The Chinese Bamboo 4-"Kan En"(Gratitude)

I just came back from a sumptuous dinner in Seremban. My ex-student who was on a brief  holiday  invited us for BBQ crabs but unfortunately the crabs were a sold out today.Anyway we had a lot to share and before we parted,she touched my heart with a simple statement "Thank you teacher...For what I  am today I have you to thank"!

Many sweet moments I have shared with this child but what is most outstanding is her determination to come out from the cycle of poverty and ignorance. I am indeed proud to know that today she earns more than S$4K per month as a payroll specialist in Singapore. Her  success has indeed been an inspiration to my other students and her  gratitude has been a source of comfort to my ever challenging career.

It's not the bouquets of flowers nor the presents that matters to me but just a simple "THANK YOU" that warms my heart. An occasional visit...a long distance call....a sweet text message....Ah!I am getting too sentimental.

Perhaps the CB would have felt it needs to be grateful to the farmer who toiled to nurture it too!!??

The Chinese Bamboo 3--Being Steadfast

The Government has decided to maintain the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) for students who have started learning the subjects in the language.

Tears welled up in my eyes this morning when I saw the headlines in the Star-"English All The Way"..Yes!!!I was elated beyond words.That means I will continue to teach in English and most importantly my daughter will be fortunate enough to continue her secondary education in English.I guess this was the  brightest  piece of news ever  since  it was announced in 2009 that  PPSMI would be scraped. From that day onwards, i had been praying and hoping for a reversal of the decision and as hope became elusive, I grudgingly accepted the fate of my daughter's future.....till PAGE gave us a glimmer of hope...!!

Perhaps  PPSMI should not be deemed a failure but rather as a premature challenge  and struggle that doesn't spell instant success .  Like the CB seed , when planted,watered and nurtured for an entire year it will still not sprout despite all the efforts but should the struggle to see it grow is halted midway .......then it will never even have the opportunity to stand 90 feet tall in its fifth year.

Though their voices were "small",it was heard and I am eternally grateful to PAGE for their undying persistence. PAGE was  steadfast about their motion and though it looked like a losing battle.....all was not lost in the end.For now we should overcome all adversities and patiently toil  towards making PPSMI a success.

May this wonderful news be "permanent"  !! 

BENT BUT DON'T BREAK!!!

The Chinese Bamboo 2--Resilience

The holidays are round the corner and I suppose everyone is looking forward to the long needed rest.. Me?? Of course I can't deny that too as I feel I really need a break... but as the holidays approach , my excitement peaks not for the holidays but for the ticking clock as it seems to zoom towards SPM .The D-days will of course be the days my students sit for their Math and Add Math Papers.

After months of nurture..my wish is for them to shoot up to be as tall as the 90ft CB metaphorically.I wish i could have a peep into the future..not too far,just till March ..when the results are announced.Will I cry with them or laugh out loud and jump alongside in joy with them??

Of course that brought me thinking of my student who came to visit me in school today..i was touched as he came as soon as he arrived from his Changloon Matriculation College.A wonderful and sensible child..and definitely a long list of positive adjectives to describe him...but what is striking about him is his relation to my CB ..

As the Head Boy of the school he was always vulnerable to unfair criticism..and one fine day I saw him standing sadly  outside a class. Tears rolled down his cheek..Of course to see a boy cry would only mean that something very sad had taken place..so we sat and talked .

                  "BE TOUGH AND RESILIENT"  like the CB..

Many a tough moment have passed his way..and I am very proud that he is managing his life well..thanks to the CB..

                  May he continue to grow and grow in life.............like the CB

My dear children,
life 's journey will never be rosy
but as long as you remain tough and resilient,

like the CB
don't break but bend easily

YOU'LL WIN LIFE OVER
CONFIDENTLY.....EVENTUALLY

The Chinese Bamboo- a lesson learnt

After a most challenging day today.....extra classes prior to SPM...that evening i went  out for dinner with my husband.As we were waiting for our dishes,he saw my phone wallpaper and began asking me what tree it was."The Chinese bamboo "  ..i replied.Puzzled,, he asked  me why this was my wallpaper. Sudddenly i felt a rush of adrenaline and  reeling with charged energy I related to him about the tree and its significance in my life....

A few years back,i started teaching add math and the percentage passes were bitterly low..So like a chinese bamboo seed,I made sure that the students were nurtured and given the maximum amount of guidance and encouragement..of course it was heart wrenching to see the result after a year...no success yet..just like the CB seed...yet i knew that i couldn't give up on them...so i toiled and grudgingly moved on....till after the third year the result suddenly shot to a WHOPPING  20% INCREASE!!! Wow!! just like the CB seed,,albeit a difference of two years faster ....

But of course the spurt of growth is not easy to maintain ....like the roots of the CB  which takes five years to prepare  its transformation, I too need to start  extra classes as early as during the final school holiday and push on every weekend till the end of the following  year ...

And of course the reward of the silent effort .....comes in March when the SPM results are announced..but this year i feel a weakened root....but maybe a miracle might await ....so the story ended with our dinner arriving just in the nick of time ..