我国残奥战绩历来最佳

我国16岁小将叶品秀终于传来捷报，在她个人最拿手的50米仰泳-S3级中勇夺金牌。

　　昨天是北京残奥会游泳赛的最后一天，我国16岁小将叶品秀终于传来捷报，在她个人最拿手的50米仰泳-S3级中勇夺金牌。

　　在上午的预赛中，这名首次参加残奥会的少年泳手就以57秒92的成绩，刷新自己今年初4月创下的1分0.8秒的世界纪录。
　　
　　尽管胜券在握，但由于担心上星期五在50米自由泳预赛中刷新世界纪录，决赛却游出第二名的历史重演，晚上决赛前新加坡支持者心情都有点紧张。
　　
　　比赛结果与上午一样，开赛后头30米，她的位置似在第三、第四之间，接着冲力大发，越游越快、越游越快，最终以强大的速度优势冲向终点，如其名字所暗示的，一枝独秀夺得金牌。
　　
　　她的决赛成绩是58秒75，比银牌得主，英国的弗兰·威廉森的1分6秒07快了超过7秒半。铜牌归给了中国泳手夏江波，成绩1分7秒97。

　　昨天的比赛也是我国残奥代表团本次赛会上的最后一场比赛，现场的拉拉队除了数十名来自我国官员、运动员家属与朋友、在北京就读的新加坡留学生以外，我国残奥队“大家庭”的所有成员几乎全员到场加油。
　　
　　感人画面，还包括从香港转往北京的新加坡残奥马术两面铜牌得主陈雁仪的热情参与。陈雁仪患有大脑麻痹症，双耳失聪，说话速度慢，但始终振臂努力喊着：“新加坡、新加坡。”
　　
　　赛后，新加坡人在场馆大厅亲切相拥，互相道贺。
　　
　　母亲庄美花受访时说：“听到国歌奏起时，真的很感动。她这样，算为国争光吧？”
　　
　　夺金主角本人话却不多。受访时她说：“很高兴，很感动这么多人来支持我。我也很兴奋，因为是新加坡第一面金牌，而我只有16岁，就实现了梦想，赢得残奥金牌。”
　　
　　叶品秀从小患有肌肉萎缩症，肌肉随着年龄增长逐渐退化。几年前她还在游泳S5级比赛，今年被分到S3级，就反映出她肌肉情况的恶化。但也是这份逆境中奋进的勇气，让大家对她格外心疼。
　　
　　在场的新加坡体育理事会总裁温仁德大赞我国残奥理事会，在不受看好的情况下，没有人愿意给予机会时坚持了理想，这次出赛的经费是最后一分钟才筹到的，结果取得巨大成就。
　　
　　诚然，只有6个运动员代表的新加坡残奥队做到了，当国人普遍还不知道什么是残疾人体育时，他们远征北京，搬回1金、1银、2铜，改写一项全国纪录、两项世界纪录，完成了辉煌的一页。

2008年9月16日《联合早报》

奥运赛场首次奏起新加坡国歌 叶品秀摘得首枚残奥金牌

　　北京的中国国家游泳中心“水立方”里的一群新加坡人，内心完全被澎湃激情与感动所灌满。16岁的新加坡游泳小将叶品秀，昨天不负众望为我国摘得历史上第一枚残奥会金牌，庄严的国歌“前进吧！新加坡”，首次在残奥会颁奖礼上奏起。

　　“我终于把这50米搞定了。”赛后受访时，小英雄表情淡定。颈上挂着一金一银两枚奖牌，叶品秀说自己心情很兴奋，也为看到这么多人到场支持而感动。

　　叶品秀角逐的是她个人最拿手的50米仰泳-S3级。在上午的预赛中，这名首次参加残奥会的少年泳手就以57秒92的成绩，刷新自己今年4月创下的1分0.8秒的世界纪录。

　　赛后，新加坡人在场馆大厅亲切相拥，互相道贺。拉拉队员中，包括残奥运动支持者前官委议员张齐娥，以及为给运动员打气而两次延后归国日期的社青体部高级政务次长张思乐。在张思乐的协助下，叶品秀还接听了社青体部部长维文打来的恭贺电话。

　　新加坡残奥队已完成北京残奥会的全部赛事，搬回1金、1银、2铜，改写一项全国纪录、两项世界纪录，完成了辉煌的一页。队伍预定在星期四晚回返国门。

2008年9月16日《联合早报》

游泳小将叶品秀为我国夺下历史上首枚残奥金牌

我国残疾游泳女将叶品秀为新加坡夺下历史上首枚残奥金牌。

　　我国16岁游泳小将叶品秀在刚举行的女子50米仰泳S3决赛中游出58秒75的成绩，为新加坡夺下历史上首枚残奥金牌。

　　她在较早前的预赛，游出了57.92秒的新世界纪录，以第一名晋级决赛。虽然她无法在决赛再破纪录，却依然成功拿下冠军。
　　
　　这是叶品秀在残奥会获得的第二个奖牌。在上个星期六举行的女子50米自由泳-S3赛中，叶品秀也为我国取得历史上首枚残奥银牌，并在该预赛中游出57秒04的新世界纪录。 她目前也是100米仰泳的世界纪录保持者，
　　
　　截至傍晚今天6时30分，新加坡目前以1金、1银及2铜的成绩在奖牌榜名列第45。
　　
　　她目前也是100米仰泳的世界纪录保持者，同时刚在残奥会会上刷新女子50米自由泳-S3的世界纪录。

