Academic success June 13, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Musings.2 comments
speaking about high schools…
there’s been some moves lately to abolish the centralized exams that students take, especially at high school level. There is one centralized examination all students take at Primary 6 (around age 12), Form 3 (around age 15) and another one at Form 5 (age 17), and for some, yet another one at Upper Form 6 (around age 19).
although any radical move like this has to be taken with caution, I support it to a certain extent. The current education system of emphasizing on nothing but examinations tends to create an unnecessary culture of kiasu’ism (refusing to lose out) and undue emphasis on memorization.
as an educator, I notice several things about this system.
1. students can goof off the entire year and just quickly start studying towards the end of the year just before the exams, and usually still come out alright
2. the emphasis is on memorization, not understanding. There is an old saying that is still revered in educational circles, and it goes something like this: tell me, and I forget; show me, and I remember; involve me, and I understand. How many essays have I gotten that are basically a regurgitation of my notes, without any proper understanding of the material involved? The educational culture here is as such, memorization is rewarded, if the essay or answer is worded exactly as the examiner wants it, the marks are awarded. It doesn’t really matter if the student actually understood what was asked or taught, only if they remember it.
3. the parents push their children to score as many A’s as they can, when A’s are not enough, they even push their children to score high A’s. I’ve had parents say that they’re concerned because their children were scoring 92’s and 93’s, when they should be scoring 100’s. And so they send their children to tuition classes every day. Sending them to Chinese schools (I am extremely anti-Chinese school… but that’s a post for some other time) where their homework actually weighs more than they do. Making their children learn and do homework well into the night. I know kids whose daily schedule involves nothing more than school, homework, and tuition classes. No time for play, no time to be a kid. It’s really sad, and robs them of the joy of living. Plenty of time to be stressed out and worry about everything as an adult. No, I’m not advocating ditching homework and all. Just to be reasonable.
Anyway, maybe a review of the educational system wouldn’t be bad. Award more marks to projects, presentations, assignments, etc., instead of all emphasis being put on the examinations. Abolish a few of them, you really only need one centralized examination to determine entrance into university, not 4 of them just to give parents something to gloat about to other parents.
learn to Engrish ploperry June 13, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Musings.add a comment
mood: bored; now playing: Rent
bored marking over 100 MIDI & Popular Music History papers. And being bamboozled and amazed at what some people write in their assignments and essays. Sometimes it gets a bit suspicious when you get a paper from a student that contains many flowery multi-syllabic words and beautiful sentence structure, when in reality the student can barely put together a proper sentence. But anyway! Sometimes what I get is really amazing. All I can say is… learn to Engrish ploperry (in case you didn’t get that, it means, learn to speak/write English properly). What do they teach in high schools these days, anyway?
Reviews to both Pirates 3 and Momo Japanese restaurant to follow soon!
food review: Sushi Groove June 12, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Food.3 comments
where: One Utama, new wing 1st floor. it’s sort of below Esquire Kitchen and Shogun
I was a little skeptical about this place looking as it did (it looked rather… expensive & snotty), but I decided that it would be worth trying finding out that the prices weren’t too bad after all.
The menu is still a soft launch one, so there are limited items on the menu, but still enough to pique the interest. We had the Curry Chicken Bibimbap (rm14.90) (yes, fusion food) and a Fusion Dragon roll (rm14.90), which came sort of similar to a rainbow roll but with beef slices and cheese layered on top of a roll containing tempura prawn and salmon (I think). Really quite interested. No pictures again cause we were really hungry and by the time I thought about it the food was all gone.
Found out that this is an Indonesian concept. Website is here
It would be interesting to see how this concept takes off. From the outside it looks very expensive and intimidating (and since the lighting is very low, intimate as well) so I’m not sure that they would really be attracting the crowds.
Hopefully next time I’ll have pics… but for the meantime:
Rating: 6.8/10 for good food & decent prices. Service was a little… eccentric, but okay. Waiting for the menu proper to come out and then I’ll try it again.
