Okay. I'm gonna briefly talk about what transpired last week.
4-4-2011 (Monday)
Nothing much interesting happened. First two lessons were Biology, and we were having our Biology lesson. I really hate to say this, but NBK's English is abominable. The only good thing about that was her determination to learn English, even if she realised her English is horrible to the point our mind distorted in agony. The lessons, or one hour of twenty minutes of speaking, I've zeroed in my attention on her teaching, and I heard no complete sentence or grammatically correct sentence. Looks like she needs some brushing. But of course, she's 1000xxxx much better than Najwa.
Next two lessons: English. OMG Susan literally read the novel in the class. Imagine this: your English teacher, who's trying to teach you literature, reads the novel words by words, rows by rows, sentences by sentences, pages by pages to you. And here's the effect: half of the class were drifting off, another one quarter doing their respective works, impervious to the teaching, and the rest listening to her tedious reading, endeavour not to fall asleep. The other lessons were fine, if boring, and the day ended with tons of unfinished Additional Mathematics with the unrelenting stress pertaining to the Graduation Magazine.
5-4-2010 (Tuesday)
Exceedingly short assembly owing to the absence of principal. Two lessons of exceptionally boring Chemistry lesson thanks to the hypnotic Chemistry teacher and one lesson of useless Moral began the uninteresting day. I did my Chinese oral that day. I volunteered to be the first because I hated waiting. So after I had done my oral and I could sit on my chair fidgeting or sleeping while the others were waiting while their hearts pounding like hell and their sweat glands kept secreting excess sweat and their legs went wobbly and numb. I deadened my leg and did my oral, and I did quite well admittedly. The day went on as usual later.
To be continued......
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Please Do Not Abolish PPSMI
As the title suggested, I would like to talk about the hot talks about the cancellation of PPSMI. It is, indeed, a sad news for all students. Teaching Mathematics and Science in English is undeniably a very important approach for Malaysia to improve, to ensure Malaysia's education system is on the par with the world's standard and to make sure Malaysia is not left behind in the world of education.
Unfortunately, two years ago, they had been discussion about PPSMI, saying teachers found it exceedingly challenging to teach these two subjects in English, and therefore a commotion was born, and after they made waves, PPSMI is abolished, effective next year. I find this move preposterous and screamingly stupid. Here's my opinion:
Yes, it is indeed very difficult to learn them in English. But that should not be the reason that hinder our learning. Malays - as mentioned by every people, I do not know the true facts - find it difficult to learn them in English, and say it's already mind-boggling trying to learn Maths and Science in Malay, and it's more difficult to learn them in English. But, have they considered, Chinese and Indians and every other races too have troubles learning Maths and Science in English. We've been criticised very often and sometimes slated for our inaccuracy in writing our answers. My teacher once told me: "You understand the concept, but you can't write them because your English is not good. What you wrote is not what you wanted to deliver'. Learning Maths and Science in English, though difficult, should not be a reason for PPSMI to be abolished.
Learning them is hard, but if we want to improve, we have to face them with bravery and determination. Again, it is indeed true China, Japan and Korea are able to be developed countries even though they learn them in their own language. But please note that Malaysians are not as disciplined and hard-working as them. And I don't understand why they brought this up in the first place. So what if they learn Maths and Science in their own language? Why do we have to follow them? Why do we have to look at this angle? Why can't we see learning Maths and Science in English as a mean to improve, a route to success, a journey to victory?
I'm not trying to be offensive, but Malaysia has not achieved what Japan, Korea and China do. Don't compare ourselves with them yet.
And, 6 years is too soon to say PPSMI fails to work. Most students who studied Maths and Science in English, even the first batch of students, have not graduated from university and contribute to the society. They're still learning. How do you know PPSMI failed? Based on what?
6 years is, as I mentioned earlier, way too soon to say it's not working. Please don't abolish PPSMI, for the sake of Malaysian, please don't!
Unfortunately, two years ago, they had been discussion about PPSMI, saying teachers found it exceedingly challenging to teach these two subjects in English, and therefore a commotion was born, and after they made waves, PPSMI is abolished, effective next year. I find this move preposterous and screamingly stupid. Here's my opinion:
Yes, it is indeed very difficult to learn them in English. But that should not be the reason that hinder our learning. Malays - as mentioned by every people, I do not know the true facts - find it difficult to learn them in English, and say it's already mind-boggling trying to learn Maths and Science in Malay, and it's more difficult to learn them in English. But, have they considered, Chinese and Indians and every other races too have troubles learning Maths and Science in English. We've been criticised very often and sometimes slated for our inaccuracy in writing our answers. My teacher once told me: "You understand the concept, but you can't write them because your English is not good. What you wrote is not what you wanted to deliver'. Learning Maths and Science in English, though difficult, should not be a reason for PPSMI to be abolished.
