16
June
2009
The task: Rewrite Cinderella from the POV of one of the step-sisters.
Hello there! My name is Wanda and I am one of Cinderella’s step-sister. I believe many of you have read the story Cinderella, right? Well, that is just a fairytale. The Cinderella story you read is almost the opposite as its reality. Trust me. In the story, Cinderella is an innocent young lady who is hated by her step-mother and sisters. Seriously, it is only partially true. This is because it is written by Cinderella herself! She exaggerated a few times in her writing. My sister and I was a little mad at her due to that.
Many of you know that Cinderella’s step-mother is evil. Well, that part is true. My older sister and I pretended to be on our mother’s side. However, deep down, we felt touched seeing her being bullied everyday. There is nothing we can do as we fear getting scolded by our mother. There are times when we sneak into Cinderella’s room to give her food.
One day, (as you know), we received an invitation to a ball. Mother bought an evening dress for me and my sister. We felt upset as Mother did not allow us to bring Cinderella along. On our journey to the ball, Aunty Mel visited Cinderella. For your information, Aunty Mel is not a fairy. She is a human being, my dad’s elder sister. She wanted Cinderella to go to the ball and had personally sewed a white dress with diamonds and sequins for Cinderella. It was beautiful. When she entered the ballroom, she caught everyone’s attention. I can see Mother’s face was burning with fury. She wanted either me or my sister to marry the prince charming. Well, I felt that Cinderella seemed more compatible with Prince Edward. After all, as a sister, I want the best for Cinderella. Soon after, I can see Cinderella dancing with Prince Edward. My sister and I squealed in excitement behind Mother. We love to see Cinderella happy.
The part on the midnight bell and Cinderella’s shoe was true. However, it is not that Cinderella will turn into an ugly frog or something. She just want to reach home early so that she can finish washing the remaining dishes. A few days later, the Prince’s ministers came to our house. And of course, the shoe fit Cinderella perfectly. So, it is obvious that the Prince proposed Cinderella immediately. Mother was mad but there’s nothing she can do. My sister and I felt happy for Cinderella.
A few years later, Mother died and Cinderella invited my sister and me to live in her palace. And yes, we live happily ever after…
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16
June
2009
( Its not an easy task but i’ll try…)
CONFESSIONS OF A SIX-GRADE TEACHER.
” Cellest, what would you like to be when you grow up?” asked Miss Ariana, my six-grade teacher.
” I want to be a Math teacher, just like you.” I replied, hoping she liked my compliment.
Those words kept replaying in my mind. Since young, I have always wanted to be a teacher. I love the fact that I can give stickers and sweets to students who have done well. At that age, I felt that being a teacher is enjoyable and that I get to earn big salary. Well, it is really the opposite though. So here I am, a six-grade teacher…
I dreaded waking up each day. Every morning, I describe myself as a mad woman- racing against time to clean the house and preparing breakfast for my husband and two-year-old son. Then I will get dress, manage a light foundation and lip gloss, and leave for work. Lucky enough, I have a driver’s licence and it does not take me that long to reach the school I am teaching.
Walking on my Prada heels, I entered the Staff Room where I saw piles of unmarked assignments. Very often, I saw papers with post-its notes saying ‘Sorry for the late work’. That, to me, is very annoying. Having to mark work that are handed-up late is a waste of time. Even so, I still have to mark those assignments. After all, students’ results are always reflected to the teacher who teaches them. It is a huge responsibility being a teacher as a result. I am always pressurised not only by students, but parents as well. I will receive calls from parents asking why their child did badly for their examinations. Parents always blamed teachers for that. It makes me very agitated at times. Consequently, I suffered from high-blood pressure due to all the stress.
Due to my increasing blood pressure, I decided to take a time-off from work. I felt that it is time for me to spend some time with my old friends. It had been so long since I last talk to them. My friend, Pamela invited me over to her place for lunch.
We did catch up a lot over lunch. Pamela is an accountant, a career which she also regret taking.
” I think being a teacher is better. They get presents every year on Teacher’s Day. In fact, dealing with students is better than dealing with aldults.” commented Pamela.
After hearing what Pamela said, I feel that being a teacher is not that bad after all. Sometimes, students are the one who comfort me when I felt angry or upset. Their jokes makes the class more lively. They are good helpers too. I still remember one of my students, George. He never fail to offer help whenever I am in need. He is willing to spare ten minutes after school each day to buy lunch for me. When I was away on maternity leave, my students send me cards and flowers to my house. That touched me a lot.
I decided to make a move from Pamela’s house as it is getting late. It was the best day of my life. I felt stress-free and relaxed. Once home, I went into my room where I saw piles of unmarked worksheets…
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5
June
2009
(a) The girls were excited as they waited for the results.
The girls made their way into the school hall with minds whirling with excitement. They slept fitfully the night before, longing for this much anticipated day. Their heart pounded hard and fast as the Principal made his way to the stage. As soon as the Principal started his speech, an unnatural silence filled the room. Some girls were nervous-it was obvious as they fidgeted in their seats quite frequently. Their hands felt clammy and beads of perspiration formed on their foreheads. They are clueless as to how well they have done the ‘O’ Level Examinations.
