Marilyn Monroe...

Random meaningful quote...
I have come to realise that, really, you have to live life and be a sensitive soul to have such epiphanies... 

“This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And baby,  I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're going to fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.” 
― Marilyn Monroe

[More epiphanies at -- http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/82952.Marilyn_Monroe. All credits to this site.] 

Primary 6 Results 2011 and 2012

Having taught so many students from different levels (P1 to S4) for so many years, I have amassed a whole lot of scores and I am stumped as to how to 'display' them all... 

After deliberation, I have decided to focus on what's current... :) 

I am pleased to announce with great teacher's pride, the wonderful scores (for English Language) of Primary Six Class 2011 with 11 students -- 4A*s and 7As.

And, Primary Six Class (A) 2012 with 9 students -- 3A*s and 6As. 

Also, Primary Six Class (B) 2012 with 7 students -- 2A*s and 5As. 

Hearty congratulations to these students who have tried their utmost and I wish them all the best for 2013!! 

I'll end this entry with 2 awesome quotes to fuel the desire for further success and progression:“What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose.” -Margaret Thatcher
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. 
Willing is not enough; we must do. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

[http://studentsuccessacademy.com/awesome-student-success-quotes-ever/] 

ONE of 4 must-have job skills in 2013: 

Clear communications (Spoken & Written)

Whatever their level, communication is key for workers to advance.

“This is really the ability to clearly articulate your point of view and the ability to create a connection through communication,” says Holly Paul, U.S. recruiting leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting and consulting firm based in New York.

For job seekers in particular, clear communication can provide a snapshot of their work style to employers. “I can walk away from a five-minute conversation and feel their enthusiasm and have a good understanding of what’s important to them,” Paul says.

As office conversations increasingly move online, some workers are losing or never developing the ability to give a presentation, for example. Others may be unable to write coherently for longer than, say, 140 characters.

“Technology in some ways has taken away our ability to write well. People are in such a hurry that they are multitasking,” and they skip basics such as spelling and proofing, says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half International, a Menlo Park, Calif., staffing firm.

Point to Note: Regardless of how technology advances and changes and so on, the fundamentals remain the same. And, what are the fundamentals? A strong command of the English Language is key. It is crucial to be able to speak well and write well in order to progress.  

[All credits to: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/must-job-skills-2013-140423361.html] 

What's the LONGEST word?

The longest English word that appears in a dictionary is the 45-letter pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. It is alleged to mean "a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust," according to Oxford Dictionaries. Scientists now just refer to it as P45.

The longest non-technical non-coined word in the English language hasn't changed since I learned this word when I was in elementary school. Antidisestablishmentarianism is 28 letters long and refers to a 19th century political movement that opposed the disestablishment of the Church of England, according to Oxford.

The longest non-technical, coined word is Floccinaucinihilipilification. It is 29 letters long and is a noun meaning "the action or habit of estimating something as worthless," according to the dictionary.

[All credits to: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/man-creates-most-boring-video-saying-world-longest-163907502.html]

Extracts from Education Minister Heng Swee Keat

Wise, wise words from Education Minister Heng Swee Keat: 

He said: "We must encourage our students to apply themselves and to persevere, so that they can reach their full potential in their chosen fields. When they put in the effort, we should cheer them on. When they succeed, we should recognise and celebrate their success."

He added that in education, it is useful to bear in mind two key points — that children need to develop at their own pace and they need to develop as a whole person.

"Pulling up the shoot to accelerate its growth or distorting growth in particular areas at the expense of holistic development will set the children back," he said.

This is why, Mr Heng said, "we are putting the emphasis on a ’student—centric, values—driven’ education."

"Rather, we [adults] should encourage them [children] to persevere, to pursue learning along appropriate pathways, and help them succeed in the next phase. What matters is that our children grow up to have a love for learning, and to be life—long learners. It is a marathon, not a sprint."

He hopes parents will support and encourage their children in their next phase of learning and growth regardless of their examination results.

He concluded: "Our children will be more likely to succeed if they grow up to be confident and resilient, able to bounce back from setbacks; and be inventive and adventurous, able and willing to try and create new things. Let us celebrate their effort, continue to encourage excellence, and broaden our definitions of success."

