Friday, December 07, 2018
"Why?"
Monday, December 03, 2018
💛
-
Too good to say goodbye.
---
One day..
"People with the gift of teaching are consummate debaters. It is how they convince and help others to learn. It doesn’t matter if they are in the office or at home, people with the gift of teaching are constantly thinking on their feet. Teachers need to know the reasoning behind concepts or ideas. They do not take anything at face value. Teachers can appear argumentative while they are simply trying to gain further understanding.
"Like the Perceiver, the Ruler will give admonition and warning of upcoming situations. Like the Teacher, a Ruler will provide sound counsel and instructive reasoning to convince the people of the common goal. Like the Encourager, a Ruler will motivate and inspire others to achieve and succeed. Like a Server and Giver, a Ruler is very task driven and independent."
INFJ PERSONALITY (“THE ADVOCATE”)
Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.- Martin Luther King
Thursday, November 01, 2018
Struggle isn't against flesh and blood
- Romans 12:17-21 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.17-21.NLT
- Psalms 37:1-24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.37.1-24.NLT
Saturday, June 09, 2018
/hɑː(r)t/
Its the end of the world in my mind
Then Your voice pulls me back
Like a wake-up call
Somewhere
I couldn't see that it was right there
But now I know, what I didn't know
Because You make me believe in myself
When nobody else can help
Because you live God
My world
Has twice as many stars in the sky
I survived.
I'm alive again
Cause of You, made it through every storm
What is life? What's the use?
If you're killing time
Someone
Who was there when all my hopes fell
I want to fly looking your eyes
Because You make me believe in myself
When nobody else can help
Because You live God
My world
Has twice as many stars in the sky
I carry on when I lose the fight
I want to give what You've given me
Always
Because you make me believe in myself
When nobody else can help
Because you live God
My world
Has twice as many stars in the sky
Because You make me believe in myself
When nobody else can help
Because You live God
My world
Has everything I need to survive
Because you live, I live
I live
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
thir.st/blog/upside-down-logic-god/
God doesn’t call us to kingdom work because we have the best qualifications or skills. In the upside-down logic of our awesome God, He has “chosen the foolish things to confound the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
Really related to this for far too often I had been thinking I'm not the best person to teach my class..
Friday, April 06, 2018
the root/ my weakness/ the thing God is trying to teach me?
- Feelings of inadequacy in previous experiences - cycling, SM - made me just wanna avoid it altogether..but SM duties (the bare minimum) were a weekly affair..I've thought that: never mind if I'm not good at these things..as long as I still can teach kids (about the only thing I thought I'm actually decent at), I'm not a failure.......but this notion or to put it more succinctly, this belief was challenged right from the beginning of the year..I never really realised how it became such an integral part of how I determined my self-worth..how it was actually a core belief within..which explains why my self-esteem was crushed so badly..each time a bad incident occurs, it dips and by the end of each week, I felt like a complete failure..and the reason why I constantly had to think of things I still could do to remind myself that I have other abilities..
- Sometime in Term 1 I came to the conclusion that God was teaching me about identity and grace (life-long process ah this one..haha)..and while identity is tied to self-worth, I think maybe the more accurate term to describe what I'm learning this season would be self-worth..I need to learn that even if God took away ALL my abilities (including the ones I think I still have for now), I am NOT a failure (I learnt that it's okay to fail..but it's one thing to think that way..and another to believe that you are a failure..) and I still have worth, simply because I am His..this is a difficult concept to wrap my mind around..OMGOSH..I THINK..I HAVE GOTTEN TO THE CORE..I HAVE FINALLY REALISED WHAT IT IS GOD HAS BEEN TRYING TO TELL ME..
