I love my job

I love my job.

After I heard from the guys that Stan has gotten out, I tried my luck and called his number. He picked up the call and after a few minutes, we arranged to meet up. He later sent a text and asked if it was okay if his girlfriend came along. So this afternoon, I met Stan and his girlfriend for lunch.

Now he works for his uncle 6 days a week, while waiting to be enlisted for NS. He said he has wasted enough time and wants to get on with studying as soon as possible. He got himself a place at SIM but could not get the army to defer his enlistment. He really wants to make up for lost time.

Today, Stan told me his story. He was not interested in studying and his home wasn’t exactly perfect. So, to “rebel”, he handed in blank scripts for his N level exams. Naturally, he didn’t get to sec 5. He spent two years at home playing computer before knocking this chap down onto the floor and carried on punching him. This started because that guy accused him of cheating in the game and the accusation carried on for weeks until they arranged to meet up to “settle”. And then, that fateful knockout. I asked if that chap died. Stan smiled and said, “No lah!” For this, he got sentenced to 18 months in RTC. 6 months into RTC, he got into TMP and that’s where we met. He aced the exams and did rather well for O levels.

Stan said that although his PO did not recommend probation, he still sent the PO a text to thank him before he went into RTC. The good thing about this chap is that I think he is all adjusted and ready now. I don’t like to say this, but I think the 18 months has done him some good. What’s great about today is that I got to see a young person all positive and appreciative of what’s in front of him. He wants to be good, and I’m sure he can be and will be.

I gave him “The Last Lecture” and he gave me a card, and we said we’d meet up again soon.

That’s lunch. Now dinner.

Weeks ago I ran into Ci Hong at SDC while attending a Seminar. He was having lunch and saw me standing at a buffet line. He sent a text to confirm that it was me before he came over and we chatted. This led to him calling up a few of the guys, and to us having dinner tonight, with Ms Koh.

Wilson, Guo Xiang, Cai Jie, Ci Hong, Ms Koh and myself. Daniel and Hanyuan couldn’t come. It was … heartwarming. It was as if these boys were still in our classes last month. We looked at photographs and tried to recall who’s who; asked who married who, who have kids and who’s doing what; chatted about silly things they did in class and what the teachers said and did. 

These boys are 30 years old which means I taught them 15 years ago. Suddenly, I feel like I have to sit down, close my eyes, and take a nap. It has been so long. Thinking of what’s been happening and trying to piece out what I have been doing for the past years makes my stomach turn. Wow, 15 years.

So, of course the boys bought their teachers dinner. We arranged to meet again soon and next time, Ci Hong promised, they will get more to show up. Yep, I do miss them.

Twice in a day. Two times, in the same day! I get to feel like I’ve done something good twice in a day. What else could I ask for?

I love my job. Actually, I think I love my life.

《搭错车》

有点失望。

因为看过电影，所以觉得这个音乐剧版本的"搭错车"
在内容上差了好多。

演出没有打动我，反而还频频打瞌睡。

反复听了几遍，每次到"请跟我来"潘嗣敬开口那一句，
我还是会起鸡皮疙瘩。

这个小子真的不错。
虽然这次没有"老九"的气势，
但也算是个很诚恳的演出。
在我看来，
他的声音是当晚所有演员当中最舞台的一把声音
-- 亮，清晰，有生命。
 
Boon Chan 在 Straits Times 写得很好:
"Often, soundtrack albums serve as a souvenir of a show one has enjoyed.
This is one of the rare occasions where the record works better than the full-fledged musical...
Take the songs here and build your own musical in your head instead."

最后一句很妙 :)
 

on the flight back (UA895)

And so, we did make the trip to Chicago.

