2010年3月25日星期四
JC life. ---by wu xue jun
On the very first day, I got up at 5:30a.m.It was quite early because of the long distance between the school and my hostel. I could even see the moon when I was seating on the shuttle bus. The school began at 7:40p.m which was actually a little later than my senior high school. The flag rose every day with the national song. It was really solemn and regarded seriously. Then, the classes began. I was so surprised to find that there was no break between each class. So sometimes, the class would last for 3 hours which I think was just too long to be focused on. Also, the lunch time changed every day from 10:00p.m. to 2:00p.m. which was hard to be adapted to. After that, the classes ended at 1 or 2 o’clock. The students would go to CCA or go back home. It was quite unbelievable compared with the class ending time in China which was 9:30p.m. For the timetable, honestly speaking, I do not find it good for students since it is far too irregular to follow and may waste time in the long break. But I like the idea to get off in the early afternoon so that the students can do some outdoor activities.
The types of classes are also flexible. For the science subjects, they have both tutorials and lectures. In the lectures, teachers teach some new things attached to the textbooks or notes; while in the tutorials, tutors get into deeper questions and help the students individually. Due to the different types of classes, the functions of these classes are divided clearly and the teaching styles become distinct from what we have in China. It inclines to be more students—centered while the teaching style is likely to be more teachers—centered in China. Because there are just 23 students in one class, the students could have a better interaction with their tutors. Besides, the subjects were various, they have both science and arts classes though they will probably be major in science. In the economy and GP classes, I found it is both practical and closely relates to the society. They always talk about the newspaper articles and thesis of current affairs in these classes. The students can widen their sights in this way. What’s more, every student would choose their own CCA and every subject is regarded equally important including PE, though the grades of PE will not influence the A’ level results (I was forced by their PE teacher to run for 2.4 miles with my buddy and found out that!). It encourages the students to develop their own forties and learn to be active in a group.
As for the students there, they do not seem to be as hard—working as what we do in China. But they are more energetic and enthusiastic. Also, they are more active in class and prepare to answer the questions all the time. Sometimes, they may be more open—minded or optimistic than us. Once, when my buddy was scolded by her economy teacher about her grades, at first, she was indeed frustrated because she said she tried her best. But just after the class, she got to the normal mood again and continued the other classes. If it happened in my Chinese classes, it would definitely influence the mood of mine the whole day.
During the 8 days of my JC immersion, not only do I find out some differences between the two country’s education systems, but I also make many new friends--- my buddy Sincere, cute Shaur En and the chorus group. Just hope we will have a chance to meet each other again.
2010年3月24日星期三
TPJC, Too Perfect a JC! (By Yang Zhixing)
Before this JC experience, I had never heard of TPJC (Tampines Junior College), the JC where I went to. When I first saw this name, I laughed to myself: “Oh, is it Too Poor Junior College?”, and I doubted whether I could enjoy myself there. After I had a great time there for two weeks, I strongly agreed that the name should be the contracted form of “Too Perfect Junior College”. What made it so perfect to me was the class atmosphere, their critical thinking & practical learning and the student’s characteristics.
I think the word that best describes the class atmosphere is “free”. First, they are totally free to raise questions. If they have any single thing that they do not understand, they can ask the teacher immediately when the teacher is not speaking. In light of this free rule, I could always hear such words as ”Teacher, I did not understand, can you explain again?”. Second, they are free to remind the teachers of their mistakes, and the teachers accept them readily. One day the teacher kept talking when class was over, and the students kindly reminded the teacher; the teacher, then, apologised and ended that class quickly.
I was also deeply impressed by their critical thinking and practical learning. During the general paper class, the teacher encouraged the students to think and criticize the topics and affairs that were around us, for example, they were asked to discuss whether the youths were self-absorbed, and in another lesson they analysed the functions of nature conservation. These topics are deeply rooted in our daily life. By studying such practical things, the students can acquire a keen sense of observation and become perceptive. Besides, their handouts were the latest newspapers and magazines instead of out-of-date textbooks. This definitely helps them to gain a clear understanding of what is going on in the world.
