Class And Rank.
Sunday, September 27, 2009, 06:09 p.m. #1630.
Been rather busy lately, with meetings, ranking and final exams upcoming and all. The graduating classes are finally showing signs of urgency and anxiety - this year I actually have quite a high level of confidence in my classes. But then again, in national examinations, we can never know for sure until the eventual moment of truth. My Pure Physics class has been inquisitive and diligent all along - with the past two years of training and exposure to challenging questions, they have become seasoned to expect the unexpected - I just hope they don't become too comfortable and conceited during the exams. My Sub-Physics classes have been picking up steadily as well - my form class especially, being supposedly the weakest Express class, has worked so hard that they have emerged to become one of the top classes among the Sub-Physics classes in the Prelims. While I am proud of their results, I hope they maintain the momentum and make me (and themselves) proud. My lower secondary Science classes are not a worry at all - they have been the top-performing classes in the level - I think they will continue to do well if they stay consistent in their revision. Aside from the heightened anxiety for my graduating classes, the teaching year is quickly coming to an end in a fulfilling and gratifying way.
The ranking exercise had been one of the highlights last week. Was in the panel for the ranking exercise for the very first time, and I must say I was really impressed with how teachers have been fairly and holistically assessed. All the reporting officers came fully prepared with the contributions of their teachers and all of us spent hours to speak up at the panel as the Principal asked pivotal questions to rank the teachers accordingly. Can't divulge much here as all details are confidential, but I can proudly say that all rumors of having that quota of D-graders have been debunked. Everyone spoke about the teachers in terms of their performance and potential in a good way - unless in rare occasions when there were serious mistakes that could not be overlooked. And there was no fighting over whose teachers are better - when two reporting officers reported about teachers who contributed in almost similar ways, the Principal would intercede with distinguishing questions and the two parties would reach an agreement in a cordial and professional manner. After the session, I was rather inspired as I could truly appreciate the importance of the role of key personnel in the school - bringing out the best in the teachers by building their capacity and offering them the opportunities - I hope I can do that with my teachers.
Punched By A Student.
Saturday, September 26, 2009, 04:24 p.m. #1629.
It was a Science lesson yesterday. I got my class to do groupwork and I walked around to monitor their progress. Then when I was at the back of the class, I saw a boy raise his hand so I walked to him. As I was bending down from behind the boy to ask him what his question was, the boy suddenly shot up his hand again thinking that I didn't see him raise his hand. And his fist hit right on my nose.
Ouch.
I almost heard a crack. Of course that hurt badly. The impact was so great I felt like my nose was blocked by a broken bone. But I pretended like nothing was wrong. The boy apologised profusely, and I had to calm him down and tell him that I was okay and he should just ask his question. Luckily I have quite a sturdy nose. Didn't bleed, and the pain went away after a while.
And so, yep, that's the first time a student "attacked" me. =)
Make Room.
Sunday, September 13, 2009, 01:47 p.m. #1628.
(From PostSecret)
The Massage Suite.
Monday, September 7, 2009, 04:44 p.m. #1627.
Got the OTO PowerTap last week as a birthday gift for myself - thought it's also a gift for my whole family as everyone can get to use it. I have always been having neck and shoulder aches, and my mum has been having insomnia, so I supposed a portable massager will come in handy in place of a massage chair, when I have no space to accommodate large furniture at home.
Been using it every day since the day I bought it. Naturally human hands are still better - the PowerTap is after all a programmed machine and it cannot possibly replicate the human touch. But it does come close to a real massage. And if there is no one around to give a massage, this seriously isn't too bad, considering that I can have a massage anytime and anywhere without troubling anyone.
The massage can vary from light tapping to forceful pounding, and I especially appreciate its versatility - I can use it on my shoulders, my neck, my back, or in my mum's case, she actually likes to use it on her tummy and thighs. It does temporarily relieve my shoulder aches, and it can get addictive - I sometimes use it several times a day (also largely because it is a new toy). My mum also likes turn on the "heat treatment" function, which I personally find quite useless.
The PowerTap also came with two free gadgets (as shown in the foreground): The SweetSpot mini-massager and the EyeRevive eye massager. Initially thought the SweetSpot is just a small toy that vibrates and probably serves little purpose, but there was one day when I was having a headache and I used it at my temples - the headache miraculously disappeared. It could have been a placebo effect, or that the headache had been just a fleeting one - I'll only know when I try it again the next time I get a headache.
The EyeRevive is like the SweetSpot, only that it has massage feelers that are contoured to target the regions around the eyes. The modes vary from tingling vibrations to throbbing pulses, and sometimes there's the sensation of circular movements through the resonance of the vibrations. It isn't as powerful as the PowerTap nor the SweetSpot, but using it with my eyes closed does induce me to take a nap.
Not regretting the purchase yet - the suite does relieve those aches for a while - I just hope that the effects can be more lasting upon prolonged usage. =)
Hmm... Am I going to get a commission for this?
The Sweet Messages.
Monday, September 7, 2009, 04:22 p.m. #1626.
My students' work...
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Convectional Gift.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 10:49 a.m. #1625.
Maybe the novelty has worn off, Teachers' Day didn't feel as exciting and gratifying as before. Even the video dedications and performances during the concert didn't feel sincere and they seemed like the students were just having fun on their own.
Nevertheless, some of the sincere greetings from the students (and ex-students) were still very touching. It really doesn't require a physical gift or card - just a simple "Happy Teachers' Day" spoken from the heart with eye contact (you don't get much of eye contact from people nowadays) is enough to make my day.
One of the gifts stood out this year - a "lava lamp" (well, not exactly the real lava lamp, just shiny flakes suspended in water) from two of my form class boys. As I am their Physics teacher, the gift came with a typewritten note on how convection currents are formed in the lamp to create the fluid movements. Couldn't help smiling as I read the note. =)