(d) The old lady sat alone in her room.
She lay motionlessly on the chair with a tear-stained face. Misery was written all over her face. All the times she had shared with him kept replaying in her mind. Tears brimmed in her reddened eyes as she noticed a picture of her husband in the Obituary section of the local newspaper. Her life is now packed with loneliness, loneliness that even words can’t describe. Wiping away a teardrop with the back of her hand, she put away the newspaper, trying to get some sleep.
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3
June
2009
Working during the school holidays: What are the pros and cons?
It is no doubt that students usually take the opportunity to get themselves jobs during school holidays. Last year, over 83 percent of the school-going population applied for jobs, mainly at fast-food restaurants. However, there are advantages and disadvantages for students to work during the school holidays. The advantages are that students will learn to be independent and gain experiences which they can benefit in future. On the other hand, the drawbacks are; students will have the tendency to adopt bad habits as well as ignoring their usual routine and lifestyle.
A survey done last year showed that students applied for jobs mainly to pamper themselves with the things they want such as new handphones. In a way, it teaches students not to be too dependant on their parents for money. They are willing to work their fingers to the bone just to get the extra income. A friend of mine used to work as a waitress while waiting for her ‘O’ Levels results. Due to that, she helped to reduce the burden of her parents by paying up her handphone bills. She even managed the rest of her expenses which include transport and leisure. Therefore, working did help students to be independent.
In general, employers usually prefer to employ someone with working experiences. Every job has its challenges and it is up to each individual to deal with it. Examples include overcoming pressure between colleagues as well as multi-tasking. Recent article from the Straits Times reported that most of the jobs vacancies requires employees with working experiences. The article also did advised those who were unemployed to take up courses so as to gain experiences. Therefore, working experiences are crucial especially during the current recession period where many people are retrenched.
Even so, there are students who are easily influenced. While working, students will have colleagues who are of a much older age than them. Hence, they could have been forced into adopting bad habits, one of which is smoking. This problem can be further aggravated if students are involved in drug-taking or trafficking. As a result, it can impair student’s performance in future. Therefore, students must not be easily influenced or they might eventually get themselves into trouble.
Lastly, the second con is that students will tend to ignore their usual routine or lifestyle. This include spending time with family and friends or going to the park every weekend. Students usually work overtime and might not have the time to spare on other things as mentioned. Due to that also, they will have a lesser sleeping time and this greatly affects their health. ‘ Keep Fit’ magazine states that students who work long hours are constantly relying on caffeine to keep themselves awake. Hence, there is a high chance for students to ignore daily activities and have a whole new lifestyle.
All in all, students do benefit something when they work during the holidays. They can adopt values like being independant and at the same time gain experiences which can help them in future. However, there are negative consequences for working during the holidays too. They may inculcate bad habits like smoking and also abandoned the things they used to do like family outing. Therefore, it is up to each individual to decide whether they want to work during the holidays or not.
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21
May
2009
I tot dis blog is gonna be dead after the december break! but i wos rong. ms leanna is giving us(students) the June Hols h/w here. So yea, at least dis blog is created for a purpose. Lucky i still save my password n username at my email. Lazy to do a new one. haha. okay, tats all. Bye.
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30
December
2008
I’m really looking forward to 2009. Apart from that, I am also eager to get back to school!
So here is my last and final task:
1. 3 things that I’m looking forward to in 2009:
- A class filled with fun and loving friends
- My Cest La Vie and SYF performances
- No more economical crisis all over the world
2. 3 goals I wish to achieve in 2009:
- Get good srades
- No more procrastination especially when revising for exams
- To be a good student, daughter and sister(hopefully!)
3. 3 goals I’ve achieved in 2008:
- Managed to get into 3E4
- Able to give my mum the best birthday ever
- Passed with flying colours
4. 3 wishes I have for EL lessons in 2009
- I want it be enjoyable and interesting
- More excursions, preferably to go somewhere out of Singapore
- Useful worksheets and exercises to help me improve in English
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27
December
2008
As you know, there’s always a story that lies behind every picture. This was taken in June this year. My family and close relatives had gone to Kuala Lumpur for a holiday. We were all excited and had look forward for the trip weeks before. We woke up early in the morning and drive to KL. The journey took us seven long hours! We did ask people for directions and managed to reach our hotel around 3pm. We didn’t do much on the first day as it was quite late when we reached there.
Before the trip, my uncle had done some research on KL. He came across this website which shows some of the best eating places there. A restaurant called Vive striked his attention. It prepares a wide variety of food and is famous for its black-pepper lobster. He printed out the location of the place.
Therefore, the very next day, we decided to go to Vive for lunch. We left the hotel at 10am. After all, KL is known for its heavy traffic and long jams. According to the map, it is located near Jalan Amri. We managed to reach there. However, the restaurant was not in our sight. My dad went out of his car and asked a late-40s men for directions. Sadly, he said that there was no such restaurant around. He seemed preety sure about it.
