The Day When the "Verdict" is Passed...

The judgment was done on 31/10/05 but the "verdict" is only passed today. What a silly long wait?!

I can sense the tensed atmosphere and I don't think I am good at handling that. When the "verdict" was passed, many were much relieved but there was just one who was shocked to much disbelief. MJ's "verdict" is to repeat. He doesn't take it well. He broke down. The class (certainly not just me) took sometime to calm him down. Will he be fine to go back by himself? I chose not to gamble on this. I decided to send him home, asking some of his closest pals to follow along. Mm.. only feeling a little comfortable when I saw him entering his house.

After MJ had alighted, we detoured to a nearby reservoir. I admit it was a little impulsive on my side. My heart was feeling a little heavy and I needed a breather and they don't mind a little unofficial "excursion" anyway. It turned out that they liked it there too. "This place is so unlike Singapore," one commented. "Aiyah, my girlfriend is not with me now leh," another added. We didn't stay long but the simple detour was fine.

I am a little glad, the class can come together to support each other in such time of need. Yes, the entire class stayed throughout until everyone was more or less "stablized".

- - - -
One year ago, during such "verdict-passing" day, the following stunning conversation was recorded :

Colleague L : Mrs T, your daughter needs to repeat JC1.
Mrs T : Don't tell me this. I am a scholar and her father is a scholar too. This can't be.
Colleague L : Mm.. there are taxi-driver father, hawker stall owner mother producing scholars too.
Mrs T : I want to see the principal to appeal.
Colleague L : You can, of course, but I can't possibly support the case.
Mrs T : During the first 3 month of JC1, the college has practically nothing to teach. What programme do you all have to ensure that my daughter will be doing better by asking her to repeat? Why not just let her be advanced to the second her and not to waste her time?
. . . . . .
In the end, the daughter really repeat JC1 in 2005.
Today, when the result is released, I learnt that she couldn't be promoted again. In other words, she will be superannuated. What would be her mother's reaction? Will the girl be able to cope?

- - - -
This year, today, I recorded the following which stunned me (quite a bit) :

(1)
Student ZY was asked to drop one subject because he was promoted but wasn't doing well enough. I spoke to Mrs Y (ZY's mother)
Mrs Y : Can he appeal to keep all the 4 A Level subjects?
Me : Mrs Y, I don't think it is advisable. He is not coping well, based on his results.
Mrs Y : My son is clever. I don't think it is going to help him if the college were to ask him to drop one subject. The problem is in his attitude. If he wants to do it, he can even cope with 5 A Level subjects. So why not just let him continue to keep his 4 A Level subjects.
Me : Mm.. you can try appealing to our principal. But I must say his case is not strong enough.
ZY is indeed very smart, I observed. He is just too lazy to do his work consistently. So much so that I believe what Mrs Y had said about ZY's capability, but I don't quite get her logic in her argument. Anyway, can the college give in to such request?

(2)
I was already talking to Mrs Y (ZY's mother) before ZY joined us.
Mrs Y : His result is good enough to go to other JC, he said he wanted to stay in this JC because of Math, because of you.
Me : Mmm...
*cold sweat* *jaw dropped* *shy*
I was speechless.. ZY passed all his other subjects except Math. Haiz.. what have I done?
Shortly after, ZY joined us...
Mrs Y : You. What happened? Allowing you to come to this JC was already such a difficult decision on our part. And now your results plunged so much. You belonged to the upper band while you were in your secondary school. Here, I don't think you belong to the lower band by your L1R5, but your results...
Alright, next year, I think he will still me in my class. I shall make it my responsibility to ensure that he is going to ace the subject eventually.

(3)
KH : Will it be of advantage if I were to report to MOE. I got relative working there. I got 2 friends ... It's obvious my form teacher.. prejudice with me that's why I retain.
I got to really talk to him to "correct" his views.. mm.. not easy.

- - - -

When emotion runs high, thoughts emerge and words fly.
When we are calm enough later and remember to look back, will we still harbour the same perspective?