Seng Kang Primary

Just finished a whole-day meeting at school. I must admit it was not what I expected.

Firstly, the principal, Mrs Lew, although she prefers to be called Lan Chin. She's more from the Miss Chua Soh Leng-type (Punggol Pri) of principal. She looks like Shirley, and from what I can observe, possesses a true Christ-like character. Her words are so encouraging and she used her sharing to marvellous effect.

While other principals would deign to use the time to talk about policies and programmes, she did it differently. Yes, she was talking about a new initiative called Invitational Education, but she talked about it with such conviction and belief that she really sold me on the idea. I'll probably even use it in Professionals for our module on communication, and I told her so.

I could sense that God knew I needed some encouragement as I was not doing a good job of getting used to teaching life again. Her session on something called unintentional disinvitation (or being unintentionally disinviting) resonated with me. It's basically a scenario where people unwittingly make themselves unapproachable. We were asked to give a personal experience of this, and she shared her example of aunties asking nephews/nieces when they are getting married every CNY - they mean well, but it's just a complete turn-off. *winks to Yinglei*

My example was just as explicit, and I believe God was giving me an opportunity to be open to my colleagues. Bear in mind that I knew 5% of the people in the room, and that some have never talked to me or even seen me. I shared my experience of people recommending cures of eczema to me and how despite their good intentions, it was a bugbear for me. It allowed me to appeal for their understanding, as well as help them understand how to relate to me with me on this sensitive issue. I told them to keep their cures to themselves, and tell me when my skin looks good not bad. I sincerely hope my honesty will make it easier for me to break the ice with them, as I'm not a very sociable person and struggle to make close friends outside of church.

Throughout the session, Lan Chin was encouraging and effusive with praise of people's honesty, and found ways to use visuals to get her ideas across. I badly wanted to pee/doze off, but I found I didn't dare to, lest I miss something important/interesting - such was the engagement.

To top it all off, she asked for a volunteer to read a list out, and I just felt compelled to volunteer, partly cos I haven't heard my radio voice in a while. After I had read the meaningful list of paradoxical commandments, she turned around and told everyone she was giving me the book I had just read from. What a gesture! I really admire her optimism and zest for life and such infectious leadership has sort of hooked me. That's the power of inspirational leadership by example.

I hope to do that some day, where someone turns around and says I've inspired them. Till then, I have next week's lesson plans to write. =[

Crossover vs UniSIM

Dear Mrs Koh,

Thank you for your explanation. I will accept the Board's decision.

However, I must register my dissatisfaction with the fact that the criteria for admission is not made known to student teachers. If I had known my poly grades would be of such detriment to my admission chances, I would not have raised my hopes so high. Besides, my inferior grades were in an unrelated area of study, while my credit was in a related area of study. Why then should such heavy weightage be given to my poly performance? By doing well in Dip Ed, I was hoping to redeem my lack of effort in poly. But it seems that we are being punished twice for our past mistakes and not being given sufficient opportunity to redeem ourselves. I am disappointed in myself for not realising the value of education in poly 5 years ago, but even more so now with NIE & MOE for valuing the efforts of Dip Ed-ers so cheaply.

As for the Advanced Diploma, I'm sorry to say that it makes no sense at all. Why would I want to spend 1+ years getting another diploma when I already have two, with no impact on my emplacement and no direct guarantee of a degree? It would take me 3+ years to eventually get my degree, with little economic benefit to me in the meantime. It is no wonder that many Dip Ed-ers are forced to pursue unrelated part-time degrees at UniSIM etc at the expense of their work-life balance to get the emplacement they need.

I do hope you will reconsider the criteria for degree programme admission and provide more viable and realistic opportunities for us to get our degree.

Yours sincerely,
Aaron Wong
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Dear Mr Wong

APPEAL FOR CROSSOVER TO THE DEGREE PROGRAMME

1 I refer to your email below appealing for crossover to the degree programme.

2 For Diploma graduands to crossover to the NIE's degree programme, both your performance in the Diploma in Education programme and your polytechnic diploma results are taken into consideration. This is part of an overall set of admission criteria that ensure the high standards of candidates who are admitted into the degree programmes in the university. You have obtained a Credit in the Diploma in Education but your polytechnic diploma results fall below the university’s minimum admission requirements. Based on the admission criteria, the NIE Board of Examiners collectively decided that the institute is unable to admit you into the degree programme.

