Moving On

I know she won't see this post. She won't know.

For a while, I seem to have forgotten the pain.  Seemed like a long time ago but also seemed like yesterday. I took a step and fell off a cliff, landing and breaking everything possible. I thought I could be neutral, I thought I will feel nothing. I could not be more wrong. We stopped talking. Stopped exchanging messages. I avoided going back on Saturdays. Seems like I forgot and thought I will be at my favourite place. What happened after that was nothing short of a nightmare for me. I dare not look into her eyes. I dare not make conversation. Yes, I am a coward. My courage eluded me and fear was overflowing. Sadness soon overcame and those memories that were locked up returned. Shame on me. If I were to start all over again, I believe I will still make the same choice.

Perhaps no one else will know, of the confession I told. But perhaps at least one of us will feel the pain unfold.

This is for you , J.

The Day I Died

Maybe it's just me.

When I saw what I saw, my world crumbled. Thoughts running through my mind, telling me all things bad, then telling myself how this is not what is seems to be. How is it that a simple act of dropping something into the bin can have such an effect on me? Did I put unnecessary pressure on her? I haven't said anything. I don't expect my feelings to be reciprocated. Neither do I expected my effort to be thrown away, as though without a thought given.

Yes. It is a one-sided affair and I should have foresaw what just happened. No. It does not feel OK. I have feelings too. Surely I can feel pain, hurt, disappointment. My face says OK but look deeper. I'm not. You can come straight to my face and tell it to me in my face. Hints don't work. Maybe I should just ask. If you don't like it, say so. If you are not ready, say so. If anything, say so. I can stop. I'm too chicken to ask.

I hate it how I cannot cry my heart out there and then. I hate it how people assume I am always happy and cheerful. I hate it how I cannot shout out to the whole world there and then because I need to maintain my professional standards. I hate it.

A little part of me just died. Along with it, a little bit of my happiness.

How did you start your 2012?

Chicken shit on the 1st few hours. How am I to last another year? This chapter must close....

Happy 369th birthday Sir Isaac Newton!!

It's Christmas. I'm an Atheist.

I don't believe in big guy up in the sky, man who rode a flying horse or an woman pregnant for three years, big bearded man on top of a mountain, or simply put it, religions.

I saw some kids posting on Facebook saying 2011 years ago, JC was born. I decided to do some reading of my own. Surprise!! Not everyone of his faith were on the same page. I don't believe it anyway but that is for a different reason.

Assuming JC really existed, December 25 would not be the day! Based on the constellations, it is most likely to be in September. I'll leave you to scour on your own, for the 'facts' of the birth of a man who would be the Son of God.

Since I don't believe in a god, here's my input on the 'immaculate' birth. Here goes:

1. Joseph and Mary had a wild night.
2. Mary and some man had a wild night .
3. Some man forced himself on Mary.
4. Mary did get pregnant on her own. Meaning JC has to be a woman. Y chromosomes has to come from a man.
5. Mary sat on a pool of sperm (freaky).

Believe what you want.

For the record, I'm an Atheist. So happy birthday Sir Isaac Newton!! Yes! Sir Isaac Newton was born on 25th December. This, I know, is true!

"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that take religion." - Steven Weinberg

Are you the apple in my eye?

It is without a doubt that some stories can stir up feelings, new or old, and make you reflect your actions and plans. It does not help that some of these feelings hold you back. Just when you thought you are ready to move on, it hits you and you find yourself in a limbo, if limbo is the word to use.

I started a little black book recently. I write in this black book whenever I need to gather thoughts. It seems to be working. My mind is clearer. I'm no longer as confused as before. I do, however, face another question. I wouldn't call it a problem. It is one where I will need to take action to find out the answer. It is not difficult question with an earth-shattering answer but one with a potentially very embarrassing process to find the truth. I guess the process might be easier if the other person wasn't someone who appears in your life almost everyday.

I guess some things are just easier. I mean I can learn new songs, organise outings, attend lessons but it all boils down to nothing if I do nothing. Yet, doing something could lead to the end of something else. Is it worth all that risk?

"或许, 在另一个平行时空里, 我们是在一起的." - 那些年，我們一起追的女孩

My stereo heart? Maybe

My heart's a stereoIt beats for you, so listen closeHear my thoughts in every no-o-ote
Make me your radioAnd turn me up when you feel lowThis melody was meant for youTo sing along to my stereo
Now. Who does it beat for?

Long Overdue Entry again...................

Last 2 weeks.

