Having heard from people who have taken this module before
about the “famed” workload, I was quite hesitant about signing up. The module
did prove to be heavy, but not without the rewards that come at the end.
Time really flies. Looking back on this journey, it had been
one that was full of ups and downs, hard work and sacrifice (to a certain
degree). But all this does come to bear fruits. Together with my new-found
friends, I had learnt and incorporated the 7Cs into my daily work. My
communication skills were also improved throughout the course of this module. I
particularly enjoyed the interaction in the class, with everyone giving an
opinion or two in a bid to help others improve with the feedbacks. The
feedbacks offered an avenue to reflect on our performance.
The highlight of the module was the presentations, where we
had to display our knowledge and eloquence on our chosen topics in the peer
teaching sessions and oral presentations. I picked up several useful pointers
from Ms Lim and the class that will serve me well, more so for this semester as
I have other modules that require presentations. As a teacher-to-be,
presentation skills are also a must to help in delivering my content to
students. And yes! I will remember the 6 x 7 rule! The mock interviews helped in reflecting on the way i present myself during interviews. Though never a shy person, I do come across as
brash at times, something that I need to work on.
Last but not least, the summation of the module that
culminates with the submission of the proposal. One of my reasons to take up
the module was to learn how to write a proposal. And learning to write a
proposal I did. From the problem statement, interviews and questionnaire, the
team ploughed through, supporting each other throughout the whole process. I
must really say my thanks to them for making this tough journey a little
easier.
Once again, many thanks to Team Bookies and the class for
making this semester memorable.
On a scale of 10, I would have given myself a 7 for my
presentation. Despite the anxiety that comes with a graded presentation, i felt that i was able to hold my ground with the preparations I had, in terms of the content knowledge as well as the script.
For my part of the presentation, I was trying to launch an emotional
appeal towards Co-op in a bid to help them better understand the plight of the students.
I used a more mellow tone as compared to my previous peer teaching
presentation. Most non-verbal gestures were placed closed to my heart and
helped in accentuating my part of the presentation that students need help from
NUS Co-op. My pace of
delivery was also better as compared to during my peer teaching. I felt
I was able to bring across my points well to the audience as most of my points
were coherent with the slides and the slides were described to the right amount
of detail. My eye contact was also maintained with the audience throughout the
presentation to garner their attention.
There is definitely room for improvement. Although I was
fluent for most parts, I felt that my voice was a little muffled at times as I
tried to make my words clearer. There were also a few awkward pauses which
could have been avoided. I was also intending to add more emotions into my
presentation, but failed to muster up the feelings that would resonate with my
part, adding more effect to my words. If given another chance, I would muster
more feelings to drive the feeling of an appeal in reaching out to NUS Co-op.
Overall, I felt that the group did well for the
presentation. Everyone worked hard in preparing the slides, sourcing for the
equipments and rehearsing for the presentation. During the actual presentation,
we all supported one another well, covering up loose ends for each other when
needed without appearing to be intruding to one another, especially during the
Q and A session. Kudos to you guys Team Bookies!
Having been to Bangkok for a few times, I had the
opportunity to experience the famed warmth and friendliness of the Thai
people. The Thai people tend to be
courteous and helpful, always greeting others with a constant smile.
During the course of my six day trip in Thailand, my friends
and I got on good terms with the bellboy of the hotel we were staying at.
Displaying the typical Thai hospitality, the bellboy was always ready to answer
our queries and give us directions to the best of his abilities, in English of
course.
On one of the days, I
was horsing with the bellboy while teaching him certain English words. He
pointed to my shoulder and asked what it is called in English as he had a
luggage he was trying to hoist up the rack. In a playful gesture, I patted him
on his head in a way to tell him to think about it. The instant my hand touched
his head, his joyful expression changed to something very solemn. Taken aback,
I begin apologising profusely to him, not knowing of what I have done wrong.
Luckily for me, the bellboy calmed down very fast in the typical
“mai pen rai” (nevermind)attitude
and shrugging off what had just happen. But he did tell me not to touch his
head again. It was later when I found out that the Thais view their heads as
the highest part of the body and must be given due respect. Even though it is not entirely right to touch
someone’s head, I have never deemed it to be outright rude with this playful
gesture.
