My learning journeys...Triumphs & Failures

New resolution for next 6 months

2010-06-21T15:42:00.004+08:00

This is my favorite pastime - Giveroy Sport where one contests in biathlon and long cycle.

On the bottom are just some of the supplementary exercises one can do to help to get better.

I am just happy that I can learn that this sport exists.

It teaches one to look beyond mental and physical pain to be quite in peace with one self.

Resolutions for next 6 months:

Attain a Rank 3 in 24kg Long Cycle - 50 reps

Be able to do a rolling thunder hold of 90 kg

Do 250 kg tyre flips 40 reps non-stop with a tempo

Be a wonderful dad to my 2 boys :)

Hope to attain :)

My journey in 2010

2010-06-12T10:21:00.003+08:00

I cant believe been a long while since wrote something....
Need more thoughts to be put down...well I love teaching still....
To those kids who post it on the tagboard...I believe in one principle: If you do good to others, goodness will come to you....though we do good to others repaid by hurtful comments, snide remarks, vulgaraties, still DO GOOD FOR OTHERS.

For eg, the group I am associated with, we are into youth development.

For those who are currently studying in my school, remember this RESPECT is the key to one's life journey. We make mistakes, get reprimands/punishments, reflect on the mistakes done and move on.

Will try to post more.

Yes...i did it...

2008-03-18T15:52:00.002+08:00

Yes, I have gone to the Strongman Challenge and manage to stay in one piece!
Love every minute of the challenge and came ninth finally......
Will post pictures soon....
now training for next year and hopefully to do better!
Again thank Allah that I am still in one piece....

My...my new year already....

2008-01-08T16:59:00.000+08:00

Well what can I say...a new year to do things right.....
i got new classes and i hope all will be a good year for everyone...
well...i hope this time around....will get to write more frequently.....
got a lot of things coming this year....
new responsibilities at work....being a dad again :)
so far life has treated me well....
well off to work at my desk again....

I know it is long overdue!

2007-09-04T21:49:00.000+08:00

Hi, so many things i have done that i forget to share the good things.....

Hmmm, do not know where to start...well here it goes:

May: Olympics 2007 - A success given that it was run fully by respective Sports teachers at short notice; power to the teachers involved....so well run with a lot of initiative and drive...ie after marking the mid year exams..

July: Road Race 2007 - A new initiative, well done Mano!

August: Sec 3 Leaders Camp and Level Camp ; a lot of new things like RESPECT night, Tribal Induction Night and parents coming to see the leaders and campers...a lot of firsts..

By the way...84% of cohort came....power to the students! a new record set in a couple of years!

I am happy that the 5 days are worth it....

A pic of me and the committee of leaders at Changi Coast Adventure Centre

Next is the opening of the NRG Hub; a lot of good things happening in the school...

Thanks Amin for the NRG logo...

me and my colleagues presenting to Citibank for Ideas in Action for funding to start off the cafe and for the NRG itself

our bubble tea establishment.....done up by faizal and his team....power guys and gals....

Then it was at the weightlifting that some of the boys help out.....

The boys and me with the winners of the competition...

Me and with the SWF officials....Mr Tan -Olympic Silver Medalist 1962 with the president on the extreme right...Mr Tom Liaw

I also started the RESPECT program as part of my creating awareness of the value associated with the school: Effort, Responsible and Presevere

The RESPECT cover six levels: Self, Fellow Students, Teachers, School, Parents and Society.

it will be a while for the values to sink in....

Well what more have I been doing?

Doing my courses in AskNlearn for my students....hopefully this holiday they can revisit it and learn something.......

Will try to post often....

Will try..promise :)

Things to share.....

2007-04-07T09:29:00.000+08:00

Few more weeks to datelines....
2 weeks to leaders investiture....hope the leaders got the info that is needed...
1 week to Sports Day....
5 weeks to northland Olympics.......well what to do.....a teacher's job is always that....meeting datelines....
teaching that still counts....4 weeks to mid year exams...well that is life to me...

on a good note....the gym will be opened to students next week with new equipment and possible collaboration...
welcome to muscle gym....check out logo....cool right...
my vision....a center for all- athletes and non athletes.....cool....

Getting momentum....

2007-04-06T18:01:00.000+08:00

So good to be back and doing workouts in the gym...
Tell u what.....the gym in school will be up and running next week...yes...we finally got new stuff coming in....thanks Mr Gan....
The gym will be functional with partners coming in to do workshop...seminars....certification.....
more new things coming up in school....the students will benefit from it and i sincerley hope we can make a change in the kids lives.....
Programmes in academic- tying up with a school in sembawang to foster a greater science experience.....
tell u more...