Let's say we have 2 subjects, A and B. Who would you choose? You are familiar with A. You don't meet very often but almost always enjoy the time together, known each other for years but getting together means potentially going against yours and A's beliefs. B, on the other hand, you know not very long and see almost everyday. Make you really keen to know more about that person. Unlikely to have any clashes in beliefs.. Enjoy the company. Both makes you blush and stutter and gives you that warm feeling at the same. How now?

Damn quick one......... another emo post

What a way to spend Youth Day....... being with youths, in school......

Thinking how I should do this. Damn, my kids are right. No guts.

Quick Update

Ran

-2XU, 12.5

-Sundown Marathon, 42.195 km

Going to run

- Adidas King of the Road

- Singapore Bay Run

- Singapore Marathon

On my way to achieving 100 km this year

Enjoy that short time sharing the same table. Definitely the most enjoyable evening so far. Chickened out again even when there was an opportunity. Time to come clean with someone else and get some help? Or just watch quietly?

1st of 2011

Yes. I value your opinion a lot.

Coming to EOY!! Yay!!!

Just noticed that I only had two entries this year.

Must have been a busy year. Time passes so quickly. Hectic term three. With three days of examinations over during the september holidays, it's just three more days in three weeks time before it's all over. At least for my graduating class. Hope they do well and get the grade they want.

I think some people should be subjected to a strict regimen. I need one too but I'm not writing about myself today. How is it that someone takes flight from an approved institution and not realise the seriousness of it and does it again? There are also implications to the people around. Not everyone knows what awaits them. Two things come to my mind. Either that person has no idea of consequences or that person thinks he is the king of the world. Either one, makes me think he should be committed longer. If it's not bad enough, it feels like no one is doing anything to deter such actions from happening again.

Moving on, did a T.O.P. follow-up recently. It feels good to see improvement in behaviour for some of the kids. Hope the steam last.

Had a chat with a friend recently. I was told that I need to make that someone feel safe, feel respected and, yes, feel like the one and only. Sounds easy. Not so easy. Yes, I'm still scared chicken shit. Ok, maybe I worry too much. Still need to find an opportunity to have a conversation. Time to do something before I regret and the plan is to play by ear. Great plan ah?

Ever had a nice feeling around someone? When you talk to that person, it just comes naturally. Yet I was scared chicken shit to open my mouth and ask a simple question(ok! make that 2). What now brown cow? It's not tormenting to not know what will happen (maybe I'm not so into it). It is , however, tormenting to run through the different scenarios in mind (simulations, the beauty of the human brain!! Feels like Nicholas Cage in Next).

Let's take a logical illogical look with 5Ws 1H .

Who - Me, myself and I along with a secret mystery guest

What- What should I do? What is going to happen? What is the best/worst outcome?

Where- Where should I do it? where should I go?

When- When is the best time? When would be a bad time? When am I going to grow bigger balls?

Why- Why this person? Why not? Why now?

How- How is it going to be done? How so?

This was a sudden decision but not an unforeseen one. The idea has been running through my head for more than a year. Yet it's only now that I start to think about it seriously. Am I at that stage of my life to really consider this? To throw myself into a situation that who knows how it will turn out? I always tell myself that I need to ask, need to find, need to try. This is one area I truly am afraid to explore. Not that I have not but the last time didn't turn out so well. If I screw up, I'll fall back into the vicious cycle once more.

Advice anyone? Please do so via email.

January.....

1st month of 2010 is coming to an end




Some of the things I've done so far


1. Signed up for Sundown again

2. Reading The Greatest Show on Earth

3. Being a FT for a sec 3 class



I'm wondering why do we need Just For Laughs Gags Asia when we had Gotcha. Does the branding mean the pranks are any better?



Missed Ramunia 2010 and will miss 2011, 2012 as well......Depressed. Well the consolation is perhaps I'm getting closer to getting a Jackson. I want an Allstar!! I want a keyhole kevlar-reinforced neoprene spray cover!!



3 weeks into 2010 and I'm already finishing at 1730 on a daily basis....Quality sleep is now a luxury. Always dreaming, always aware of things around me when I'm asleep. Feels like I'm just shutting my eyes.

Either the youths are worse or I have become more sensitive about certain issues.

What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof- Christopher Hitchens

EOY!! Hurray??

This blog seems to be becoming a monthly blog. Better than nothing....



Been reading The God Delusion. Not going to comment much on the content. Read it yourself to find out.

The Greatest Show on Earth awaits.



Going through a somewhat depressing phase. It's becoming consistent. Is it because I have got too much time on my hands?

Got a new Salomon jacket. Was glad that I was not fatter. It was the last second piece and there were no other sizes available! It was a nice fit.