This situation was clearly a case of not knowing and being
mindful of their culture. In the future, reading up on the culture of the country
I am visiting is a must to prevent any social faux pas. I was lucky that the person I offended
was forgiving. In another case, perhaps I may not be so lucky?
Being a teacher has been my lifetime aspiration.
Growing up as a precocious and eager child who devours information, I followed my teachers faithfully. Having came across the advertisement on jobs.st701.com, I was naturally inclined to send in my application. With my energetic and lively personality, I believe that I am a suitable
candidate for the teaching position.
Currently, I am doing my 3rd Year of
studies on Chemistry in the National University of Singapore. Throughout all my
schooling years, I have been actively involved in many extra-circular
activities. I have organised several camps for underprivileged children, been
to overseas Community-Involvement Programs and played the role of a senior in
freshmen camps. I have also taught tuition on a regular basis based on the current curriculum, keeping myself updated with the changes in our teaching scene.
Teaching tuition also helps me to practise my skills in conveying thoughts and
concepts to others, especially towards slower student. Having the patience and
commitment had served me well in pushing them to greater heights.
In addition, I have a strong calling to lead. Having
the opportunity to be an Officer in the Singapore Armed Forces, I was called
upon to lead and inspire men under me. I had to constantly keep myself ahead of
them and care for them. Being their leader also requires me to motivate them
and bring out the best of their abilities.
Enclosed is my resume for your perusal. Thank you
for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you about this
opportunity.
The wealth of a nation lies in its people — their commitment to country and community, their willingness to strive and persevere, their ability to think, achieve and excel. Our future depends on our continually renewing and regenerating our leadership and citizenry, building upon the experience of the past, learning from the circumstances of the present, and preparing for the challenges of the future. How we bring up our young at home and teach them in school will shape Singapore in the next generation. The mission of the Education Service is to mould the future of the nation, by moulding the people who will determine the future of the nation. The Service will provide our children with a balanced and well-rounded education, develop them to their full potential, and nurture them into good citizens, conscious of their responsibilities to family, society and country.
The Ministry of Education aims to provide our children with a balanced and well-rounded education, to help them discover their talents, realize their full potential and to develop a passion for lifelong learning.
To achieve our aim, it is essential to have in the teaching force individuals with the passion to nurture our
children holistically. That is why we are always on the lookout for right talents to join the Education Service.
Teachers play a key role in nurturing the whole child. As a teacher, you believe in possibilities and are sensitive to individuals’ learning needs. You employ various strategies to reach out to students, making learning meaningful and enjoyable. You also believe in nurturing in our children the spirit of innovation, the passion for learning and the strength of character so that they can create new opportunities for the future.
Despite the challenges faced in the teaching profession, you reap many rewards. For instance, the lasting sense of satisfaction derived from making a difference in a student’s life is something that cannot be found in many other careers.
Job Scope
A teacher’s duties include:
Preparing and conducting lessons that will engage students
Evaluating and giving feedback on students’ performance via assignments and assessments
Monitoring students’ social development through counseling and working with parents
Planning and facilitating co-curricular activities, programmes and school events
Personal Qualities
Passion and commitment to teach
Creative and resourceful
Good communication and interpersonal skills
Good organisational skills
Professional Development Schemes
There are various professional development schemes available to help teachers maximise their potential. Teachers who have a keen interest to pursue Postgraduate studies may be considered for Masters or PhD sponsorship. The Professional Development Leave Scheme also allows teachers to enrich themselves so that they can contribute their best to the students and the Education Service. In addition, teachers have the opportunity to participate in exchange programmes and take up work attachments in external organisations, either locally or overseas, to gain new experiences and perspectives.
Career Opportunities
To better meet individual developmental needs and aspirations, the Education Service Professional Development and Career Plan (Edu-Pac) provides teachers with comprehensive career progression paths within the Education Service. Under the Edu-Pac, three tracks are available for teachers to embark on:
Teaching Track: For teachers whose love lies in interacting with students, the Teaching Track presents opportunities for advancement to Principal Master Teacher Level.
