Sad news

How will you feel if the following incident has happened to someone you know .....?

The following message is copied from my facebook's news feed:

"xxx has finished her ops. Whole right eye removed. Doc said lots of bleeding and could not remove all the tumour. Pray it is not cancerous and will not grow back. Strong possibility it is cancerous due to size of tumour. Thank God at least she survived the ops."

Khmer New Year dinner for the children

Some of you had requested me to put up the following message before my Cambodia trip, so that you can remember to subsidy the new year dinner for about 140 persons, including the children and house parents.

i have estimated the cost to be around USD 200:
(1) USD 140 - Dinner with one dish (either chicken or beef) and rice
(2) USD 30 - Cup cakes, made and sold by the children
(3) USD 30 - Apples or other fruits, the children seldom have fruits
i was told that the food prices also go up in Cambodia, but if there is any excess i will use it to buy biscuits so that the children can eat it after sports.

You can help to bring joy to these children by subsidizing the above, any amount.
My POSB account is 094-05854-6.

Please notify me (via blog or sms) the amount and the date after you have made the transaction. You can include your name or remain anonymous.
As usual, i will summarize the cost after my trip.

Thank you :-)

Pants are needed for Orphans in Cambodia

Hi Friends

i need to collect some pants (for guy, working attire, thus no jeans), by 25 March 2012.
Prefer waist size around 28 to 31 inches.
Bigger size is acceptable too, we will alter it in Cambodia.

Thank you.

My schedule

Hi Frens

If i didn't answer your call, reply your sms or my phone is switched off, then maybe i am out of town.

You still can try to email me at "edward_msg@hotmail.com"

Below is my schedule:

Tour Leading during the following periods:


Overseas Travel during the following periods:
Visiting children in Cambodia/Thailand, 4 Apr (Wed) to 20 Apr (Fri)
China, 17 May (Thu) to 29 May (Tue)

Note: more photos are available on my facebook.

Critical vs Important tasks

You have to know

why you want to do
what you want to do
when you want to do
where you want to do
how you want to do

Time Planning and Management
&
Effective Communication

are crucial !!!

There is difference between Important task and Critical task.
An important task may not be critical.
A Critical task should be placed, planned and done before an Important task.

Do not multitasking if you cannot cope.
Learn to let go.

随想

无论在我们周围发生过什么事情，地球还是继续的在旋转，决不会因为任何人而放慢速步。

不要以为只有你是最可怜，如果你目前的情况是“比上不足，比下有余”，你就应该知足，但这不表示我们就要懒散，不求进取和失去目标。

如果你还在自怨自哎，倒不如把时间和精力用在更有建设性的事情上。

一封信

致 秉祺 父母：

秉祺已逝世超过四十九天。我也上载了纪念他的短片在他的“脸书”(facebook)。短片里的照片和歌曲主要是来自他的电脑，还有他小时候的生活照。

虽然当初电脑是我在教书时使用，但为了让秉祺的眼睛不会过于疲累，也让他在上网时能够心情愉快，我于是决定把电脑转送给他。

我大致已看过秉祺电脑里的内容，也完成了短片作为我和大家对他的一种形式上的疼爱与怀念，现在我决定将秉祺的电脑交由你们保管。

希望你们能善用它。

未来的路还很长，也不好走。

无论在我们周围发生过什么事情，地球还是继续的在旋转，决不会因为任何人而放慢速步。

我也晓得家家有本难念的经，旁人不便过问。

我们每个人都有不同的性格，成长的背景与生活的经历也不一样，因此会有不同的人生价值观。

但你们将来的人生和亲人会有什么样的变化和际遇，很多时候取决于你们的决定与决心。彼此有建设性的沟通和扶持是很重要的。

俗语说：“水能载舟，亦能覆舟。”

同样的道理，“钱能载人，亦能覆人。”

钱不是万能，但没有钱也是万万不能。但钱往往让人失去了方向，也让事情失去原有的焦点。这就是为什么我强忍着，不在办秉祺的丧事期间提及银行存款的原因，我不想模糊了焦点。

我不晓得你们是否有注意到这封信是写给秉祺的父母，而不是写给我的姐夫和姐姐。原因很简单，我只是单纯的希望你们以痛失儿子的父母的心情，去理解和领会我的一片心意，还有秉祺所愿意看见的和期待着的。不要忘了，你们还有颖嫣需要你们去照顾，去疼爱。

人活着不一定要站在绚丽的舞台上非常的精彩，只求不要为自己留下什么遗憾。

秉祺的大舅

二零一零年十月二十四日

Expect the unexpected

The boy was throwing tantrum after flag lowering. According to his teacher, it was because the national anthem did not play smoothly and completely during the flag lowering, due to technical fault of the PA system.

Rigid with daily routine could be part of the life of a child with Autism.

When working with a child with Autism, we need to have an open mind and able to expect the unexpected.

Great great caregivers

When the maid was sharing with us about her client, i.e. our pupil, i can see tears running in her eyes. Her job is tough and needs a lot of passion and patience.

Sometimes people think that SPED teachers are great, but i think caregivers of the children with special needs are great great persons.

Teachers have Teachers' Day to recognize their hard work, how about these great great caregivers?

Home visit

Today i have home visit for 2 students with my co-teacher.
Although i am not paid for the extra hours, but i am happy and willing to do it.

The little girl could be in danger

The car was parked near and ahead of the bus stop.
The father was facing the pedestrian way and loading items into the boot of the car.
The daughter was standing behind her father, next to the dividing line between the first (left) and second lane of the road.

