Blog Prompt: Should students be given the autonomy to develop their own curriculum

I feel that students should be given the autonomy to develop their own curriculum. This way, students would be more interested as they tend to put more of their favorite subjects into their curriculum. However, every subject is important, hence students must still study the subjects they dislike, for at least a fixed period of time in their curriculum. The students would definitely have more enthusiasm when studying, as they could study their favorite subjects more.

Students should be given the autonomy to develop their own curriculum, as they would definitely feel that school is more enjoyable after filling their curriculum with what they themselves want to learn. Hence, they would study with more interest, and not think that daily school life is boring. The students would definitely be motivated to study hard, and will thus get better results. Hence this would definitely benefit the students as a whole. However, they must study all the subjects for at least a certain period of time in the school-curriculum, so as to make sure the students understand at least the foundations of each subject.

In addition, the teacher also could coach the students better in certain areas to excel more, and encourage them, provide opportunities for them to research more and gain more knowledge through the process. People want their children to grow up as independent learners, yet they structure their children's days to a minute and give them few opportunities to do anything but answer multiple-choice questions, follow instructions and memorize information. They could think of what they would really want to be in the future, and work hard in that area required for them to do a job.

Although some might say that the students would only focus on their favourite subjects but not the others. That is why, although students are allowed to study more on their favorite subjects, they still have to study at least all the subjects for a period of time in the curriculum. I feel that my reasons are justified and feel that each student should be allowed to develop on his potential by being given a chance to develop his or her own curriculum.

Blog Prompt: What do I look in a future leader of the nation?

I feel that a good future leader of our nation should have great foresight and is able to predict what would happen. Through that, he can plan carefully with meticulous care, and would not make any mistakes which might result in dire consequences. In addition, when implementing and carry out laws, the leader also can predict the responses of the public, hence he would try his best to impose a law that would cater to the needs of the citizens. He also could motivate citizens to strive hard to improve the economy of the country, thus improving the welfare of the country which would be beneficial in the upcoming future. Furthermore, I feel that a leader of the nation must be upright, and must not commit any illegal offences. How can a leader set a good example to the citizens of the nation if he acts only to satisfy to greed and only think for himself but not the welfare of others? Then his nation would be corrupted, full of people who infringe the law all the time. A leader who is upright would definitely be thinking about how to benefit his country, and not for earning money or solely for his own. People would definitely prefer a leader who is upright. He must does what he knows is right, instead of commiting wrongdoings. A leader of the nation also must be committed to leading Singapore to its success. If he is not committed, he would definitely be selfish and only carry out actions for his own selfish gains. Therefore, everything he does would definitely be for the country if the leader is committed in what he is doing. He will do it for the benefit of the country.

What if there was not enough time? What if I could not get out in time? Those were the questions that ran through my head umpteenth times as I laid the dirty little devils on the floor. Ten seconds is all you have. Only ten seconds. As I set the things going, I bolted out of the house. Ten...my shoelace fell off...nine...I dropped my pistol.....eight....picking it up....seven,,,tripped and fell....six....FASTER...five...four...NO THERE'S A LOOSE FLOORBOARD....three....yes got my leg out.....almost there....two...almost there.....one...YES I AM OUT ALIVE.... The explosion was colossal, the house vanishing in to a massive fireball that sent up a fist of smoke that punched a heavy fist into the overcast sky. The roof of the house disintegrated, a spray of terracotta skyrocketing in the air. One moment the house was standing erect there, the next moment it collapsed as a blinding white light seemed to streak across the sky, as if it never seemed to exist once before. Broken cement, bricks and shattered glass shards flew in the air in all directions, with such a velocity that they turned into vicious shrapnel and missiles, slicing through a nearby passer-by and killing him instantly. I ducked behind a sturdy wall to avoid the dangerous missiles that spun in all direction. Now the whole place was a disastrous mess of rubble and strewn materials. As I signalled, the soldiers marched in to search for dead bodies on the floor. A heavy weight of exhaustion sank on me. Why am I doing this every day? Why am I sent to blow up people's houses all day long? Is it necessary, after even the opposing country had surrendered, to cause their citizens so much harm, so much despair? I hoped the war would end. Not because I might be blown up due to the fact that i might set off a dynamite by accident, but it was the despair on the peoples face as they saw their broken house. Nothing. There's nothing they can do. Nothing. It just a sense of hopelessness and despair. But it hurts my heart all the time.

Blog Prompt 24/3: Should we take note of other things happening around the world????

I do tend to pay attention to what is happening in other parts of the world, as it is of vital importance to understand what is happening around us as they may have some impact on Singapore. Also, when a country is facing a major crisis, our country could lend out a helping hand if possible. It could also raise our awareness to current affairs, and we could also reflect on it after know about it, making us be critical thinkers. We would also not lose out to the society if we keep abreast of whatever things are happening in the world. The world is steadily progressing forward, and as it changes; human should change positively as well.

