A day well spent!

Yes, it's just another day in the holidays, but it's really a well spent day! I feel like I've accomplished so much today.

I started the day with a morning date with my love. It's been raining in the evenings so I thought mornings would be a better time of the day to maintain the intimacy level between my love and I. ♥ The weather was just perfect this morning, not too hot. Even though I did my warming up this morning before playing, my shoulder still hurt when I play. This is bad, I can't afford to skip my trainings now, the tournament is in two weeks!

After a satisfying morning exercise, I pampered myself with a facial mask. Yeah, I read somewhere that we should first learn to love ourselves before we could love others. We often pay too much attention on others instead of ourselves. After lunch, I dated myself out. Agnes and I went hunting for gifts for Father's Day. I wanted to get my Superhero something; it's been a long time since I last bought or gave my dad something. Also, I wanted to get some good quality cotton socks for Gracie. 

Shopping is never a problem for me. It's something I enjoy doing! The shopping mall was rather empty today and it made me feel like I was really alone in there. It has been quite a while since I last shopped for men's gifts. I bought my dad a collared shirt as he always wears one. However, it's really a shame because I think I've bought the shirt one size bigger. I didn't even know what size of the shirt my dad should be wearing! I hope it's not too big for him. Besides the shirt, I also bought him 3 pairs of new socks for working. I saw many really beautiful dresses. They are to die for! I had my purse kept tightly and safely in my bag and resisted the temptation of buying any new dress. But they are to die for! I need to start saving money and controlling my expenditure wisely. They are really to die for!

Enjoying my marking.

I spent my the rest of my evening marking my students' essays and preparing for the tuition class after talking to mom. She was a little unhappy that I bought milk tea again. Yes, mom, i know. It's just a once-in-a-while's indulgence, I promise. :) 

As a tuition teacher, I really want my students to learn more than what school can offer and most importantly, to improve. I feel the pressure in carrying out this responsibility because I'm paid by the parents to help teach and guide their children. Of course, apart from that, I want them to make the best of this opportunity - to have someone (although not a very qualified person) to help them in learning. I didn't attend any English tuition classes back then so I always think that attending tuition classes is something extra, a support in learning. Therefore, I don't want them to waste it and I really hope at least I could help them ease the struggles in learning English. I really hope I'm doing enough and that I'm doing it the right way. 

Making notes of the mistakes students made in their essays.

So this is what I have tried out. While marking, I would jot down the mistakes they made. Apart from that, I also included some good examples of the sentence structures I found in their essays. Before the tuition class started, I conducted a "Post Mortem" where everyone would look at these problems together. I told them it didn't matter who made the mistakes; the important thing is, we all learn together from each other's mistakes and avoid them in our writing. By doing so, everyone is learning more than their own mistakes. This is indeed a more effective way! I'm planning to adopt this method and I'm really looking forward to see incredibly positive changes slowly taking place! Awesome idea from an experienced friend! 

FINALLY!!!

Yes! FINALLY! This student submitted his weekly journal! I really appreciate his effort even though it is just a paragraph. I see it as a big step forward - a great start! Looks like my constant reminders worked! "Did you write your weekly journal" and "Remember to write your weekly journal"... I have been saying those to him everytime he came for tuition class, and even in church! My persistence paid off! I won't ask for too much for now, one paragraph a week would be a good start for him. I made it a point of writing weekly journal (It can be about anything, and yes i mean anything!) for all of them because I want this to be their habit. When writing becomes a habit, the ideas will flow easily and smoothly. Once writing has become their habit, next I would like to inculcate the love for reading. I realized that they don't read much. Or is it the younger generation nowadays don't read that much anymore? 

After the tuition class, I had my supper! My aunt is staying over here tonight so we had supper! Food, glorious food!!! Yeah, so much of exercising and keeping an ideal weight when I just love eating so much. *guilt seeps in* Well, I would need to do some light exercise after this! Tomorrow, I have to go to the General Hospital for my check up and to collect my blood test result. Need to hit the sack soon!

"Out of sight, out of mind".... Is it true? 

Anyway...

Thank You, Father God, for a wonderful day!

Hoping tomorrow will be another good day!

Day 1: Heart attack!

This is the first day of practicum and it felt very scary because it's like starting from zero. However, I'm grateful that I have a very experienced, friendly and helpful mentor. I think i will learn a lot from her. She was awarded the "Guru Cemerlang" award. I'm so blessed!

Good news and also the bad news - I will start teaching tomorrow!

April will be a busy week for the school. They will be having their Sports Day on the 23rd. According to the panitia of English language, there will be an exhibition in conjunction with the English month. So we'll be helping out. ;) Bring it on! 

I will be taking two classes of Primary 4 for English. I have just done with the lesson plans for the two classes. And now, i'm gonna work on the teaching aids.

I have thought of an interesting introduction activity with the pupils and i hope it can help to get to know them better!

Take a peek at what's happening tomorrow!

I don't think i could write in detail what happened today although i really wish to. I'm so drained out now and my bones were cracking when i stretched myself. I have been sitting for too long. Well, i must go for some sports one of these days. It's so unhealthy!

Okie, looking forward to tomorrow! ^_^
Thank God it's in the morning session!

Hello April!

April is here! 