叶品秀过去的辉煌成绩：

　●08年5月，叶品秀在德国的游泳锦标赛中报捷，在100米仰泳中创世界纪录，时间2分8秒09，打破德国选手Annke Conradi过去8年来的纪律。

　●08年4月，她在美国举行的残疾运动员游泳选拔赛中，以1分零点8秒的时间，刷新50米仰泳的世界纪录。

　●08年1月，第一次参加亚细安残疾人运动会的叶品秀，在150米个人混合泳中刷新大会纪录，夺得金牌。

　●07年9月，在台北举行的世界轮椅与残疾锦标赛，她带回了4金和3项个人最佳成绩。

　●06年5月，她获选加入新加坡残疾人体育理事会“青年运动员培养计划”游泳项目下的“精英运动员计划”的青年游泳运动员。

　●05年9月，世界轮椅和截肢者游泳比赛上，叶品秀一举夺下个人150米混合泳的金牌，以及100米和200米自由泳的两面铜牌。

2008年9月15日联合早报网

预赛曾破世界纪录 小泳将叶品秀为我国夺首枚残奥银牌

我国残疾游泳女将叶品秀（左）在女子50米自由泳S3决赛中获得银牌后，与队友吴蕊思分享喜悦。叶品秀之前在预赛中缔造了57秒04的新世界纪录。（谢光凭摄）

　　是银牌，但差一点就是金牌了。
　　

　　我国游泳小将叶品秀昨天在北京残奥会上首次登场，就为新加坡夺下了历史上首枚残奥银牌，还缔造了新的世界纪录。可惜她在决赛中没有游出预赛时的成绩，最终以0.38秒的微差败给墨西哥劲敌，屈居第二。
　　

　　用叶品秀自己的话说：只差一点点。
　　

　　16岁的叶品秀上午在女子50米自由泳-S3级预赛中技压全场，游出57秒04的新世界纪录。
　　

　　她的决赛成绩是57秒43，冠军选手帕特丽夏·巴列则游出57秒05，所以，世界纪录保持者仍然是叶品秀。加上叶品秀年初创新的50米与100米仰泳的世界纪录，她目前是三项世界纪录保持者。
　　

　　“只差一点。”小将昨天在离开运动员专区后，见到家人时反复说着这一句话。
　　

　　爸爸妈妈以热情的拥抱迎接女儿。母亲庄美花说：“恭喜你，你让我们自豪。”

　　叶品秀从小患有肌肉萎缩症，这种疾病影响她的肌肉发展，随着年龄增长肌肉会一再退化。游泳运动能减缓她肌肉退化的速度，改善她的健康。不过，由于肌肉萎缩症患者的寿命比一般人短，因此她特别珍惜每次能够突破的机会。
　　

　　为了这次的大赛，目前就读于明智中学四年级的叶品秀缺了很多课。专程到北京给女儿加油的庄美花告诉记者，女儿为比赛牺牲了很多，但家长对她的体育事业全力支持，如果今年来不及准备“O”水准会考，也赞成她延后一年，明年才尝试。
　　

　　父母亲对于金牌的得失看得并不强烈，他们说，女儿的健康才最重要。
　　

　　在叶品秀比赛的时候，在观众席上热情加油的除了叶品秀的父母，还有我国另一名泳手吴蕊思的父母吴煜星与莫家风。叶品秀取得银牌的时刻，这四个感情甚笃的家长拉拉队也一起分享了喜悦与感动。
　　

　　叶品秀的父亲叶志强就感慨地说：这不是一个人的成绩，是全队所有人的成绩。女儿游泳的最大收获是结交良师益友——教练洪秉祥，以及一直在关怀她的吴蕊思。
　　

　　昨天的银牌，是我国6人残奥运动员代表团收获的第三枚奖牌，此前马术选手陈雁仪已在香港的分赛场中夺下两枚铜牌。
　　

　　也在北京为选手打气的社青体部部长维文医生受访时说，希望新加坡队的成绩，能够提醒所有新加坡人，残疾人也有高远的梦想，在国人的支持下，他们能够实现梦想，创造世界纪录。
　　

　　他说，他总是认为残疾人体育比健全人体育更具有启发性。奥运是对人类身体的礼赞，残奥则是对灵魂、精神成就的礼赞，这是残奥的特殊意义所在。两者虽是不同类型的竞赛，但是都能激发同等的激情，牵引观众的希望与失望。
　　

　　作为残奥银牌得主，叶品秀将获得残奥理事会颁发的5万元奖金。
　　

　　昨天晚上，另一个语气中透着感慨的受访者是教练洪秉祥。
　　

　　他说：“看品秀走到了这么远，我感觉很欣慰。”

　　洪秉祥说，叶品秀的身体状况还在走下坡，游泳给了她一个专注的目标，也让她能够用不同的角度看待人生。

明天50米仰泳 叶品秀要夺金

　　洪秉祥还说，昨天的比赛还不是叶品秀的最强项，他们全力准备的其实是明天的女子50米仰泳。叶品秀也告诉记者，她要夺金。
　　
　　好戏还在后头。

2008年9月14日《联合早报》

拥有两项世界纪录 16岁泳手叶品秀有望夺残奥会奖牌

叶品秀（左）的手指不灵活，吴蕊思细心地为她戴上手表，两人的友谊不言而喻。（谢光凭摄）

　　即将代表新加坡参加北京残疾人奥林匹克运动会的游泳选手叶品秀（16岁），是残奥运动员当中年纪最小的一个，她从小患有肌肉萎缩症，虽然影响的是身体肌肉的发展，但她深知，肌肉萎缩症患者的寿命比一般人来得短暂，因此她很重视突破体能局限的每个机会。
　　

　　她受访时说：“因为不知道不好的事情什么时候会发生，我最大的恐惧是自己有一天会突然死去。”
　　

　　叶品秀在今早和其他代表新加坡参加残疾人奥林匹克运动会的运动员一起出发到北京。
　　

　　虽是第一次参加残奥会，但已拥有两项世界纪录的她，希望在残奥会上载誉归来，获得至少一面奖牌。
　　

　　叶品秀将参加50米个人自由选项和50米仰泳两个项目。在个人自由选项中，多数选手会选择速度较快的爬泳（frontcrawl），但是由于她的肌肉一再退化，游爬泳会特别吃力，甚至造成疼痛，她只好改以仰泳取代。

