PTM Time Slots

0800-0820: Nigel
0820-0840: Dora
0840-0900: Vanessa
0900-0920: Jiaxin
0920-0940: Jude**


1020-1040: Fern**
1100-1120: Grace
1140-1200: Po Xian


1300-1320: Floyd**
1320-1340: Andrew**
1340-1400: Nicole
1400-1420: Ee Ling
1420-1440: Paul**
1440-1500: Victoria
1500-1520: Deborah
1520-1540: Desiree
1540-1600: Timothy**


** Maths department's Mrs Koh has requested to see these students with their parents.

Change of Plans

Dear Literature Students,

The all important poetry workshop has been postponed to a later date.

You may schedule your tution etc. for the 29th, Wed.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GP students,

Mock Exam is still on Mon, 27th.
3pm-4:30pm (Comprehension)

2T12 at LT1
2T23 at LT4

Recommendation

Dropping by the library, I was given news that the "Great Expectations" guidebooks are frequently borrowed. That's good news and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is not only the other classes doing the borrowing.

If you are, like the multitude of anonymous students, likewise inspired to get cracking on extra readings, here are some recommendations:

R. George Thomas's "Dickens: Great Expectations"

Monarch Notes's "Charles Dicken's Great Expectations: A Guide to Understanding the Classics"

Time Slots

Dear students,

These are the Remedial (GP) and Extra Lesson (Lit) slots for the rest of Term 3.

Please see me with your timetable if your class needs to change your allocated slot.

GP Remedial (For S and U students)
T12--Thurs, 3pm (Odd) and Tues, 3pm (Even)
T23--Mon, 3pm (Odd) and Mon, 2pm (Even)

Lit Extra Lessons (Unseen Poetry, for all)
T9/12/27--Tues, 4pm (Odd)
T5--Thurs, 3pm (Even)
T35--Fri, 11am (Even)

H1: T6/16/23--Thurs, 4pm (Even)

My timetable for consultation booking is also available in my new pigeon hole.

GP A&E (Part 1)

This is the first part of (hopefully) a series of FAQ to trouble-shoot problems regarding GP.

Help! My head is sore from bumming against the glass ceiling!

There are some students who have been scoring around 30/50 for a while now. They might need to work on...

Solution 1: Style
If you learn how to recognize matters of style in your writing, you will have more control over your writing—the way someone reads your paper will be a result of choices you have made. If those choices are deliberate, you'll have more control over how the reader reacts to your argument.

The five Features of Effective Writing are:
1. focus,
2. organization,
3. support and elaboration,
4. style
5. conventions of language i.e. grammar.

For more information, click on:
Common stylistic problems: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/style.html

Solution 2: Developing issues
After mastering question analysis and learning relevant content, some essayists briefly touch on the main issue, leaving the examiner longing for more substance... and you for more marks...

For each step in the defense of your argument, you will need to provide sufficient
evidence and an analysis of that evidence.

You also need to analyze the evidence—that is, explain clearly to your readers exactly how the evidence you have offered supports your argument. Show the readers the connection to your central point, answering the question of why your thesis is valid or plausible.

For more information, read the full article:
http://web.princeton.edu/sites/Writing/Writing_Center/Handouts/DevelopinganArgument.pdf

Solution 3: Introductions and Conclusions
First and last impressions matter.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/arts/studyskills/writtenassignments/page_10.htm

Volunteers?

I have, on hand, a 36/50 essay on Science and Morality and a 8/8 Summary to be typed out.

Any one interested in improving the quality of their work, please drop me a message or leave a comment.

Good News and Bad News

For 2T23

Your GP results are ready...

Literary Leisure

You might have heard Panic in the Disco's "I write Sins, not Tragedies".



But have you read a literary criticism on it? Have a peek into a literary mind at rest.