The POWER of Strong Command of (THE ENGLISH) LANGUAGE

5 Career Mistakes That Keep You Underpaid (Adapted)

http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/5-career-mistakes-keep-underpaid-160000648.html
By Ryan Ong | MoneySmart – Wed, Nov 7, 2012 12:00 AM SGT[All credits to original author and the stated URL] 
One of the five career mistakes that keep you underpaid is *ta dah*: 

Not Writing Well

You don’t need to write Singapore’s answer to War & Peace. But you do need to write proposals and reports well. If you can’t, your employer might value you less than your peers.

HR Consultant Angeline Seah says:

“Writing skills affect productivity. A poorly worded e-mail can stall workflow, cost money, or unintentionally offend others. Most companies require employees at the management level to be able to write clearly, and in a concise manner.

Writing skills are also important when responding to customers. Some jobs require you to contact customers via e-mail, or provide instructions and clarifications on products. It’s a part of sales.”

If you can’t write well, Angeline suggests business writing classes. The British Council, along with many private schools, offer these. 

At the risk of sounding like a very broken recorder, I have to reiterate that having an excellent command of the English Language will give you an edge in your future. The person who can write well nails the job! 

DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY! :D

In class, I noticed that my student had one of the cutest pencil cases with a slogan of sorts printed on it. I am a big fan of slogans and puns! Her pencil case had the words "DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY" printed on it and I felt that that was just AWESOME! :) 

Here's sharing an email that I received sometime back. It is just great to remind ourselves about how to seize the day, every day! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ms. Bronnie Ware has worked with the dying for many years. She detailed the top 5 regrets that people have on their deathbed on her blog (http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html). All credits go to Ms. Bronnie Ware. 

While we are all bound to have some regrets in life, here are the top 5. 

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

Ware said that this was the most common regret of all. It’s easy to let our dreams slip by due to circumstances or decisions that we’ve made. These choices mark the divide between living a fulfilled life or one that is full of regrets.
It’s important that we aim to achieve at least some of our dreams along the way. We often put off trying for our dreams due to a myriad of reasons. Before we know it, we would have lost our health and therefore, our chance to attain them.
If your dream is to start a business, get to it. If it’s to learn how to dance or try skydiving, book a class. If you want to make music, pick up a guitar.
Don’t put it off any longer.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

In between having ends meet and aiming for a luxurious lifestyle, it’s easy to see why we get caught up with our work.
Ware said that this was a common regret of male patients who didn’t manage to spend enough time with their family.
It’s easy to get caught up in the rat race, but remember to set aside some time for the important things in life. Most importantly, you will have to understand why you do what you do. Is it for your own personal achievement, for family, or for a higher calling?

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Hands up anyone who has suppressed their feelings in order to avoid potential embarrassment or argument.
Avoiding arguments is good for a harmonious life, but the problem comes when we take it too far. When we blindly follow the opinions of someone more assertive just to avoid arguments, we’re shortchanging ourselves.
While it’s understandable that we use Twitter and blogging to rant about things we are unhappy with, do remember that talking about it face-to-face is always a more sincere option.
So if an issue is major enough, try approaching the person for an honest and frank chat. We’re not saying that the talk will be smooth sailing, but your relationships will emerge stronger and healthier.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

It’s easy to lose touch with good friends. A busy lifestyle can take away time from the ones you love. This is where technology comes in.
With services like Facebook, WhatsApp and Yahoo! Messenger, it’s easy to keep tabs on old friends. Talking to friends is so effortless today that we have no reason to let staying in touch with friends take a backseat.
At the end of the day though, nothing beats chatting over a cup of coffee. So always remember to occasionally take things offline and catch up with your friends the old fashioned way.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

‘Many don't realize until the end that happiness is a choice’, said Ware in her blog post.
This is very true. Happiness is something that we choose for ourselves. Many get upset over the circumstances in their lives. What they do not realize is that they can choose to face difficulties with a smile.
Take a moment and enjoy life. If difficulties come your way, remember that pain is inevitable but wallowing in misery is always optional.
Choose to be happy.

And, DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY! Woo Hoo!! :) Let's look for Rainbows!