Learning them is hard, but if we want to improve, we have to face them with bravery and determination. Again, it is indeed true China, Japan and Korea are able to be developed countries even though they learn them in their own language. But please note that Malaysians are not as disciplined and hard-working as them. And I don't understand why they brought this up in the first place. So what if they learn Maths and Science in their own language? Why do we have to follow them? Why do we have to look at this angle? Why can't we see learning Maths and Science in English as a mean to improve, a route to success, a journey to victory?
I'm not trying to be offensive, but Malaysia has not achieved what Japan, Korea and China do. Don't compare ourselves with them yet.
And, 6 years is too soon to say PPSMI fails to work. Most students who studied Maths and Science in English, even the first batch of students, have not graduated from university and contribute to the society. They're still learning. How do you know PPSMI failed? Based on what?
6 years is, as I mentioned earlier, way too soon to say it's not working. Please don't abolish PPSMI, for the sake of Malaysian, please don't!
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Illicit Act
If you think buying cigarettes is unorthodox or obscene, try this: selling cigarettes to underaged children discreetly. I chanced upon this illicit act when I was queeing up buying something at a driving school. The two boys in front of me who were looking a little nervous and the woman sitting on a chair by the counter made some contact I did not decipher, and later the woman took out a box of cigarette and took out a cigarette, threw it on the table, and took RM1 from the boy. The other boy requested 2, and paid RM2 for them. A lighter was tied at the counter, and they lit their cigarette there. Selling cigarette to underaged children is strictly prohibited in Malaysia, and their illicit act is highly condoned. If they are caught by the police, they'll be charged and the prosecution is undoubtedly severe and painful. Maybe I should have exposed them to the police, but I don't have the guts. Hopefully someone will bring their action to light, and give them punishments for violating the law.
Monday, 28 March 2011
My Essay
This is the essay I've written (eons ago) and today my teacher had returned it to me. And she gave me a grade, thanks to Min Huang who was much excited than I am and pestered her to grade my essay, and I got 39/50, which is satisfactory as she has never given an A to any students, and I've obtained a B, halfway through A. This is the essay....
Write a story ending with "with tears in his eyes, Encik Jamil walked up and received the award on behalf of his son."
Seventeen years were spent to raise his son and his son turned out to be a rebellious brat despite years of educating his own son. Encik Jamil was tired of his son's attitude and he wanted to wash his hands off Ahmad, his son, but he couldn't help not to. No parents in this world would ignore their children or disown them because their son are bad. He knew the blame for Ahmad's attitude lied on himself. Because he was a single father, he pampared him and gave him whatever he asked for, and he never bothered about the whereabouts of his son with his pals, or what problems he stirred in school. He knew Ahmad's teachers had publicly chastised him and Ahmad always spoke back uncouthly.
Then, just at the beginning of the semester, he was caught red-handed for smoking a cigarette. The school notified Encik Jamil and he rushed to school immediately. Someone had snapped the picture of him smoking and printed it out. The evidence was solid. Encik Jamil couldn't subdue the anger that was building in him anymore. He went berserk and told his son that he felt disappointed with him and he would not receive any pocket money for four months and he would be grounded for three months. Encik Jamil would personally send him to school, back and forth, and he specially requested the principal to cane him anytime and anywhere he wanted or to publicly embarass him son. Ahmad was totally shaken. He was floored by the fact that his biological father, who had been benevolent to him, would want his son to be treated poorly. The principal told En. Jamil to rethink his decision, but En. Jamil said this move was requisite and he remained headstrong. All the advice given went into his left ear but wafted out through the right ear.