　　她说，医生无法明确诊断出她肌肉退化的速度，但只要她定时训练、锻炼肌肉，就有望减缓肌肉退化的速度，为自己争取更多时间和比赛机会。
　　

　　除了与时间作战之外，她也面对另一个大挑战：她在比赛后的两个月将参加O水准考试。
　　

　　叶品秀4年前成为竞技泳将，今年的表现突飞猛进，她在年头报考会考时并不知道自己有望获得残奥会的参赛资格，后来得知自己获选后，决定尝试兼顾学业和游泳。
　　

　　尽管是新手，她在美国举行的残疾运动员游泳选拔赛中，以1分零点8秒的时间，刷新50米仰泳的世界纪录；一个月后，她在德国的游泳锦标赛中再次报捷，在100米仰泳中再创世界纪录，时间2分8秒09。
　　

　　叶品秀就读于明地迷亚中学，为了应付这次的比赛，残奥理事会在备战的过程中，特地安排了营养师和心理学家给予她其他运动员必要咨询，确保他们时刻保持最佳状态。
　　

　　她希望以自己的实力吸引更多人对残疾运动的重视，使新加坡对残疾运动员受到不平等对待的情况改变过来。
　　

　　她说：“我打破世界纪录时，报章上只有一小则简讯，但是当健全的选手打破国家纪录时，报道篇幅却很大。”
　　

　　采访当天，叶品秀和另一名也将出征的残疾泳将吴蕊思（21岁）在新加坡第一个拥有50米泳池的公共泳池花拉公园游泳池进行训练。

泳将吴蕊思 要赢至少一奖牌
　　

　　吴蕊思是两项世界纪录和一项国际残疾锦标赛的纪录保持者。她也曾在上一届的雅典残奥会上代表新加坡出赛，并游入其中5个项目的大决赛。在本届比赛她将角逐4个游泳项目。她也刚在今年国庆日获颁公共服务奖章（PBM）。
　　

　　和叶品秀一样，吴蕊思希望在北京的残奥会上为新加坡赢得至少一面奖牌。
　　

　　要不是泳池旁的两张轮椅，光看两名选手在水里矫健的泳姿，根本看不出穿梭于水波里的两名健儿和常人有什么分别。
　　

　　叶品秀说：“我的家人从来都没有给我有别于常人的对待。我也一样，没有因为自己的病情认为自己残废。”

2008年9月1日《联合早报》

暂停营业

哀，莫大于心死。
累了。倦了。就休息吧。

3E2通告

如果你星期一因为某种原因没有来上课的话，请到以下网站观看《永远的蝴蝶》的FLASH。

http://www.91flash.com/swf/8460.htm

再来，请到这个网站看另一个FLASH。

http://koshiyen.twbbs.org/~ifplab/dl/walktourC.swf

看完之后，希望你会有一点感动，然后请来找我拿问卷。这就是我们星期一的上课内容。

放飞心灵

鲁迅的《风筝》，你说，现在的中三学生读得懂吗？不要自欺欺人了。五四运动离他们太遥远，他们不懂什么是文学家、思想家、革命家，更何况是鲁迅。如果你认为既然学生不懂，老师就要教，是的，N年前我也是有同样的心态，但N年后我只想很任性地跟你说：那你来教！

2005年我带学生放过一次风筝。三年后我又再次让学生放风筝。这次还“招兵买马”，让全级的中三学生也来放风筝，放飞心灵，放飞想象。

步骤一：制作风筝

我最喜欢看到学生互助的精神。这些，课本没有。这些，老师不能够教。

步骤二：放风筝
虽然这张照片拍得不是很好，也看不清楚是谁，可我最喜欢。学生一股劲地乱跑，N年后，他们就会少了这一股傻劲。

这周恰好印度学生来交流。如果你认为我们是在做戏的话，那你的心胸未免太狭窄了吧。我教书，设计活动，只有一个目的。我要我的学生喜欢上华文课。我要我的学生开心快乐。

步骤三：活动反思

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我从制作风筝到放风筝这项活动中学到了……

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拥有容易，放开难。－林思琦

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碰到困难不要放弃。－吴俊贤

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团结就是力量。－张凯璇

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怎么和同学合作。－林妍孜

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如果不用心放风筝，风筝就不会飞了。－吴志伟

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怎么和新朋友沟通。－陈恒良

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要有恒心才有结果。－郑俊元

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我最喜欢……因为……

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我最喜欢制作风筝因为我从来没制作过风筝。我也喜欢放风筝的时候因为可以看到很多风筝飞上去或掉下来。我喜欢这次的华文课因为可以到课室以外的地方学习。－赖铱婷

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我最喜欢制作风筝因为我可以跟朋友一起做风筝。我们可以发挥我们的创意。－徐杰

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我最喜欢这次的华文课因为可以跟其他同学一起放风筝，拉进我们彼此的感情。－黄羡云

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我最喜欢放风筝的时候，因为我们的组的风筝做得很好，又可以飞起来。－龚丽莹

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我最喜欢看同学的反思，因为这样让我更了解你们。－曾老师

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放风筝让我联想到……

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父母亲对于我们的爱，就像放风筝一样。他们要一放一收，不能拉得太紧，也不能放得太松。拉太紧，会断掉。放太松，会飞走。有时候，爱不能给得太多，给太多就是娇纵溺爱。给得太少，我们会觉得没有爱。－陈传华

.

人类飞的梦想。－蔡立炳

.

风筝让我想起那些很久没有联络的朋友们。他们就像断了线的风筝，离我越来越远。－郑俊元

.
我执教的班级，3E2，华文不是最好的一班。无所谓，我想，教书这几年，我最大的成就是无论什么班级，我都不会“嫌弃”，真的。有时虽然很气很气，可是想想，他们也是别人的孩子。老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼。古人的话，必有一番道理。

.

