Waddup.
I've been trying to make some changes in my life this year - adopting good habits, exercising, practising my piano, building up my passion for music, gaining new experiences, etc. It's already February, and I feel it's timely to reflect upon the past month of January which just flew by.
As always, I'm still having my internship programme at NYGH, and it has been a very enriching experience. Each day I learn new things, see new sights, gain more experience and improve myself as an educator. Already I hear people telling me that they have found their calling in teaching, but for me I haven't really gotten that moment of "I know where I'm working in the future!" yet. Teaching has always been something that I've wanted to do since I was young, but experiencing it firsthand has made me realise that it's not that easy, and it's not a natural ability. That is not to say that I'm not interested in it any more; I still am, I just want to get my bearings before I come to a final decision.
On Wednesday I took my first HMP class, and I felt so insecure because for a subject like music there aren't any stipulated textbook answers - all the information really comes from the teacher. I felt like I wouldn't be able to answer students' questions properly because I didn't have enough information, and in the end I just felt like utter crap. Mr L told me to be more assertive in my lessons and to enforce my points. I guess as it was the first time taking the class there'll definitely be room for improvement, I just need to learn on the job. Building rapport with this bunch of students is another issue altogether.
I've been exercising (or at least trying to) regularly on Monday mornings, as is in the teachers' schedule under "Health Matters". For two weeks so far the other interns and I have come to school earlier before school begins and doing sports like jogging around the school and playing tennis. On one Monday morning the PE teachers actually made us play basketball with them and they completely owned us in it (obviously) HAHA.
For music I've recently started on my application essay to one of the UK universities I applied for. I'm writing a 1500-word essay on Romantic music and I must say that I am having quite a bit of fun here. Though it was something I studied for A Levels there is just so much more to learn and to know about it. I find myself learning new things when I ask people for advice or when I read reference books, and it's pretty thrilling whenever I discover links between two seemingly disparate things or events. And it is something I can completely devote myself to because I am not doing it for the sake of any exams.
For piano, I'm embarking on a new project - Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev. I haven't played a 20th Century piece for really long, plus this piece was transcribed for piano from an orchestral score, so it's quite a difficult feat to learn and play the different movements. Then again if I did an easy piece there wouldn't be any challenge, so I'm looking forward to it! :)
Yesterday PH came to our DG, and coincidentally it was also the first proper session, with the topic "I am a Christian". So happy that he was able to make it and meet so many of the YF people :) Hopefully there'll be more sessions with him there and with time, he'll grow as an individual in Christ and develop a personal relationship with Him.
I'm wondering what I should do after the TIP. Should I find another job? Should I go out and experience things which I won't get to experience in the future? Preferably I would want to do something related to music, but I'll have to venture out and look for opportunities to indulge myself in the art. I'm currently thinking of having another internship at NAC, but the application process is pretty tedious and only selected applicants will be notified. Whatever it is, definitely something related to music.
Oops, looks like this post turned out not to be a reflection on January but more of a "what's happening in my life" in snippets. I might write another post that is really a reflection; it's good to do so too at the end of each month anyway. :)
Waddup.
I've been trying to make some changes in my life this year - adopting good habits, exercising, practising my piano, building up my passion for music, gaining new experiences, etc. It's already February, and I feel it's timely to reflect upon the past month of January which just flew by.
As always, I'm still having my internship programme at NYGH, and it has been a very enriching experience. Each day I learn new things, see new sights, gain more experience and improve myself as an educator. Already I hear people telling me that they have found their calling in teaching, but for me I haven't really gotten that moment of "I know where I'm working in the future!" yet. Teaching has always been something that I've wanted to do since I was young, but experiencing it firsthand has made me realise that it's not that easy, and it's not a natural ability. That is not to say that I'm not interested in it any more; I still am, I just want to get my bearings before I come to a final decision.
On Wednesday I took my first HMP class, and I felt so insecure because for a subject like music there aren't any stipulated textbook answers - all the information really comes from the teacher. I felt like I wouldn't be able to answer students' questions properly because I didn't have enough information, and in the end I just felt like utter crap. Mr L told me to be more assertive in my lessons and to enforce my points. I guess as it was the first time taking the class there'll definitely be room for improvement, I just need to learn on the job. Building rapport with this bunch of students is another issue altogether.
I've been exercising (or at least trying to) regularly on Monday mornings, as is in the teachers' schedule under "Health Matters". For two weeks so far the other interns and I have come to school earlier before school begins and doing sports like jogging around the school and playing tennis. On one Monday morning the PE teachers actually made us play basketball with them and they completely owned us in it (obviously) HAHA.
For music I've recently started on my application essay to one of the UK universities I applied for. I'm writing a 1500-word essay on Romantic music and I must say that I am having quite a bit of fun here. Though it was something I studied for A Levels there is just so much more to learn and to know about it. I find myself learning new things when I ask people for advice or when I read reference books, and it's pretty thrilling whenever I discover links between two seemingly disparate things or events. And it is something I can completely devote myself to because I am not doing it for the sake of any exams.
For piano, I'm embarking on a new project - Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev. I haven't played a 20th Century piece for really long, plus this piece was transcribed for piano from an orchestral score, so it's quite a difficult feat to learn and play the different movements. Then again if I did an easy piece there wouldn't be any challenge, so I'm looking forward to it! :)
Yesterday PH came to our DG, and coincidentally it was also the first proper session, with the topic "I am a Christian". So happy that he was able to make it and meet so many of the YF people :) Hopefully there'll be more sessions with him there and with time, he'll grow as an individual in Christ and develop a personal relationship with Him.
I'm wondering what I should do after the TIP. Should I find another job? Should I go out and experience things which I won't get to experience in the future? Preferably I would want to do something related to music, but I'll have to venture out and look for opportunities to indulge myself in the art. I'm currently thinking of having another internship at NAC, but the application process is pretty tedious and only selected applicants will be notified. Whatever it is, definitely something related to music.
Oops, looks like this post turned out not to be a reflection on January but more of a "what's happening in my life" in snippets. I might write another post that is really a reflection; it's good to do so too at the end of each month anyway. :)
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