How time flies! With a wink of my eyes, this is already the fourth week of the June vacation. I recalled the time that I waited for this vacation to come. This week was a busy week for me. My schedule, for this week, was very packed. I had to plan all my programmes and activities carefully.
I spent this week to finish up my projects. I finished the most interesting one of my projects. It was the DV Campus. We had to record one of the school events. Initially, we wanted to film the STAR Programme. However, we realised that the Ideas Day was coming. We were fortunate that everyone was free on that day. After much consideration, we chose that day because this event was a very meaningful one.
It was a time when teachers share on innovative teaching and learning practices, pedagogical content knowledge and creative projects. The school had also cordially invited parents to join them. It was meant to strengthen their partnership with them by providing an opportunity for parents to understand the school commitment in providing an engaging, creative and innovative learning environment.
In line with our school’s theme (Bridging Gaps) this year, teachers had prepared projects and lectures based on that theme. It was meant to better engage pupils with quality learning experiences. Teachers share with everyone on how they had conducted their lessons and explaining to the parents on their teaching methods. After each sharing session, the teachers involved would ask for feedbacks and areas of improvement.
Due to time constraint, we stayed for a few sessions and went off to edit our video. Although we had stayed for a short period of time, we could still take lessons from the sharing sessions. We realised that the teachers had been putting in a lot of effort to put us on the right track. Therefore, I feel that we should not take things for granted and treasure what we have now.
(328 words)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Third Week of the Holidays
In every parent’s hearts, his or her children are their main priority. My parents were also the dearests to me as they were the ones who stood by me, be it rain or shine. I had always wanted to thank them for giving me the best. The best time I could thank them was on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Mother’s Day had passed and we had a big celebration for my mother. Without my mother, the family accounts would be in a big mess.
Not to forget my father, my father was the sole breadwinner in my family. Without him, we would not have the money to spend. My sister and I made use of Father’s Day to thank him for what he had done for us. Coincidentally, Father’s Day fell on Sunday. It was family day too. Every Sunday was family day. We planned many things for him.
In the morning, my family had booked a place in a restaurant for my father’s favourite, American Breakfast. It was a big surprise for him as we usually spent our mornings in markets. In the afternoon, we headed to my father’s favourite shopping centre, Suntec City. Before we arrived at Suntec City, I could see traffic jams building up the entrances. Chattering groups of eager-eyed pedestrians, especially housewives and children, were purposefully heading towards the building. Suddenly, I realised that it was the last day of the PC show.
At that moment, I remembered my father loved computer items. Before we stepped into the convention hall, I saw throngs of people heading for the hall. I knew that the place would jam-pack. My thoughts were true. When I entered the hall, I heard continuous chatter of eager shoppers and the cries of harassed mothers and excited children. Group of mothers, fathers or children with maids in tow were determinedly mounting the place to realise their shopping goals.
After a while, we decided to leave the place, as it was getting very crowded. We spent our whole afternoon in the mall, window-shopping from shop to shop. After that, we had our dinner there before we headed home. Though it was a tiring day, I have enjoyed myself thoroughly as it was a day I would never forget.
(376 words)
Not to forget my father, my father was the sole breadwinner in my family. Without him, we would not have the money to spend. My sister and I made use of Father’s Day to thank him for what he had done for us. Coincidentally, Father’s Day fell on Sunday. It was family day too. Every Sunday was family day. We planned many things for him.
In the morning, my family had booked a place in a restaurant for my father’s favourite, American Breakfast. It was a big surprise for him as we usually spent our mornings in markets. In the afternoon, we headed to my father’s favourite shopping centre, Suntec City. Before we arrived at Suntec City, I could see traffic jams building up the entrances. Chattering groups of eager-eyed pedestrians, especially housewives and children, were purposefully heading towards the building. Suddenly, I realised that it was the last day of the PC show.
At that moment, I remembered my father loved computer items. Before we stepped into the convention hall, I saw throngs of people heading for the hall. I knew that the place would jam-pack. My thoughts were true. When I entered the hall, I heard continuous chatter of eager shoppers and the cries of harassed mothers and excited children. Group of mothers, fathers or children with maids in tow were determinedly mounting the place to realise their shopping goals.
