My second week in NIE.
Though I miss many things I used to have in NUS (the IVLE, the used textbook forum, the frequent bus service, the accessibility etc.) , I still am thankful for many things I have here. The campus is beautiful, with much greenery! It feels so serene especially in the evening as I take long walks back to my hall after classes. The room is cosy and I am thankful to have Michelle here as roommate with me, who would wake me up and keep me company in this seemingly quiet and lonely hall, who add joy and laughter into my life. There aren't much activities as TH used to have, but I guess it's good for me at this age, where peace and serenity is preferred. I am thankful that despite the longer distance compared to NUS, mummy and daddy would still offer to offer the ride back hall, ungrudgingly. Thank you for the love, mummy daddy. Thank God for good GESL groupmates who have initiative and are friendly. Thankful for Shan shan who is so willing to lend me her old books so that I do not have to purchase new books. Thankful that even though there are more work coming up, I know that I would always have God, family, zicheng and friends who would be there to support me and catch me when I fall. Thankful for Vanessa and Wynne, who add laughter and joy into my teaching life.
Waijia's blog never fail to inspire/renew me and lead me to think.Thank you for sharing.
http://blog.kitesong.sg/2012/07/think.html
http://blog.kitesong.sg/2012/07/renewal.html
I pray, I will not lose my passion, nor will my heart grow cold. Sometimes, having deal with naughty kids for a long while and having to keep raising my voice, I admit feeling irritated with the naughty kids and sometimes, I just go through the motion. I become judgmental and think they are doing it on purpose to spite me. But I forget that every moment I am in class, I am in the position to teach and to touch lives. I forget that besides just delivering the content, more importantly, I need to teach lessons to capture the kid's attention, to teach in a way so that whatever is taught is made relevant to them in real life. If my classes are interesting and according to their standard, they would be engaged. I dislike politics as well as hearing complaints from other staff, but I
cant stop all that, and renewing of mind and spirit has to start from
the inside of me.
In my 5 weeks in school, I realize how much I do not know and how much I need to learn. There are so much to learn from children, never despise them nor their youth. Their innocence sometimes teach us the simplicity of life.
I pray I never forget my first teaching experience at compassvale sec, the things I experienced, my feelings then, my passion and what inspired me to pursue teaching. Have we gotten a vision from God? And if we have, are we following through with it? My name is Tan Ying Xiu. I am a Teacher! Help me follow through with my vision Lord. Grant me the grace, the strength, the peace, the patience, the joy, the love. Everything that I do not have and everything I am not, I need You. Thank you Jesus.
