Back to work again

Yeps, I am recharged and ready to tackle 2010.

Resolutions, resolutions:
- Not to get irritated as easily. I shall count to ten, and then get angry instead.
- No more Red Bull. Plenty of Coca-Cola though.
- Less shopping, more working. And then at the end of the year, shop like there's a gun to my head.

Oh, and also: take time to rest. Like, for twenty minutes every day, I am NAPPING and no one is to bother me at all if they expect me to keep my sanity.

As always, the overall main resolution: Work Hard, Be Happy!

Linkage!!

Just click this. Seriously.

http://www.brawlinthefamily.com/?p=938

That has been the link for today.

Zooooooommmmmmbiiiiieeeeee.........................

Alright people, time to let your brains atrophy (1) and your muscles slacken (2) to the point where you become a motionless pile of mush (3). The zombies really like when you're all soft and chewy, unlike hard and muscled people which would require the zombies to a) chew and b) have teeth.

'Tis the season to spend money, falalalala~ Lalalalah.

And also the season to get fat. See everybody in 2010, all nice and round! Especially 3E3 students - think of it as storing food in preparation of hibernation (4) and for times of great trials (5).

(1) Atrophy: waste away, deteriorate

(2) Slacken: loosen, relax

(3) Mush: pulp or paste form (think mashed potato)

(4) Hibernation: Lying dormant throughout winter

(5) Trials: ordeals or hardships

Looking back...

... 2009 has been very fulfilling for myself.

I did have some rough patches, especially with the podcasting thingy, but thanks to most of you everything sailed on by.

My friend and I managed to enter and win a comics drawing competition - when the collection is out, i shall inform everyone :)

And I know I learned a lot from you kids, so I'm looking forward to next year, when 3E3 (4E3!!) and I will face the O Levels together. Gambatte!

Next year, we'll all start with a prayer to our own deity and then hop on to the hard work track!

Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty Agreement [ACTA]

[Click here for a link related to ACTA. Another one. Another one. Never rely on a single source - which, in light of the treaty, will sound rather ironic.]

ACTA is the latest 'non-news' news which, if Singapore put its name to it, will effectively criminalize at least 75% of web users. ACTA has been discussed under hush-hush conditions and involves a number of countries as well as global companies, most of which have vital stakes in the Internet. No one knows for sure what is in ACTA other than those in the treaty negotiations - but the implications of ACTA is worldwide.

And there is not a peep about this on Singapore news sites (neither CNA nor Straits Times). This worries me.

To simplify things a lot: ACTA deals with counterfeits. It wants to eliminate counterfeit goods, especially medicines, luxury brands and assorted material items. In this sense the ACTA is good. It promotes the commercial trade of legitimate items and thus strengthens the economy and benefits those who owns the patent to these products.

Here is the darker half: a portion of the treaty indicates that file sharing, even for non-profit purposes, will infringe copyright. That means that the ISPs (in Singapore that would be Starhub and Singnet) have the right to track down copyright infringers and - this is where it affects you - disconnect them from the internet. If you have ever downloaded songs, movie clips... anything, you have essentially trespassed on another person's copyright.

Why is this bad? In my view, ACTA infringes my privacy. It assumes that I am guilty and I have to prove my innocence; it ought to be (as it has been) "innocent until proven guilty".

It also disregards the progress of the Internet and attempts to push it back two to three decades. Sites such as Flickr, Youtube, Photobucket and others could (and very probably would) be shut down because they could be made liable for users who infringe copyright. Each of these sites have tens of thousands of users who upload material, be it user-created or from other sources. It would be nigh impossible for the owners of these sites to employ enough lawyers to check that each uploaded content is NOT infringing copyright.

ACTA has not seen or is actively ignoring the fact that the Internet is no longer an option for those of us who live in a developed country. It also regards content sharing as something bad. I agree that it is not good to pirate songs or movies, but instead of trying to stem the tsunami, what ACTA and other media giants could have chosen to do is to look for alternative ways to direct revenue from content-sharing. Instead, they have chosen to (figuratively) spit in the face of the global internet community and set themselves up as the Guardians of the Gate, determining who should be allowed access.

That may have worked in the early days of the Internet, but now?

Sharing is what created this vast network of creativity and ideas and connections. Cutting off users of ISP for sharing content or use of sharing sites will lead to users being increasingly turned off or suspicious of new content or new ideas. How is that to build a generation of creative thinkers, of inter-connectivity, or even of basic trust that we can strive to be more than one singe island?

Singapore is also involved in the negotiations. If the treaty is signed, all users of the Internet in Singapore are limited, restricted and guarded - without even knowing why. And that is - again, in my view - a far greater crime.

[ Entirely the view of the blog owner ]

Best Drift Ever?

Well, simply because I like fast cars.

Here's the link to the vid: HERE

Hope you speed demons enjoy :)

Regular demons, I'll find something for you too.