3 NIE is fully aware that we must provide alternative pathways where Diploma graduands like you can have an opportunity to further their studies academically. With this in mind, NIE has put in place the Advanced Diploma programme in the relevant subject area, which we would like to invite you to consider applying for. When a candidate does well in the Advanced Diploma programme, he or she can use this additional qualifications (on top of their NIE diploma and polytechnic diploma results) to apply for the degree programme. Further advice on how to sign up for the Advanced Diploma may be obtained by e-mailing inservice@nie.edu.sg or calling 67903944. We are happy to let you know that some teachers have entered the Degree programme through obtaining good results in the Advanced Diploma studies.

4 We wish you all the best in your future endeavours and hope to see you pursuing the Advanced Diploma in the not too distant a future.

Yours sincerely,
KOH SOU KEAW (MRS)
HEAD
FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES ADMINISTRATION
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Dear Mrs Koh (Hd FP Adm Off),

I received with great disappointment my results for my final semester in Dip Ed. I realised that I was not offered an opportunity to further my studies in the BA(Ed) programme. I called the FPO and was informed that I did not meet the criteria for crossing over, despite a GPA of 4.36 and a pass in my practicum. I was informed that NIE and poly results were taken into account in considering who should be offered the degree option.

My purpose of writing is twofold:
1. To appeal to be admitted into the BA(Ed) programme,
2. To urge NIE to review the criteria and transparency of selection for BA(Ed).

I am guessing that in the end it was my mediocre poly results that did me in for admission into BA(Ed). Honestly speaking, I did not take my polytechnic education that seriously until my final year. However, on coming to NIE, I finally found something that I could excel in. I applied myself enthusiastically and diligently during my time in Dip Ed finally achieving a CGPA of 4.36, virtually an A-average. I was also a member of the ELL Club (Ref: Mr Jason Loh, ELL Club ex-adviser) that organised activities for Year 1s. I was hopeful of continuing my pursuit of excellence in the BA(Ed), but now having been informed otherwise, I would like to appeal to be admitted into the programme, where I believe I can be a credit to the cohort of Dip Ed crossovers.

Secondly, I implore NIE to review the selection criteria for crossing over. The criteria has been made confidential, and we were only able to hear rumours about what the criteria was. This was totally unhelpful as we were not able to target a certain GPA or involvement to achieve. If we put it bluntly, I was doomed the moment I stepped into NIE, due to my inferior poly grades. I feel I have not been given a chance to improve myself or turn over a proverbial new leaf, despite doing my best to. It feels like a kick in the teeth that I never stood a chance. If convicts are given a chance to turn over a new leaf in seeking new employment, why am I being judged on what I (did not) achieve in the past? I believe I have acquitted myself well during Dip Ed, and more than made up for my inadequacies in the past.

I urge NIE to place greater weightage on performance in NIE rather than previous qualifications, which have less relevance in excellence in teaching. Moreover, if past results are taken into account, then my 'O' Levels would be in my favour, but apparently they are not considered at all.

I also urge NIE to be more transparent in communicating criteria of crossing over in official channels, instead of leaving us in the dark where we were trying to do our best but not knowing if we were on track at all. If PSLE and 'O' Level students know the score they need to get into the school they want, why shouldn't student teachers know what they need to achieve to cross over? I believe such transparency would help NIE get the elite students they want, as these would be the people that really do their best in NIE, to be excellent in their teaching.

I hope you will consider my appeal favourably and allow me to further my studies at the cradle of Singapore education.

If you need references of NIE tutors/lecturers, I'm sure Prof Douglas Edge (MME), Mr Jason Loh (now HOD Eng, Innova Pri) and Ms Jo-Ann Netto-Shek (ELL) would be glad to oblige.
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6 Jun 2008, 1245hrs
I have not been offered the crossover option despite a GPA of 4.36. That's virtually an A-average. Jasmine says it's because I only got a pass at practicum, though that's another issue. Jon says it's because of my poor poly grades. But tell me, isn't busting your gut to do well in NIE after realising the importance of education enough to earn your place? Apparently not. Above is my letter of appeal.
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23 Aug 2007, 0045hrs
To all aspiring crossovees, Aaron has done the math for you so you can decide if you should crossover to BA or BSc(Ed) next year if you are offered it.