同学们，在你们的要求下，老师尽量不要写到这么chim（深奥），你们要看得懂。慢慢来，新的一年，正如我在班上所说，我会教你们两年，我们一定要互相喜欢，日子才会好过。我对自己是很有信心的，你会喜欢我的。（你是不是要说BHB？哈哈，我也懂你的语言。）

2008年

有时在想，应该在部落格写什么？
总不能只写些教学的琐事。
想写的却不可以写。想骂的更加不可以骂。
是不是该更personal一点呢？
你一定说是。因为，人总会有爱偷窥的倾向。尤其是他人的隐私。

2008年，最兴奋的事情是：蓓琳上小一了。

随便写

2007年的最后一天。收到的手机简讯，转发的居多。熟悉的老朋友，陌生的号码。对于后者，我都“尽量”客气地问：请问哪位？其实，如果我没有储存你的手机号码，也许是我想把你从我的记忆中删除。谢谢你记得我，其实你无须把我放在心上，多不值得。

边看八频道的《客家之歌》，边处理一些行政工作。直到楼下传来一些劈里啪啦的声响才恍然发现：哦，已经是2008年了。

坦白说每一年的新年倒数我都不是很期待，老师也是怕开学的，人之常情吧。觉得自己蛮失败的，教了六年半的书，每每到开学时，还是会出现这种症状：恐慌、紧张、不安、自欺（希望时光倒流）。姐姐说我以前读书的时候是这样，教书了也还是这样。是的，1月1日是全国教师“普天同悲”的日子。

转换频道，五频道倒数活动，为什么新年倒数活动时要唱Auld Lang Syne？

开学了，同学们，我！来！了！

* "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days".

老公生病了

我的老公内伤……“密西”朋友还取笑我说老公的肺坏了，气死我……

昨天去学校时，霍然发现老公吐不出气了，啊……呼吸系统出了问题，怎么办？可我还需要老公载我来回学校，所以不好意思，只好委屈老公继续为我服务，其实是委屈了自己，来回满头大汗，还得忍受一路的噪音与空气污染。

昨晚拨电挂号时，职员说是紧急事件，不必预约了，直接复诊。今天带老公去医病，一路上满头大汗，五个小时的手术，所以我趁机去shopping，难道还要我陪他？傍晚领老公时还蛮忐忑不安的，不懂手术成功与否，还好老公治得好，嘿嘿，一分钱也不必还，因为老公还在保修期内。

有些人的老公用了几十年，从没出现这样的问题；我的老公不到两年，竟出现“肺部”问题，原因也说不出一个所以然，追根究底，就只是：运气。

~头晕~

今早起床，天旋地转，走不到两步便赶紧躺回床上。
我知道耳水失衡的毛病又找上门了。
我也不清楚是个怎样的病状，只知几次头晕时看了中西医，都说耳水失衡，导致头晕。
何止头晕，还想作呕。
今天假日，我怎会就此束缚在床上，已约了旧同事，按时赴约，只要动作不要太大。
回来后，其实蛮懊悔的，早知留在家里，不是养病，而是完成堆积如山的工作。
我们常常怪学生整天往外跑不做功课，不懂得prioritise，其实我们不也是如此？只是，我们的智慧不同，效率不同，所以到最后还是交得了差；反观学生到最后就“视死如归”，功课一塌糊涂，最后只挨得一顿骂。所以，亲爱的同学，你还是乖乖把功课做好再玩乐吧！

Get Busy... ... I'm a workaholic

Busy

Still Busy

Really busy... ... the other two only posing... ...

The best way to stopping missing someone is to keep yourself busy. It works perfectly well for me... ... for today. The MLS course is coming to an end, 4 more days, and it's back to school. Hooray! Meanwhile I'm really busy with the curriculum project. Thursday-the BIG day to present to the panel.

Goodbye... ... Mrs Rathi

Photo taken by Ng WN

Farewell to Mrs Rathi... ...

A Principal who has made a difference in my life... ...

I really don't know what to say... ...

But I also don't want to hide that I have been tearing... ...

And I didn't know farewell can be so painful... ...

A parent said that Mrs Rathi is very lucky because she has so many staff crying for her... ...

This says very much of a Principal... ... doesn't it?

Greatest Love Of All

Greatest Love Of All

.

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to

I never found anyone to fulfill my needs

A lonely place to be

So I learned to depend on me

.

[Chorus]

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows

If I fail, if I succeed

At least I live as I believe

No matter what they take from me

They can't take away my dignity

Because the greatest love of all

Is happening to me

I found the greatest love of all

Inside of me

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

It is the greatest love of all

.

[Chorus]

And if by chance, that special place

That you've been dreaming of

Leads you to a lonely place

Find your strength in love

.

.

I remember that in 2001, during the induction programme we attended at NIE before we were posted to school, this was the song played during one of the sessions, and we had to stand and sing together. Till today, whenever I hear this song, it reminds me of my own mission and vision in teaching, more than anything else... ...

我对华文教学的看法——只是遗憾

　　没有一个民族会看不起自己的母语，讨厌自己的母语。除了新加坡人。

　　参观了北烁学校和监狱学校。这两所学府都有一个共同点：没有华文课程。我只是觉得很遗憾。语文能够陶冶性情，如果说我们要感化学生，让学生掌握谋生技能，我觉得更应该教母语，通过母语教学，让学生了解文化的精髓，灌输优良的传统价值观，培养学生的品德。这正是我们生存和发展的重要条件。

　　今年八月初，教育部宣布从明年起把中学特选和快捷源流合并，统称“快捷课程”。这或许只是措施上的重新部署，但还是会有人质问，华文的地位是不是被动摇了？华文还重要吗？这也难怪。家长认为孩子被逼学华文，认为应该降低华文的重要性。孩子的语文掌握水平不断下降，那我们还剩下什么？教育部改革国民教育的框架，强调如何提高学生对新加坡的归属感，让年轻人从小就心系祖国，可是，如果我们连对华语都有这样唾弃的心态的话，这不是一个很大的反讽吗？如果我们不要被讥为无根、浅薄的一群，我们更应该积极推广华文教学。