For example, look at the crisis in Japan. We lent Japan a helping hand as it struggled to overcome this major crisis. In addition, we know now that the sea near the disaster area is contaminated, hence the AVA would definitely take note of the seafood being imported to Japan and give them a thorough check; therefore this shows that the crisis is indeed having an impact not only to Singapore, bu to the world as a whole. One should not be ignorant to whatever is happening around the world as whatever happening around the world, be it turmoil or conflict or crisis, would definitely in turn affect the welfare of Singapore. The Japan crisis, for instance, would definitely cause food prices to rise, making it harder for people with a meagre income gain. Therefore, it is definitely important to take note of any specific major events happening around the world.

Can a robot ever replace a human teacher?

Can you imagine listening to a boring monotonous voice of a robot teaching you daily about your daily studies such as mathematics and chemistry? Wouldn't it be very weird? First of all, it would not be able to see your emotions, hence it would not know if you do not know how to do a question. Second of all, since robots are made up of machinery, what will happen if it would to malfunction one day and being unable to teach? It would disrupt the lesson and impede the learning progress.

In addition, if you have any troubles or woes, you can talk to the teacher, but NOT to the robot, as the robots would not be able to express any emotions, hence there is a barrier created between the robot and the student. Therefore, the student would feel that he is just talking to a non-living monotonous boring thing, and it does not reduce the emotional burden inside the student at all. I feel that there is totally no benefits at all if one lets a robot teach. Is the robot programmed so as to detect someone raising his hand as someone wanting to inquire something? It would indeed be very hard to program such a function. A human teacher is much much better as she has emotional responses and feedback about our progress. If you have troubles, you would also feel at ease talking with the teacher too.

After listening to the song,"Where is the love?" by Black-Eyed Peas, I felt that the society has changed drastically from last time. Indeed, now the society is corrupted, filled of people full of greed and deception. Articles of unspeakable crimes such as rape, bribing and deceit fill the newspaper everyday. There are more political conflicts arising now, such as the one in Egypt, and people would start rioting once they are dissatisfied with something, and they would not stop until they got what they want. Chaos reigned in politically conflicting countries, and innocent people got harmed and injured every time this happens. What has become of our world? Why is our world becoming such a place?

Terrorists now roam the streets, causing catastrophic disasters to occur wherever we go. Colossal bomb explosions happening in trains, buildings and hotels. In addition, there is racism in everyone, and everyone goes about judging others by one's "purity of skin colour", claiming that people with coloured skin are evil; they claim that," they(the coloured people) are the ones commiting the sins, not us. People are having an insatiable lust for money, and would risk anything just to get it. This shows that people are now different, totally without a shred of warmth, not caring for others, only taking care of themselves. Students speaking vulgarities wherever they go. Teenage gangs going on streets to attack people, to imitate the action-packed moves of the avatar they see on their violent computer game. What is happening? Why has human beings changed so greatly? Where are all the virtues that are inculcated in us?

The world has become a totally different place.

If a gangster says what he does is right, is he really right? What is really the definition for righteousness?

That day, I was, as usual, going online on face book and I saw this very interesting post my classmate, Shuin Kang, had put there: Tell me what right is, and why right is." He also brought up an example: if a gangster says he is really right, is he really right? Well, I feel that righteousness is, to put it simply, not to commit any sins or wrongful actions. The law has been set to enforce righteousness in the first place, and while there are undeniably certain loopholes in the law itself, it states clearly the principle of not committing sins, of not do actions that are clearly against moral value and conscience. Hence, I feel that the reason why we should even obey the law in the first place is not because we do not want to be punished by the higher authority, it is we, as humans, want to live side by side in peaceful harmony, and not go around doing wrongful actions that affects others negatively

I decided to bring up a quote from Shuin Kang himself," What is right is unchanging. How can you persecute someone and later claim that he is right? No. Right does not change. People change. What they think is right change. Right is free from error, and free from humans." I agree with him only partially, as I feel that this statement is, in a way (at least, only to me), very pessimistic. What is right, indeed is unchanging, and when people change, to be more selfish and greedy, their definition of right changes correspondingly too. I don't really agree that right should be free from humans though (no offence shuin kang XD). Righteousness has been displayed by certain noble people, who spend almost all their lives trying to benefit mankind (like Thomas Edison),and hence this shows that right is a virtue that is displayed by people (though sadly, not all), hence it is, therefore, associated with humans.

In fact, right does not have a real definition, right is just shown through examples such as God, who goes around helping others and does not commit sins. We should just try our best not to commit as many sins as possible, as I believe that one would soon have his own punishment and retribution if he goes around doing sins.