when IS becomes Was (POEM)

when IS becomes WAS

Teaching the tenses,
nonchalantly.
Simple present, simple past.
Is, Are and the special Am
Was and Were.

Never realising the finality of
changing IS to WAS.
Once done,
Cannot be undone.
It is, it was.
He is, he was.
She is, she was.

Heart-breaking,
Heart-rending,
Irrevocable change.
Is to Was.

It's Over.

The End. 

[All original content by LIN MH. Please do not take information from this site without explicit written permission from the author, that is, ME. Thank you!} 

Green Car

Now, OF COURSE we have to get more Green Cars, don't we all? :)
I totally love being Green! :)

{All credits to: http://9gag.com/}

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway - My Comments

If I had to name my favourite book, or at least the one that has had great impact on me, I'd say it's THE SUN ALSO RISES by Ernest Hemingway.

I identify completely with what Jake Barnes says in the book. Here are some quotes from this novel that I find morosely insightful and witty in a very melancholic manner.

“I never used to realize it, I guess. I try and play it along and just not make trouble for people. Probably I never would have had any trouble at all if I hadn't run into Brett when they shipped me to England. I suppose she only wanted what she couldn't have. Well, people were that way. To hell with people. The Catholic Church had an awfully good way of handling all that. Good advice, anyway. Not to think about it. Oh, it was swell advice. Try and take it sometime. Try and take it.”
--- Jake's comment about how people like to say, "Hey, it'll be fine. Things will be fine as long as you don't think about it," strikes a chord with me. Oh, please, come on! When something, usually bad, happens to a person, how can he not think about it? I hate to hear such 'advice' as well. Why did I put the word 'advice' in quotation marks? Well, it's basically not advice after all! If the negative thing happened to you, you think about it. You think about it day and night and somewhere in between as well. For example, if you get hurt physically (like Jake), you will definitely think about your pain and your injury! It's only natural and well, your injury will remind you to think about it, even if you didn't want to!!
Yeah, "not to think about it"? You want my honest opinion? It's a whole lot of nonsense! Yeah, "try and take it sometime. Try and take it." I bet you a million bucks that you can't not think about it 

“Everyone behaves badly--given the chance.”
--- Oh, most definitely isn't it? Come on! Don't pretend to be the saint that you ain't! (Rhymes!) Imagine, if there was no one looking, what would you be doing? ;) 

"At one time or another I had probably considered it from most of its various angles, including the one that certain injuries or imperfections are a subject of merriment while remaining quite serious for the person possessing them."
--- Oh, so true! For instance, a kid with 'rabbit-teeth' that protrude has to endure snide remarks about looking like Bugs-Bunny; a kid with freckles has to endure being called 'Spotty'. People love making fun of other people's imperfections. Why? Perhaps to feel a sense of superiority and to feel better about themselves? Think about it - when was the last time your imperfection, which brought severe pain to you, brought such perverse joy and entertainment to others?
The person who possesses the imperfection already feels lousy to the core! Come on, people. Give the poor person a break! There's no need to be mean - intentionally or otherwise! 

“It is awfully easy to be hard-boiled about everything in the daytime, but at night it is another thing.”
--- Yes, totally.It is easier to be all business and tough in the day time but at night, it's a different ball game altogether. At night, when it's all dark and quieter, and you're all by your lonesome self, it's hard, very hard to be hard-boiled about everything. The evils, various pains and worries that you've suppressed in the day time, come out and overwhelm you as though Pandora's Box is opened once more... At night, the tough exterior exhausts itself and dissolves to reveal all one's true self and one's inner issues. 

“I can't stand it to think my life is going so fast and I'm not really living it.”
--- Oh, yes, yes and yes! Seconds turn to minutes and minutes to hours and hours to days and days to months and months to years... and years to many, many years...
Carpe Diem! Got to do that! Get that dream going and live the life that you want to live.

“Going to another country doesn’t make any difference. I’ve tried all that.You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There’s nothing to that.”
--- Kind of sad isn't? We just can't get away from ourselves. No matter how hard we try to make things better sometimes, things just do not get better. Worse, we don't have the means to get away from ourselves.
Imagine, if you have a debilitating physical condition, you can't just leave yourself behind and continue life afresh somewhere else.
You can't leave your problems because you are the problem. So? Sadly, you have to live with yourself, whatever that self may be. 

