What do you credit for your progress in school - good teaching methods, your own ability or just purely good luck?

When parents look for schools for their children, they base their search on a few things: the quality of the teachers, the reputation of the school, as well as the annual results obtained in the GCE 'O' level examinations. But to a student, progress at school is not so easily narrowed down. Instead, it is a combination of individual ability and good teaching rather than good luck.

My first two years in secondary school were halycon days for me but hell for my teachers. I was in the school netball team and thus spent all my time practising at the game. Furthermore, most of my team-mates were comparable to me in their school achievement, that is, we were not top of the barrel in the academic results, which made me feel that there was no need to try too hard in my studies. The teacher in charge of netball in school was also an english teacher, which made me proficient only in that area. In fact, my best friend and I were so often at the bottom of the class rankings that we actually began to feel quite proud of our consistency!

However, things changed when Miss Loh became our form teacher in Secondary Two. She was a warm and gracious lady who was also firm in her belief that students must develop their potential to the fullest. Thus began her reformation of me. She talked to me quite often to tell me how capable she thought I was and how much I was wasting my own ability. But I always relied on the excuse that netball training left me no time for much revision. Only when she was about to leave for Japan to further her studies did I realise how much her encouragement had meant to me. In the end, I decided to give my studies a try.

Lo and behold! I actually scored marks good enough to be selected for the best class in the following year! I was ecstatic and infinitely grateful that she had opened my eyes to what I could really do. I began paying attention in class and realised that the teachers were really good. As long as I listened in class and did my work diligently, there was no problem with understanding the lessons. Out of this experience came my discovery of two qualities I possessed that went a long way towards academic achievement - my good memory and quick understanding.

Through my secondary school years, my progress at school was the result of my own hard work and the teachers' efforts at teaching. Their examples inspired me; even when my classsmates were all dozing off because the teacher was boring, I remained attentive because I had realised that beyond the monotonous tone was a wealth of knowledge that I wanted to know. That really kept me going, for until today, the sense of curiosity that was sparked by my attentiveness in class has not left me.

Luck has never been a factor in my studies. If I did well, it was because I had studied hard and thus did not need to be lucky to have 'spotted' the right questions to study for. Once I am prepared for the test or examination, luck was of no importance. Hence, my progress in school has always been a potent combination of good teachers and my own ability rather than mere luck.

(Extracted from SAP model compositions)

"Rich children are generally happier than those from poorer families"

The statement seems to assume that wealth is a determining factor in happiness. To a certain extent, this is of course true as the material needs of the children can be filled with money. Which child would feel happy if he has to worry about the next meal or the holes in his clothes that allow the wind to whistle through? For young children, nutrition is necessary or they will grow up weak and sickly. They will consequently not be able to enjoy the same energy as other children who are better provided for.

Furthermore, every child looks forward to being looked upon with favour by their peers. Peer acceptance is very important to the development of their self-esteem. But if they come from a poor family, they could feel humiliated in front of their friends, as they fear ostracism. Such fear may be groundless but this does not deny its existence. A child who feels inferior to his friends will not grow up with a healthy self-image.

With wealth comes a host of advantages that the poorer child will not get to enjoy. An affluent family gives the child opportunities to enjoy the latest in electronic gadgets, far-flung travel, as well as enrichment classes. In today's knowledge-based society, such access and exposure goes a long way towards giving the child the requisite foundation for doing well in school. This could mean better achievements in school and hence greater confidence.

However, it does not mean that poorer children are necessarily unhappy in comparison with those from richer families. Wealth does not determine happiness; parents do. If a child lives in a beautiful house with the latest technology in place but hardly gets to see his parents, he is no better than a captive bird in a gilded cage. Children need love and companionship to grow up happy. Thus, if a child comes from a poor family but has parents who are constantly there for him to provide care and support, he will be happier than a rich but neglected child.

Furthermore, a poor child could feel a sense of achievement that is denied to the rich one who has all the advantages of wealth. The latter's success could be the product of external privileges but the poorer child's achievement will definitely be that of good old hard work. Thus, his success will come to mean more because it was achieved at great cost and effort. Those who have everything handed on a silver platter will not be able to experience such joy.

Thus, a child's happiness is not contingent on wealth, but rather, his own personality and surroundings. The happiest child could well be the one with the least material possessions but a windfall of love and support.

(Extracted from SAP model compositions)

Im learning blogging

Hey there,

Its my first time making a blog.. n im learning it rite now in a course.. not pretty sure wat im gona write in tis blog.. maybe it'll be abt life as i c it from my eyes... d wonders of it.. n also its complications as i c from my students eyes or d ppl around me...

Wateva it is.. wat i rite would be my views.. my tots.. aint necessary agreeable to u.. feel free to judge or gimme comments.. n mayb from there i can widen my scope n learn frm ur tots..

daaaa