The students’ characteristics, I would say, can be shown in the following details. First, they are humorous. They often make fun of each other. When asked about how they would defend Singapore, one boy answered:”I want to defend the nation with a stick!”; then the class bursted into laughter. Some naughty girl drew a picture of him with a stick in hand. It was so funny. Second, they are sincere and honest. They regarded me as one of their classmates and would not let go of my mistakes. One day I did not managed to sleep well the night before, and I fell asleep during the class. My buddy tapped me on the shoulder to wake me up. He said that I should observe the class rules just as the class did. I was grateful for this because they really thought of me.
Although the joyful time in Too Perfect Junior College was short and flowed even fast, I learned a lot of things from it. I will apply these attitudes and learning methods into my study. I shall cherish this experience forever in life!
Yang Zhixing
2010年3月23日星期二
My Highs in JC Experience
The first “high” thing to be mentioned here is the beautiful campus of Tampines Junior College. Before I went to Tampines Junior College for the first time I had learned that this JC was one of the “youngest” JCs in Singapore, so I imagined that it must be very new and beautiful. However, it was still a surprise to me that TP Junior College looked so neat and well-designed! The school was not big in size but it had gym, teaching buildings, canteen, library, computer rooms and any other things that should be contained in a junior college. What impressed me most was the library of Tampines Junior College. Small as it was, the library had thousands of books of different kinds that gave students much valuable knowledge. It is quite comfortable for students to study in such a quite room with air-conditioner. The well-designed library reflected a concept of Singapore education that self-study is of great importance for students. In addition, the well-constructed campus also showed the determination to focus on education of Singapore government.
Another thing that made me feel good was the timetable of JC students. Students of different classes had different timetables. Also, the time of classes of one student varied from Monday to Friday. For example, a student in class1 had a break at 10 a.m. on Monday but had a break at 12:00 on Thursday. However, his friend in class7 was having mathematics at 10 a.m. on Monday. As far as I am concerned, comparing to Chinese students who always have five classes in the morning with short breaks between each other, Singapore students have a more flexible time table which keeps their interest of study.
Now we have come back from JC and continued our study in NUS, but I can never forget my two-week experience in JC because it taught me a lot about the school life of Singapore students and encouraged me to improve myself. The highs and lows of JC immersion weeks have become a long-lasting part of my memory which always deeply touch me.
BY TONY YAN HENG
A Recall of JC Immersion
The initial contact was always unforgettable, so was the first day of my JC experience, which was full of surprise. With the fragrance of obscure flowers permeating through the brisk air, the dew spattering my shoes, the spots of streetlights twinkling like stars, I got on the bus amidst a fairly nice mood. There were not so many cars like usual and skyscrapers were like silent giants in black suits, guarding this city. The moon light had not gone, stroking the wrinkled sea. I sat in my seat, leaning to the window, and gazed at the flashing scenes, the movie made by the morning of this city.
The time we arrived at the JC, I realized that an amazing journey started with the beautiful view of that campus. Because our orientation T-shirt conspicuously showed our identity, everyone greeted us with a big smile, which eliminated our nervousness at the very first. That was the warmest welcome that I had ever received.
Without much effort, we all got our buddies. My buddy is a warm-hearted and humorous boy, whose bright eyes showed his cleverness. Every day before class, he would arrange my seat and ask me if I was contented. And he liked to tell funny jokes to me, which entertained me a lot. Additionally, he invited me to attend his CCA( Co-curriculum Activities), hokey,which I had never played before. He was really a proficient player that could control the ball like his finger, unlike me, an awkward green hand. Fortunately, he patiently taught me how to play it and encouraged me to be confident. He was so kind that I could express my appreciation with my poor words.
What he did for me was really helpful, especially the social knowledge in Singapore which abated my stress in this unacquainted environment. I regarded him as a good friend and teacher of mine. Besides him,the teachers and students also did me a great favor to enjoy my time in the JC, as well as in Singapore. I really wanted to stay with them much longer.