Spent Christmas Eve at Kallang Leisure Park. Dinner, movie then ice-skating with Bear, SMY Yurong Jr, Keet, Zhihao, San², Jeff, Teresa and Charles!! Went to that same Japanese restaurant. Once again, we got cake!! SMY was in the same attire!! Watched Sherlock Holmes after dinner. If you ignored what you read in books, it would have been a better movie. Won't spoil it for people who would be reading this. Ice-skating!!! Went back ice-skating exactly one year after my 1st attempt. Not too bad a feeling. Going to learn how to blade so my next attempt would be a better experience. Oh yes!! No abrasion this year!! Supper was at a dim-sum shop at Geylang.

Spent Christmas at Wilson's. Had tonnes of food!!! Ok, not really tonnes but it was food galore. Pizzas, turkey, pork knuckle, ham, cakes! Gluttony!! It was Teresa's birthday and since she was not around, we got a stand-in for her birthday celebration!!

Going back to work on Monday.


With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.- Steven Weinberg

Updates

It is now the month of November. I have survived 19 weeks of work.

This blog has been neglected. Sorry blog!!

1. Been playing tchoukball for as long as I have worked.
2. Completed my NCAP 1 course last night. Awaiting results in six weeks time. Imagine having a jittery pre-christmas. NCAP 2 anyone?
3. Signed up for CPR+AED course. Byebye $$. I hope I never have to put to use what I am about to learn.
4. Been neglecting playboating. Must plan time on weekdays during the school holidays to play. Otherwise I will be disintegrated rather then rusty.
5. Currently watching documentaries off YouTube
6. Been on a shopping spree on Amazon.com recently.


Reflection
It is in my opinion that opportunities are bountiful. It is the realisation of one that is hard to come by. In many ways, we have been given second chances to right our wrongs, to improve our shortcomings. Yet, there seems to be something stopping people from doing so. Perhaps it takes a sharp eye to see one. There are, also, a group of people who chose not to take that chance despite it being offered to them on a silver platter. People who fear the consequences and yet repeatedly commit the same mistake. Question, why?


You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself- Sam Levenson (1911-1980)

Obama's Back-to-school Speech

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary ____________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release September 8, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN A NATIONAL ADDRESS TO AMERICA'S SCHOOLCHILDREN
Wakefield High SchoolArlington, Virginia
12:06 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. How is everybody doing today? (Applause.) How about Tim Spicer? (Applause.) I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we've got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade. And I am just so glad that all could join us today. And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host. Give yourselves a big round of applause. (Applause.)

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now -- (applause) -- with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could've stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a few years. And my mother, she didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday. But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.

Now, as you might imagine, I wasn't too happy about getting up that early. And a lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she'd say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster." (Laughter.)
So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now, I've given a lot of speeches about education. And I've talked about responsibility a lot.

I've talked about teachers' responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.

I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox.

I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working, where students aren't getting the opportunities that they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. That's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.

I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. Every single one of you has something that you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a great writer -- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper -- but you might not know it until you write that English paper -- that English class paper that's assigned to you. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor -- maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine -- but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice -- but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.

And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. The future of America depends on you. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You'll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that -- if you quit on school -- you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.
Now, I know it's not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what it's like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us the things that other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn't fit in.

So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I'm not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was -- I was lucky. I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have a lot of money. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there's not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home -- none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. There is no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school. Neither of her parents had gone to college. But she worked hard, earned good grades, and got a scholarship to Brown University -- is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to becoming Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. He's had to endure all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer -- hundreds of extra hours -- to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind. He's headed to college this fall.

And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she managed to get a job at a local health care center, start a program to keep young people out of gangs, and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

And Jazmin, Andoni, and Shantell aren't any different from any of you. They face challenges in their lives just like you do. In some cases they've got it a lot worse off than many of you. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That's why today I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education -- and do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading a book. Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, by the way, I hope all of you are washing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

But whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star. Chances are you're not going to be any of those things.

The truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject that you study. You won't click with every teacher that you have. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That's okay. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. J.K. Rowling's -- who wrote Harry Potter -- her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understood that you can't let your failures define you -- you have to let your failures teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time. So if you get into trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right. If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one's born being good at all things. You become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. The same principle applies to your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right. You might have to read something a few times before you understand it. You definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength because it shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and that then allows you to learn something new. So find an adult that you trust -- a parent, a grandparent or teacher, a coach or a counselor -- and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don't ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation. Young people. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google and Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask all of you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a President who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about what all of you did for this country?

