earth, what would you do?

Research on Mockingbird's habitat.

a. Do a research on the natural habitat of mockingbird. In your research, include the kind of flora and fauna you think exist in Maycomb and explain why the mockingbirds live in Maycomb.

What are Mockingbirds?

The state bird of Texas,Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.

They are members of the Mimidae family, a group of American passerines that also includes thrashers, tremblers, and New World catbirds. The Northern Mockingbird is the most well known representative of it's family. Northern Mockingbirds have grey tops and the underside of their wings are white in colour. There are white patches on it's wings in the shape of bars, their tails long and black, with white outer feathers.

They are often mistaken for Shrikes which are another species of birds. The mockingbird has a white patch and two white bars on each wing while a Shrike has one bar of white stripe and no white patches. This can be observed during flight. It is hard to tell between a male and a female mockingbird. Generally, mockingbirds will live for 4 to 12 years. The eggs of the birds are blue-green in nature with unusual brown markings on them. The birds make their nests low towards the ground, which is like an open cup of grass and twigs with rootlets scattered densely.

Mockingbirds can be found in most of the continental United States from southern Oregon through northern Utah to Newfoundland and south to Mexico. They live in the open grassy areas, stream side thickets, farmlands, bushes, edge of open woods and desert brush. They also dwell in gardens particularly if any winter berries are available.

I guess from here, we can picture what Maycomb County looks like in the story-various open areas, contains many shrubs and thickets, and nice and sunny. It can also be deduced that many families in Maycomb County plant many small shrubs and berry bushes in their garden- attracting Mockingbirds to the area. Mockingbirds generally live quite close with humans and share the same environments.

In the story, it's a sin to kill them as they are harmless and sing just to attract a mate. It's also well known for mimicking other bird's calls from various species! The bird can easily have 25-35 songs in its repertory. Smart bird!

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/tropical_neotropical_birds/104075
http://www.articlealley.com/article_644489_54.html
http://www.nhptv.org/NATUREWORKS/mockingbird.htm
Picture: courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Newspaper Article about the fire incident

2. Write a newspaper article / report on an incident that happened in the novel.

Just hours ago, a fire broke out in Maycomb County. At around 2a.m. in the early hours of the day, the entire town was woken up by fumes of smoke bursting out from Ms. Maudie's house, to be exact, her dining-room.

Men dressed in pyjamas, some half-dressed, flooded the streets, each trying his best to save the house on fire. There was a whole line of men lining up from Ms. Maudie's house to the yard across the street, desperately hoarding out furniture. Battling the flames.

"Help him! Someone help him!" Were the cries from the residents around the area. The reason being that as a fellow resident of the village was way up in Ms Maudie's house, hurling furniture out of the window. Continuous shouts could be heard throughout the entire Maycomb County, "Come down from there, Dick! The stairs are going! Get outta there, Mr. Avery!" Luck was not in favour of them at times as the old firetruck failed to respond and function properly, having huge crowds of men urging it forward by hand.

Minutes later, Mr. Avery made a heroic ascend down the house, but slipped and fell on shrubbery. Thank God he was safe. The time was 4.17a.m., the sun was coming up and the men started backing away from the house. The fire was well into the second floor and had eaten it's way to the roof: window-frames were charred black against a vivid orange centre.

The hoses continued to let out strong gusts of water as finally, a firetruck from Abbotsville came to the rescue. The fires licked the other neighbouring houses relentlessly, one by one attempting to consume them. The Abbotsville firetruck began pumping water on the houses, slowly dousing the fire. Maycomb County were then at peace.

Some of the residents were later interviewed. We asked if their house was affected by the fire and how they felt:

"My, my. This sure was one heck a night! Anyway, I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin' fire to it a hundred times myself, except the'd lock me up."" I guess it caught...probably the flue in the kitchen. I kept a fire in there last night for my potted plants."

"Yessum. It burnt bit of my roof off!"replied Ms. Jean Louise Finch, daughter of Atticus Finch.

For now Maycomb County rests, while the Sheriff and company carry out further investigation on this matter.