My dad looked at the map that my uncle had printed out again. Awhile later, he laughed to himself. I was curious. He point his finger to the bottom of the paper. It was stated ‘ Negeri Sembilan’. Obviously, the reastaurant was not in Kuala Lumpur!
Disappointed and angry, for wasting 2 hours, we drive out of the place. In the end, we caught sight of a shopping center. We managed to settle in another restaurant and that’s where I took the picture above.
It was an unforgettable experience. My uncle learnt his lesson. After all, Malaysia is a BIG country and has many states!
And lastly, I MISS SCHOOL. 5 more days and counting….
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2
December
2008
Ragging is a useless and harmful activity.
Ragging is the doing of any act on newcomers. I feel that it is a useless and harmful activity. Thus, I do not see the point for doing so. This is because: it can lead to newcomers undergoing several forms of mental, physical and sexual abuse or we ending up in jail for the foolish act.
Based from the STOMP website, a birthday boy form St Andrew’s Junior College did not get a good and ‘clean’ birthday bash. First, he was thrown into the dustbin by a group of rugby boys and was sprayed with water. Later, things seemed to became worst. The genital of the birthday boy was rubbed with toothpaste and was then slammed against a pole. Other than the fact that a boy’s genitals is the most sensitive organ, he may also suffer a great impact on this. Apart from that, it can also affect the rugby boys if he were to report the incident. Sooner or later, it can become a police case. They could just have a normal birthday bash where they can prevent themselves from getting into any trouble. This is one of the reason why I feel ragging is a useless and harmful activity.
Another website on ragging which I came across also lead to a police case. A boy was asked by two of his seniors to dance and take of his clothes. When he denied to do so, they start beating him. After everything was over, the boy immediately write a formal complaint letter to his principal and demand the local police to take action. Again, I would like to stress to all senior students that although ragging can be fun and hilarious, it is useless and harmful. They should always think of the consequences first before anything.
(http://raggingininstitutes.blogspot.com/search/label/Action%20Taken)
I hope I have stressed enough how useless and harmful ragging is. Till next time, toodles!
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21
November
2008
It was a week ago when I asked my mum about her secondary school. Shockingly, her school was just as strict as Ms Leanna’s. Throughout her days in secondary school, my mum’s hair never touched the collar of her uniform. Despite that, they were still allowed to wear stud earrings.
Personally, I think it is necesary to have dress codes in schools. I understand that students are allowed to wear their home-clothes in Polytechnics, etc. However, they must know certain limitations and have the ability to know whether or not what they are wearing is appropriate.
I have read the article on the dress codes came up by the MDIS. I feel that they did the right thing to introduce such dress codes. For instance, I feel that it is funny for people to wear singlets or shorts to school. Such outwear is more suitable to be worn at home. If they are lazy to dress up nicely, at least wear a pair of jeans with a t-shirt. It will look more neat and appropriate. For girls who likes to wear mini-skirts, they could always wear it outside school, probably when they are hanging out with their friends,etc.
Wearing slippers is another issue. This applies to both party. If you are given the opportunity to get into NTU or NUS, which is a very prestigious place, you would not want to wear slippers. Slippers, to me, is more suitable to wear during leisure time or when you want to go somewhere nearby. I feel that there are still other footwear that is as comfortable as slippers. Dying hair. You could always use the non-permanent one outside school.
Now, I shall answer the questions that Ms Leanna had given:
(a) In your own words, what are the two main reasons the school gives for having their dress code?
Firstly, the main reason for students to go to school should be for education purpose. A school is not for them to show unpleasant or undesirable clothing. It can give a great impact to students whose main motive is to receive superior knowledge and skills.
Secondly, dress codes is also vital in ensuring how a person dresses and present themselves. School is where students can learn basic proper dressing so as to ensure that they will be ready in future. The way a person dresses is also a symbol of respect for others. With dress codes, a school or institute wishes to secure its reputation and image as well.
(b) Name two places in which you think it would be reasonable to have dress codes. Why?
Other than in schools, I feel that it is necessary to have dress codes at shopping centers. Some people go to shopping centers in shorts and slippers. They are many high-class shops and restaurants there. I do not feel that it is suitable to dress that way. Shopping centers is not the same as coffee shops, etc. Therefore, I feel that it is necessary to have dress codes in shopping malls too.
Next, it is also important to have dress codes in offices. For men, I feel that it is a need to wear long-sleeved shirt, tie and proper shoes. For the ladies, they can wear a blouse with skirt or long pants,etc.
Well, I guess that’s about it. Till next time, BYE!
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20
November
2008
Congratulations to my dearest cousins for passing their PSLE:
Haidah- 214
Syafiqah- 230
Raqib- 233
Haniff- 235
N lastly the top PSLE pupils dis year:
Yen Jean- 287
Mridula Sairam- 281
Farah- 278
Btw, they are all girls, of diff races! Girl power!!!!
For madrasah, the top pupil is:
Muhammad Mus’ab Yusof - 260.
Congrats again every1, even if i dunno who u r! Haha!
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