After a while, we decided to leave the place, as it was getting very crowded. We spent our whole afternoon in the mall, window-shopping from shop to shop. After that, we had our dinner there before we headed home. Though it was a tiring day, I have enjoyed myself thoroughly as it was a day I would never forget.
(376 words)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Second Week of the Holidays
I enjoyed the second week of the holidays the most. My mother took my family on a trip to Penang, Malaysia. We had been there before but this time, it was a different experience. Upon arrival, we took a taxi to the hotel. When we told the taxi driver our hotel location, he muttered a few words. Although he did not speak clearly, I could still make out what he said. He wanted us to know that at that hour, the road to the hotel would be congested. The congestion was not as bad as I had expected. I felt that it was the same as Singapore’s traffic conditions.
After checking-in, we went to our rooms. While travelling up to our rooms, the bellboy asked us if we wanted to tour Penang. He told us that his friend was a tour-guide and could bring us to places like their famous Tambun Biscuits factories, a chocolate factory and Penang Hill. As we have not visited these places before, we decided to give them a try. We happily employed his friend as our tour guide.
The next day, the tour-guide was very punctual and picked us up in the morning. He had planned our journey for us and we were pleased with his efficiency. Our first destination was the 830-metre high Penang Hill. We took a tram, which operates every half an hour, up. The fares were inexpensive – RM4 for adults and RM2 for children, which were around S$2 and S$1 respectively. The tour guide told us the reason for the inexpensive fares was that they were subsidised by the government.
The tram was really old and dirty; there were stains and patches of grease on its sides. It was filthy yet a large number of people used it daily without qualms. When we boarded the tram, it was very crowded. The tram was as slow as a tortoise. It felt as if it were moving at ten kilometres per hour. Finally, we reached the peak of the hill. The air at the top of the hill was refreshing and the scenery was beautiful. A cool breeze fanned my face and the wisps of mist were lovely to behold. This really made my day! After that, we took the tram down the hill. We were relieved that the tram was not as crowded as before.
The next destination was the chocolate factory. It was Penang’s very own chocolate factory. When we first reached the factory, the chocolates fascinated us. The whole place was filled with packets of chocolates and there were also big bags of chocolates, which were value for money. Unlike in Singapore, they put fresh fruits in their chocolates. What fascinated me was that although fruits cannot be kept after you have cut them, they were able to be preserved in the Penang chocolates. I was shocked when I saw the expiry dates – those chocolates could be kept for at least one year!
Penang is also famous for their white coffee. After the chocolate factory visit, we proceeded to a coffee factory. When we entered the factory, the staff welcomed us and kept offering us different kinds of coffee to try. We were treated to twenty-five different flavours of coffee until they confused our taste buds!
Our last planned destination for the day was the visit to Penang’s famous Tambun Biscuits. We visited many Tambun Biscuits factories before arriving at one which produced the flavour we really liked. After the copious tasting, I was thoroughly sick of Tambun Biscuits. Nonetheless, I will always remember this trip, as it was my first time trying different kinds of Penang delicacies.
(608 words)
After checking-in, we went to our rooms. While travelling up to our rooms, the bellboy asked us if we wanted to tour Penang. He told us that his friend was a tour-guide and could bring us to places like their famous Tambun Biscuits factories, a chocolate factory and Penang Hill. As we have not visited these places before, we decided to give them a try. We happily employed his friend as our tour guide.
The next day, the tour-guide was very punctual and picked us up in the morning. He had planned our journey for us and we were pleased with his efficiency. Our first destination was the 830-metre high Penang Hill. We took a tram, which operates every half an hour, up. The fares were inexpensive – RM4 for adults and RM2 for children, which were around S$2 and S$1 respectively. The tour guide told us the reason for the inexpensive fares was that they were subsidised by the government.