{Other than quotes (which are from Ernest Hemingway's novel called "The Sun Also Rises", content is original. Please do not publish without quoting this blog or getting permission from the author, i.e., Me.} :) 

10 Memory Techniques for Studying

I came across these very useful tips and I knew that I had to share! Personally, I employ a variety of these methods when teaching and for myself as a constant student. I like numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8! Also, without a doubt, adequate rest is crucial. Take a look at the 10 Memory Techniques and be a better learner!! After all, we need "input" to have "output"!
10 memory techniques for studying

By Patrick Loh | 25/09/2012

1. Jot down important points

Make short notes (in point form) on exercise books. Use only important keywords and not long-winded sentences. Organize and highlight notes according to topics and chapters to remember the work better.

2. Use visual images

Substitute words with visual images. This technique is best used for information that is hard to grasp in text format, such as Geography and science subjects. Your kids should paint a picture in their head while studying Geography. That visual image is bound to stay for as long as their brain can work. Do the same for science subjects such as Physics and Biology.

3. Read aloud to each other

When they don’t understand a subject, get them to read it out loud. The other technique is to get the teachers to explain the topics thoroughly. The description will definitely paint an image in their minds.

4. Relate topics to current events

They might come across certain topics that could be related to true events. Especially for Geography, History and general Science subjects -- it’s easier to relate them to something that happened in life, or something that happened in the news recently.

5. Present to your friends

Get your kids to sit their friends down and 'teach' them everything – chapter by chapter. These friends have to hold their own notes and textbooks to make sure your kid’s materials are correct at the time of the presentation. After that, switch roles with the friends and make them teach your kids. After the whole process, they might learn something new.

6. Use your notes as bedtime stories

Before bedtime, read through the notes that were made for the day. Apply visuals and verbal techniques if necessary. But only read through one topic a night; as cramming will only make them forget.

7. Write down mathematic equations

If your kid is a weak student in math, they shouldn’t rely on calculators when solving math equations. Write down every step possible on paper and make notes at the side as a reminder on how the equation was solved.

8. Use humour

Some subjects require a lot of memorization. One way to remember is to use humour. It’s easier to remember a funny joke than a long list of facts or figures

9. Excercise to release stress

Treating our body makes it easier to recall and process information better. Exercises help increase oxygen to our brain and may reduce the risk of memory loss.

10. Don't forget to sleep!

Getting enough rest is crucial. It’s difficult to remember (anything) when your kid is sleep-deprived. Subjects dealing with creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking require their brain to operate at full speed. Besides, sleep is necessary for memory stabilization. Memory enhancing activity occurs during the deepest stages of sleep, allowing them to remember clearly what they’ve learnt during the day. Don’t let them burn their midnight oil. Get them to bed early and wake them up early as well to continue what they’ve left off the night before.

All credits to the original writer and to http://sg.theasianparent.com/10-memory-techniques-for-studying/?utm_source=theAsianparent+Singapore&utm_campaign=fc50e075e7-TAP_Newsletter_25_Jan_2013&utm_medium=email 

The Power and Wonder of Spelling!

A short and rather amusing post :)

As teachers, we always emphasise the need to learn how to spell accurately. Doing so enables students to correctly convey what they want to say and bring across their intended meanings. We want to communicate clearly and not be misunderstood! 

Let's take a look at these:

ULTRAVIOLENT rays! *Oh My Goodness! Can you visualise them? I can!!* --> Ultraviolet rays

RELIVE stress!! *Faints! Why would one do that?* --> RELIEVE stress

Cash VULTURES!!! *Cash What?!?!* --> Cash VOUCHERS 

And a very dear man introducing his wife-to-be as.... my FINANCE! *Laughs Out Loud! Not exactly wrong though, if you get what I mean?* --> my FIANCÉE :)


Are your sides aching by now from all that laughing?

Thus, we can see that spelling correctly is not a trivial matter! Get it right or get laughed at! :) Have fun going through your spelling lists! 

One of The Most Easily Monetized Skills in Singapore

The Power of Mastering Language

I believe that most of us are awed by people who are the whole package. With regard to today's post, people who possess the 'whole package' are those who can speak well and write well.

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

Language is one of the most easily monetized skills.