As I said, there have been answers here and there..but the more I heard, the deeper I dug, somehow I felt more and more like it's my fault that things are the way it is..like the identity thing..I felt that it's my fault that I tied my identity to being a good teacher..and all the reminders of Prov 3:5-6 I've been seeing everywhere..and feeling like "yea I guess I'm not trusting enough..that's why I'm being tested.." and even the "Just wait" poem I read yesterday..and then God telling me/ me remembering that I said what gives me ultimate satisfaction is being close to God..it just made me feel worse..cause it seems like I failed to keep to my word..so basically everything just produced feelings of condemnation in me..but little did I know..that there was a part 2 to what God wants to say (which I didn't hear yesterday) because now that I reread it, the words that stand out to me are..
"You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me
You'd not know the depth of my love
You'd never experience the fullness of love
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart."
So all along, God has just been trying to tell me He really loves me NO MATTER WHAT..that in His eyes, I am precious and of worth no matter what abilities I have or don't have..I really DON'T have to be good at doing what I am supposed to do (i.e. what I've always thought is my calling) for Him to think I am worthy..omgosh......I think..this is crazy. Crazy love. And thought 2: I think this will change the way I perceive others too..it is true..knowing God's love helps you love others too......
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
- 1 John 3:1
At the end of the day, God just wants to help me be closer to Him by knowing His love..and help me keep my word..cause He knows it is indeed true that I am ultimately satisfied by being close to Him..and the times I feel better..and then beaten down again (and begging God to release me from this pain..)..this cycle will just keep repeating as long as I think my self-worth is tied to my ability to fulfill the calling I think He has for me..
The lesson now is not "God is strong and good and I am weak and terrible" (though that's also true..we are all but sinners)..the lesson is not meant to condemn me..and crush my soul..
Omgoodness..suddenly remembering the words of Eph 3..
"And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
- Eph 3:18-19 (NLT)
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Things to help
- God knows what I'll be at the end of Term 2, at the end of this year, at the end of this bond. He is in control of all things..He knows how it'll all end..He knows all that I feel. He has it ALL planned out, unlike me. Haha which is good..He already knows what's gonna happen next week..
- Stop thinking of how I'm gonna do everything I need to to do..just one day at a time is enough..if that's the best I can do, it's enough.
- Being prepared really helps to reduce the anxiety..and enables me to have a positive frame of mind..
- Even the best have to relearn things..things they used to be good at can be the same things they have trouble doing after a while..so so what if I think I was better during contract? Cause I think by the end of Term 1 that time at least things were better than they are not? BUT PROGRESS IS NOT LINEAR and it applies to EVERYONE.
- Told mummy about the thought process in the previous post and she asked "Then what's the best that can happen?" Smth which I didn't really focus on..my answer..
- I can manage my class well every day, the kids listen and don't misbehave..
- I believe in myself again
- I teach them well
- I ENJOY IT EVERYDAY
- I get to show them God's love everyday and do it like it's my calling!
- Think about the good that happened in class - though I push it out often because I feel it's not enough..cause I think it doesn't mean that when there's good, the class would behave better the next day..because I still failed..day in and out..but there was good..and sometime during the term I did make it a point to list them down on my phone/ in my journal..but towards the end I guess I just felt like such a failure cause one term down and things didn't seem to be picking up..but let's see...
- Friday started out alright..got the kids who were playing in the toilet to stand in the front and warned them sternly..
- Class photo-taking..the boys and girls wanted me to stand on "their" side..
- K and E helped at the end of the day to clean the class..
- Holidays - saw J when I was out (really just wanted to hide) and some others in school..all called my name really loudly???
- thought of the times I praised J..even though she refused to greet last Wed (???)..she did the actions for the school song nicely..she helped with the plug when I was having trouble with it..and every time I call for ICT leaders she comes running..
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
"What's the worst that could happen?"
Lol I typed a few paras but accidentally deleted everything and cause there's no undo button here it's all gone!!
But anyway. Gist is. I've really thought long and hard about it. Worst case scenario: I get fired. And like I told a few close friends, I'd rather that happen to me than the lives of those young ones be shortchanged cause of my ineptitude. And I'd then be free to do smth else. I'd have learnt. But having said that I don't want this to be an excuse not to do my best in other areas while I still can. It's just that stressing about it now doesn't help at all.