Leadership Track: This track provides teachers with the opportunity to take on leadership positions in schools and the Ministry’s headquarters.
Senior Specialist Track: For teachers who are inclined towards specialized areas such as Curriculum and Educational Psychology where deep knowledge and skills can be used to innovate and bring about Educational developments.
Teaching as a profession is an exciting and enriching journey filled with challenges and rewards. Come take up this meaningful career and experience the profession that teaches all other professions.
An
interpersonal conflict situation is often described as a situation in which one
or both persons in a relationship are having difficulties living or working
with one another. They are a fact of life, and may not necessarily be a bad
thing. Unfortunately, I had the hard luck of getting into a work-related
conflict during my 7 month stint.
Just
before I entered university, I was temping in XXbank as a Credit Control
Officer. Being one of the temps around, one of our duties involved having to
retrieve the voice mails and attend to the various requests of the customers. I
volunteered to start first. However, on the next day, when attempting to pass
over the duties to the next person, whom I shall call S, he totally ignored me
asking him to do the retrieving of the voice mail.
Initially,
I thought that he was still looking through the details of the previous call
with the client and I waited for him to be done with the details. However,
instead of turning to me after he was done, he proceeded on with the next call.
Totally exasperated, I raised my voice slightly as I could not speak too loud.
When he continued to ignore me, I actually swore at him and went back to my
seat. I ended up doing the retrieving of voice mails for the next few weeks
before someone relieved me.
People
adopt different ways of approaching a conflict. Some may choose to deny the
existence of a conflict, while some may go all out and blame the other person.
For my case, I even used anger towards the person.
In the
aftermath, I did manage to speak to a friend of his to start the duties going. Conflicts
can represent a crucial event in the course of a relationship. It can either
weaken or strengthen it. For my case, it weakened some, and strengthened some. I
became on better terms with S’s friend. However,
what set me off that day was S total lack of respect towards a fellow colleague.
He was not willing to take up the responsibility and to add insult to injury,
he chose to ignore that I was there. However, looking back on that issue, I
could have overlooked several factors. Workplace conflicts can arise due to
clash in personality or working styles. In my opinion, it was a clash of
working styles as I have a tendency to put my full effort in doing things,
while S was known for his laidback attitude. Perhaps there is another way to go
about this?
Rowan D. Williams
once said: “Bad human communication leaves us less room to grow.” With the
thirst to better myself always, effective communication serves as a means for
me to improve further and make me, not just a better communicator, but as a
better person on the whole. To me, effective communications is not just the
two-way communications, but being able to use that to bond with the people
around me, learn from them and understand them.
I am currently an editor with the Science Faculty’s
magazine. To get my content delivered to the readers, I have to be apt in presenting
the information in an easy-to-understand and appealing manner, a skill which I
hope to understand through this course. At times, I do find myself stumbling
with thoughts and being unable to portray them to the best of my ability. So I
do find it daunting to take on this challenge, with the aim of being able to
better myself.
More importantly, I am just a few steps away from beginning my
chosen career as a teacher. Having taken up this noble profession, I do strive
to be the best as I can be which my students will ultimately benefit from. One
particular aspect which I want to work upon would definitely be the use of
effective communication, which to me, would be to get my points across to my
listener(s) in a clear and concise manner. I strive to be able to engage my
students effectively, in not just the content, but imparting the correct values
to them as well.
Besides wanting to improve my capabilities that would be
crucial for me to be a more effective teacher, I would also want to improve the
way in which I interact with others. Being very outspoken and brash in my
speech at times, I tend to offend people with my words unintentionally. With
the aid of this course, I hope to improve the way which I carry myself and be
able to catch the grouses of non-verbal messages at the same time, avoiding any
social faux pas. This would also help me form better first impressions when I
am meeting new people. Being equipped with these skills would serve me well throughout
my life as I tread through the delicates of daily banters, be it in my future
workplace or just small talk with someone off the street.
Last but not least, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR TOO ALL!!!