Surprisingly, Ahmad did change a little. Everyone was flabbergasted. Encil Jamil believed he had his lessons. Ahmad had been less testy and he had not sassed his father for months. This was unprecedented. He never asked for pocket money - probably because he knew his effort would be fruitless - and Encil Jamil never gave him a single cent. He never whinged about how boring it was to be grounded, and the school said he had been quiet and obedient. The teachers said the changes in Ahmad, albeit wasn't unprecedented, was unexpected. It was like trying to stop a bird from flying - and the bird did stop. Ahmad had even piped down in the class and was always being helpful. The girls in his class, who were bullied by him, said he had turned from a misogynist to a misanthropist, and they didn't know which was worse - the former or the latter. Encil Jamil said being a misanthropist was his way of sulking, but he didn't think it that way now.
After seeing the changes in him, his form teacher chose him to be the president of a school charity programme. He agreed and took on the mantle of a leader. His members had begun to trust him and due to that trust he chummed up with a few friends who had been treating him very well. As he was the president, it was incumbent upon him to inspect the location where the charity would be held. He checked every nook and cranny of the place and he wanted meticulous work, not a sloppy job which would beget failure. Which inspecting the scene, he realised the pole they had set was rickety and unstable. It was going to collapse, it was already shaking and he immediately told his friends to move away. But alas, the pole fell at that time, and it hit right on him, sending him to the ground.
He banged his head and therefore was immediately sent to a hospital. The principal dropped Encik Jamil the bombshell and he rushed to the hospital. He waited at the waiting room with a grim sense of foreboding. He supplicated as he didn't want his son to be in deep trouble. He had lost his beloved wife, he couldn't lose the only one that had a connection to his late wife. The doctor came out later and told him the worst news he could expect: he had died owing to massive lost of blood. Encik Jamil was overwhelmed the pain, and for a split second he didn't know what he felt. Was it pain? Or was it sadness? He didn't know.
He lived with that painful void for two months. He had considered commiting suicide, but as a psychologist himself, he knew that wouldn't bring his son back. He then received a notification from the principal, telling him to attend the school graduation ceremony on behalf of his son. Encil Jamil shreded the notification and continued to isolate himself, until the school told him a reward would be given to Ahmad. He reluctantly went to school on the day of the ceremony and he sat in a corner.
During the ceremony, Encil Jamil learnt that the 'model student award' was bestowed on his son. He was thunderstruck. He listened to the principal's speech intently: "Ahmad was a brat. He always created problems in school. He made my life so miserable. He made everyone's life so miserable. He was caught smoking once, and because of his father, he turned over a new leaf, and became a good student: always listening to orders. This awards is bestowed upon him to show to everyone that personalities can be changed. His change from a badly behaved student to an ethical boy has brought him this ward. God, I can't believe I'm using past tense!"
Ahmad immediately gained posthumous fame and everyone in the hall, parents included, stood out in unison. The sound of the clapping was so thunderous that for the first time in his life, Encil Jamil felt proud of Ahmad. With tears in his eyes, Encik Jamil walked up and received the award on behalf of his son.
==
Ya it's a boring essay, but this is the best I could write. Anyway, I'll work harder to try to get an A from SL.
Write a story ending with "with tears in his eyes, Encik Jamil walked up and received the award on behalf of his son."
Seventeen years were spent to raise his son and his son turned out to be a rebellious brat despite years of educating his own son. Encik Jamil was tired of his son's attitude and he wanted to wash his hands off Ahmad, his son, but he couldn't help not to. No parents in this world would ignore their children or disown them because their son are bad. He knew the blame for Ahmad's attitude lied on himself. Because he was a single father, he pampared him and gave him whatever he asked for, and he never bothered about the whereabouts of his son with his pals, or what problems he stirred in school. He knew Ahmad's teachers had publicly chastised him and Ahmad always spoke back uncouthly.
Then, just at the beginning of the semester, he was caught red-handed for smoking a cigarette. The school notified Encik Jamil and he rushed to school immediately. Someone had snapped the picture of him smoking and printed it out. The evidence was solid. Encik Jamil couldn't subdue the anger that was building in him anymore. He went berserk and told his son that he felt disappointed with him and he would not receive any pocket money for four months and he would be grounded for three months. Encik Jamil would personally send him to school, back and forth, and he specially requested the principal to cane him anytime and anywhere he wanted or to publicly embarass him son. Ahmad was totally shaken. He was floored by the fact that his biological father, who had been benevolent to him, would want his son to be treated poorly. The principal told En. Jamil to rethink his decision, but En. Jamil said this move was requisite and he remained headstrong. All the advice given went into his left ear but wafted out through the right ear.
