I have just read something quite unbelievable online. A young girl (fine, her age is about the same as mine) has typed an open letter to the education minister, posted on Facebook. Now, i don't really have much to say because unlike her my depth of thought is still.. well, shallow. I'll just say that she does hold quite alot of valid points, but it seems slightly skewed towards condemning Singapore's education system... This is something in common with the book i read during my December holidays (I have, sadly, forgotten the title. It's somewhere in the blog archives, though.)-- which was likewise urging a reform of the USA's education system. Perhaps i've had a slightly different experience, but i feel that my personal take on this topic is somewhat more neutral. I've had good teachers who encourage or at least, don't discourage inquisitive learning. Perhaps some might dismiss some of my questions, but by and large, asking when i don't comprehend or just simply wanting to know more of a subject is second nature to me. And my teachers are game to take on my questions; even if they don't know, they will do their own research and come back to me. As the Chinese say, 三人行，必有我师。The teachers and I teacher each other along the way, and everybody stands to benefit.
Also, this lengthy note by this girl tells me that she is in a different league from the rest of her peers. Not every secondary four girl takes the time to catch up on domestic affairs or reads so widely that she can quote from at least the more famous personas that exist, or existed, with relative ease. I believe that she will go places.
edit: If the dear reader is interested, here is the original note: http://www.facebook.com/notes/janelle-nicodemus-lee/an-open-letter-to-the-education-minister/10150248404359401
Today was the cumulation of whatever work that i had put in to Biosoc, in designing the biology practical for a secondary school science quiz called Eureka!. So after many failed proposals, evaluation, discussions with a group who was not very enthusiastic about things, and innumerable revisions, the papers were finally printed, in black and white, and distributed to the countertops in the chemistry lab. A ten-minute practical that most groups couldn't do (I bet I couldn't, at any rate.) or rather, couldn't excel in. It wasn't exactly worth it, in the sense that I got a sudden, heady rush of emotion or jubilation, or anything of the sort. I simply felt a deep relief that this painstaking work was finally over. And I have also developed a new respect for teachers. I've always known that teaching is an extremely difficult and arduous job, but to try being a teacher of sorts- invigilating, doing your utmost to set a practical paper, checking on the progress of the teams, marking the answers and not knowing whether to laugh or cry-- it really was an eye-opener. I suppose now after reflecting on what I've been doing for Eureka! in the last few months, I really could have done better. And asked the students if they could hear me speaking. And checked and double-checked the plant samples and apparatus provided. (The fern fronds picked for one group by the lab techs were immature and did not have spores yet, so i had to hurry up and deliever the backup frond to them. Thankfully, in the nick of time.)
It has also come to my attention that much as i fancied myself to be a backseat leader-the type who doesn't speak much, but hides behind a veiled curtain and advises the one in authority- I probably lack leadership characteristics. The truth is depressing, but yet has confirmed what I've been suspecting for quite a number of years. I probably belong to the 'manager' category- those who can carry out orders well, but yet do not really provide many creative imputs of their own, and not having the charisma to rally people around them to work efficiently and get a task done. How do I change myself...?
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