Our farewell party was held in the Pasir Ris Park, a barbecue party. Setting on fire and putting on the food, we had a jubilated party under the beautiful blue sky, with the settings of the peaceful sea and uninhibited stray birds. Everyone was elated and gaily sang songs, for our transient stay and long-last friendship.
Though the soot made our faces black like the charcoal, we had the most beautiful smile faces, only because we were together with our best buddies.
My fond memory in Tampines Junior college ( by Guo Yingjian)
At this time, my buddy must be seated in her classroom struggling to solve science questions or discussing the topics of General Paper. She and her friends will try their best to prepare for their coming “A” Level test, while I have to focus on the following English classes as well as Computing and Science module to get ready for my undergraduate studies. Maybe we would not contact too much with each other after this activity as we all have our own lives, but the cheerful experience would remain in our heart permanently. Although the time is quite short for me to get more detailed information on Singaporean teenagers’ life, I do really enjoyed a lot and harvested precious friendship with them. Compared with others who say that JC immersion is just boring and a waste of time, I actually found this activity interesting as it provided us with the chance to experience a new kind of school life.
I went to Tampines Junior College which is extremely far from our hostel. Each day, we had to spend nearly an hour on the shuttle bus picking us to that place. However, when sitting on it with the light off and looking out from the window, I could see the fresh dawn of Singapore when most people were still in their dreams. There are many things memorable during the two weeks, such as my first short speech before a whole school of Singaporean students, my bitter experience of getting injured when running 40 meters, my sore throat which made me unable to speak aloud and so on. I’ve learnt many academic words in Mathematics and Chemistry, and even how to draw the curves describing produce-demand relationship by attending their tutorial classes and lectures. I feel very proud that I have finished the 2.4 kilometers’ running within 15 minutes. Although it may sound not that fast, I made a breakthrough which shocked myself since I had never expected to run pass the terminal. There was a period during the process when I felt that it was definitely impossible to move another step forward. But having persuaded myself that I can make it, I chose to challenge my limit and see my potential ability. Luckily, it was not as hard as I previously thought. After finishing my last round, I was surprised to find that many of my buddy’s classmates were still keep running desperately on the playground. I have no idea whether I would have the opportunity to run that long distance for another time, but it’s really an enjoyable experience that will always keep fresh in my mind.
Last Sunday, we had a farewell barbecue in Pasir Ris Park. When we sat on the grass singing some old popular songs that express feelings of childhood and school life, I finally realized that we were going to say goodbye to our buddies and Tampines Junior College. I wish that moment when we were under tall coconut trees, enjoying gentle breeze and the smell of roasted chicken wings, and as free as we could ever imagine, could be frozen. However, the reality is that we should continue pursuing our dreams by making much more efforts. We noticed our lack of knowledge in academic English as well as skills in writing essays. We’re here supposed to be talents to make contribution to Singapore, therefore, we should not take the scholarships for granted but try our best to achieve our high ambition and cherish this precious opportunity.
My Junior college Immersion Experience (by LIu Jingjing)
I had been looking forward to the Junior College Immersion Programme for a long time. First, after having only English class every day for three months, it was good to have a refreshing change. Second, it was the last chance for me to study in a high school. I dearly cherish my memory of high school in China, of the old buildings, of the beautiful ponds and fountains, of the cobblestone road under the greenwood tree. What would a Singapore High School, or to be precise, a Junior College, be like? I wondered, with anticipation and trepidation.
The Junior College I went to, Tempines Junior College, was in the very east of Singapore, so we are frustrated to find that it would take us one and a half hour to go to school if taking the public transportation. The ministry of education kindly arranged bus for us in the morning, which shortened the time to forty-five minutes. Nevertheless, getting up at five thirty in order to catch the bus, which left hostel at six fifteen, was still a torture to us, as we had been used to having a sound sleep till seven thirty or even later. I, as well as everyone else, whined about the arrangement, until one day I found out that many JC students spent the same amount of time to go school. “We only had to bear it for two weeks,” I thought with sympathy, “but this is what they have to do every day. Poor guys.”