Surprisingly, Ahmad did change a little. Everyone was flabbergasted. Encil Jamil believed he had his lessons. Ahmad had been less testy and he had not sassed his father for months. This was unprecedented. He never asked for pocket money - probably because he knew his effort would be fruitless - and Encil Jamil never gave him a single cent. He never whinged about how boring it was to be grounded, and the school said he had been quiet and obedient. The teachers said the changes in Ahmad, albeit wasn't unprecedented, was unexpected. It was like trying to stop a bird from flying - and the bird did stop. Ahmad had even piped down in the class and was always being helpful. The girls in his class, who were bullied by him, said he had turned from a misogynist to a misanthropist, and they didn't know which was worse - the former or the latter. Encil Jamil said being a misanthropist was his way of sulking, but he didn't think it that way now.
After seeing the changes in him, his form teacher chose him to be the president of a school charity programme. He agreed and took on the mantle of a leader. His members had begun to trust him and due to that trust he chummed up with a few friends who had been treating him very well. As he was the president, it was incumbent upon him to inspect the location where the charity would be held. He checked every nook and cranny of the place and he wanted meticulous work, not a sloppy job which would beget failure. Which inspecting the scene, he realised the pole they had set was rickety and unstable. It was going to collapse, it was already shaking and he immediately told his friends to move away. But alas, the pole fell at that time, and it hit right on him, sending him to the ground.
He banged his head and therefore was immediately sent to a hospital. The principal dropped Encik Jamil the bombshell and he rushed to the hospital. He waited at the waiting room with a grim sense of foreboding. He supplicated as he didn't want his son to be in deep trouble. He had lost his beloved wife, he couldn't lose the only one that had a connection to his late wife. The doctor came out later and told him the worst news he could expect: he had died owing to massive lost of blood. Encik Jamil was overwhelmed the pain, and for a split second he didn't know what he felt. Was it pain? Or was it sadness? He didn't know.
He lived with that painful void for two months. He had considered commiting suicide, but as a psychologist himself, he knew that wouldn't bring his son back. He then received a notification from the principal, telling him to attend the school graduation ceremony on behalf of his son. Encil Jamil shreded the notification and continued to isolate himself, until the school told him a reward would be given to Ahmad. He reluctantly went to school on the day of the ceremony and he sat in a corner.
During the ceremony, Encil Jamil learnt that the 'model student award' was bestowed on his son. He was thunderstruck. He listened to the principal's speech intently: "Ahmad was a brat. He always created problems in school. He made my life so miserable. He made everyone's life so miserable. He was caught smoking once, and because of his father, he turned over a new leaf, and became a good student: always listening to orders. This awards is bestowed upon him to show to everyone that personalities can be changed. His change from a badly behaved student to an ethical boy has brought him this ward. God, I can't believe I'm using past tense!"
Ahmad immediately gained posthumous fame and everyone in the hall, parents included, stood out in unison. The sound of the clapping was so thunderous that for the first time in his life, Encil Jamil felt proud of Ahmad. With tears in his eyes, Encik Jamil walked up and received the award on behalf of his son.
==
Ya it's a boring essay, but this is the best I could write. Anyway, I'll work harder to try to get an A from SL.
Friday, 25 March 2011
Result of Class Test 1
BM: Shockingly I scored 84. The biggest disappointment was the reckless mistake I made because I've interchanged two antonyms. But anyway the mark I got was satisfactory.
BI: Biggest disappointment ever - 88.
BC: Biggest surprise ever - 66. I've never thought I would get 17/20 for the summary. Highest score I manage to grasp so far.
MM: Not a bad result - 90. But it could be better.
MTAM: Big disappointment. 75. I could've done better if I memorise the equation and didn't complicate things. But I won't make the same mistake again - the bright side of nearly flunk a test.
BIO: 72. Satisfactory. I don't whine much about it.
CHEM: Another big disappointment. 60. But, as I've mentioned, I won't make the same mistake twice. Watch how I score for my mid-year exam.
PHY: Another disappointment. 73.
SEJ: Another disappointment. Only 83.
PM: 85. I managed to obtain that mark with the number of words less the half of my friends' answers.
BI: Biggest disappointment ever - 88.
BC: Biggest surprise ever - 66. I've never thought I would get 17/20 for the summary. Highest score I manage to grasp so far.
MM: Not a bad result - 90. But it could be better.