Holiday Assignment

It's the same for all sec 2 and 3, but obviously we expect difference in caliber.

Caliber: degree of excellence/merit.

The text below are the ten tasks. Details please take from your friends, because there is far too much to put in a blog post.

Sec 2 students, you can only do individual tasks since we don't know which class you'll be going to and it will be a hassle to mark.

PROJECT OPTIONS- Choose ONE!

1. Newsletter production

2. Documentary production

3. Scrapbook on current affairs

4. Song-writing and music video production

5. Voluntary Work Journal/ Video

6. Good food in Singapore Guide (video or guidebook)

7. Places to visit in Singapore Guide (video or guidebook)

8. Book and Music/ Film Review

9. Travel Journal (can be to an imaginary country, if you are imaginative and resourceful enough!!)

10. Vacation Job Journal

2010

Well, this could be good news or bad news for you.

2010, I shall be following 3E3 to 4E3, and helping you guys to prep for 'O' levels. Which, in essence, means lots and lots and lots of practices (on your end) and an overwhelming amount of marking (on my end).

2010, I won't be teaching sec 3. Which, of course, means that 2E3 and 2E4 students, you've been freed from my evil clutches. (Dammit!) However, should you wish to have sage advice and/or spend some time talking crap - I mean chatting idly - go ahead. I'm always around anyway :) If you need assistance, go ahead and ask also. I've yet to turn down reasonable requests.

Anyway, don't worry overmuch about results right now. The main thing is to ensure you do well in O LEVELS. Listen to the teachers' advice, please. We're out to HELP you. Listen, ask questions and take notes - that would make a HUGE difference to your studies.

Last but not least, I must tell the 2E3 and 2E4 kids: I love you kids even when you drive me nuts with misbehavior, inattention, rudeness, late work, non-submission of work... etc etc etc.
(You know who you are.) For goodness' sakes, don't inflict these behavior on your next El teacher. He/she is probably not as patient as I am.

Engrish Sign

Don't laugh. Some of us write such sentences too.

Why why why~

Look, I know I taught all these.

But how on EARTH can people not know the format for formal letter?

I am not invisible, as far as I know.

I use an amplifier and I write it all out on the board.

I give out notes.

I teach it with examples.

I make you all write it.

What else should I do? Please tell me so I can help you.

This is why you read instructions

Step 1. Take weapons and drink lots of beer.

Step 2. Board small motorboat out to sea.

Step 3. Check to see if there are other boats nearby, and if they are, are they friend or foe or prey.

Step 4. Attack a boat or ship that comes close to rob them of their valuables if they are foe or prey.

Step 5. Keep away from the navy.

Guess which step these people missed out?

Slavery is not abolished

There are more slaves today than at any time in human history.

I believe all people are created equal, but this is the truth. Click on the link above, and ask yourself:

Does what this man say sound true?

I think you have an answer inside you.

Creativity...

is grounded in REALITY.

Something like this: Take an existing concept and twist it. That, my dears, is creativity.

Try these on for size : Unrealitymag's Disney/Marvel Mashup

Muy cool.

Homework

Homework for 2E3: Comprehension EOY 2007

By the way, homework is meant for you to refine your skills. It's not meant to be a test of your speed nor a canvas for white space. You may find it tedious (I've been there, I know) but practice does make perfect.

On a side note, if you like the silly picture above, drop by this site: http://www.animalswithlightsabers.com/

September Holidays

a.k.a. Teacher Catch Up With Marking Week.

In any case, your holiday assignments are as follows:

3E3: Comprehension Practice 6 (the entire paper - including summary!)

2E3 and 2E4: Journal + Composition

• Journal - 'Who do I usually seek help from and why?' AND 'What kind of help do I usually ask for?'
• Composition: any one of the following 3 topics

1. Time
2. Write about a time when you met your primary school teacher and was surprised by his/her behaviour.
3. A Lesson Learnt

Make these sites places you visit regularly

Daily Writing Tips - For grammar tips etc. A little every day goes a long way.

A Word A Day - New vocabulary to build your range. Most are words that we seldom use, but you may come across a gem or two.

BBC Learning English - For many of us English is a second language, so learn it through second language methods.

As per request:

To get the mp3, please email me at patricia.lkr@gmail.com

DON'T SPREAD THE MP3 AROUND! I don't wanna get in trouble :p

Homework 21 Aug

2E4: Journal - "Strength"

• What does being strong mean to you?
• Which is the most important:
  Physical strength, mental strength, emotional strength, financial strength, moral strength?

Homework 20 Aug

2E4: Vocab Worksheet (MCQ and Fill-in-the-blank)

3E3: Journal - "Strength" + Who are these people?

• Mohatma Gandhi


• Ong Teng Cheong


• Mother Theresa


• Anita Roddick


• Nelson Mandela


• Angelina Jolie


• Martin Luther King Jr.

Poems Are...

Poems are
Songs without music
Art without colour.

