The regions round echo the sound

I was just reflecting upon the A lvl results... now that the dust has settled, I can finally compose my thoughts..

What an emotional ride. I felt such joy for some students, and also empathised with the tears of others.. very often I was lost for words.

First off I am mostly contented and happy and relieved. My classes all scored above average against others of their own subject combinations, both in terms of %As and mean subject grade.

most of the students that I have seen potential in them have managed to get their As and Bs. and some who were getting Fs actually passed nicely with a C. For them I thank God. ACJC also did very well this year, more 3 and 4,5,6,7,8 As, and 2 fellas with 9 distinctions (one of them the student council president, no less). Truely, the best is yet to be.

But there were one or two complacent individuals who refused throughout the two years to be consistent, to put in effort, to even attend classes, despite persuasion, encouragement, counselling, threats from me, and other tutors. They did badly. How do we react? Only that its a pity that their potential was wasted, and will continue to be so until they realise that potential, or natural talent is akin to a rough uncut diamond. Without the hardwork that goes into shaping the diamond, without the creative energies injected by a craftman, that diamond will never shine to the world. Hopefully then they will learn to put in that hardwork, discipline and perseverance, and work with their future mentors to unlock their potential.

All in all, I am glad I had a firm hand on the students that I had the privilege (or pain) to work with. While sometimes I had to be so strict, take unpopular action and risk being misunderstood, I think this day is a day when what matters become so clear. The students have grown stronger, more mature. Their mental capacity has expanded They've seen their hardwork pay off, and learned the value of discipline and perseverance. Their great potential is reflected on their results, and they are thankful for it. To be firm, to demand the highest standards from my students, and to have faith that they have potential, this is the best way to love them.

wow, I've rambled for so long! i'm so brain dead from all the excitement, all that catching up with old friends and ex students... so dazed now... some marking not done yet.. I'd better go!

Coming soon, the fallacy of the abused octet, and the atomic structure strikes back.

RJC class of 2005 also did very well; clinching the highest number of 4A's in 25 years.
I'm so... preoccupied now.... with paranoid thoughts of what I would write here 2 years from now, when the current batch of J1s in RJ gets their turn.