Being a Singapore JC student was indeed not that easy. They need to change the classroom frequently and there was no break between classes, which made students tired, although they had fewer lessons than we had in China every day. I was surprised to be told that Singapore students only have one chance to take the A-level exam. (Maybe Singapore can learn from the American SAT exam system, which allows students to take as many times as they can. This is impossible in china due to the large population, but it can help Singapore students.) Singapore students only have two years to prepare for the A-level exam. Therefore, it was understandable to keep hearing the teachers say things like “you must work very hard now; otherwise it would be very difficult for you to get a good result in the A-level a year later.” Haha, it sounded familiar. That was what my high school teacher used to say.
However, studying in one of the most developed countries has its advantage. My formal high school in China was one of the best in our province and quiet rich with the government subsidy and alumnus donation, but we were still not able to have the advanced facilities in Singapore. I envied the nice equipment in the lab, and admired the rock climbing wall, hand ball field, and the gym. They could have so many co-curricular activities, in a high school, which was quite unbelievable. I went to the modern dance club with my buddy, and learn JAZZ and BALLET! I never imagined myself learning dancing, but it turned out to be fun.
On the last day of the programme, we held a BBQ party on the sea beach and took a lot of photos and I chose one to be my laptop background. Now Every time I turn on my computer, the happy days in Junior college recur to my mind.
An unforgettable experience (by Wei Shubo)
I was chosen to go to Tampines Junior College with my twenty peers. We set off early in the morning on the first day. I was excited and imagined how wonderful the experience would be. I even felt a little nervous. After our arrival, we were welcomed by the school and each of us saw our buddies. My buddy was an open-minded student and he greeted me warmly. We talked a lot and soon became friends. I accompanied him to attend all the classes. We learned from each other through sharing opinions while facing arguments and entertained together. My buddy’s CCA was canoe training. Because of my thin figure, some of his classmates played joke on me:”hi, buddy, you look just like a beanpole, so you can’t afford the training.” To prove my ability, I followed them to finish all the training. As a result, my muscle was aching for a week.
Having PE classes here also gave me a deep impression. In china, the students spend this class for leisure activities. However, the students were trained in PE classes. I took part in three PE classes during the two weeks and felt tired every time. On the last day, we went out for BBQ. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We eat the food we cooked and sang a song together. That is good memory. I felt a little sad when we parted. I will never forget this experience in Tampines Junior College, for it gave me a good memory and I have some valuable friendships.
My Experiences at Junior College
After two-week time, the JC immersion is over. I am appreciating this opportunity to go to the JC immersion very much. I’ve found this activity of great importance. It not only helps us gain a lot of friends but also makes us get more knowledge about the
During the short eight days, I have made a lot of friends. My buddy is nice and warm-hearted. He introduced me to his friends and classmates. Through the effort of him, I was accepted by his friends. It is nice to have so many new friends. We often spent time together chatting and laughing during the break. We talked about habits. We shared our dreams and ideas about cultures. We found we had a lot in common. The eight days’ experiences also recalled me of the experiences of my high school. It was so nice to found someone just like the classmates of mine in
During this short experience, I also experienced a different education system. In
Although the JC immersion is over, the friendship won’t. I also have a better understanding of the lives of the contemporary. It is the one of the best memories that I have ever had. I will treasure this experience forever.
JC Immersion--Memorable Experiences
Firstly, I really appreciate students in Tampines Junior College, especially my buddy and her friends who were hospitable and responsible. My buddy was one of the first to come and meet me; her smile eliminated all my worries about the following days in Tampines JC. I met her at the hall every morning, and, after morning assembly, I followed her to every tutorial, lab work, or lecture. She always sat beside me, sharing her handouts with me. She and her friends asked me to join their discussions and activities and were happy to explain to me what I couldn’t understand. They took me to the canteen or cafe to have meals or drinks during each break. Although I couldn’t always join their conversations, they sometimes asked me questions and talk to me on their initiative and regarded me as their friend. Besides my buddy and her friends, other students there are also friendly to us. I was especially impressed by two Chinese students and one Singaporean student who came to us, chatted with us, and greeted us whenever we met. Two weeks is too little for us to become very intimate friends, but I will never forget their smiling faces, their care, and their help.
