been a while since i listened to tong's talks. i tink everyone needs a constant reminder. : )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cz2cHBna0c

what is my worth?

i don't know. i only know what i do best in and i try my best in it.

idealism is high among the youths today.

if idealism is so high among youths, the same can be said for both youths of the educated and youths among the less fortunate and guided. right now messages towards the youth are directed at youths of the educated. idealism i suspect, is high but misguided in youths of the less fortunate and guided. teachers who actually care are usually good and scouted into top schools, or jcs. but teachers who actually cared are non exisitent in really low-down neighborhood schools and these youths are the ones who are ironically apathetic and idealistic in a way that is influenced by the mass media and (should i say) false images of what it means to be youthful. simply because they see the society differently and gave up hope without even hopiing in the first place. and yes, while i say this, some students flashed by my minds and certain ones stuck. i interacted with these students, these boys in homes and all. even the best of them seemed to be hindered by problems at home or simply juz unfortunate scoring in psle. again, teachers who actually care are few if any at all, and those who exist are probably discouraged and there is no motivation to give their all to the students, simply because of their lone voices and it sounds meek and weak. i do understand what it means to be highly idealistic, and as i said choosing to be a teacher has nvr worn off for me the way it did other millions of kids, but i'm real scared i'll be one of those lonely voices to be faded off in the distant distance.

empathy doesn't matter. we live in assessment-driven society.

i'm probably gonna be slamed whacked dunked left right center if i say this in front of tong's enlightened students, but while i agree we live in an assessment driven society, it is also wad makes us successful and the comfort of being armchair critics. of course the best things in life are for free, but perhaps my own experience of life taught me that the best things in life are free if you have the money to buy the rest of life. it sounds cynical and it probably is, but the idealism might come back to bite our asses if everyone youths start to pursue dreams and do things they're truly happy abt all the while being blind to marslow's pyramid base. i'm going to sound really unenlightened and pap-washed, but the deep rooted belief that one has to first achieve financial means before we can begin to do what we truly want remains in me. you can, but dun forget to make what makes you happy, pays financially. the message, i feel, was probably just a little too towards emotional capital, and if the audience don't check their rebellious drives and sudden encouragement from someone who finally tries to see us for who we are, they're probably gonna slump the other extreme and wham, a new set of problems to be inherited for generationX II. yup. i'm gg to make an excellent teacher for MOE. i'm stil gg to steal tong's style of observing the class to size up the class b4 i make my move. muahahaha! i'm thankful for the last message, where he said "i'm a teacher, and as a means to an end, i'm also an entreprener'. thank u for reminding that economic and social and emotional capital should be merged.

scholarships given to ppl who really care.

thank u world, for making dreams possible for 2 more ppl. it's a small step, but it's one huge ass step. i hope i get my job as a teacher rite. dont let me fail these kids.

12:38 am ┬╖