"Sorting thoughts out.
If I fail, I fail. So be it. I'd get up, I'll do smth else. No amount of stressing/ worrying about it will provide me with any soln. So forget it! Just gonna do what I can..!"
So for now..just go out there and enjoy the meetings..enjoy every moment I can..and thank God for every moment of joy and clarity!
//things I've bought after waiting for a long time:
- specs
- laptop
- printer
- laceless kicks
//I've been running from the pain
Trying not to feel the same
But it's a shame that I'm sinking/ wins again
See, my confidence is shaking
And my heart is feeling vacant
So you (I) try to fill it in
You say "I could fix the broken in your heart
You're worth saving, darling"
But I don't know why you're shooting in the dark
I got faith in nothing (of myself)
But love, pray for me
Pray for me
I know I need somebody
So I can learn
I know it's been a while
Cause my memory's on trial
For the way I used to be
My head is running miles
Round in circles and I try
To find the little light in me
如果觉得自己不好怎么办
如果一直很negative怎么办
一直stressed
一直吃
很久没九点过后吃东西了
有压力时 就不会follow写给自己的reminders..
"No junk/ oily food! Protect my throat and skin! No cough 🙏 and no constipation!"
"Junk food is bad for the liver! And skin!!
And will cause hair loss!! Too much MSG! 🙅"
:( Seems like I really don't care about my health..??
I feel sad.........Tuesday is ending..and I don't want it to..feeling the burden on my shoulders..God.....bring me out of this..how do I escape reality? I can't escape forever..and I dislike it. I really dislike feeling stuck.......
Thought I was getting better..but I'm feeling this way again..maybe cause I feel like there's just so much I've to do if I wanna get the class back in order..and I'm afraid I'd forget what I need to do..the worst is I don't even know exactly what I have to do....and I don't know if it will work..and it's making me very stressed. So I don't wanna do it. And then there's still the lesson plans apart from that..feels like there are too many things. :((((((( overwhelmed = I wanna escape..sorry God but can I not do it anymore?
I'm so upset but I don't know how to tell anyone about it..who's gonna understand? Guess I feel lonely too in that sense..I don't wanna be a constant burden to family and friends..people who've had to be my listening ears ever since I started work..but thank You that You're always listening....but God I can't do it if I don't know how to do it......this is frustrating.....
AHHHH GODDDDDDDDDDDDD!!#+###$!"+$8!$;$"
IM UPSET UPSET UPSET!!!!
At least if it were assignments/ FYP that I was stressed about, at the back of my head I knew I'd know how to do it and I'd still be able to deliver..but now I don't!!!! I've asked many people..and I still HAVE NO IDEA HOW IM GONNA DO IT!!! As someone who always needs a plan I think this is precisely why I'm feeling the way I am..so lost..and so annoyed with myself..and the most stressful part is that poor classroom management carries over..last time even if I don't do well for one assignment I can always just try harder for the next one..now it's so different.. :((( if I don't do well for one LP, I can try again..but if I don't manage the class well..there is the residual effect....and it also stresses me that so many young lives are being affected......
"Kids believe in the impossible"..which means they'll believe that the class can be quiet again? That things would be much better? They'll believe in me? They'll believe I can teach?
I don't see how it's gonna be possible if I have no clue on how to do it though..God give me inspiration and wisdom...😢😭😭😭 I can't do it..I really can't..I need to know the practical steps that WILL be effective..that I can do..I don't wanna worry/ stress about managing the class again..it's emotionally draining..seriously..and it's so needlessly time-consuming..I should be spending my time enjoying this break and coming up with good lesson plans..
Sigh..whatever negative emotion one can possible feel about oneself I've probably felt it over these few months..disappointed. Which translates to 失望..literally lost hope..😪
//Also realised why I think I'm not suitable to teach my own class PE this time..Cause things are really very different now..