　　我觉得身为华文老师，我们更应该争气，改变他人对华文老师形象的看法。一般上，我们听到看到的是华文老师课室管理有待改进，而且他们总视英文为障碍，对学校其他方面的贡献不大。尽管他们有刻苦耐劳的美德，但学校排名时，我们都被其他因素蒙蔽了双眼，所以华文老师总是排在最后，虽然口口声声说无所谓，满不在乎，但这也多少影响了部门的士气。此外，有些总把责任推给整个大环境，推给学生，认为学生轻视华文，不把华文老师放在眼里。

　　可是，与其抱怨华文难教、学生难教，华文老师做了些什么？2004年华文教改，你有跟着改吗？学生现在顶多只是说“I hate Chinese”，千万不要有学生对你说“I hate Chinese teacher”的那么一天。

　　“在每个学生的心田种下一颗华文种子。”华文课程与教学法指导委员会主席黄庆新接受联合早报专访时说了这句话。播种不难，可是我们如何灌溉就不易。我只希望学生会遇到一个好的园丁，能细心灌溉语文的种子，而不是扼杀学习华文的兴趣。

　　去菲律宾参观了当地的学校。意外发现学校竟然有华文课程。中国崛起让很多国家意识到学习华文的实际利益，所以全球掀起一股空前的华文热，世界各地千千万万的非华人正热切地学习华文华语。

　　当我们在说华文难学时，全世界都在热衷于学华文。除了我们。

情系云岗

我心目中没有刻意保存的“历史古迹”。

你知道在哪里吗？

在靠近很多巴士的车站的大路旁，

朝宏茂桥CTE的方向。

那天在教育学院跟一位学姐聊天时，发现我们的求学生涯都有一个共同点：小学已关闭／合拼、中学校舍拆除重建／迁移、南初也有着一样的命运，总之，就一句“物换星移”。她说她以前会到南初“凭吊”，这就是南初人的可爱、南初人的情深。

.

其实，对于重建校舍、修改校服、校歌……我还是很看不开，虽然我明白这是教育体制下在所难免的。但我总觉得回忆的一部分在不经同意下被抢夺了，我的“忠诚”被侵犯了。所以我一直很想写一篇这样的文章，不是发牢骚，不是抒发情感，不是缅怀什么，就是很单纯地写一写。

.

我想，很少南初“校内人”知道这个指示牌的存在吧:）旁观者的视野往往比较广阔。这个指示牌曝光之后的命运会如何呢？它除了有历史的痕迹，并没有对道路造成什么阻碍，相信不至于被铲除吧？它只是一个指示牌，不是一棵命运坎坷的老树。

.
在去菲律宾之前刚好读了刘老师的“‘华初魂’何在？”。魂，听起来飘渺、悲凉。我想到了南初吴老师在2005年11月13日发给我的简讯。“南初没有华初母亲改嫁孩子不知归宿的悲情。我们的根，尽管扎得不深，但至少还抵挡得住凄风苦雨。……”（我是历史保存者，两年历史价值的简讯）

.

刘老师，你知道吗，南初现任院长郭毓川是我在安德逊中学求学时期的校长。我也可以很一厢情愿地认为这是一种精神上的延续，但我觉得治校者是不会想到延续之前的某种“精神”或“情怀”，而是根据现有的环境、资源等其他因素来管理学校。南初始终是南初，不会是安中，也不会是先初。（郭毓川校长之前担任先驱初级学院的院长） 更不会是……

.
南初校舍重建后，我一直在寻找，寻找我心中所熟悉的。结果，我最熟悉的还是人－南初人－南初的老师。（当然还有屹立不倒的指示牌，别小看它，它或许是南初历史最悠久的“古迹”）我觉得是这人与人（师生）之间的微妙关系让我们成为实在的南初儿女。南初孕育了我，我心中没有什么是一辈子的，除了对南初老师的感激。我没有后悔当初的选择，我或许在间中失去了什么，但我很肯定地知道至少在品格的塑造和价值观的灌输上，我得到了很多。

.

PL学姐，我们不需要为南初哀悼，她没有失去什么，我们也没有失去什么。情系云岗，不管晴天雨天或任何一个平凡天，我们随时可以回去，不需等到（轰轰烈烈的）“天冷”时。

.

我总是庆幸自己住在南初附近，算是半个在籍南初人吧？所以我觉得我还是离南初很近很近。

.

拟于31/8/07

暂停营业

暂停营业

9月9日－9月14日

千岛之国－菲律宾

学习之旅

881－你看了吗？

星期一和宝贝儿看了881。看了之后，我们都觉得各方媒体给的评价似乎太高。

宝贝儿说，第一次和这么多安哥安娣看电影，安娣们还看得一把鼻涕一把泪。老实说，我不喜欢电影里煽情的情节。要感动人心，可以做得不留痕迹。

然而，看了电影之后，意犹未尽，我们竟然在星期三去看歌台，由影片里的“玲姨”主持。这是我第一次看歌台，真的是人山人海，比群众大会还热闹，很久没有看到这样震撼人心的大场面。

我想起以前写论文的日子。我写的是新加坡的福建戏曲，很多个夜晚都是在戏班度过的，访问演员、访问观众、然后尝试看我看不懂听不懂的福建戏。论文交上去后，我也不知道我有没有学会欣赏我们的传统文化、保存我们的传统艺术。

新加坡人很可爱，每次都一窝蜂地跟随潮流：做善事、捐款、看电影、看歌台……在观赏本土娱乐性丰富五光十色的歌台时，我们有探讨过歌台背后的存在价值吗？

其实，你知道吗，不管是歌台，还是地方戏曲，只要有酬神戏在的一天，这些是不会落没消失的。

《一人一半》

一人一半 感情不散
一人一素故 感情才会久
时光累计 安静的泪滴
一心去追 爱那么可贵
这样的人 这样地等
无非是等个回应眼神
为爱翻滚 不计伤痕
甘心为你一生都浮沉
这样的人 别笑我蠢
傻傻的 心痛也不觉疼
就算天冷 就算残忍
等你想起这没用的人
已经找到爱 为何要离开

