CNA - Talking Point: Values and Character-building in schools

Watched the CNA "Talking Point: Values and Character-building in schools" episode... wow... education seems so important after the London riots incident... Some interesting points that caught my attention:

(1) Other than the host, the show got a JC Principal, a Sec Sch HOD, a COMPASS member, a Parent Link member, an undergrad previously from SJI (wow...) ... but strangely, No "PURE" TEACHER is involved in this "talk"... What??? !!!!!! ... Amazing CNA... This calls for "salute" 5 times.. This is especially weird that there were some related topics / discussions on eg. responsibilities on teachers (to deliver the teaching of character excellence)... So how to know their POV?

(2) Talk of the CME values Wishlist - resilience, team working, interaction of different cultures, integrity, compassion / empathy... hmm....

(3) Values are "taught" or "caught"? Hmmm... In my personal opinion, kids take the "value" into them and probably deeper if they can "feel" the "value"... ie. the "caught" / teachable moments... What is "taught" may not stay inside, or stay for long... But nevertheless, in providing an education for the mass, we can't rely entirely on seizing teachable moments ("caught"), almost impossible, so still need the "taught"...

(4) CCA - Will schools be telling that the students that it is "NOT IMPORTANT" to win, and sportsmanship is more important? ... Hmmm...

(5) Character / Holistic development should be both at home and in school, I agree with... Point is, the "talk" did not mention at which stage would this begin, and at where, and which comes first...

(6) A discussion broke out on : Parent Link member mentioned that teachers (maybe) are too stretched out to show compassion, to "walk the talk" for the students (something like this, and a GOOD POINT raised!) ... and guess what, the JC Principal says "... I don't know whether we are looking at one teacher and then blowing it out of context and therefore it becomes all teachers being this way, being stretched..." Wow, amazing statement made... So is she saying she does not know, or... ? Hmmm.... wow... I'm stumped, loss for words... sigh.... Well, we know we'll always tell our kids to be MORE OBSERVANT, don't we?

(7) Class size (reduction) : How to care for 40 students in a class when 3 kids at home already "up to here (head level)"... I salute you, Parent Link member!!! Another Good point made!!! ... and best thing is, there is no reply to this suggestion, neither by the Principal nor the HOD, nor any other person... I also "salute" you folks for this - this no-talk spirit and attitude should be shown to the soldiers in the POW course...

(8) Agreed with the COMPASS member on correcting the student's inappropriateness, eg. rudeness, before him going for, say, remedial lesson...


Kudos to CNA for organizing this topic for Talking Point!


(If you would like to see the episode, google keywords - CNA, talking point, values in school... )

Its.... SMELLY TAU FOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!

Paar Malam is running in Bedok Central... and when I saw this stall, I am extremely delighted, because it is selling SMELLY TAU FOO !!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!


Has been my craving since trip to Taiwan, and has been lazy to drive around to search for local stalls/shops if selling, so WOW, after months, finally sent a piece of stinky mouldy bean product into my mouth (& stomach)!!! Hahahaha.... GO AND BUY!!!! DON'T WAIT!!! Especially the stall seller is so slow... and blur, hahaha... Of course, taste is 3 levels below the ones I eaten in Taiwan, but, hey, I'm not complaining!

Haul of this evening's Pasar Malam's mum-mum...