Apart from students, what also impressed me is their teaching style. Unlike the lessons in China, lessons here in Junior Colleges are active and relaxing. Students are able to express their opinions freely and teachers are fairly friendly. Students learn things in a quite easy circumstance. General Paper class is the one which gave me the deepest impression. Teachers distributed handouts or magazines to each of them and picked a passage before they began to read fast in silence. Then, questions were raised by the teacher, and discussions began. There were both class discussions and group discussions. The articles were about social issues around the world and students expressed their opinions on these issues and compare the conditions in Singapore to that in other concerning countries. It is a very effective way to broaden students’ range of knowledge, cultivate their abilities to reflect on different social issues, and provide opportunities for them to express their point of views. In my own opinion, except from the fact that handouts may seem a bit mess and students are not given enough time to discuss problems they met in doing homework, other aspects of educating students are quite good. I appreciate their easy but effective way in which knowledge is imparted.
Besides having made new friends and having absorbed knowledge during classes, I have also learnt a lot about life. I realized that a smile can make one look more beautiful and make others feel more comfortable. I will try to wear a smile on my face every day. I also found that no matter where you are, you can never avoid competitions. Only trying hard can help you stand out. In addition, the experience aroused my memories of school life in China, which is simple and happy. We shall always cherish the time in schools, in universities, when we are still young.
I am really grateful that I could have this opportunity to experience Junior College life. I am also grateful for students and teachers in Tampines Junior College for treating us so well. I will always kept it as a precious memory and treasure what I obtained all my life.
Long Yuanjie
TPJC,forever S06
My buddy is so kind. We became good friends after the first day I was in TPJC. She was sweet and I really love her smile. I remember that she walked in front of me and turned around, smiling. She never abandons me, no matter in class or in canteen during break time. We had a lot of happy time together, at school, at Tampines Library, and at Tampines Mall with her good friend, that amiable, handsome boy. He is so nice and I like him as much as her. I asked my buddy to bring him to our barbecue last Sunday, but I was amused to see all our buddies thought they were couple. Actually they do look like.
And there are the others, from TPJC S06. Everyone is just so kind and enthusiastic. I enjoy the time when we had classes together. Our GP tutor was always encouraging us PRC students to speak out in class, and we did a good job. In MA and CA, I became my buddy’s helper because these courses were really easy for us. But BA is the opposite. There are too many academic new words and we had to check them during the class. In all, I am proud of myself that I exerted one hundred percent concentration in each class, and acquired a lot.
These two weeks of JC immersion is just too short. I hope it to be a month, or two months, or even longer, for we want to know each other better, and to become closer friends. I treasure this experience in the same way that I treasure my high school life. One week ago, I was counting the days left to be with you. Now, I am missing you all, TPJC, S06, everyone. And I feel a bit sad to think of the reality that we cannot meet often since we are back. If you, my dear fellows, feel the classroom becomes a bit empty this week, please remember us. And we will always missing you.
Wang Haitian
The Highs and Lows of My JC Experience( Yu Hefei)
I still remember the stirring PE class I have attended in TP JC in which I got a good grade in the 2400-meter running. The P.E lessens in Singapore which have more task are quite different from those in China. Before running, my buddy told me that maybe it was hard for me to complete the race. I didn’t have assurance either owing to the lack of the experience of running so long. But as the race progressed, reckoning my strength was still enough for the rest of running, I started to speed up. Finally, I got the third place in that race.
I think my proudest high happened in the ping-pong CCA club. I played with players from different counties, and I had a good time with them. It was not the result but the process that made mine feel happy. Now many members of that club are good friends of me and we chat online frequently. It was a pleasant memory from my JC experiences.
