2/12/04

I'm feeling slightly week after 4 days of blood vomiting. Luckily I didn't vomit much blood today. I am just surprised that the children in a neighbourhood school are easier to teach than in the well-known school. Well its a trade off actually. The music standard in the neighbourhood school is slightly lower than in the better school. The attitude is better in the neighbourhood school.

Both my teacher and I were late for today's practice, because we were really so tired. But, I reached there 10 minutes before my teacher. So I organised them into groups of 5 and let them do a little ice breaker within their groups. I really don't know what to do with them, so I tried to dragged the time. Finally, my teacher came, and he took charge (Phew).

My duty today was to take care of the recruits, similar to the other school. (Its Mary had a little lamb again). I have to build up their discipline. There are some trouble makers again, but these trouble makers are not as irritating as those in the other school. At least no cocky (proud and arrogant) kids. So, no kid bullied me today hee. I threatened them with the points again, so they all behaved whenever I said I'll deduct marks.

I think I have came a long way to what I am today. In the beginning of my band teaching days, I was really inexperience. Although I have the skills to teach the playing, but I have no experience to control the students. Today, I have learnt alot, all thanks to my teacher.

After we ended today's training, my teacher drove me to a coffee shop near my home and we ate and chat there. He started telling me about his sec school teacher, and told me how his teacher taught him. "Don't always use the traditional method of teaching and punishment for controlling the students" he said. I felt that the words he said are really true. As the students come from a different era, and the family values are different now, we have to change our teaching method as well.

THE STUDENTS THERE ARE REALLY SO MUCH NICER!! hahaa. Thank god. Lesser shouting from me, and easier control. So....attitude is really more important than skills (as what my Marketing module tutor said). Skills can be taught while attitudes are hard to change (leopard can't change its spots). But... I'm abit worried that I can't raise their standard enough to perform at the end of the camp. I'll do my best. :)

Slice of Life

"A SLICE OF LIFE - Our Destiny of Loss

Loss is Man's destiny, since anything we endeavour to love in this world can be taken from us at any moment. And nothing is more painful or crippling than the loss of a loved one.

Whether it's mortal death or the death of passion that severs a human union, the loss of a loved one cannot be prevented by any worldly craft or art.

But although we cannot prolong the time given to us to share with our loved ones, we can choose how we use it. If we can love selflessly and abundantly, the sheer immensity of love shared will far outweigh the tragedy of a shortened bond.

For very often, the greatest tragedy of a loved one's passing is not the loss itself, but the regret of not having shown and given our love more freely before it was too late.

When our partner decides to leave the relationship, or when someone we love does not reciprocate our feelings, the initial agony may seem insufferable. But we need not let the pain engulf us.

The ability to love someone is the greatest gift we possess. It is a store that will never run out, no matter how much of the inventory we choose to give away. This desire to love is a self-rejuvenating mechanism because when love is given away, more love rushes in to fill its place.

On the other hand, the desire for love gorges a heart with delicious lies that say it has the power and the right to make others love it. Over time, the glutted heart eventually collapses under its own weight, a fat and rotten thing.

It is not in our power, nor is it our right to make others love us. No one truly belongs to you. Not your family members, not your partners, and certainly not someone you just started to develop feelings for. A relationship founded on a selfish longing to possess is almost certain to fail.

Love fearlessly and unselfishly, and you need never feel the anguish and regret of loss."