想当年……

2001年7月正式成为教师。今年度过了第七个教师节。
这是2001年种族和谐日拍的。左边是“年少无知、清纯可人、有抱负有理想”的我，右边是我中二的学生。

这是2002年拍的。依旧是“年少无知、清纯可人、有抱负有理想”……　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

若干年后，我还是一个怎么样的老师？我只知道，偶尔，我会对自己很失望……

Happy Teachers' Day

逛街·买鞋

是女人都爱逛街吧？

逛街对女人来说是一种心灵上的治疗，虽然这种治疗有时有点贵，也不被男人认同。

昨天买了五双鞋，在三十分钟内买了五双鞋。购物时我变得很果断，其实讨厌和优柔寡断的人一同购物，婆婆妈妈，看了老半天，什么也没买。

前排的塑料小红鞋只值$3.90。听说现在菲律宾正逢雨季，希望到时能派上用场。我还是很实际的。

外一章：

当你生活在这个物质社会里，会不会觉得自己老是追寻物质？

“我一直渴望拥有一双新鞋子，直至我看到別人沒有一双脚。”

你有沒有留意自己身边的一切？有沒有发觉自己其实很幸福？　　

你有一双脚，你欠缺的只是一双新鞋子，然而，有些人欠缺的，是一双脚。

买了五双鞋子，心里竟然觉得愧疚……

MLS

MLS = Must Learn Slowly
MLS = Must Leave School

I can't believe I'm still up at this hour... ...
I 'm whacking up my assignments... ...

Deadline: 21 Aug 2007

The Teacher Heartbeat

I think I have the teacher heartbeat since young, knowingly or unknowingly.

I already knew that I would be a teacher since young, at the age of 5, when I entered kindergarten. And I wanted to be a Chinese Language teacher. It seemed kind of easy when you already mapped out what you want to do at a young age, and you just choose the path of studies accordingly.

My reason to be a teacher then was simple: it's an instinct, I just want to teach, and I love the language. Teaching to me then was not defined as making a difference in our students' life, imparting knowledge and inculcating the right values to them. But today it has to be.

My teacher heartbeat grows, because I have teachers who inspire.

I was very fortunate in all my schooling years as I have very good teachers whom I really admired and respect. I salute all my teachers who have taught me. They made me love the subject they were teaching (or rather I love them more) and I was very inspired to follow their footsteps.

Reality hit me - I raced against my own heartbeat.

Like many young and naïve teachers, I entered the teaching profession full of passion, dreams, enthusiasm and ready to make a difference in my students' lives. I was posted to a neighbourhood school, and received a cultural shock because I never knew such students existed and I almost wanted to transfer to an independent school which I knew there were vacancies.

It was tough coping, and I was helpless, and there was not much support given to new teachers. (That's why I make sure I give enough support to new teachers who just joined the school now.) As I joined the school in semester 2, I had to take over classes from teachers who had left and played the role of a stepmother. Things were messy and I hated to clear up.

Nevertheless, I stayed on. Why? The teacher heartbeat. I always hold on to my belief: I want to be a good teacher. I believed things will get better, and true enough, it did. I looked forward to a new year, where I set the tone right at the start. I was a happy teacher, I explored new teaching pedagogies, strategies... ... And I didn't know I'm actually doing things right, because later I realized that what I have been doing are in line with MOE's directives of I & E, TLLM... ... but nobody in the school told me this.

My idea was just to teach. The teacher heartbeat made me willing to try out new initiatives, to explore different pedagogies, to experiment with different teaching strategies. I was very happy when my students not only achieved results but also love the subject and... ... love me! With the teacher heartbeat, I enjoyed building good relationship with my students. I grew with them.

However, I was still hit by reality. Meetings, deadlines, administrative work, committee meetings, projects, CCA, SEM, difficult parents, MSG... ...

Things could have been better if the leaders walked with us, but we walked alone. Things could also have been better if there was the culture of sharing. I could handle much of these, but at the expense of lesson preparation and the piles of marking. I just wished I had more time, and I was worried for myself that I would get burnt out and become disillusioned. However, I am still determined to make the difference, and I know that I can. Teaching is a childhood ambition.

I questioned my own heartbeat.

Soon, I found myself asking these questions: What am I doing? Am I teaching the children? Or am I teaching the subject? Remember why I become a teacher in the first place? Because I know I can make an impact on someone's life by my actions. I can make the difference. But was I?

The worst thing to happen then was politics. I didn't want to be involved in any politics, but somehow it was unavoidable. Just as drinking coffee gives me heart palpitation, all these politics made my heartbeat softer.

My heartbeat nearly died.

My heartbeat nearly died, I became very fearful of school politics, but I still persevered, because of the teacher heartbeat, and it was my students who kept me going. But the heartbeat became softer and softer as politics worsened... ...

I revived my own heartbeat.

I knew I could not stay on in the same environment anymore. I had to move on. I wanted to have more exposure, more challenges, I do not want to disappoint the people around me, and I do not want to give up my dream – to be a good teacher.

The then faint heartbeat I had was still the teacher heartbeat. It was this heartbeat that kept me going in times when I didn't feel appreciated, when I felt hurt. This is the heartbeat to ensure that the passion will continue burning.

The heartbeat continues... ...

Teaching is more than just a job. The teacher heartbeat is not just about making a difference to students' life and moulding their future. It is not just about engaging the heart and mind of our students. It is not just the passion to teach. There is no one description for it.

Today, I am still a teacher, but it's just that I have taken a greater role to be a HOD. The teacher heartbeat is still the very essence that will make a good HOD.