Why didn't the father keep his daughter inside the car?
Why didn't the father let his daughter stand on the pedestrian way, away from the traffic?
Why didn't the father put his daughter in front of him, so that she is within line of sight?

i wasn't the only passenger on the bus noticing the little girl could be in danger.

Why the parents cannot manage their child? (2)

He did not want to have tuition class on weekday afternoon because he has studied the same subjects (Maths and Chinese) in the morning. He added he has to wake up early on weekday and he felt tired in the afternoon. So we agreed to have lesson on Saturday afternoon.

Now he refused to have lesson on Saturday because term test was over. In addition, he asked his mother to pay him 50 dollars for attending the tuition class.

He has a lot of excuses. For example, if i teach him new topics, he will say teacher has not taught him yet. If i revise old topics, he will say teacher has taught him already.

i have explained to him many times that learning is an ongoing and repeated process, especially learning a language. i quoted him few examples, e.g. he took 4 lessons to understand and remember '天气' means 'weather' and not 'sky'. i am referring to his listening skill only, not to mention his reading skill which is poorer.

i was very angry and did not wish to waste any more times in persuading him. Before i left, i told him i will stop tutoring him until he apologizes. He has to explain to his father why i stop tutoring him.

His mother could not manage him. He is afraid of his father but his father is always overseas. His father likes to buy him gifts instead of spending time to teach his son the correct life values. It is alright to have the reward system in place, but the reward mustn't come in advance, it should be given after the achievement of target.

She reminded me of my mother

The boy was queuing in front of me. His dad came and checked whether his son has enough money to buy his lunch. His younger brother came and checked how long was the queue. His mother came and told him that she has ordered '3 rice' (i guessed it was 3 bowls of rice). She joined her son shortly.

She told her son to go ahead and order what he likes, but she reminded her son again that she has ordered '3 rice' already. The boy asked his mother what should he order for his younger brother? His mother replied that she has no idea, and she was going to order food for herself. But at the same time she reminded her son of the '3 rice' again. The boy looked helpless and stressed because it was his turn to order food, and he still couldn't decide. The younger brother appeared and tried to find out what his brother and mother were ordering, and at the same time he reminded his brother there were '3 rice' ordered. The elder brother was lost and tried to clarify what he should do next, and his act seemed to agitate his mother. His mother gave the similar comment - '3 rice' and went ahead to order her food. The stallholder told the mother she has to make herself clear whether she wanted to dine-in or take away? After she collected her food, she scolded her elder son and they have argument. The scolding and argument didn't end here. The mother made a fuss over the issue at the dinning table, with the presence of the father and 2 sons. She shouted very loud and looked very fierce.

i believe it was supposed to be a happy family outing, and in the end it became argument over ordering of food and '3 rice'.

i believe if the mother can advise her elder son to order dishes only, without the rice; or the younger brother could stay with his brother and order his own favourite dishes; the poor boy will not be lost and stressed.

By first look the mother has small frame and the gentle look, but i never expect she can get agitated easily over a small matter, which she has to be partly blamed.

She is fierce, and she reminded me of my mother.

Why the parents cannot manage their child? (1)

i had advised his mother to engage another tutor for consistency, since i will be out of town sometimes. But it seems that his mother has no intention or unable to find one. She said her son has known me and i understand him too, if a new tutor comes, both tutor and her son have to start everything over again (including all her son nonsense behaviours).

i am not surprised his mother called me because the term test is near. Last year after the former tutor 'ran away', she started to look for one before her son exam. Learning and passing Chinese is not something we can achieve over one or two lessons. If the parents are supportive, they should have a better plan.

The boy showed me a new iPhone. He said his previous phone was not working and his father has to buy him a new phone, if not the parents are unable to contact him when he is lost. But why iPhone? More importantly is the attitude and thought of the boy.

The boy also mentioned he sees no reason why he has to study so hard since his parents have provided everything he needs.

If either the mother or the father is an educator, then they are wearing two hats - parent and teacher. i wouldn't know how do they feel or what are their thoughts, because although i am a teacher but i am not a parent of a child.

怀念

当年凤飞飞，刘文正和费玉清都是金曲龙虎榜的常客，而且他们的歌曲都会轮流登上榜首。

我们通常会怀念一个艺人，或一首歌曲，部分的原因是人与歌陪伴我们成长，他们的存在就代表我们人生的某一个阶段，或勾起我们的某一段记忆。。。。。。

中国佛教四大名山

四川峨嵋山，浙江普陀山，安徽九华山和山西五台山共称“中国佛教四大名山”。

去年我拜访过峨嵋山普贤菩萨。今年希望能够拜访普陀山观音菩萨，九华山地藏王菩萨和五台山文殊菩萨，还有唐山的地震遗址，纪念碑和哭墙。

唐山大地震

以下是摘录自冯小刚的作品“唐山大地震”。



第一次观看“唐山大地震”是在中国丽江的电影院，2010年7月31日。
今天重看这部电影，依然感到震撼。
感到震撼的不止是地震的片段，还有后续的故事。。。。。。。

Internet access

The internet access has been set up in the HTC (Hope Training Centre) @ Prey Veng, Cambodia. Now it is a lot easier for me to communicate with the children who had moved from the orphanage to the adult centre.

Vibol requests me to visit HTC to teach him more computer skills, so that he can share it with his trainees. Wow, now he is an ICT instructor.

Since the internet issue has been resolved, i am not going Cambodia this March school holiday but instead i may go Genting with my friend and his family.