Ride of Your Life (by John Gregory)
Wishing on a shooting star
But dreams alone won’t get you far
Can’t deny your feelings anymore
The world is waiting right outside your door
What are you waiting for?
Come on, here’s your chance
Don’t let it slip right through your hands
Are you ready for the ride of your life?
Your dreams are riding on the wind
Just reach out and pull them in and
Get ready for the ride of your life
The ride of your life
In your heart, you know what must do
You’ve only got yourself to answer to
Don’t let fear of fallin’ hold you down
Your spirit’s flying high above the clouds
You’re glory bound
Come on here’s your chance
Don’t let it slip right through your hands
Are you ready, for the ride of your life
Your dreams are riding on the wind
Just reach out and pull them in and
Get ready for the ride of your life
You are on your way no looking back
There’s no future living in the past
You’re free at last yeah
You’re free at last
Come on here’s your chance
Don’t let it slip right through your hands
Are you ready for the ride of your life yea
Your dreams are riding on the wind
Just reach out and pull them in and
Get ready for the ride of your life
Ride of your life
Come on, come on get ready
Yea, yea, yea
Your dreams are riding on the wind
Just reach out and pull them in
Get ready for the ride of your life
Would your parents be overjoyed if you pass Math for the first time, or would they still scold you?
I once a tutored a girl whose father was never satisfied with her math results even when she scored an A1. When she failed, her dad would be nagging outside my door for about 10 minutes when he came to pick her up. When she passed, her dad would lament about her carelessness and laziness and how she would have scored much higher if only she had been more careful and more hardworking. Even when she got a distinction her dad said it was expected of her anyway, and it came too late anyway.
Thus I was speechless when I saw this video for the first time today: http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/video/dads-reaction-son-passing-maths-161306670.html
I just wish some parents are more loving towards their own children. I once had a tutee from HCI. Obviously he was a bright boy, but his mum kept using unkind words towards him. So one day, on the phone, I asked her, “Have you ever praised your son? When was the last time you praised him for anything?” She was stumped for a while, so I told her to start encouraging him instead, and be understanding whenever he was tired. Eventually their relationship improved, and so did his grades.
Is the hero the student or the tutor?
Well, the answer lies in the following lyrics by Mariah Carey:
“And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you’ll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you.”
: )
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Yay, my Sec 4 student topped her class in Math. : )
Congrats to Ameerah from Clementi Town Sec who obtained 24/25 for her most recent Math test. It’s my fourth good news in two weeks (before this, Daniel Lam from BPGHS topped his class in A Math, Peng Wee from CTSS did the same in Physics and Hanaa from Hillgrove Sec missed the top spot in her class for Math by just one mark).
Over the years, many of my tutees topped their classes, in Math and/or Physics. Is there a secret to their accomplishments? No, and Yes. It’s not a secret that they all worked hard and smart. The secret is, and I intend to keep it as a trade secret, is what I tell them in class, at the crucial moments. The power of words, truly amazing.
In case you don’t believe, let me tell you of another student, Victoria, formerly from Nan Hua High, now in RI year 6. Her math results were very inconsistent, but she obtained A1 for both in the O-levels. She didn’t attend my lessons in the last month before the O-levels because I kind of scolded her badly, and she decided to study by herself. When she called to inform me of her O-level results, I asked her what caused the change, and she said, “It’s something you said.”
The lesson for teachers and tutors is, be careful of what you say to your students. I’ve made mistakes in this area before, in my first few years of teaching. If you are a parent, please be even more careful of what you say to your children. Words have power beyond our comprehension.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Quote on Motivation …
“Motivation is a fire from WITHIN. If someone else tries to light that fire UNDER you, chances are it will burn very briefly.” – Stephen R. Covey.
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Singapore Learner provides Group Tuition, Individual Tuition, Intensive Revision, Enrichment Workshops, Headstart Classes, Holiday Classes and Crash Courses at the Primary, Secondary and Junior College levels in the areas of Math, Pure Physics, Pure Chemistry, Science, Economics, and General Paper for the Singapore A-Levels, O-Levels and PSLE.