Now we're on our way home :) Chicago at this time of the year is way too cold though it shouldn't be. They say it is January weather in March but you know what? I've got good news. Was not expecting it but it sure came as a surprise, a very pleasant one. Ari spilled it over breakfast one morning that dinner that day was already taken care of. I thought he was going to buy us dinner. It was Sham and me who bought dinner instead, and we were totally happy to do that :)

The thing about shopping for gifts for family is that it is way easier, and faster. When you buy for yourself, you tend to deliberate if you really need that stuff, whether the one at home can still be used for a couple more years, if you really like it that much that you must have it, or if the thing is really value-for-money, then you walk away, and walk back, and then step aside beside concluding that you can still live a while more without the thing. I've bought so much this time, it's unimaginable. Even got a Samsonite so I could squeeze in everything :) and the luggage Angela lent me was already packed up to the weight limit. Got a Tag for Miin, a bag and a purse for Annie, lots and lots of clothes for the kids, and shoes, tees and polos for myself. I think I could have momentarily forgotten that these are afterall money. But why not?! I've got some left and I think I just got promoted :)

The conference was good, the visits were better. The group met twice and the discussions were very candid and fruitful. But we can talk about all that when we get back to the office. And I finally caught "Skyfall".

Going home always feels fantastic. I love you, Singapore.

first night in chicago

it's 4.30 in the morning and I'm wide awake.

we got here around 12.30 in the afternoon yesterday. the 7 of us are lucky enough to be here to attend the ascd conference. that starts tomorrow so we have about one and a half days to quickly get used to the cold and the wind before the actual learning begins.

after a quick workout at the gym, boss and i went out to look for something to eat. it was very cold walking on the streets and we missed three starbucks by the minutes before finally ended up at a mac that's still open. and we had a very good chat.

about five years ago, i made a very good decision to leave the school I was in at that time and was lucky to have been taken in by mrs chua. she's the best. in fact, she and hai siang were the best school leaders i've worked with. at northlight, i learnt the real meaning of teaching and was given the chance to do what i was good at, and had fun and was truly satisfied. it was like family and the students were like our kids. and when you think you are teaching your own kids, you only give them your best. that's how it worked. it was the best three years of my teaching life and i am very grateful for that.

fast-forward three years and i think i've again made the correct decision to come to where i am now. two reasons prompted me to want to move on: i've almost completed what i set out to do when i first joined the school and i had in mind someone who could carry on that work and bring more to the table; i considered myself so privileged to have been given the chance to be part of an amazing team and that it was time someone else be given the opportunity to experience the great stuff i've gone through. the first reason was about finding a best-fit; the second was about sharing the learning.

the school taught me many things. the students taught me many things. i've learnt that letting them learn is difficult yet totally far more necessary and meaningful than letting me teach. i've learnt that even though i've grown up in a not so well-to-do family, what i had was many times more than what some of the kids were having. i've learnt to hold my cynical adult comments so that the kids can speak first, and to let them tell me who they really are. to quote the wise leader, i have learnt that "hope and charity make everything possible, and love makes everything worthwhile".

haisiang once told me that i should be less realistic and be more idealistic. he taught me to let go the ropes and not to sweat the small stuff. he said that teachers will run and take off and that i just have to trust them. mrs chua gave me the trust i never had before and i became confident of my work under her guidance. they helped me notice the good in me even though they could always point out the spots i've missed. i remember telling myself that if that's what it takes to be a school leader, then i'll never have what it takes to become one.

colleagues were independently capable, yet worked perfectly well as a team. every child was everybody's business. the "map of singapore" project had everyone, including the school leaders, trying to get back kids who were at risk of dropping out. the principal herself marked out an area on the map and knocked on a few doors. teachers, counsellors and school leaders accompanied kids to clinics, hospitals, police stations, and even the court. they also brought them to games, movies and meals. what i liked most was that nobody spoke about who's failing which subjects. for the first time in a school, i knew the meaning of "student well being". and the best part of it all was that i felt it was real.

i've wanted to write about my northlight experience for quite sometime but didn't really know where to begin. i didn't want to shortchange the great things that have happened and the fantastic people i have met there with my not-up-to-mark writing. but cold chicago made me do it tonight :)

the short chat i had with ari gave me another glimpse into my new school leader. this guy is good. he is the right guy picked to start the new school. i am again excited about my work and confident that i have something valuable to add to the team of capable and committed staff. i have a good sense that spectra is going to be another great school. let's hope i'm right.

alright, it's almost 7 here in chicago, time to get up. this is going to be a beautiful day :)

(photo by TODAY -- thanks!)