So sick and busy

2007-04-03T18:22:00.000+08:00

So long never write.
Been sick from my retreat in March; before the retreat got sick and after getting back from batam, more sick....
Blame it on the bug that has been taunting me from the past few weeks...
Sports Heats 1 and 2 in Yishun Stadium, the leaders performed respectably professional save for a few hiccups; how I hope they can be so much humble and receptive to suggestions. Well, still learning aren't they? Hope they learn much while in the programme.
Love the Passion Arts held at Republic Polytechnic; such a good performance from the rest of the performing groups. Was there with my school leaders; good job guys and gals....
Did a seminar at NUS HiGh school on Character Education; what an eye opener! Maybe need to be a values-infused educator? Time will tell me! Or better just tell me...:)
Meetings after meetings...so tiring but it has to be done:(
Have a new place for the students to gather in the afternoons; cant wait for the launch.....so happening this place will be....
cant wait!
PPC-Peak Performance Club will have a new upgraded gym...cant wait on that too....
so much to say....
well maybe tomorrow..
oops....my wife here need to go...bye..

My Strongman Challenge Prelim 2007

2007-03-05T10:38:00.000+08:00

I am back! Put the knee operation behind me now!
Did ok; got 11th place- one of the reserves for the finals....
Happy as my objectives of top 15 for this year is achieved.
Enjoy the pictures...

My pictures at YJC Values Day

2007-02-22T12:15:00.000+08:00

my pics at the jc....enjoy
So much fun lifting, but i feel sick afterwards....well never mind...still can walk :)

What a scary 2 weeks I had!

2007-02-18T17:43:00.000+08:00

just recovered from flu...so downtime in my blog; missed one week of training thanks to the flu bug...
well did good in the YJC Values Day-10 feb- did a pr 240kg deadlift in front of YJCians- so strong on that...hurt my lumbars on trying a 250kg deadlift-almost broke my spine into two.....then thats when the flu bug took over....
still got two weeks to get ready for the strongman challenge...just to have fun there...make new friends....
work was hell; so much of marking and settle admin stuff; so much in so little time....
well thats teaching for you....students say it is fun to us that we give them so much work...well to us if it does not improve their learning- blame us too?
So much anger in the youth nowadays....from the way they talk to ones apperance- what is happening tpo their generation? to me it boils down to values from home....
lets see home...a word that conjures up stability and love....not to these kids....some I belive come from homes where there is no respect and love....who am I to say- just an observer-an educator who wishes the best for these kids....
saw my last year o level students on getting their results; so much sadness and happineess at the same time.....good luck i say to them on carving a niche for themselves in the real world....
need to finish up vetting the common test papers for lower sec science, settle my discipline admin and so much more.....
well guess the kids are having a great holiday till next wednesday...so much for them to recuperate....
hope the arty run on 21 feb will be a blast....a start for the spirit of our school....
hope to be well in the next two weeks....

What a crazy week!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-02-04T22:55:00.000+08:00

Wow so much things to do this past week;
1) Settle the selection for Arty Run- the bip tests in the afternoons-Thursday and Friday....:)
2) Settle the InfoComm milestones for this year.....:)
3) Settle the YLDP matters with vendors and the other YLDP teachers.....:)
4) Clearing my marking of 2EA and 3NC Bio classes....:(
5) Clear up the school with the detention class- btw it was fun..:)
6) Went to my alma mater YJC on Friday to pit in a session....well done power cleans, snatches, front squats and my best pr- 250 kg deadlift yes...!!!!!!
7) Went to JB to catch two movies with my family on Saturday....:)
8) Cleared my inbox...:)
9) Cleared my meetings with vendors..:)
10) Ate at Little India of thosai and masala tea with family today....

Good things happen but a lot of small and unwanted distrations that can occur if we do not manage our time carefully...

Me- trying hard to squeeze in as much things as possible in the day while devoting the evenings to myself and my family...:)

Workouts did well; trained on Monday-bad workout :(-did only minimal weights under 75 vmins, Wednesday-slightly better-did front squats, Thursday with my 2 3TA kids :)-met a commando who knows squatting, Friday at YJC :)-annihilated the weights in the deadlifts and saturday on my own-sucks-tired I guess....

Well looking forward to this week....a lot of targets to settle...

Here I come....btw it is now 6 week of term 1- 4 weeks to go before March break....

Well here I hop.....

My favourite lifters...

2007-01-27T21:23:00.000+08:00

Feeling good today......

2007-01-27T21:01:00.000+08:00

Yes, felt better after sleeping early last night.
Wake up, went to gym...did my front squats-140k for 3 singles, 180k back squats for 2 singles, floor press-100k for 2 doubles, power cleans-80k for 2 triples, work up front squats from 60k to 120k for doubles-feel better
Went to jb with my family to catch a movie-Death note 2- marvelous movie; so much twists and turns...
Well now need to get to work....
Papers to mark, lessons to prepare....yep...it all starts again....
Cant wait tomorrow-gym again then out with family then work.....
Monotonous huh? well this is how we approach life that makes us feel good.
Right?

2007-01-25T20:40:00.000+08:00

My little boy dancing...isn't he cute

Feeling sick...