There are things that I miss after I became a HOD, such as not having a form class of my own, or a CCA. The power of the form teacher and the rapport that she can create cannot be underestimated. I still enjoy preparing lessons, and enjoy the moments in class, but at the same time I am aware of the greater responsibility I am shouldering now as a HOD. The decisions made will have a greater impact on the students.

In our continued journey as a teacher, we may experience heartache or heart attack, but I believe that we can overcome any adversity with strong mental will. We also need to be more aware of our own heartbeat. From time to time, we need to recharge and strengthen the heartbeat. We need to constantly and consciously reignite the spark.

Till the day I rest, I know that the teacher heartbeat will continue in me.

My heartbeat continues, but what about the rest?

"To lead teachers, we must not lose the teacher heartbeat." (Ng Pak Tee) Yes, I'm glad my heart is still beating, but I think it's more than not losing my own teacher heartbeat, but also how to revive others heartbeat, so that they find it meaningful to stay in this profession and continue to give, if teaching is about giving and making a difference to the lives of our youths.

We often talk about addressing the needs of students, but what about addressing the needs of our own teachers? They are humans too, though they are adults. We need to also address the teachers' needs, their fear, their concern. Addressing the needs of the teachers is not just having the Staff Welfare Committee organizing activities, providing lunch during long meetings... ... I think it requires leaders who are able to empathize with the teachers and genuinely show care and concern for them, support the teachers, work with the teachers, walk with the teachers... ... and eventually win over the hearts of the teachers.

I must admit that when I started to lead the department in 2005, it was difficult for me to even think of addressing the needs of the teachers, as I was managing my own needs and trying to adapt to the new environment, the new job scope within the shortest period of time. Being young, I think I was too task oriented and not very sensitive and seemed to have neglected the needs of my own teachers, especially the more senior ones. I was unable to understand why they were hesitant to use IT, why they could not keep to deadlines, why they needed reminders to things that were already spelt out on paper, why they could not set original papers and had to lift from assessment books, why they were resistant to new initiatives... ... I used my own standard to judge.

The teachers had lived in the era of another HOD, and thought that they could still live with it. But society is changing, social and economic situations change so rapidly that education is also continually evolving to meet these changes. The whole education landscape has changed and it is difficult for teachers to play catching up, if they choose to remain in their comfort zone. I think at that time our heartbeats were beating at a different rate. Perhaps theirs were beating slower and I had unconsciously wanted theirs to beat faster. I think the frustration was mutual then and I knew I was losing some of them, because they wrote in for early retirement. However later I also realized that there are teachers who appreciate my joining in and perhaps these are the teachers who still have the teacher heartbeat and want to keep their heartbeat alive.

As a HOD, I cannot synchronize everybody's heartbeat, and I think I would never want to. Our hearts beat at different pace and we have to accept that. We just have to keep each other's heartbeat going steady, stable and strong.

The Boomerang

Once during assembly, the Principal talked about the Boomerang when she addressed the students.

The Boomerang

Whether you realize it or not, you are throwing the boomerang today. As you know, a boomerang is an angular club you toss away from you that eventually returns to you.

In the game of life, you throw the boomerang daily, in the form of actions and behaviors that you send out into the world, and which return to you at some later date — often multiplied on the rebound.

As I listened to her, I was trying to put it into context. Indeed, we throw many boomerangs daily, not just positive ones but also negative ones. Before we ask ourselves what boomerangs we want to receive, perhaps we can ask ourselves what boomerangs we have been throwing. Do we throw negative boomerangs at each other? If so, what happens?

It will certainly affect relationship. Our behaviour has an impact on others, as how we treat people will affect how they respond back to us. Many of the boomerangs that we receive are the same ones that we have thrown earlier.

As human beings, we sometimes have the eye for an eye type of mentality. Recall the times when you threw negative boomerangs at each other. Didn't it create more unpleasant situations?

We must be aware of the boomerangs that we throw, so as to build quality relationship. Understand yourself, know your own emotion, identify your own behaviour. "An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind." (Gandhi)

我的学生

这是一个美好的周六早晨

第一名：李秀萍、龚丽莹

谢谢罗老师！

一年后的比赛，我们又得奖了。
每次学生得奖，我都为他们感到开心。
理由很简单，因为他们开心。

希望你们对自己更有信心。
希望你们珍惜人生的每一个过程。
希望你们对得失有新的体验。
希望你们学会分辨事情的轻重。
希望你们不要动不动就把EMO挂在嘴上。
希望你们懂得感恩。
……
希望丽莹看得懂。

谢谢你们的努力！
谢谢你们送花给我们！

你还好吗？

亲爱的2E2：

你还好吗？我的“完美”还在不在？

网络世界仍能够把你我联系起来，是的，最近我频频闯入你的世界，看看你的生活如何，过得好不好。既然你我选择把生活公诸于世，就应该知道没有什么隐私可言。

看到这段留言的同学，告诉其他人，让他们有空也来坐坐，喝杯虚拟的下午茶，希望你我保持联系，这样明年看到你们的时候才不会感到陌生，好吗？

I read and I read... ...

I have been reading and reading, I think I'm losing my just recovered man-made perfect eyesight soon... ...

Jenga – An interesting metaphor

Have you played Jenga before? I love to play with my niece (We play UNO Stacko instead), and we always look forward to it collapsing.

Did it occur to you that a Jenga set is like an organization, where it can look solid from the outside, but actually not so. Every piece looks like it has a place within the organization, where each piece forms the structure of it.

There are pieces which don't serve any function where they are basically not contributing. They are not supporting anything, but yet sitting on top of other pieces. They can even be a burden to those above / below them. Doesn't this sound familiar in any organization? These are the loose ones which can be easily removed, and some actually form the foundation of the tower. Yes, you think that they are the pillar of support, but they can still be removed. These pieces don't even have an impact on the structure.

The structure is still in place even with these pieces taken out.