I wanna rest June 8, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Rantings and Ravings.2 comments
mood: crappy; now playing: all the tracks from Mamma Mia! the musical (not all at once, silly)
I’m tired… depressed… and I just want to rest. Things at work, in church, in care group, in life, all just seem to make me feel worse. Sometimes I just feel like I don’t want to be responsible anymore. But anyway.
On a lighter note, I know I don’t post up many photos of the restaurant reviews I write. And I don’t review restaurants very often, either. I don’t get paid enough to really eat out very often, and definitely not at very fancy places, so there. Also, by the time the food comes, I’m usually too hungry to remember to take pics :p
But for more complete reviews around the Malaysian restaurant scene, try this blog out Memoirs of a Chocoholic
She’s done a good job organizing and reviewing lots of restaurants and stuff. I don’t necessarily agree with everything she writes there, but of course, we all have our differences 
plus, going to a place at different times may produce different results.
Which brings me to Sakae Sushi. I used to adore this place and patronize it as often as I could (the one at the Curve). Recently I went with my wife, and guess what. It sucked! Big Time. I would only give it a 3/10 or so. Portions became smaller, flavor disappeared. That’s just sad. Going to have to go back to Genki Sushi now.
something for the day June 6, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Musings.add a comment
Some of the best words I’ve heard so far.
Today I Will Make a Difference
by Max Lucado
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.
Today I will make a difference.
From Shaped by God
Copyright (Tyndale House, 2002) Max Lucado
taken from Max Lucado’s official website
bad boys June 6, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Rantings and Ravings.add a comment
UEFA officials gave an official report lately stating that Liverpool fans are the worst behaved in Europe. Quite frankly, history tells us that it’s true. I’m just wondering why it took them so long to actually realize it. Liverpool fans have been behind many of the major stadium disasters and all in the past 30 years and were responsible for getting all English clubs kicked out of European competitions for 5 years. And after that statement was issued, they even dared to threaten the UEFA officials. Such thugs.
Now, of course this doesn’t apply to all Liverpool fans. I have many dear friends who are Liverpool fans, and quite obviously they’re not responsible for all this mess. But they really do need to control their fan base better as this is tarnishing the club’s image immensely. Those idiots who forced their way into the Champions League final without tickets? Liverpool fans. Those thugs and morons who snatched tickets from children and other legitimate ticketholders? Liverpool fans.
It’s not just Liverpool fans, though. There are many idiots among sports supporters, for example, the joker who ran on to the pitch during the recent Sweden-Denmark game to attack the referee is one. What goes on in the minds of these people? I have no idea. They get all boozed up and then cause trouble, and sometimes don’t even remember what they did.
Sort of like the blasted idiots who always jump queue in traffic jams and supermarket queues, and smoke in air-conditioned places. No amount of swear words could express or describe the anger I have toward these people.
absentia June 5, 2007
Posted by ewokiebear in Stuff.add a comment
mood: tired now playing: Martha Munizzi – Glorious
So! I haven’t really been updating this for quite a while. Sorry, been busy playing World of Warcraft. Unlike many other games, it doesn’t just involve senseless killing and hack & slash, but it also involves a lot of deep storylines and interesting lore. And I think that’s what makes it better than most other games. Of course it’s not perfect, but the depth of playability is there.
Just came back from church camp a couple of days ago, and as usual, I’m completely worn out. Camps for most people are relaxing and all, but I’m on duty pretty much most of the camp, so I just get worn out. Add to that the fact that I always drive to the camps, and I get even more worn out.
Good news, they are opening a Carl’s Jr. in One Utama soon! I miss that place, and I do hope that MBF holdings is not the franchise holder this time. They singlehandedly managed to destroy a whole bunch of franchises in this country, including Carl’s Jr., and Grandy’s. Probably all the profits went into some big shot’s pocket, like it usually does.