Poems are photographs of a moment measured in emotion.

Poems grab you by the cerebellum and make you think.

Poems grab you by the heart and make you feel.

Poems open up a new world
reveal a secret
share a thought
widen your horizons
With every line.

Poems are like warm ice cream on a cold day (or vice versa).

Poems are about stars and moon and sun and sea and trees and flowers and buildings and streets and people and Life Hate Death Love Thought Feel Nothing Everything RaceReligionLanguage OpeningsBarriers NowThenFuture MaybesCertainties HomeAwayFarNear StrangersLoversAgeYouthBlissDespairWorldHereUniverseThereYouMeUsThem
LifeLoveDeathHate

'Poems are also for examinations,' says the teacher with a sigh of practicality.

A Woman of Strength

She is the legitimate leader of Myanmar.

She is physically rake-thin, with large eyes and a gentle smile.

She has been kept under house arrest for the most spurious* of reasons for over a decade.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the most respected women in the word today, and she did not attain the level of respect by being rich, being stylish, or being famous. She is respected because she lives according to her beliefs.

Imagine:
Imagine not being able to leave your home for a simple stroll.


Imagine not being able to bid your husband goodbye as he lay dying.


Imagine fearing to leave the country because the government would never let you back in.


Imagine wanting to help your people and being unable to help.


Imagine knowing that, day by day, you are one step further from ever rejuvenating your nation and your people.





This is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Read her story here, here and here.

*spurious: false, not authentic, not genuine

Think, people, think!

It's come to a point where I desperately need divine intervention.

I wish - I really wish - I could just pour my brain's contents into yours. But there are 124 of you, and only one of me. Please use that awesome brain of yours to think.

Think for your present.
Think for your future.
Think for yourself.

I wish I could think for you, but I cannot. I don't need you to do exactly what I say, but please think why I am asking you to do the things I ask you to do.
It's not for my pleasure, but for your learning.

HOMEWORK:

2E3: Complete the PAST TENSE/PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE worksheet. You guys are becoming more motivated and focused - good for you!

2E4: Complete the PAST TENSE/PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE worksheet. Getting a leeeeeeetle too chatty: you have only a few weeks before exams, do pay attention!

Homework for 14 August

3E3: Read up on Aung San Suu Kyi.

• Who is she?
• Why is she in the news recently?
• What is her significance to ASEAN and the world?

2E3 & 2E4

• Based on class reading & discussion: Impossible Puzzles
• Write a narrative essay on: An Unanswered Question
• INTRO: Flashback
  BODY: Event that led to the question
  CONCLUSION: the Unanswered Question

Which student are you?

Copyright: Matt Groening

Which one are you?

I'm definitely the cher right at the front :D

Creative Writing

Gonna wait for my girls to send me photos of the topics... but this is what we did in 3E3 today.

1. You and a friend break into your neighborhood swimming pool late one night to go for an after-hours dip. While splashing around in the pool, you go into shock when a dead body floats to the top. Worse yet—it's someone you know. Write this scene.
   
2. You forgot to submit an important assignment this morning and your teacher is on the prowl, ready to hand out punishment. In an effort to avoid detention (or worse), make up an excuse (no matter how absurd) as to why you were unable to complete and submit your assignment.
   
3. When you were little, you could swear there was a monster under your bed--but no one believed you. On the eve of your 30th birthday, you hear noises coming from under your bed once again. The monster is back and has an important message to deliver to you.
   
4. You wake up to the smell of glorious roti prata. You have to have some, but it's coming from your neighbor's house and the two of you aren't on speaking terms. How do you get the roti prata?

So yup, this is what happens when the cher gets bored of the same ol' topics from school everyday.

Synonyms for said

I said you said he said she said we said they said....

Blegh.

Sometimes you need the word, but in a narrative essay, try to limit the amount of 'said'-s you have. Because it becomes B-O-R-I-N-G when you have multiple saids, often within the same few paragraphs.

Refer to the synonyms links below if you can't think of one right off the bat :)

• Synonyms for Said: These are very basic ones and most of which you already know
• Said Synonyms: Jump directly to those that you find suitable for the emotion you wish presented

Keep Writing

Keep writing.

Keep doing it and doing it.

Even in the moments when it's so hurtful to think about writing.



So here's a link to writing prompts: use them to upgrade your writing through forums with other potential writers.

Why am I an English cher*?

I get asked that a lot.
I wonder why too - most of my students have trouble forming an error-free sentence. Usually, the error comes from verb tenses or sentence construction. It's frustrating, because I'm sensitive to language and the way it sounds.
But the fact remains that I love teaching, and I love languages and especially the English language. I'm not a perfect writer or speaker; heaven knows I need people to check my grammar for my personal writing and I often mispronounce words. On the other hand, I'm willing to learn and share whatever I'm learning.
After all, everyday I learn something new.
Have fun :)

*cher is the student shorthand for teacher