MTAM: Big disappointment. 75. I could've done better if I memorise the equation and didn't complicate things. But I won't make the same mistake again - the bright side of nearly flunk a test.
BIO: 72. Satisfactory. I don't whine much about it.
CHEM: Another big disappointment. 60. But, as I've mentioned, I won't make the same mistake twice. Watch how I score for my mid-year exam.
PHY: Another disappointment. 73.
SEJ: Another disappointment. Only 83.
PM: 85. I managed to obtain that mark with the number of words less the half of my friends' answers.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Undang-Undang
If you thought Sivic lesson is tedious, try this - listening to Undang-undang. It's much worse and it's barely useful too. Listening to undang-undang is like having Sivic lessons for the entire morning and afternoon, it's so horrible I do not know how should I describe it. Tedious is understating it. Abysmal barely fits. Living in hell, though sounds great, isn't apt. Soporific fits, but doesn't truly explain the entire process. It was just painful and difficult and I do not know how to say.If you're wondering what I did, here's what I did - I tried very, very hard trying to keep my mind clear, but at the end I dozed off under a pile of rubbish the teacher taught.
Another boy was worse. He slept from 10.00am to 4.00pm - what did he do the day before?
Monday, 14 March 2011
"Acid Rain in Malaysia Caused by Radiation" - A Hoax!
I'm sure almost everyone with a mobile phone has received this SMS or e-mail.
"A nuclear power plant in Fukumi, Japan exploded at 4.30AM today. If it rains tomorrow or later, don't go outside. If you are outside, be sure that you've rain protections. It's acid rain. Don't let it touch you. It may burn your skin, lose your hair or have cancer. Please pass this, stay safe and remind everyone you know."
".BBC FLASHNEWS: japan govt confirms radiation leak at fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. Remain indoors first 24hrs. Close doors n windows. Swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first...."
If you've received this, please note that it's a hoax. It's done by someone who presumably tries to scare people and cause chaos. This rumour has no basis. It was first circulated in Phillipine and the Phillipine government has already debunked it and called it a hoax. Check the link out:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8465873-acid-rain-news-circulating-via-text-message-a-hoax
There's are things in the SMS that manage to fool people, but make no logical sense.
1) The location of the explosion is way too far and it's very unlikely it'll hit Malaysia, and even if it does every countries between Malaysia and Japan would have reported such incidents.
2)The wind pattern in Japan showed that Malaysia is unlikely to be affected by radiation.
3)From what I've found, Betadine is an antiseptic, it does not prevent radioactive substances from damaging thyroid gland.
4)Radioactive substances are metals, they do not react with water and thus the so-called acid rain will not be formed simply because radioactive substances are lurking around in the air.
Stop circulating this message! It brings no benefits and there's no need to spread this hoax.
==
Another reliable website which points out why you shouldn't believe these bogus messages:
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/fake-bbc-news-flash-radiation.shtml
"A nuclear power plant in Fukumi, Japan exploded at 4.30AM today. If it rains tomorrow or later, don't go outside. If you are outside, be sure that you've rain protections. It's acid rain. Don't let it touch you. It may burn your skin, lose your hair or have cancer. Please pass this, stay safe and remind everyone you know."
".BBC FLASHNEWS: japan govt confirms radiation leak at fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. Remain indoors first 24hrs. Close doors n windows. Swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first...."
If you've received this, please note that it's a hoax. It's done by someone who presumably tries to scare people and cause chaos. This rumour has no basis. It was first circulated in Phillipine and the Phillipine government has already debunked it and called it a hoax. Check the link out:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8465873-acid-rain-news-circulating-via-text-message-a-hoax
There's are things in the SMS that manage to fool people, but make no logical sense.
1) The location of the explosion is way too far and it's very unlikely it'll hit Malaysia, and even if it does every countries between Malaysia and Japan would have reported such incidents.
2)The wind pattern in Japan showed that Malaysia is unlikely to be affected by radiation.
3)From what I've found, Betadine is an antiseptic, it does not prevent radioactive substances from damaging thyroid gland.
4)Radioactive substances are metals, they do not react with water and thus the so-called acid rain will not be formed simply because radioactive substances are lurking around in the air.
Stop circulating this message! It brings no benefits and there's no need to spread this hoax.
==
Another reliable website which points out why you shouldn't believe these bogus messages:
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/fake-bbc-news-flash-radiation.shtml
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