Sliding into the Scheme of Things...

Oh I haven't had time to update and lots and lots of things had happened.

Mel Gibson had been arrested for drunk driving and anti-Semitism - to think that he's Catholic and was the director for the Passion of Christ. Oh well. The Bush has failed in his attempts at peace in the Middle East and different vegetation has been deployed - this time round it's Rice. Let's hope this commercial crop will prove more nutritious than the common, garden variety Bush.

Meanwhile, more Asians bearing the belief that there are vestal virgins waiting in heaven have tied themselves on streaks of fatalistic ropes and joined in the fray of anti-Semitism. Apparently it is more important for these folks to go against infidels than resolving problems at home. Are they right? I'm a frayed knot - but then I could be wrong. After all, what would I know of heavens and vestals virgins?

Closer to home, Singapore has done it again - we have outdone ourselves in yet another feat. Yawn... But before you open your mouth too wide and tempt me to splash neWater into it, let me just tell you that we have succeeded in increasing the output of our water recycling capabilities while decreasing its cost of production. Sigh... We are so smart we make ourselves look dumb.

Teachers playing dress-up on Racial Harmony Day.

 

The boys in my Readers' Theater...

Even closer to home, I've been having a whale of a busy time occupying myself with schoolwork. From the last time I updated, I've experienced the Arts Fest cum Racial Harmony Day in ACS, while organizing to put up a little Readers' Theater to be performed by my primary 2 boys. Then there's the vetting of the final exam papers, which I fervently hope I have prepared the boys enough to sit and pass with panache.

But what had gotten me excited was the decision to have a Fantasy Festival based on the current English topic the primary 2s are going through. I had been asked to think of an idea of an activity to tie up the whole unit. Inspiration came in the form of a Roald Dahl Film Festival, which was subsequently merged with activities for Interdisciplinary Project Work (IPW).

We have yet to finalize the proposal for the whole festival's programme, but four of Dahl's more famous works which had been made into film versions had been shortlisted - Matilda; Charlie and Chocolate Factory; The Witches and James and the Giant Peach. The films and their contents will be used for comprehension and other English language programmes and activities. That's right, the four films will be running rings around the boys' minds.

Matilda	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The Witches	James and the Giant Peach

 

In the meantime, I can prepare all these stuff in school because I happen to like my cubicle a lot. It's like my little haven now - very self-contained and in many ways, more comfortable than home. I've got my food and snacks and even my own coffeemaker to tide me through my oral fixations, my air revitaliser to freshen my area and even my little objets d'art to make me feel settled in. Oh yah, and it's even got air-conditioning thrown in for free.

A few months ago, when I first got my posting news from MOE that I am going to ACS, Andrew (my friend and colleague from my contract-teaching days) assured me that it is all probably for the better. He said that over here, there are more opportunities to propose ideas and see them materialize. So far, he seems to be spot on the dollar and I do hope that he is right.

Only more time will tell...