The tram was really old and dirty; there were stains and patches of grease on its sides. It was filthy yet a large number of people used it daily without qualms. When we boarded the tram, it was very crowded. The tram was as slow as a tortoise. It felt as if it were moving at ten kilometres per hour. Finally, we reached the peak of the hill. The air at the top of the hill was refreshing and the scenery was beautiful. A cool breeze fanned my face and the wisps of mist were lovely to behold. This really made my day! After that, we took the tram down the hill. We were relieved that the tram was not as crowded as before.
The next destination was the chocolate factory. It was Penang’s very own chocolate factory. When we first reached the factory, the chocolates fascinated us. The whole place was filled with packets of chocolates and there were also big bags of chocolates, which were value for money. Unlike in Singapore, they put fresh fruits in their chocolates. What fascinated me was that although fruits cannot be kept after you have cut them, they were able to be preserved in the Penang chocolates. I was shocked when I saw the expiry dates – those chocolates could be kept for at least one year!
Penang is also famous for their white coffee. After the chocolate factory visit, we proceeded to a coffee factory. When we entered the factory, the staff welcomed us and kept offering us different kinds of coffee to try. We were treated to twenty-five different flavours of coffee until they confused our taste buds!
Our last planned destination for the day was the visit to Penang’s famous Tambun Biscuits. We visited many Tambun Biscuits factories before arriving at one which produced the flavour we really liked. After the copious tasting, I was thoroughly sick of Tambun Biscuits. Nonetheless, I will always remember this trip, as it was my first time trying different kinds of Penang delicacies.
(608 words)
First Week of the Holidays
The days that I have been yearning for have arrived – the school holidays! The past few weeks have been very hectic and I would be exhausted at the end of each day. During those days, I longed for a break badly and would grab almost any opportunity to rest. There was a palpable sense of excitement as the holidays approached. I told myself constantly that I should really treasure this break and refresh myself; so that I can be geared up for the next journey when school reopens.
I was thoroughly rested on the first two days of my holiday. On the third day, I headed back to school in the morning. My teacher conducted Physics remedial on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was optional for those students who had passed the SA but I chose to go back in order not to miss any pointers that the teacher might give. I felt that even though I had passed, I needed more practice in the subject.
After the lesson, I met my group members to work on a Mathematics project which had been assigned to us. We met at Ang Mo Kio Central to buy the materials needed. After buying them, my friends headed for my house. Unfortunately, there was a heavy downpour and we were all drenched. Luckily, two of my group members had umbrellas and we were spared from being drenched. We had a brain storming discussion and were glad that the session was really fruitful. I could feel team spirit as everyone contributed their ideas. This group is a wonderful one as everyone is enthusiastic. I am impressed with my friends’ creativity and their sincere cooperation.
On Thursday and Friday, I attended the annual Red Cross camp. It was my first time –being one of the organisers for the camp – guiding my juniors through many exciting experiences. We had planned many team-building games and activities for the juniors. To our delight, they thoroughly enjoyed them. We also had our first outdoor cooking experience. It was exciting as I had not done any outdoor cooking before. As I type this, I can still remember the overcooked instant noodles with egg. The soup was very starchy. It resembled pasta carbonara! On the last night of the camp, we had our campfire with the NPCC (another uniformed group that camped with us). During the campfire, there was joy and sadness. On one hand, there were many entertaining performances, all wonderful and hilarious. On the other hand, two Cadet Inspectors (CIs) from the NPCC were leaving, which saddened the NPCC members. To send them off, they presented a few gifts to the CIs, together with their well wishes.
Despite that emotional moment, we still had so much fun that we lost track of time. When the campfire was being put out, I reflected on the events of the past two days.
These memories ended the first week of my holidays. I had an enriching week, as I had learnt many memorable lessons. Through the camp, I learnt more about teamwork, as well as the trust that we should have among our peers. It also gave me first hand experience in handling a big group of people. I look forward to the next camp!
(541 words)
I was thoroughly rested on the first two days of my holiday. On the third day, I headed back to school in the morning. My teacher conducted Physics remedial on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was optional for those students who had passed the SA but I chose to go back in order not to miss any pointers that the teacher might give. I felt that even though I had passed, I needed more practice in the subject.