As for my lows in my JC immersion, the worst thing I think was the fact that I didn’t become a real intimate of my buddy. Maybe the reason was that there existed some cultural gaps between my buddy and me and the class I attended in TP JC didn’t appeal to me so that I spent much of my time sleeping in the school library. There was an air-conditioned reading room attached to the library. From my experience, it was a veritable comfortable resort for sleeping.
My JC immersion program has already finished, I think whether we had a good time or bad memory is not important. The things we learned from it were more valuable to us.
2010年3月22日星期一
Junior College Experience ( Guo Rui )
The junior college I went to is Tampines Junior College, which is located in the eastern regions of Singapore. It is established in the year 1986 and it is Singapore’s 13th junior college. The college arranged a buddy for every Chinese student. My buddy is an enthusiastic and hard-working girl. She has many good friends. They are all friendly and kind to me. They ask something about our bridging course and something about China they are interested in. It is a pity that my buddy says Chinese to me all the time, even if I say English.
Every morning, I got up at 5:30 and got on the bus at 6:20. When I reached Tampines, it was just 7:00. The sky was still dark, there were several stars. At about 7:40, we went to the playground, the whole college song Singapore national anthem and made a pledge. At 8:00, we started having classes. One class lasted one hour and one lecture lasted a bit longer, one hour and a half.
Tampines Junior College offers a number of course programs to the students. The project work is an essential subject for the students, which they need to complete. The college offers combination as well as several compulsory subjects to the students like mother tongue language. Science students can choose the subject which they prefer to learn. But in China, every science student must learn six subjects, including Chinese, mathematics, English, physics, chemistry and biology. Attending a class style is also diverse. Singapore students change the classroom for different lessons. In surprise, there may be no break between two lessons. By contrast, Chinese students have a regular classroom. When we finish a lesson that is forty-five minutes, we will have a ten-minute break for relaxing.
In class, my buddy and her classmates are quite lively. They have varies activities, such as discussing answers in groups, debating. They can share their opinions with others. They will ask questions as soon as they do not know the answer. Even if the problem-solving process on the board, they cannot copy, only write down the answer. After they go back home, they will do it individually again. In China, we are busying taking notes in class and afraid to leave out anything important. Generally speaking, when the teacher asks a question, the whole class will keep quiet even though we know the answer. It is probably Chinese characteristic.
Among the subjects, I am impressed by PE. In China, it is the most relax lesson. It is likely to run two laps, and then you can do anything you want, for instance, playing badminton, basketball, table tennis. On the contrary, there, in the whole class, students continue running and doing exercise, they have no chance to do others.
In fact, for me, the easiest subject is general paper, because I cound understand everything I heard. Other science subjects have a lot of specialized vocabularies, it is difficult to understand what the tutor say. To my surprise, economics is science subject, which is the arts subject in China.
My buddy’s CCA is tennis. I regret to say there are competitions between Victoria and Tampines. I do not have an opportunity to play it with my buddy. From the bottom of my heart, I hope we can keep contact with her, because we hardly to make local friends in bridging course.
In these two weeks, I learnt something about Singapore education and Tampines Junior College. It is quite different from China. In truth, it is hard to which is better, they can learn from each other. I also made new friends. In a word, the junior college experience is unforgettable.
2010年3月20日星期六
LIFE IN TPJC!!!
Though it has been two weeks since I first stepped into TPJC, I can still remember it clearly just as it happened yesterday. On the first morning, we stood on the “higher stage” together with the leaders of TPJC, in front of all the junior one students. With the rising sun, surrounded by its glorious rays, we saw the national flag of Singapore rising slowly and the national song of Singapore was sung by the students. It was not in China, and I was not faced with the five-star flag. However, on that moment, the solemn and familiar scene did touch something deep in my heart. It was my first time to experience a flag-rising ceremony in a foreign country. What’s more, it had been almost a year since my last time to experience personally such a ceremony. It reminded me of my days in high school back in China, which I missed a lot. So how couldn’t I be excited? Every morning after that, we would have such an assembly inside the hall or in the stadium. Though I did not know how to sing the song or how to make a pledge, I really liked the assembly, for it gave me a chance to experience the typical routine of Singaporean students.