2T12's Topic Sentences

Please submit your work by 9 pm using the comment function in the following format:

-------------------------------------------

Essay Question

1. Topic Sentence

- Example

2. Topic Sentence

- Example

3. Topic Sentence

- Example

4. Counter-argument

5. Refutation

(Name)

----------------------------------------------

Here are the questions again for your convenience:

1. ‘Violence to end violence.’ Is this the solution to conflicts?
2. ‘In spite of more information, man is not more informed.’ Comment.
3. Discuss the value of doubt in modern society.
4. ‘Morality hampers the progress of science.’ Do you agree?
5. Is discrimination against women still a global problem today?
6. ‘Technology is the future of sport.’ Discuss.
7. Discuss the value and appeal of gossip.
8. ‘The common man is the true power behind any government.’ Discuss.
9. Discuss the importance of water in the world today.
10. ‘Singapore needs to be a nation of tree-huggers and bird-kissers.’ To what extent do you agree?
11. ‘Reading fiction has no real value except for its entertainment purposes.’ Is this a fair comment?
12. ‘Life is about survival of the fittest.’ Discuss.

GP Lessons for Term 3

From weeks 2-6 of Term 3, GP lessons will be conducted based on this schedule. Please come to class prepared. (No excuses!)

Even Week

Double Period: Essay/Compre (CA)
· or going through answers

Lesson 1: Essay Outline

Lesson 2: Essay Outline

Odd Week

Lesson 1: Newspaper articles @ Language Focus
· All students to come to class with 3 articles from the 'Review' section of The Straits Times
· Preparation: Highlight linking words and transitory phrases

Lesson 2: Comprehension (Short Answers)
· Do your homework

Lesson 3: Comprehension (AQ/Summary)
· Do your homework

Lesson 4: Class Test
· Based on articles given or lecture notes
==> First quiz will be on Sports <==

Any suggestions or questions?

Thoughts on Terrorism

An extract from "Who Hates Whom" by Bob Harris:

"I avoid the word terrorism, for moral and clarity reasons. For one, its common usage--violence against civilians by non-state actors as an absolute evil--subtly implies that officially sanctioned carnage is somehow more legit.

Whether an air force blows up your village or rebels bomb it from ground level, the objectives and results are the same. (The UN definition makes no distinction between state and non-state terror, but popular usage does...)

Terrorist is also distorted simply to mean "enemy." Nepalese Maoists were "terrorists" right up until they helped abolish an abusive monarchy... [Ms Yao: There is talk now to reinstate the monarchy.]

Worse, the word obliterates distinctions. "Terrorists" in Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Spain, and Peru almost sound like they're teammates, but they have literally nothing in common... Instead, let's force ourselves to use specifics: "nationalist rebels" or "drug-financed paramilitary..."

Any thoughts?

Temperature Taking for Term 3

Dear students,

As we're required to conduct twice daily temperature-taking from next Tuesday (7 Jul 2009) onwards, please take note of the...

*drum roll*

Temperature Taking Procedures

Morning 7.40am

1. Morning assembly will be held in the classrooms to facilitate the 1st temperature taking.
2. HTC: Please collect the class temperature monitoring log from the Admin Office between 7.15 and 7.30am.
3. All Students are to record their temperature on the class temperature monitoring log.
4. For students who forgot to bring their thermometer, will have to go to the auditorium for temperature taking and they will have to pay $1.
5. Trigger temperature to be used for screening is: 37.6 deg C. Student with temperature at or above 37.6 deg C is to be escorted to F2-003 by Home Tutor. (Do not bring the student to Admin Office)
6. Admin Office will arrange for parents to pick up their child.
   
7. Later comers stop by PE teachers will have their temperature measured separately and transfer to the class temperature monitoring log later.
   
8. Please inform your teacher of the number of days and the type of illness if you are on MC.
   

2nd Temperature Taking at 1100am

1. HTCs to supervise the 2nd temperature taking around 1100am.
2. Students need not record their temperature, however, if any student with temperature at or above 37.6 degree Celsius, The HTC must inform Home Tutor immediately.
3. Students with temperature at or above 37.6 degree Celsius are to be escorted to F2-003 by Home Tutor. (Do not bring studnets to Admin Office).
4. Admin Office will arrange for parents to pick up their child.

Remember to bring your thermometers!

Owe $ Pay $

This is the electronic version of graffiti spraying and pig-head hanging:

2T05:
1. Ng Chu Wen
2. Lai Yi Ying
3. Wong Jia Wei, Julian

2T09/12/27:
1. Khoo Jia Xin
2. Timothy Tan
3. Grace Ong

2T35:
1. Amirul Mukmin (H1)
2. Tang Yue Qun

Your Edusave account has been fully utilized to finance your active school life. As such, the fees payable for Literary Evening has to be paid in cash. Please pass $24 to any Lit teacher when term begins.