After the lesson, I met my group members to work on a Mathematics project which had been assigned to us. We met at Ang Mo Kio Central to buy the materials needed. After buying them, my friends headed for my house. Unfortunately, there was a heavy downpour and we were all drenched. Luckily, two of my group members had umbrellas and we were spared from being drenched. We had a brain storming discussion and were glad that the session was really fruitful. I could feel team spirit as everyone contributed their ideas. This group is a wonderful one as everyone is enthusiastic. I am impressed with my friends’ creativity and their sincere cooperation.
On Thursday and Friday, I attended the annual Red Cross camp. It was my first time –being one of the organisers for the camp – guiding my juniors through many exciting experiences. We had planned many team-building games and activities for the juniors. To our delight, they thoroughly enjoyed them. We also had our first outdoor cooking experience. It was exciting as I had not done any outdoor cooking before. As I type this, I can still remember the overcooked instant noodles with egg. The soup was very starchy. It resembled pasta carbonara! On the last night of the camp, we had our campfire with the NPCC (another uniformed group that camped with us). During the campfire, there was joy and sadness. On one hand, there were many entertaining performances, all wonderful and hilarious. On the other hand, two Cadet Inspectors (CIs) from the NPCC were leaving, which saddened the NPCC members. To send them off, they presented a few gifts to the CIs, together with their well wishes.
Despite that emotional moment, we still had so much fun that we lost track of time. When the campfire was being put out, I reflected on the events of the past two days.
These memories ended the first week of my holidays. I had an enriching week, as I had learnt many memorable lessons. Through the camp, I learnt more about teamwork, as well as the trust that we should have among our peers. It also gave me first hand experience in handling a big group of people. I look forward to the next camp!
(541 words)
Sunday, April 27, 2008
How I Made A Difference
Do you want to study or work in a clean environment? As long as everyone does their part by not littering, the environment will be free of litters as well as a conducive place for everyone to play and work in. When we litter, you are harming the environment. Currently, the ozone layer is getting thinner and thinner. As a result, many harmful sunrays are entering through it. They have caused global warming.
These sunrays are harmful to the skin and can cause skin cancer. At the moment, the cases of skin cancer patients have gone up. At the same time, there is a shortage of landfills for the rubbish. In the past, people would use their things for a very long time. Things that were bought were usually functional, not trendy. In today’s throwaway society, we have the tendency to buy and throw away things when they are no longer in trend. This bad habit increases the amount of rubbish in landfills. At the same time, rubbish in landfills will decompose and produce harmful gases. We should try to recycle and reuse the product when possible. Our schools are promoting the recycle programme. Thus, we should participate and do our part for the environment by spreading the message to our family, relatives and friends.
We should also educate our loved ones about the importance of conserving our environment. We can help by expressing awareness of our own environment. In addition, we can give a hand by educating or brainstorming ideas on how to conserve and save the environment.
Everyone should play their part in contributing his or her own ways to protect the environment. Otherwise, the consequences can be dire if no action is being taken. When these gases are released, they make the ozone layer thinner; allowing harmful sunrays to come through, causing a rise in the Earth’s temperature. This in turn causes the polar icecaps to melt, changing the world’s water levels; damaging homes and endangering the lives of both people and animals. The least that we can do to reduce the harm to save the environment is by using less plastic bag and if possible, use recycled bags, using public transport and carpool. Therefore, it is a shared responsibility when it comes to protecting our environment. We should be responsible for our own actions and ensuring that the environment is a conducive place for everyone as this is where we belong and we should help to keep this place a safe one for everyone to live in.
(421 words)
These sunrays are harmful to the skin and can cause skin cancer. At the moment, the cases of skin cancer patients have gone up. At the same time, there is a shortage of landfills for the rubbish. In the past, people would use their things for a very long time. Things that were bought were usually functional, not trendy. In today’s throwaway society, we have the tendency to buy and throw away things when they are no longer in trend. This bad habit increases the amount of rubbish in landfills. At the same time, rubbish in landfills will decompose and produce harmful gases. We should try to recycle and reuse the product when possible. Our schools are promoting the recycle programme. Thus, we should participate and do our part for the environment by spreading the message to our family, relatives and friends.