The following are a list of benefits, that comes from speaking any one language well. Not even being Shakespeare, but just speaking a language well:

• You are able to convince people, because your statements make sense.
• You can at least appear professional, in almost any job
• You can read better, and you won’t be confused by complex e-mails, manuals, etc.
• There is an almost universal need for content (technical manuals, websites, scripts, etc.)
• There is a strong market for translation (especially Mandarin to English, or vice versa)

Language also has  the side-benefit of improving career options. It makes a better salesman, a potential copywriter, and a
fantastic liarfuture Public Relations expert.

The best part is, many companies are able to subsidise workplace literacy programs. You may end up paying the princely sum of $30 (after most subsidies) for the upgrade of a lifetime. Pick business English.

If your company doesn’t provide this course, enrol yourself.

{All credits to: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/most-easily-monetized-skills-singapore-160000858.html for above information :)}

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

Basically, what this author is saying is that a strong command of (any) language, particularly English Language, will get you further in life. After all, as aforementioned countless times, English IS the Lingua Franca.
Remember, the 'whole package' is important. You've got to 'look the part, speak the part and write the part'! Makes perfect and lucrative sense to hone your English language, right now! :) 

{A lingua franca (or working language, bridge language, vehicular language, unifying language) is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.^[1]Lingua francas have arisen around the globe throughout human history, sometimes for commercial reasons (so-called "trade languages") but also for diplomatic and administrative convenience, and as a means of exchanging information between scientists and other scholars of different nationalities.}

{All credits to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_franca}

10 study tricks to score in exams

I have just come across 10 useful study tips that parents and of course, students can use before and during the examination period. I have highlighted the ones that I find particularly useful by changing the font colour :)

Take note of these tips the next time the exams approach! :) All the best!! After all, CHANCE AND SUCCESS FAVOURS THE PREPARED!! :) 

10 study tricks to score in exams

By theAsianparent.com editorial team | December 21, 2012

http://sg.theasianparent.com/10-study-tricks-to-score-in-exams/?utm_source=theAsianparent+Singapore&utm_campaign=c252c9bccc-TAP_Newsletter_21_Dec_2012&utm_medium=email# [All credits to original sources and sites.}

Exams are a crucial part of every child's education but some children struggle with them. Here are some valuable study tips which will help your child prepare better for their exams.

Exams are an integral part of society’s way of gauging an individual’s capabilities. Some children are able to cope with this requirement and perform well, but there are a good percentage of children who falter during this seemingly very crucial stage. Most parents actively research ways to help their kids, do better in exams, and there is certainly a whole reservoir of information available in many forms to assist in this important area. Here are 10 different ways that can be explored in the quest, to help your child study and score better in exams:

·        Understanding your child’s learning style is very important in ensuring the time set aside for studying is not wasted. Auditory, visual and tactile are just some of the more common styles used.

·        Encouraging you child to make short notes will help to jog their memory. Encouraging your child to carry around these short notes and refer to the notes when they are “killing time” is a good habit to instil.

·        Doing past year exam questions is one of the best ways to help your child not only get a good idea of the test style but will also help your child identify the more popular topics. This is invaluable, as the fluency and skill in answering such questions will be refined through experience.

·        Doing a lot of questions and exercises is also another way to train your child to cope with the eventual pressure of writing the exam. There are many workbooks available to help your child in this area. These workbooks can assist your child is timing themselves and building confidence.

·        Analyzing your child’s past exam experience and answer sheets together may help identify weaknesses and work towards making improvements.

·        Some children tend to leave studying to the last possible minute. If this style works for you child, you may not want to be too zealous in attempting to change this routine, however, you could set aside discussion times with your child way before the exam, where facts on a particular subject is extensively discussed. This is one way of getting your child to put in some study time, earlier instead of at the last minute.

·         Encourage your child to spend a little time going over the test when it is presented and then work on the sections that he/she is most comfortable with first. It is important to remind your child to remember to go over the whole test carefully to ensure nothing is left undone.

·        Quizzing your child a few days before the actual test could be a fun way to help ensure high scores. You must remember to make these quiz session fun.

·        New studies have shown that drinking a glass of water just before the exam is said to help the brain cells, calm nervous and enhance concentration.

·        Diet can also play a part in boosting better exam results as certain foods such as nuts, berries, fish and whole grains are considered good “brain foods”.