Are these pieces redundant then? Are these pieces Grade D then? What do we do to the pieces after we remove them? We re-stack! We try to put them on top, and put other pieces on top of them, and soon these pieces serve their function. Can we do this to the D graders in the organization, or rather the people who are sitting in between aimlessly? Instead of seeing them as pieces who are not contributing but rather sapping the organization of its resources and energy, can we re-deploy them so that they can show their worth and serve the organization better? We should tap on their strength so that they can also provide support and growth within the organization.

But re-stacking is not just increasing height. The structure can be taller, but not necessarily more stable. Moving requires more strategic thinking. What is the objective of removing the loose piece if it hinders the progress of the organization rather than supporting it? Moving doesn't solely depend on the cause and effect theory. In reality it involves more other complex factors. Without considering all the other connections, the actions taken to remove the loose pieces may prove ineffective or disastrous to the organization.

On the other hand, there are some pieces crucial to the organization. Once you remove them, the whole tower collapses, but this is not healthy at all. These pieces are not stable themselves. Different tasks always land on the shoulders of the same pool of teachers. If these are the pieces supporting the structure, they should not be overloaded or else they might break.

Jenga is a game of skill. Just like you need skills to increase the height of it and making sure it doesn't collapse, you need skills to run an organization. I'm still learning... ...

Driving vs Leadership

I have always liked driving, the only problem is I have a poor sense of direction, and I can't read the street directory. But I still drive, why not? Don't ask me to install GPS, it will only make you dumber.

I have always associated driving with leadership. What would you choose as the most important value/values of a leader? Integrity? Humility? Resilience? I would think it's COURAGE.

It takes a lot of courage to drive, just as it takes a lot of courage to be a leader. It's not like you don't know what is on the road, in fact you know what it's like on the road, there is traffic jam somewhere at times, accidents might occur, there are different routes but all seem to be interconnected, you lose your way and you panic and get frantic but nevertheless, somehow you would manage to find your way except that you take a longer time to reach, you get sandwiched between vehicles, you pay a price (ERP lah!) if you do not plan your time well, you meet people driving the same car as you and of course there are different cars (some bigger), some drivers honk at you (or worse point their finger, I leave it to your imagination which one), some cross your path without signalling, P plate drivers tend to be bullied (they assume P plate drivers are kayu), at times you slow down and of course you try to speed but still follow law, and drivers drive with a direction in mind, though there are exceptional.

How about leadership? You know why you choose to lead. You have a vision for your department and for the school. There are people who share the same vision as you, but not all, they may have a bigger agenda. The journey of leadership is never smooth, there are hiccups now and then, but somehow these can be overcome with support and guidance. You feel frustrated sometimes and you just lose your patience. Being the middle manager, you may find yourself caught in between the principal and the teachers. As a young and new HOD, it may take a longer time to be accepted and affirmed. However, if we are courageous to embark on this leadership journey, we should have what it takes to be a leader.

Driving comes with good practice. You practised on the road, you practised in the circuit, you passed your test and you got the licence to drive. Leadership is the reverse. You are appointed HOD, then you practise, and you learn on the job. I have learnt to drive a car, now I must learn to drive my department in the right direction. I passed my driving only at the second test, as I failed the first time I took the test. Can I afford to fail in leading as well? Frankly speaking I'm scared of failing. I have taken up the post without a licence to drive first and I'm scared of not able to steer the department well.

However, I'm still glad I started driving "young", and took up the challenge then. Youth does have its advantage. Other than being more gung-ho, recovery is faster in any sense when you are hurt. However, it takes time to know the roads well in Singapore, and you need wisdom for this, just like in leadership. There are things that I learn while driving. I learn I must give way to traffic police and ambulance, how to give way to them, when to change lanes, how to change lanes, how to be a polite driver, how to stay focused during traffic jams... ... The same goes for being a leader. Learn to compromise, stay focused, know what to anticipate, be understanding and compassionate... ... Most of us are not born drivers. We learn as we drive. Currently I'm still learning how to be a leader with a good sense of direction, to be a leader whom people can follow with ease and feel safe and not afraid of getting lost.

What is leadership then? I think it's very difficult to define and explain leadership. "Leaders don't inflict pain; they bear pain." (Leadership is an Art, Max De Pree). In that case, I don't think I am a good leader, as I think I inflict pain on the other drivers. Sometimes, I refuse to give way, and I honk at others. I suppose it takes time and patience to be a gracious driver who respects other drivers on the road.

At times I would ask myself. Why did I choose to lead? Given another chance to choose, would I want to be a HOT (Happy and Ordinary Teacher)? Or still a HOD? Frankly speaking I really don't know, but I do know I still have the teacher heartbeat. I have been reading books on leadership and I think this is what fits me so far "... ... to be a leader is to enjoy the special privileges of complexity, of ambiguity, of diversity. But to be a leader means, especially, having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who permit leaders to lead." (Leadership is an Art, Max De Pree) We have been engrossed in making a difference in students' lives, yet we seem to have forgotten that we need to also impact our teachers and make a difference in their lives too.

PS: Please do not ask about the car plate. It was a painful lesson!

White Space

There is also white space in the timetable, the difference between white space in NIE and in school is, the former is really your own white space, you decide what you want to do with it. Shiok? No, I feel quite lost. Most of the time in school we tend to rush too fast, hence to slow down the pace seems quite weird, but aren't we always yearning for more free time?

Finally can see the sun while driving... ...

Finally I can see the sun as I drove to NIE, with sunglasses, and when I drove back home, it was still BRIGHT and SUNNY. One of the changes in my life so far... ... and more to anticipate.

MLS

The first day of the MLS (Management and Leadership in Schools) programme, or you may call it Must Learn Slowly. I will be blogging very often, in English (yes, I remember I'm a Chinese teacher), but since I need to submit 2 journal entries every week, I might as well consolidate my thoughts here. Must study smart.

I suppose this would be a good time to take a break from the toils of school work and do deep reflection about personal direction and learn more about leadership and management. The 3 Rs that I'll be doing during these 17 weeks: Reflect. Recharge. READ.