We should also educate our loved ones about the importance of conserving our environment. We can help by expressing awareness of our own environment. In addition, we can give a hand by educating or brainstorming ideas on how to conserve and save the environment.
Everyone should play their part in contributing his or her own ways to protect the environment. Otherwise, the consequences can be dire if no action is being taken. When these gases are released, they make the ozone layer thinner; allowing harmful sunrays to come through, causing a rise in the Earth’s temperature. This in turn causes the polar icecaps to melt, changing the world’s water levels; damaging homes and endangering the lives of both people and animals. The least that we can do to reduce the harm to save the environment is by using less plastic bag and if possible, use recycled bags, using public transport and carpool. Therefore, it is a shared responsibility when it comes to protecting our environment. We should be responsible for our own actions and ensuring that the environment is a conducive place for everyone as this is where we belong and we should help to keep this place a safe one for everyone to live in.
(421 words)
Growth Camp 2008
I will always remember the Growth Camp that I attended this year. I was thrilled when Mr Bala, my form teacher, told us the details of the camp. For the past few years, the camp had been held in school. This year, the location of the camp was unique: the camp would take place at the MOE campsite in Jalan Bahtera. Although I was unable to participate in some games due to my back problem, I was not upset as I looked forward to the experience. I knew that I would learn many life skills at the camp.
Many games were held outdoors. As a result of the bad weather, many outdoor games had been cancelled. Fortunately, our instructors were well prepared and we played the wet weather activities planned for us. In one of the games, we had to roll a ball down successfully. Though we encountered many problems along the way, we persevered against those obstacles. During the game, I could feel the team spirit that I had always longed for my class to have. At that moment, I wished we could be that united all the time. After many failures, we finally succeeded. We were ecstatic! By that time, the rain had stopped and we continued with other activities that had been planned for us.
On the second day, my group was supposed to kayak. Initially, we were in high spirits and the mood was set for an enjoyable day. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather, we were unable to kayak. Our spirits dampened when we heard the bad news. Later, the rain abated. To our surprise, we were told that we were able to kayak. We were overjoyed when we heard the good news. Without hesitation, we rushed to the kayaking station and were given a pre-kayak briefing. We understood the safety precautions and were given instructions to kayak. We started kayaking. Due to the erratic weather, we were told to kayak near the coast. We enjoyed ourselves so thoroughly that we were sad to leave that place.
After that, we washed up and, went for campfire preparation. My group had our very own dance and cheer. I loved the dance best as we had dedicated most of our time to that dance. During the campfire, we put up a wonderful performance. We encountered many problems along the way and even quarrelled with one another before we got things done. However, we were not put off by those quarrels. We still cooperated with each other. I was grateful that things worked out well.
On the last day of the camp, we cleared the areas assigned to us. After that, we headed back to school. Many of us were sad to leave the place. We knew that good things would have to come to an end one day but these memories would forever be deeply etched in our hearts.
(482 words)
Many games were held outdoors. As a result of the bad weather, many outdoor games had been cancelled. Fortunately, our instructors were well prepared and we played the wet weather activities planned for us. In one of the games, we had to roll a ball down successfully. Though we encountered many problems along the way, we persevered against those obstacles. During the game, I could feel the team spirit that I had always longed for my class to have. At that moment, I wished we could be that united all the time. After many failures, we finally succeeded. We were ecstatic! By that time, the rain had stopped and we continued with other activities that had been planned for us.
On the second day, my group was supposed to kayak. Initially, we were in high spirits and the mood was set for an enjoyable day. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather, we were unable to kayak. Our spirits dampened when we heard the bad news. Later, the rain abated. To our surprise, we were told that we were able to kayak. We were overjoyed when we heard the good news. Without hesitation, we rushed to the kayaking station and were given a pre-kayak briefing. We understood the safety precautions and were given instructions to kayak. We started kayaking. Due to the erratic weather, we were told to kayak near the coast. We enjoyed ourselves so thoroughly that we were sad to leave that place.
