Some advice I’d like to give to valedictorians.

Thu, 4 Jun 2009
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I personally know at least two people who are gonna be valedictorians in their respective fields this year, so I hope they will allow me to share my views on what I think a valedictorian’s speech should be like.

I’ve never been a valedictorian myself, so it might seem quite impetuous of me to be sharing my views. But take it from the perspective of someone who has studied the craft of writing and has sat as an audience member long enough to at least have some valid views on the matter.

Also, I am usually right, most of the time, so it makes sense to trust me. LOL.

  1. Keep it succinct. Use the recommended rate of 150 words per minute to help you keep track of what you have to say e.g. if you have 5 mins to speak, your speech should be 750 words long. Conversely, if your speech is 1500 words long, you’re gonna take 10 mins to speak; more if you consider all those pauses for breath that you’re gonna have to make.
  2. Keep it sweet. All the speeches which I’ve heard from valedictorians seem to border on nostalgic, mushy, unfocused drivel. Try something different this time: try speaking from the heart about an issue that should matter to the group of people you’re talking to. Think about it in terms of extrapolation: the group of people are at x point in time; paint a picture of what they might be in x + y years’ time if they take your advice to be socially responsible and stop STOMP-ing, for example.

    I want to cheat a bit and use Daren Shiau’s USP Commencement Address 2008 to illustrate my point, but I can’t find it online, so I’ll settle for second-best and ask you to read J. K. Rowling’s “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination” instead.

That’s all. I’m rather succinct and sweet myself, you know. LOL.

Notification of Examination Results.

Tue, 2 Jun 2009
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NOTIFICATION OF EXAMINATION RESULTS

Name : LAREMY LEE
Regn/Matric No : 08XXXXXXX Date of Release : 01-Jun-2009
NRIC No : S83XXXXXX
(Semester 2) Examination for PG.Dip.Ed.
Grade Grade Point Academic Unit(s)
Core Modules
QCE521 Language Teaching Experience B- 3.00 3.0
QCR520 Aims and Approaches to Teaching Literature A 5.00 6.0
QCR523 Literature Assessment, Writing and Teacher Reflection A 5.00 3.0
QED523 The Social Context of Teaching and Learning A- 4.50 2.0
QED524 Educational Psychology II: Teaching and Managing Diverse Learners in the Classroom B+ 4.00 2.0
QPR520 Teaching Practice DIST – 10.0
Prescribed Modules
QED562 Designing Effective Learning Environments A- 4.50 2.0

Total No. of Academic Units Obtained: 40.0
Remarks: Passed the Final Examination for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Specialisation in Teaching at Secondary School Level) (with Credit).
Cumulative Grade Point Average: 4.47

~

The rationale for and context of why I post up my grades can be found here and in older posts I’ve linked to (I’ve resurrected them from the old blog).

This is one of the things that has been bugging me since last night. I missed getting a PGDE (Distinction) by 0.03 grade points. It wouldn’t have mattered if not for two things:

  • It feels a bit like dressing up nicely for a night out at the theatre, getting there on time and getting ready to go in for a nice performance, only for you to dip your hand into your pocket and discover, to your horror, that you’ve left the tickets at home i.e. what a waste. (For context: you need to get a Distinction Credit for the Practicum module and a GPA of 4.5 to get the PGDE (Distinction). I got more than necessary for the former but missed out slightly on the latter.)
  • I made two separate choices earlier in the year to do two things, both of which I shall not mention because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. On hindsight, these two choices were directly responsible for the shortfall of 0.03 grade points. It stings to realise this now. Nevertheless, I must be man enough to stand by my choices if I was man enough to make them in the first place with the benefit of knowing full well what might happen if I made those choices.

Anyway, my sincerest thanks go out to my NIE Supervisor and the staff (permanent and trainees) + students of Saint Gabriel’s. The Practicum Distinction is for and because of all of you.

<ADV> (Migrant Voices) Call for Volunteers: Oral History Archive.

Mon, 1 Jun 2009
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(via the Arts Community Yahoo! Group)

Dear friends,

Migrant Voices is building Singapore’s first oral history archive for foreign workers.

Oral history is a special type of in-depth interview. Interviewees are simply asked to tell us their ‘life story’ with minimum intervention and questioning. They need to take stock of their lives in the course of telling their stories. In this way, the individual’s perspective can be revealed holistically, and in indirect and revealing ways.

We believe that a public archive of interviews with migrant workers can benefit both workers and Singaporeans. Telling one’s own life stories to interested listeners can be a tremendously healing and empowering experience. The archive will be used to:

  • educate the public,
  • help policy researchers and activists, and
  • instigate change in the working and living conditions of the workers.

Without this “body of evidence” on the modern phenomenon of migrant labor, the voices of the very people at the heart of the process will simply vanish from public record and public memory.Would you be interested in taking part as an interpreter in these interviews, or as a translator behind the scenes? Drop me an email and I’ll send you more information.

Best wishes,

Shengpei
Project Co-ordinator
Migrant Voices Oral History Archive