2007-01-25T20:17:00.000+08:00

Just finish my prayers. Still groggy from the medicine. Went back straight after bell rang. cannot take it; my illness is winning me over....
Everything feels so difficult...Felt it from Monday; going back sleep straight till morning...just now lessons were excruciating difficult, trying hard to conceal my sickness from my classes...
Monday; did gym; bad idea.
Tuesday; ate a lot to recover; still feeling sick argh....
Wednesday, did a light session; feeling more sick....wah....
Today; went back early after school- groggy feeling; had my lunch wife my wife...
Just woke up at 8pm; completed my prayers; look at my work to do....
well ........??????
That's life right?
Got to do, have to do....
Hope can be better for tommorrow?
Will sleep again, complete my isyak prayers; take my medicine and sleep.
Do pray tomorrow can complete my lessons for the day...
Have a good day tomorrow?

Done at last....

2007-01-21T23:41:00.000+08:00

Wow so many things did this weekend;

1) settle my marking
2) did my minutes of meeting
3) done my lesson planning
4) did half of the test paper
5) prepare my lecture for my Bio class
6) prepare some notes for my 2E class
7) clean up my data on my laptop

Did a good session today-60 mins in the gym at 9 am

1) front squats-3 singles at 140 kg
2) back squats- 2 singles at 180 kg
3) pin 5 squats- single at 144 kg
4) power cleans- 2 triples at 80 kg
emotions-good; feeling high

Did the following with my family;

1) has breakfast at Swensen with family
2) had dinner with my family at Fish and Co with my inlaws

Overall rating: worthwhile weekend- did most that needs to be done without sacrificing family time....

Well look on to week 4.....

So much homework....

2007-01-20T01:33:00.000+08:00

Wah so much to do in 48 hours.....

1) do minutes of meeting

2) prepare for a meeting today at ten am on student leadership

3) mark my classes

4) prepare test 1

5) make my son happy

6) make my wife happier...

7) wash the car.....

8) settle lessons for next week..

And the list goes on.....

Well its the life of a teach..well have to be done....

Seeing my family sleeping makes me feel more to give them the best....so do more work...get more pay????

well looking forward to gym....getting lost in the world of clanging of plates....hmmm like in heaven

thats a overhead squat................my fav

makes a man out of you.....

hold a bar over your head and squat down....looks easy?

try it...

well less than 40 hrs to go....

here i go.....

hmmm...a rainy day

2007-01-18T22:52:00.000+08:00

just came back from training...did ok I guess...50 min session-140k front squats for 6 singles, pin 4 squats -145k for a single; deads-224k for a single; 226k- half way there...more lively thats good...

this is how a deadlift looks like

this is how a front squat looks like......check out the high elbows and the deepness of the squat...thats how it should be done period....

work- settle the junior leaders into confirming their classes for y2007; update them on the events to be happening soon; hmmmm very interesting to see these new kids in action....

lessons was eventful giving surprise quizzes to my two classes- at least it was positive...

lets see who will get a forfeit in my sec 2 class :)

weekends are here...

What a day?

2007-01-17T21:51:00.000+08:00

Finish the meeting on Life Sciences for the year! Good feel of the new things to come...Hope the students would love it this year....
Finish meeting our youth leaders; quite dissapointed with the seniors for not taking proactive steps in arranging the meet ups with the new juniours.
Waiting for instructions always..oh well they are youths after all...
Allowed them to finalise their committees and empower them to firm up on the needs of each event...well if only all my seniors stayed back...counted less than 30% were there...oh well- we make do with what we have....
Did my training for the strongman prelims; did easy squat cleans with 60 kg to feel in the quick twitch.
Finally got in my 220k deadlifts for 3 easy singles; did my 140 k front squats for 3 easy singles; did everthing under 55 mins...felt good...charged..training so far ok....
well looking forward to tomorrow night; starting back on weightlifting at SWF (Singapore Weightlifting Federation); lucky my knees and lower back are recovered fully...
Hope the coach will not kill me tomorrow night...:)

What a day!!!

2007-01-16T16:51:00.000+08:00

Did good last night, did good session on front squats and squat cleans...throw my tiredness out of the window....
Today, everything went good; the classes cooperate and the atmosphere was just perfect...
Should go olympic weightlifting? Hmmm...not sure..need to fetch my boy first....my turn as my wife needs to go for a brief at HQ....
Hmmm... think will go...

Ambiguous stranger

2007-01-16T07:03:00.000+08:00

Hello people and the nation. I'm a new blogger and the future post would be a recount on my life and journey of being a teacher. School, i prefer not to disclose.

End of work day 9

2007-01-15T17:57:00.000+08:00

Felt so good...finish the website on life sciences Attack 2006 with the kids, so much fun getting it right, just uploaded onto the website and it look good.
It was an uneventful day; getting through the rigours of teaching...
Very interesting though as it makes me feel like a 15 year old kid all over again....
Well waiting for my ride home and seeing my son...
A perk to being a dad....

Will hit out at the gym to blow some anger off...well lets see what will happen there...

Hope my power clean will be good than yesterday...