1. Diff level. P3 and P2 really diff ball game..Dynamics really change in P3 cause of the merging of classes..
2. Diff expectations. Now there are proper lesson plans and it's not just simple running or skipping anymore..and I can't do PE games like how I used to..like ice and water..and there was nobody to really monitor..
3. Diff number of periods!!! I kept thinking how come last time I did it also but didn't complain as much but now I'm so tired..it's because last time PE was only on Mon and Fri and only 3 periods in total..now got 5..and it's Mon Tues Wed
4. Diff number of students..last time I think I didn't even have a whistle?? And I definitely didn't use a mic as well..20 vs 32..
So apart from preparing for the norm EMSS lessons, I also need to look through PE LP and prep for them and that stresses me out so bad cause I've no idea how to even do what I need to teach and always need to consult a trained PE teacher for help but sometimes she explain the LP to me I still don't understand 😩 and cause of that it affects the quality of the PE lessons and my ability to manage the class during that time..and then it affects their behaviour in my other lessons also..so instead of spending time to prep for EMSS I spend more time worrying about their behaviour and how to manage.....so being unable to fully focus on planning on the core subjects affects the quality of these lessons..which affects their behaviour in class..which makes me stressed again and induces thoughts that I'm not a good teacher..and this vicious cycle repeats....
Sunday, February 04, 2018
💇/ restarting
I usually get a haircut every June but decided to get it earlier this year cause my hair was getting too heavy for my liking..probably cause I didn't ask for any "shape" when I got it the last time..
But..today wasn't a very pleasant experience..the auntie was so angsty and was so rough with my scalp and hair..combing hard and all..🙁
Lessons learnt from today:
- never cut hair on weekend (crowded) and nearing CNY period (the constant CNY songs playing in the background..like how 299 does at home..omtian..)
- cut hair somewhere else..maybe at the hair salon on 3rd floor..and get a hairwash too../ admiralty overhead bridge/ 888 plaza..would probably be quieter too..
Also..been looking through my old notes..those I wrote in 2013 to see how I used to manage during contract teaching..thank God these can still be accessed via my email..realized how I used to do my weekly LP..
And I realised I didn't actually keep a record of what I should do on the first few days of school..been thinking about it..so I wrote a list for my future reference..things I should have done in retrospect..
If I can restart everything, I'd...
- state rules, without consequences..(because once I say it I need to follow through!!!! THE MOST IMPT THING IS BEING CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO..if not will lose their respect..(and lose respect for myself too 😕😕😕) which is what has happened after 5 weeks.....tho my kids would shout my name when they see me outside class.....)
- State routines ("when I enter & leave" slides..)
- model and practise routines..(incl get someone to stand in front while I call out when the person is talking..)
- hold off points system for as long as poss!!!! Immediately becomes extrinsic...
Before day 1
Put up class rules, routines, group roles, "What have I learnt?" chart
Day 1
Bring: All about me, recycled/ coloured construction papers, scissors, tape
- temp taking (if needed)
- give out intro letters..
- write all about me
- self-intro (fill in seating arrangement)
- number the groups
- state group roles, get them to number themselves in their groups - #1: GM etc..
- Collect TB, WB, files & ex books (spelling & journal) - ensure their names are on it.
- journal: my December holidays
- write names on recycled paper
- Assign lockers, paste names on lockers..
- Teach CA!!!
Day 2
- review rules and routines
- collect pupil forms
- start on Big Book/ unit 1 (never mind if I do it wrongly..at least the class gets through the whole book without being distracted..that's the most impt)
- practise walking in line
//on hindsight, it's always said that cutting hair = new/ fresh beginnings..haha maybe that's what I subconsciously want too..
//amazing how I never lost my voice during contract teaching even after all that shouting..but lost it within 1.5 weeks of starting work this time lol was so frustrated at myself but I guess I gotta let it go and just thank God it's back now....
//19 feb edit. Recently I figured out why I really wanted out so badly. Cause I was so disillusioned. When nothing turned out the way I wanted it to. When I felt like I could no longer make an impact - the very reason I decided to teach..and when I found it so difficult to enjoy teaching..as opposed to how I used to feel.. -- core beliefs about myself and my dreams were challenged
Saturday, January 06, 2018
First week..