Actually, there are too many other things that I was impressed with in TPJC, such as the complicated classroom buildings, the different teaching methods, the special ways of the arrangement of classes and so on. Obviously, I cannot elaborate them all. If I have to pick one out, I would like to talk about my buddies. In fact, only one buddy was arranged for me, and her name is Yuqing. I was rather moved by her beautiful hand-made schedule for me on the first day, which made my days in those two weeks much easier. Luckily, because she was very enthusiastic and friendly, she introduced her two good friends to me, and we four were all together every day. We would have classes, have lunch, chat happily during the breaks and do many other things together. We did have a great time and I felt extremely fortunate to make friends with them. I know more about what the real Singlish is by listening to their talks and I also get to know that their life is not so relaxing as I thought before. They have pressure as well, but theirs is different from Chinese students’. On my last day in TPJC, they three bought a school sports T-shirt for me, which I had mentioned to them before that I liked it very much. It was such a surprise and I was deeply touched by their sweet gift and warm words on the card!
As long as we got close to JC and to be there for a period of time, we can truly know what on earth the life of our peers in Singapore is like. The JC immersion is a great chance for us to learn more about the education of Singapore, and to make good friends with the local. I will remember the bright and friendly smiles on their faces; I will remember the solemn assembly every morning; I will remember each tutorial and lecture I have had; and I will remember my eight days in TPJC, which are short but meaningful, forever and ever.
-----WANG TINGTING
2010年3月13日星期六
TPJC, thank you and goodbye! (By Yang Zhixing)
Dear classmates in 10S06:
How’s school recently? Did you have fun with the camp?
I really enjoyed staying with you guys these two weeks. Although the joyful time was short and flowed very fast, I learned a lot of things from you, including knowledge, attitude and friendship; I shall cherish them forever in life! This is a letter for you. Thank you for your hospitality and wish you all the best!
I could hardly tell how reluctant I was when leaving school on the last day. Lingering in my mind were so many pieces of beautiful memories: the morning moonlight, the school bus, “Titanic” (vivid name ha), pleasant Singlish (though couldn’t understand), the piano, Kanon, and most impressive, your smiling faces!
Here are some words I want to say to you:
Zhi Jun, you’ve been very considerate and warm-hearted. I won’t sleep in class anymore J besides, you behaved very well in class, both active and thoughtful. By the way, is the cup nice? You will achieve your goal, eventually. See you in NUS!
Edwin, such a funny friend who always makes your friends laugh. You and Ewan are very knowledgeable and have a clear understanding of the things, which impressed me~
Elizabeth, the whole school is often filled with your laughter. Just keep smiling and laughing loudly and continue to enjoy your life!
Ewan, you are so passionate when talking in front of the class. I like your way of speaking, though I couldn’t understand a single thing…haha…
Jeremy, I know you are trying to defend the nation with a stick. You are a tough man. You will make it... I like your Chinese composition. Maybe in the future you have some questions in Chinese language, you can contact with me.
Pin Kwang, thanks for your sharing of physics and maths. You are sooooooo smart and knowledgeable. I still remember the stupid fly with a speed of 1km/h…funny…I’ll try to find a circle-gear-ruler.
Shi Ying, gentle and quiet girl…you are also my buddy. Thanks for taking care of me when Zhi Jun disappeared, LOL…
Shu Jun, the funny cute bubble thing… hope to see it again in your microscope (: Your handwriting is brilliant!
Xinyun, you are doing well and all you need to do is continuing to work harder, and that can make things happen. Be a little nicer to Jeremy, the poor boy…LOL again~
Yu Jing, I’ve been hoping to canoe with you, but the chance never came, what a huge pity! You are also very thoughtful in class. You are becoming stronger and stronger!
Here are some important lessons I learned during these two weeks:
First, we should care more about the world and what’s happening to us, and we must learn solving the practical problems instead of just mastering theoretical knowledge. In your GP and PW classes, I surprisingly found that the teachers lead you to recognize the real society and show you latest magazines and essays on current affairs. This is definitely better than simply learn the concepts from boring text books.