After that, we washed up and, went for campfire preparation. My group had our very own dance and cheer. I loved the dance best as we had dedicated most of our time to that dance. During the campfire, we put up a wonderful performance. We encountered many problems along the way and even quarrelled with one another before we got things done. However, we were not put off by those quarrels. We still cooperated with each other. I was grateful that things worked out well.
On the last day of the camp, we cleared the areas assigned to us. After that, we headed back to school. Many of us were sad to leave the place. We knew that good things would have to come to an end one day but these memories would forever be deeply etched in our hearts.
(482 words)
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Career Choice
· Information about the career of your choice
· A discussion on your career choice
During the past few weeks, I have been thinking what I would like to be when I grow up. I know that there are many job opportunities in the market. Choosing a job may be easy but excelling in it may not be so. Deciding on a job is simple. However, when you really have a try at the job, your abilities might not be up to it.
After much consideration, I have chosen the post of events manager in Marriott Hotel (Singapore). I feel that this job is very interesting and at the same time, it will allow me to widen my network of friends.
In this job, I must be able to lead and also plan major events. I will oversee and manage the successful execution of all in-house events, offering personalized service to increase guest satisfaction. I will be reporting to the director of Events Management. The minimum criterion for this job is two years of relevant catering sales experience. In catering sales, I will be required to identify and acquire corporate and social events. I should also possess strong organizational and coordination skills. As I move into events managing, I will need to be goal-driven and self-motivated, as well as have good negotiation skills. The role of event organiser is hands-on and often involves working as part of a team. I must be able to complete a wide range of activities requiring clear communication and must respond quickly to change, ensuring the smooth and efficient running of an event.
There are attractive career prospects for this job. Promotion may involve a move from an assistant post to team leader; which may include managing a small team. With experience, I am likely to take on responsibility for larger scale events, which are more complex, involving higher profile clients and managing bigger budgets. I may even move to a larger company or become a freelance event management consultant. It will be a big jump from being an ordinary events manager and the path is going to be challenging. However, I look forward to the challenges that I will face and hope that I learn new things as I undertake my duties.
(363 words)
References:
1. Straits Times Classifieds
2. http://www.prospects.ac.uk
· A discussion on your career choice
During the past few weeks, I have been thinking what I would like to be when I grow up. I know that there are many job opportunities in the market. Choosing a job may be easy but excelling in it may not be so. Deciding on a job is simple. However, when you really have a try at the job, your abilities might not be up to it.
After much consideration, I have chosen the post of events manager in Marriott Hotel (Singapore). I feel that this job is very interesting and at the same time, it will allow me to widen my network of friends.
In this job, I must be able to lead and also plan major events. I will oversee and manage the successful execution of all in-house events, offering personalized service to increase guest satisfaction. I will be reporting to the director of Events Management. The minimum criterion for this job is two years of relevant catering sales experience. In catering sales, I will be required to identify and acquire corporate and social events. I should also possess strong organizational and coordination skills. As I move into events managing, I will need to be goal-driven and self-motivated, as well as have good negotiation skills. The role of event organiser is hands-on and often involves working as part of a team. I must be able to complete a wide range of activities requiring clear communication and must respond quickly to change, ensuring the smooth and efficient running of an event.
There are attractive career prospects for this job. Promotion may involve a move from an assistant post to team leader; which may include managing a small team. With experience, I am likely to take on responsibility for larger scale events, which are more complex, involving higher profile clients and managing bigger budgets. I may even move to a larger company or become a freelance event management consultant. It will be a big jump from being an ordinary events manager and the path is going to be challenging. However, I look forward to the challenges that I will face and hope that I learn new things as I undertake my duties.
(363 words)
References:
1. Straits Times Classifieds
2. http://www.prospects.ac.uk
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