Now, your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipment and the computers you need to learn. But you've got to do your part, too. So I expect all of you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down. Don't let your family down or your country down. Most of all, don't let yourself down. Make us all proud.
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. Thank you. (Applause.)

END 12:22 P.M. EDT

Apologies

Apologies for not updating this blog.

Been busy with work.

An update on my life.

• I'm now working at a school as an AED. So good so far. Sometimes testing but it will only serve to make me a better person.
• Picked up tchoukball. Having much fun. Meeting new people as well. As boring as the verbal description might sound, it is much more exciting.
• Went for tchoukball 'C' License course. Passed.
• Haven't run for a while.
• Had diarrhea.
• Celebrated my first Teachers' Day in the capacity of a teaching staff
• Lost a buff

Reflections

Would you stop an addiction or attempt to quit an addiction after you knew there were legal and health implications for continuing? Is it worth continuing for the instant gratifications or for the long term benefits? How then can a person convince another to stop? When does good will become an obsession? Does it help when one measures the benefits and cost?

The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution. - Bertrand Russell, British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 - 1970)

I don't want lead an Army Life!!!!

Went to watch Own Time Own Target on Saturday. It was crude, it was funny. So reflective of my NS days plus a bit more vulgarities and sadist mind games.

Fast forward to Sunday
Developed a sore throat and runny nose. Had wanted to go playboating but decided to practise some social responsibility and stayed home.

Monday blues
My sore throat and runny nose stuck with me. Had no choice but to make a beeline for the polyclinic. 2 days MC. It's better than 7 days. Missing school already. It's either I love school or I love work. Which one?

Tuesday??
Huh?? Medication....DrowzzZzzy.....zZZz


"It is possible to fail in many ways...while to succeed is possible only in one way."- Aristotle

Singer or basketball player?

Heard this between two boys on the bus today

Boy01: Michael Jackson died today?
Boy02: He did?
Boy01: Ya
Boy02: What happened?
Boy01: Heart failure
Boy02: oh....Who's Michael Jackson? The basketball player?
Boy01: Michael Jackson is a singer. Not a basketball player.
Boy02: Really? I'm really sure he's a basketball player.


I'm pretty sure if Michael Jackson heard it he would rise up from the dead and beat them black and white

Keep On With The Force Don't Stop. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson.

Reflections

Another overdue post. Take it with a sack of salt.

Been doing a bit of reading lately. Some reflections on an idea.


Thinking About Thinking
Is a student able to attain understanding thru self-regulation? My thoughts? Maybe. Self-regulation is very much dependable on the motivation of the student. Here is what I gathered from my reading.

1. Relevance. Motivation can come from many areas and forms. I believe everyone is motivated. The difference is the source of their motivation. The more relevant the topic to their ideas, the stronger the driving force. e.g. A student places more importance on an activity and neglects another. Boredom, believe or not, is a form of motivation.



2. Self-efficacy. Different from self esteem, it is the self confidence in the ability to carry out a task. When a student has high self-efficacy, he/she is more motivated to carry out a task. Low self-efficacy results in non-coping strategies or low quality work.These students usually have very little faith in their abilities and would have thought they would fail in a task even before attempting it. Too much self-efficacy or over-efficacy can also result in mediocre or low quality work. Students' over-efficacy can hinder learning. For example, a student might be so confident in his/her abilities they avoid asking questions or enquire about something they are unfamiliar with.



3. Attribution. A student's attribution to success or failure determine their views on matters. Students who attribute their success or failures to uncontrollable factors have an external locus of control. They are referred to as internalists. Internal or uncontrollable factors include luck, stupidity, ability. Students attribute to controllable factors have an internal locus of control. This group is referred as the externalists. External or controllable factors include effort, strategy. Internalists tend to give up after failure as their view their failure as something which is out of their control. Externalists view failure as a learning and makes adjustment to strategies or increase effort to achieve their expectations.



4. The Teacher. In the regular classroom, teachers often regulate the pace of learning. In an attempt to cover the syllabus, teachers often give out worksheets after worksheets(remember borrdom?). Besides teaching content and understanding, it is also important to promote interest in learning in students.

In a time as such, when information is easily available, it is no longer enough to teach from a book; learning can and should be done thru any appropriate medium. Which brings me to another question- Are these resources readily available? How exactly should we filter the useful tools from the inappropriate ones. That will be answered when I have time for my research. To all who are moulding our young minds, look for that teachable moment and exploit it. Who knows you might just lay the foundation for the next Edison or Einstein.

To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains. -Mary Pettibone Poole