Second, I have made great progress in my English, but there’s still a long journey before I can fully understand your Singlish. It’s interesting and essential to master English, or Singlish. I bought a book recently named An essential guide to Singlish. The next time you see me, I wish I will be able to communicate with you more fluently.
Third, manage time correctly. We got up very early, perhaps the earliest ever during our stay in Singapore. So it’s important for us to do things efficiently in order to save time.
Forth, I should be more expert in Science. The lessons students learn in JC was difficult for me. I should improve both in English and specific knowledge. Do it right now and I’m sure to harvest tomorrow. The same goes for you!
Now still ringing in my ears is the very last farewell of your whole class. How I wish to have classes with you again! TPJC, thanks and goodbye.
2010年3月6日星期六
Unexpected life in TPJC
TPJC is not very large and the facilities do not seem to be very new or advanced but it meets the need of all students. The canteen has food for different races and offers reasonable prices. There is also a cafe selling drinks and hot dogs so that students can quickly finish their meals during the breaks. Lecture theaters are equipped with air-conditioners which can definitely keep everyone awake because of the temperature.
Our buddies and their classmates come to school and leave there always with laughter. It seems that they do not have the stress and complainant for heavy study. But when I attended class together with them, asked about their extra classes for improvement in holidays, I feel that they actually have to face severe competition to enter universities and seek for scholarship. Although We should value our privileges and study more diligently.^^
I was quite excited the first day when we attended tutorial classes of chemistry and mathematics. Not knowing the meaning of some specific words, I looked them up in my electronic dictionary and tried to solve the problems on the paper. The content is similar to what we learnt in high schools in China but with easier questions. They always use those advanced calculators which I've never seen before.
For their CCA, I just followed my buddy to see her volleyball lesson and due to my injury, I couldn't participate in it. Watching them from a higher place, I feel their energy and their happiness, although the temperature was quite unbearable. I heard some of us participate in canoeing, modern dancing, tennis, Chinese music etc. We can see during the afternoon of Wednesday and Friday, students enjoy what they are interested in and practice it hardly.
I do not want to mention my tragedy in this two weeks but I really find the experience precious. I will hardly forget my dear buddy and those interesting classes. There are only three days left for me to value. Wish my following week can also be full of joy.^^
-------by Guo Yingjian^^
2010年3月5日星期五
2010年3月3日星期三
What a Tampines Junior College (Zhao Zhenglin)
TP JC is really a very small school,it's area is half of my exschool in China.Maybe it's about 6700 sq km, may be smaller,I guess.But TP has enough seminar rooms, lecture theatres,the Black Box(drama studio)and the auditorium providing for 1800 students.Though their dining facilities, which include the canteen , vending machines and a cafe named Good News Cafe are complete,food is, to be honest, really awful. the The playground is very beautiful.When we arrived there,we are arranged to stand on the small stage. We all wore red T-shirt, deep-color skirt and white sportshoes that day.JC 1 students assembled in front of us. We stand there for over ten minuts,seemed like we were punlished by one of the teachers or we were pilloryed in ancient China.What's worse, we were in front of the rising sun. The position of this school is well designed I think,because students here can avoid the risk of cataract.
They begin to take classes at 9 o'clock, how should we have to get up at 5:30 and wait for them for two hours?Sleep, I need sleep.周公……
2010年2月24日星期三
Say Hello ^^
As all of us know, this JC is extremely far from our hostel and we may have to get up quite early in the morning. But, cheer up^^ We will experience a different kind of life, we will meet new friends, we will take part in some interesting activities and we will certainly grow in some ways.
By the way, through the discuss we had this afternoon, we've decided to make a “福”by little handmade stars and also try to draw Chinese traditional drawing as gift to them. Is that OK? Please speak out your opinion^^
This blogger will be used to share our feelings and photos with each other. Remember to bring camera so that we can take many photos^^
Wish we would have a happy JC immersion^^
-------Guo Yingjian^^
(郭瑛健^^)