Today, i was supposed to go report at the school even knowing it's holiday today. Fiona and I just wanted to try if the school was open and perhaps take a glimpse of the school so we will be more mentally prepared for our practicum. However, the school was locked. So we continued our plan to grab our breakfast and then to Popular to spend her RM250 1Malaysia voucher. We spent a long time there, practically flipping through every English books on the shelf! We picked books published in Singapore because the English standard is really good. I personally support Singapore-published books and i've been using them since young and even using them for my English tuition. The only thing is that teachers/parents need to explain or adapt the content as some of the books are mostly based on Singapore's context. They are really good materials to raise the English standard. I couldn't resist myself to buy more books. Good books are worth to buy and keep!

By the time we're done with buying books, it was already noon. I didn't want to go back home that soon. Fiona didn't mind accompanying me as we had nothing to do, there's nothing we can prepare for practicum. Plus, the first week is basically just to get to know the school community and surrounding and perhaps carry out some observations. So...a crazy (very very crazy) plan popped into my head - "Malls-Hopping"! From Boulevard, we went to The Spring, then to CityOne... Goodness! We really had nothing better to do! In the end, we were both dead tired. Yes, window shopping can be very very draining! Well, at least we will hit the sack early tonight and have sufficient energy for tomorrow!

There's a boutique in CityOne called "Moonriver", the dresses are all from Singapore and they are really gorgeous and of good quality! The sad thing is they are super expensive! One dress costs around RM199! However, there's a promotion now : RM80 rebate if one purchases two dresses. 

RM199 + RM199 - RM80 = RM318

RM318 for two dresses! I really love the dresses but I don't think i could afford it. :( I have to work for 16 hours to buy two dresses! :( :( :(

By the way, i just found out that this April will be a totally TEACHING month for me! English tuition has resumed, and i would give lil' Vanessa tuition for at least twice a week, not forgetting i have to teach during my practicum. To add on to those, i have to tell stories for Sunday School and it's my turn to teach the upper primary class in Sunday School. Wow wow wow! Well, i really pray that God grant me enough wisdom to manage my time and to teach. :) It's His children i'm serving, and i want to give my very best. 

I wonder what will happen in these four weeks.
I wonder what big or small change i would make in those little hearts.
I wonder...

Dear Father in Heaven, 
Thank You for the chance to touch more hearts by serving You as i teach.
Grant me wisdom, passion, and a heart to teach and change lives.
Guide me, and lead me. Teach me to be humble.
I know wonderful things are going to happen in these four weeks.
I commit every pupils i am going to interact with, the school community and the whole practicum in Your mighty hands.
Thank You, God!
In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

Of bonsai, dreams, and changes...

I went out with Amy tonight and managed to catch up with each others' life. Studies, spiritual life, friendship, guys, career... It feels good to talk about these stuff after so long! She saved me from my unhealthy social life! I was always the one who was busy all the time and had to turn down many hang-outs. But tonight i made myself available cuz i need to socialize. Seriously, i'm living such an unhealthy social life. Hanging out is good cuz it's like a break for me to pause and reflect on the things happened along the way. :) 

Finally i had my Bonsai! This is just so cool and cute. :) 

Well, tonight, we talked about spiritual life. I gotta admit it's really getting a downhill lately. I tried very hard to reconnect but i kept finding myself going lower and lower. Take for instance, today - Good Friday - it somehow just feels different, it's just like any normal day. Father God, i must have hurt You badly. I tried to continue my daily devotion but it didn't work. I think i need someone, a spiritual partner, to help me out especially in growing strong in faith. I wish for someone whom i could do daily devotion with, someone whom i could share all my experience with God. Someone to discuss Christianity and faith in Christ. Someone to sustain me when i feel like falling off the track and slacking off. And when he/she needs support and motivation, i will try my best to help, or we will both help to get him/her back on track. In this kind of sharing and supporting each other, i believe our faith in Christ will strengthen. But who can be my spiritual partner?

Guys. I felt like as I grow in age, many of my principles for love loose with time. I used to have a long list of criteria for my perfect Mr Right, but now, there're only a few principles left. =/ Few months ago, i felt a strong urge to find someone and settle down. Kinda tired of being 'too free'. I wished that i could just change my status to 'in a relationship' so that i could stop the bees for pursuing after me and not to break more hearts. However, i think God says it is still not the time yet. And this is good - it gives me more time to pray over it and prepare myself to be a better woman for the man He has prepared for me. And this time, i wanna do it RIGHT with God from the start. :)

Career. Basically, i'm okay with it now. In fact, i think i'm falling in love with it! How amazing! I think my mom was really right - we really can learn to love what we do. :) I'll be going off for my very first practicum in April (which is next week!) and i am anticipating it. Somehow i just feel so positive about it and i feel like something good is going to happen! 

This was an activity which i tried out with my lil tuition girl.

(Note: We have read the story prior to this for a few times to get her really familiar with the story, and of course, understand the story.)

1. I drew and cut out the template for her to colour.
2. We made the stick puppets together.
3. We read through the story together using the stick puppets made.
4. She retold the story using the puppets made, without referring to the book.

It was a total success! She enjoyed making the stick puppets, reading the story, and retelling the story!

Church.

Today, i joined Fiona, her mom and sister to Trinity Methodist Church for a change. I've been considering switching to a new church, if possible for one which offers English service. It was not too bad, will try to go for a few times and see how it is.

I need some sports! 

Holidays have been filled with lots of eating, relaxing... i need to sweat. I need to train myself to be better in tennis! Speaking of tennis, yesterday, i was supposed to meet up a new friend for tennis. Unfortunately he had an accident and he was badly injured. I was hoping to meet this person face to face and get to know him better, but looks like it's saved for the other time. :)

Two more days of holidays. :(