状况连连..
Day 1 - stomachache in the morn cause I was way too nervous the night before (cause I haven't taught a full class for 2.5 years and was so afraid I'd be rusty 😥) and barely slept..prayed and thank God for healing me in time cause I had to report by 7.10 and only left school at 4..few and short breaks in between..end of day feels: madness. Exhausted.
Day 2 - left eye got really swollen and I thought I wouldn't be able to open it when I woke up..entire area around it hurt..thank God for the strength to still get up, show up & go on cause had to reach by 7.10 as well and there was contact time after school..gobbled down lunch in 5min & got a bit of heartburn..even fewer & shorter breaks..ended class at 2.30 and had to rush for contact time at 2.45..after staff meeting there was a teacher who came to talk to me for a while..and I couldn't even look at her cause it'll hurt if I look straight instead of down..only left around 6..was so tired and upset cause I felt it was so unfair that the person who I replaced in the staff duty list was always in the staffroom and didn't even seem that busy? + someone said based on the old timetable a lot of people were underquota while there I was, a newbie, with so many periods and hardly time to catch a breather/ do impt stuff like lesson planning..didn't help that friends seemed to be doing okay in their new schools..with time to deco classroom/ getting notes from students/ being able to leave early and prep for lessons at home. Felt utterly zombiefied at the end of the day (& alternative career choices crossed my mind..social media manager..director..actress..blogshop model (lol)..housewife) and teared up a bit at home..decided I had to sleep really early so my eye will get better + I will feel less terrible emotionally..真的透支了..
Day 3 - had to reach even earlier for traffic light duty..but couldn't get a vest in time and decided to go to the duty venue first cause safety is impt..and found that there was already someone there..prayed so desperately during class cause I didn't know what to do with my class at times..after school I thought I could finally do some proper lesson planning but there was induction (delayed by a week cause had to wait for everyone to be free..)..didn't have time for lunch cause classes ended at 2 and it started at 2.15 (spare time was used to put stuff back in staffroom) and could only leave at 5plus..came home and had 3 servings for dinner (bad for body :( the slide about the importance of breakfast we had to show the kids flashed in my head so many times..and sadly I wasn't following it..supposed to eat the least for din but it's the opposite for me..) also was determined to still do some work albeit seriously needing sleep + eye haven't fully recovered..so I did a bit.
Day 4 - thought I could finally have a longer break to print my lesson resources and prepare more thoroughly but realised I had to be there for FTGP + suddenly had to meet RO and there went my break..ended up being cranky and wasn't able to manage my class properly..and my kids went out of control 😢 身心疲惫..kept thinking of how this is not contract/ practicum anymore & I really wanna plan better lessons for my kids and they deserve so much more from me but I couldn't do it during this week cause I wasn't in the right state to..guess there's a lot of self-blame & self-imposed expectations..
Came home and had to tell myself to give myself a break cause it IS hard..drastic change in body clock..adjusting to new environment..new colleagues (think this is smth I'm (overly) worried about cause based on past experiences people can be really fake/ mean 😕😔)..new expectations..new responsibilities..new pupils..plus I'm the only one who just grad from NIE in my school..so people might not understand how tough the transition is..esp for this week..when I need to begin teaching a new level but I've no prior lesson plans/ resources to fall back on unlike the rest..but have no time to do them also cause of meetings/ admin matters (printing/ collecting stuff/ replying impt messages from colleagues/ parents)..don't even have time to eat lol..and it's tough being an introvert but having to interact with people for such long periods (being in school for 10 hours on average daily is just really draining)..come back home still got to try to prepare for the next day & endure 299's loud CNY music..so I've been pretty sleep-deprived this week & the lack of sleep had me being super absentminded, easily irritable, developing a swell on my eyelid (cause wear contacts too long also but pain 😢) + sore throat. Only through God's grace and strength that I've survived the week..