Friday, May 25, 2007

Holiday Assignment

3 annotated articles.
  • Articles should be an opinion piece. Eg. Articles from Insight, Review, etc
  • No particular topic. You can refer to the 'Expectations of MI GP students' for the list of topics to be covered this year.
How to annotate?
Please refer to the Beauty compre pasage or the RJC sample essay.

The following is taken from your notes:

A good way to read actively is to annotate each paragraph of the passage so that you can outline the structure of the argument. Write your annotations along the sides of the paragraphs.

What exactly are you supposed to annotate?

Anything! But the following list might help you out a bit:

· The thesis statement

· The general structure of the paragraph

- Topic Sentence

- Supporting Details

- Relationship between points, etc.

· The author’s stand

· The use of evidence - facts, examples that the author uses; reasons that the author gives to support his points. You can number these within the passage to make it easier for you to refer to them later on.

· The use of fallacies, unconvincing arguments – points that may discredit the author’s argument.

· Whether the author brings up any points that oppose his viewpoint, whether he acknowledges them or tries to refute them by giving counter examples, etc. (You can number these too.)

· Other observations about the paragraph – style, tone (sarcastic, etc), attitude, assumptions, values, beliefs, etc.

You should also annotate:

· The strength of the arguments

· Your responses toward the arguments

· Any alternative interpretations

· Any unwarranted assumptions

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Appeal for tips on Sydney



Woots! 2 more days to the end of Term 2! @_@
Some of you said that I smile more nowadays. Firstly, I have not started marking the papers so I'm not so stressed. Secondly, I am going to Sydney for a well-deserved break. YEAH~~~*excited*

I'm going alone [my fiance is tied up at work >:_( ] so I would really appreciate it if you can give me some tips on what to see, do or even introduce some of your friends or relatives who are staying there if you don't mind. I promise I would say nice comments about you.

I wonder if such an appeal crosses the line of professionalism. Any MOE officer reading this, please alert me if I am. Thank you.

IRP File Submission

I hope you have religiously doing your IRP responses.
It is due for submission this Wednesday 1 pm.

Essay Writing Competition

Express your thoughts on the following
Subject matter with your insights!
Significant details,
Ample material and apt illustrations could win
YOU Attractive Prizes!

Answer one question. Dead line: Thurs 24 May 2 pm
Your essay should be between 500 to 800 words in length.

1. 'Religion only provides an excuse to avoid personal responsibility for actions.' What are your views?

2. Do traditional games still have a role in your country?

3. 'Art is meant to disturb; science reassures.' How far is this comment by Georges Braque true?

4. Is the idea of achieving happiness still a realistic one?

5. 'Language hides the truth more than it reveals it.' Do you agree?

6. Should blogging be restricted in any way?

Submit to your GP Rep or drop in my pigeon hole outside staff rm, No. 12

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Rickrolling

Came across this Family Guy clip of Brian the Dog singing Rick Astley's "Never Give You Up". If you have never heard of Rick Astley, it is because you were just born.
This song was a hit in 1987 and you can always hear it playing in Zouk's Mambo Jumbo nights. The internet phenomenon of "Rickrolling" gains its name from Astley. The phrase is used when someone is tricked into clicking on a video link, thinking it to be something they expect, and instead the video is a music video of one of Astley's songs (most commonly of "Never Gonna Give You Up"). Although the preface said, "Here's a song by a gay guy", Astley has a girlfriend and a daughter. Check out the MJ moves at 0:37 of the clip!

Monday, May 21, 2007

MOE reads this blog!

Just as you think that the World Wide Web provides anonymity, it doesn't. Last Friday, we had a meeting with MOE Curriculum Planning and Development Department. I was trying to be inconspicuous, keeping myself busy with sugar rolls and curry puffs.
Suddenly, one of the MOE officials asked, "Is there a teacher with the initials OMG who keeps a blog?" Everyone starts looking around. "Or was it OMI? I can't remember the exact initials..."
Miss J poked me, "Oi... you la... OMY..."
"Huh? Me? What?" I was clueless about the search for the furtive OMG.
The official looked at me and asked, "What do you think about using the blog as a teaching tool? Is it useful?"
I blabbered something about posting assignment updates and some students used the tag board to ask questions. 30 percent of the students checked the blog frequently. At least 10 complained that I flood their email boxes.
She enquired if there was any occurence of anonymous insults or 'flaming'.
It occurred once to 07S1 students which resulted in a student scolding @#$% in my classroom and I ought to send him to detention for it. I found it quite juvenile - both the insinuous tag and getting angry over it. Anyway, just to let you know, MOE reads this blog so please do not try to post anything discriminating that will lead to disastrous results.

Disclaimer: This post serves as a reminder.
Wish: I need a pay rise.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Finally... the dreaded day

Today is GP Common Test 1, not MYE.
Anyway, my nightmare is going to begin nonetheless.
94 X 2 scripts (Paper 1 and Paper 2)
Horror!!! @_@
There goes my holiday, down the drain.
Hmm... maybe I should bring the scripts to Phuket.
Wait a minute, what if a tsunami came and swept your scripts away?
Yeah~~ MOE will have my head.
I think I would live in MI staff room in the month of June.
If you see me wearing bedroom slippers, messy hair, carrying a toothbrush around the school, you know what I have gone through.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Term 2 materials

If your GP file is empty, please collect worksheets, notes, comprehension passages outside the Teacher's Staff Room, left hand side of the door - top row: my pigeon hole Number 12, a box labelled "Miss Sharie Ong's Term 2 Extra Worksheets" box. First come, first serve basis.
Note that all future late assignments should be dropped in this pigeon hole, not the general office anymore.

Reminder: IT presentation will resume on 21st May (Monday)
Please do the necessary preparations.

IRP File Checking will be done next week.
Please complete your responses.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

1 more week to GP MYE!

How to study for GP?

1) Make sure you have lecture notes, worksheets and IRP articles filed
2) Huh? What notes? Check your email for soft copy or borrow the notes from your friend and photocopy them.
3) Create essay plans.
4) Sample of essay plans can be collected from the bookshop photocopying lady.
Please send your class rep to pay and collect.
5) Research on the topics covered this term.
6) If your class has not covered all the IT presentations, it is fine. We will resume after the exam and in Term 3.
7) Those who have presented, please send a word document of your research findings to your classmates and I.
8) Any questions, please email me. Thank you.

Assignment update

Dear all,
I am entering the data for Term 2 subject tutor's report.
There are 4 official assignments for T2.
1) Life will be empty without children
2) 'Youth are so fortunate'
3) Timed assignment Paper 1 - Essay
4) Beauty compre passage.

If you have not submitted any of the above, please submit them by Wed.
Drop in my pigeon hole, Number 12, outside the staff room.
Any late assignments will be dutifully recorded.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Read, Reach & Reap Project

The Library Club is organizing a project called Read, Reach & Reap, May – Sept 2007.

    • Read a book, fiction or non-fiction, or even an article from a periodical
    • Reach out to others through recommending what you have read
    • And together we Reap a habit of reading & sharing

  • The library will be tracking both the loan and recommendation rates of all classes, monthly. Prizes will be given to the class with the highest loan and recommendation rates, for each level.

  • Students can obtain the recommendation slips from the library or their respective class representatives and slips are to be posted in the library.
  • You are strongly encouraged to read at least one article per week, other than the IRP article.