Tuesday, April 29, 2008
An unexpected success lesson: Students were thrilled in meeting an entrepreneur
Many thanks to Mr Lee Kang Hwa for inspiring the students
Sunday, July 29, 2007
A week of mixed emotions
Reflection
30 July 2007
A week of mixed emotions
I had the opportunity to be sent for an ITE graduation ceremony last Tuesday. It was a bag of mixed emotions for me to see some of my former students excelling in their field of study. I cried in my heart with pride seeing some troubled ex-students climbing to the top of their cohort in ITE. They were the cream of the 11 884 graduates. Even though I managed to speak to them for less than half a minute each, it was a reunion of the soul of CVSS.
Tan Rong Chan, Joleen (Normal Academic)
Course Medal Winner - Beauty Therapy
Tan Rong Chan, Joleen was of great significance to me as I remembered a troubled young girl who was very weak in English. Despite knowing her behavioural problems as well, I appointed her as my English Representative. She left her Normal Academic Class in Secondary 4 to join ITE. I am glad that she managed to slay the dragons that were hounding her success; to top her course. She will be working as at the moment, there is no Diploma course for Beauty Therapy.
Tan Guan Long (Normal Technical)
Course Medal Winner – Multimedia Technology
Tan Guan Long was a quiet and unassuming figure in class when he was in Compassvale Secondary School. He was, at best, an above average student. He had found his passion in ITE and scaled to the top of his cohort. He will be proceeding to Singapore Polytechnic next year.
Chan Wai Hon (Normal Technical)
Certificate of Merit – Building Services Technology (Mechanical & Electrical Services)
Chan Wai Hon, at best, was an average student in his studies. He had barely made it to ITE. Even Ms Tan Chwee Kim remembers him as a student that was “a bit slow”. However, look where he is today. He is currently at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He has made tremendous strides in his life to reach this status today.
Muhammad Saufi (Normal Technical)
Certificate of Merit – Electronics (Wireless LAN)
Did not managed to speak to him but Saufi has been the class unassuming and quiet student.
These four students have managed to carry the flags of their lives high. Let us continue in the inspiration of CVSS students. AND NEVER FORGET those who are average or below average in both academic and behavioural issues. Never assume that they will remain there as shown by our four stars in ITE. Continue hard to win hearts and minds.
On the flip side, I was invited for a wedding buffet by a student from the same batch (no name mentioned to protect her privacy). I was heartbroken to learn that the reason for her marriage was due to her two months pregnancy. She had dropped out of ITE. Worse was her husband to be was as she aptly puts it, “self-employed”. When I probed into the meaning, she informed me that he was distributing flyers to mailboxes. They will be going through a rough patch financially. Even though, I was proud that she had kept my number all these years and invited her poor old teacher for a wedding buffet meant only for close relatives, I felt sad as I am seeing a possible cycle of broken marriage or tough marriage life.
This time, my crying in my heart was for a different reason – a pain feeling for her hardship to come. I can only pray that her husband will stop being “self-employed” and upgrade himself for the sake of his new family.
30 July 2007
A week of mixed emotions
I had the opportunity to be sent for an ITE graduation ceremony last Tuesday. It was a bag of mixed emotions for me to see some of my former students excelling in their field of study. I cried in my heart with pride seeing some troubled ex-students climbing to the top of their cohort in ITE. They were the cream of the 11 884 graduates. Even though I managed to speak to them for less than half a minute each, it was a reunion of the soul of CVSS.
Tan Rong Chan, Joleen (Normal Academic)
Course Medal Winner - Beauty Therapy
Tan Rong Chan, Joleen was of great significance to me as I remembered a troubled young girl who was very weak in English. Despite knowing her behavioural problems as well, I appointed her as my English Representative. She left her Normal Academic Class in Secondary 4 to join ITE. I am glad that she managed to slay the dragons that were hounding her success; to top her course. She will be working as at the moment, there is no Diploma course for Beauty Therapy.
Tan Guan Long (Normal Technical)
Course Medal Winner – Multimedia Technology
Tan Guan Long was a quiet and unassuming figure in class when he was in Compassvale Secondary School. He was, at best, an above average student. He had found his passion in ITE and scaled to the top of his cohort. He will be proceeding to Singapore Polytechnic next year.
Chan Wai Hon (Normal Technical)
Certificate of Merit – Building Services Technology (Mechanical & Electrical Services)
Chan Wai Hon, at best, was an average student in his studies. He had barely made it to ITE. Even Ms Tan Chwee Kim remembers him as a student that was “a bit slow”. However, look where he is today. He is currently at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He has made tremendous strides in his life to reach this status today.
Muhammad Saufi (Normal Technical)
Certificate of Merit – Electronics (Wireless LAN)
Did not managed to speak to him but Saufi has been the class unassuming and quiet student.
These four students have managed to carry the flags of their lives high. Let us continue in the inspiration of CVSS students. AND NEVER FORGET those who are average or below average in both academic and behavioural issues. Never assume that they will remain there as shown by our four stars in ITE. Continue hard to win hearts and minds.
On the flip side, I was invited for a wedding buffet by a student from the same batch (no name mentioned to protect her privacy). I was heartbroken to learn that the reason for her marriage was due to her two months pregnancy. She had dropped out of ITE. Worse was her husband to be was as she aptly puts it, “self-employed”. When I probed into the meaning, she informed me that he was distributing flyers to mailboxes. They will be going through a rough patch financially. Even though, I was proud that she had kept my number all these years and invited her poor old teacher for a wedding buffet meant only for close relatives, I felt sad as I am seeing a possible cycle of broken marriage or tough marriage life.
This time, my crying in my heart was for a different reason – a pain feeling for her hardship to come. I can only pray that her husband will stop being “self-employed” and upgrade himself for the sake of his new family.
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