My calculations assume you are graduating from Dip Ed, as I am, in June 2008, and will begin work in a primary school in July 2008. It assumes you enjoy a pay adjustment for NS. It also assumes you get three-months' bonus each year.

This calculates your net loss/gain till June 2011. Why June 2011? Well, assuming you start studies in UniSIM immediately after graduating from NIE, you will graduate from their part-time degree course by that time. So here goes:

Crossover to 2-year BA(Ed) programme at NIE:
Pros:
Stipend: $10,000
Salary [GEO1: Jul 2010 - Jun 2011]: $42,330
Studying full-time

Cons:
Four-year bond [CAA 2011]
Education degree [too specific]

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3-year part-time degree at UniSIM, English major with another field:
Pros:
Salary [GEO2: Jul 2008 - Jun 2011]: $95,310
No bond [CAA 2011]
General degree [non-education]

Cons:
Course fees: $21,000
Working full-time & studying part-time

+++++++++++

So, the question is, are you willing to work and study for three years, albeit a degree you have more control over and is more saleable outside, just to gain $21,980? I know I am. =]
Duncan brought up a very pertinent point though. Optimistically, if I can add another tuition student [total: 2] at $22.50/hr for 4 hrs/wk, I can make $720/mth, or $25,920 in 3 years, more than making up the shortfall. Now the picture is not so rosy.

MOE will even loan you $14,000 interest-free & bond-free to study part-time.

Jul/Aug 2007 holidays

Again, I plan for my 1-week hols:

So here's my to-do list:
1. Teach guitar to church people [have identified people; started with Wan Loong, Angela, Amos, Andrew]
2. Meet friends I seldom meet up with [Nat, Samuel, Amy, Chong Kiat TBC]
3. Learn driving [practical test on 18 Sep]
4. Prepare Mastering Money & Taming Your Finances lesson plans & make relationship seminar arrangements for mid-Aug and mid-Dec 07 respectively [in progress; arrange with Matthew]
5. Watch VCDs and DVDs [50 First Dates, Aviator, Boogie Nights, Pulp Fiction, Pursuit of Happyness, Tommy Igoe's Groove Essentials, Worms 2]
6. Buy guitar [Epiphone $299 offer at Swee Lee?]

Practicum posting

Went there for induction today. Everything was hunky-dory, but as my soon-to-be Chinese-teaching colleague succinctly put it, "let's wait till we start working and then we'll know". Words of wisdom indeed.

Principal was impressive, school grounds even more so, but I could tell straight away that expectations are high at this school. Confirmation came when the P said that she deliberately left space in our timetables so that we would take the initiative to find periods from other teachers to teach their class. Like, what?! If I were a full-fledged teacher, I wouldn't really like pesky trainees meddling with my class' grades! Especially when you're expected to do so well at Rosyth. Still, I think I can do it with God's help.

The children seem normal enough, though I heard they are smarter and richer, and by design more spoilt. So therein lies the challenge to manage the classroom rather than manage them academically..

The school building itself is a masterpiece. Canteen and hall on fourth floor, indoor basketball court, music Centre of Excellence, two staff rooms, heritage centre, etc. This place really blew me away. Pity it's so far.
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Was supposed to find out tomorrow, but found out this evening that I'm posted to Rosyth School in Serangoon for my five-week practicum. And they changed it from 3+2, meaning three weeks of observation and two weeks of guided teaching, to 2+3. That may not sound like much, but it's 20 lesson plans man!

Was really looking forward to returning to Punggol, what with my ex-students and colleagues there, but I guess it was not to be.

On the bright side, I get to experience a new school; according to Jasmine it has some gifted students, so I get to learn from the best. She said maybe I was head-hunted. Ha! I wish. Could be true though, cos I did do well in NIE. But theory and praticum are two totaly different things.

I'll contact the school tomorrow to find out when I need to go down. But really it's quite far from my home. It'll probably take me at least 30 min to get there. No joke when school starts at 7am.

I don't know anyone there, nor are any of my friends posted there. Touch and go lor. Ironically, Jonathan got posted to Xinmin, Jasmine's school, and Angelica took my place at Punggol.

Pray for good supervisor and CT, both from Rosyth and NIE. As well as a sympathetic principal, though I heard otherwise from Aishah.

Here's where it is. Far out man.