Editorial
EDITORIAL VOL 3, JULY 2017
If you have been missing the print version of Time magazine since our school subscriptions became digital, we’ve got you covered. In this issue, you can expect spirited parodies of the familiar Time magazine with our very own Hwa Chong spin. Look out for interviews with students and teachers with inspiring stories, a guest article by HACAS, and of course, a MOCH exclusive interview with our principal Dr. Hon Chiew Weng.
Last but not least, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our Teacher-Advisor, Ms. Cheah Suet Ping, whose guidance has truly brought out the best in us. Regards, Joshua and Yanhua 43rd MOCH Coordinators
Time truly flies. We have stumbled, made silly mistakes, learnt and grown. The past six months finally brought us to this momentous juncture of JC life. For the C1s, it is a time to be fully plunged into the rigour of JC as the first block tests rapidly approach, and take on new responsibilities in CCAs as seniors step down. For the C2s, the end of this semester may mark the end of our terms in our respective CCAs, but also opens a window to wholly focus on academic work. No matter what your plans may be, we wish you all the best. This is our last issue of MOCH, and we have been working hard to make this our best one yet. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of MOCH as much as we did working on it. This issue would not be possible without the support from the student body and the teachers. Very special thanks go to our principal Dr. Hon, for sharing his amazing life story and educational vision with us, and Director of Studies Mrs.. Foo-Lam Woon Keat, for her insightful and witty responses. We would also like to thank our student interviewees, Faculty Committees, and HACAS for taking time off their busy schedules to help us in the creation of this issue. Next, thank you to 43rd PubCo for their invaluable contributions and feedback.
THE TEAM Teacher-Advisor Ms. Cheah Suet Ping
MOCH Coordinators Joshua Lim, Wang Yanhua
Chairperson Tan Guan Chwen
Art Directors Chan Yi Xuan, Shang Ke
Secretary-Treasurer Ryan Tan
IT Directors Choo Yi Jun, Liang Zhenyong, Tong Chen Rong
NSE AttachĂŠ Harris Song
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READ THE DIGITAL COPY: www.hcunite.com
THIS MAGAZINE IS RECYCLABLE
MOCH VOL. 43, NO. 3 | 2017
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LION DANCE Thank you to Mr Joshua Teo and Mrs Sheila Chia for all the support and guidance, and lots of love to all the C2s for always being so enthusiastic and passionate about this under valued art. CCA Farewell, 8
4 | Farewell Tributes from the C2s 6 | Amusing Affairs Briefs from the Humanities and Current Affairs Society
17 | Time Off Discover food, movies, music & more 20 | Fake News Elections drama right here in Hwa Chong
8 | Honour, Humility & Hard Work Dr Hon’s philosophy
21 | 8 Questions With Mrs Foo
11 | For the Record Facts, quotes & statistics
22 | Faculty Pages #4FACS1HWACH
12 | Lightbox Photojournalists at the frontlines
24 | On the Menu Visit the Welfare Room today!
14 | Inuencers A peek into the lives of three unique students
CCA Farewell
FAREWELL
As the 'A' levels approach, the C2s step down from their CCAs. Here are some words of gratitude from the different CCAs.
SSRC
WATERPOLO
Good luck with your research projects and have fun with your preparations for ISYF! :)
A big thank you to Ms Lim Ai Hua, Ms Eileen Tan and the A Div teams for their support and dedication to the CCA !! :))
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
We would like to thank our teacher-in-charge, Dr Sin for her constant guidance. Also, shoutout to the J2s for being such a bubbly bunch and all the best for As :)
MAD
“in dance, it's often about coming together, breathing as one and feeding off each other's energies -- we all came in itching to dance, but we take our final bows having gained a family.”
CHINESE SOCIETY
SNEC
“⼀座城，⼀群⼈。”
The 4th SNEC would like to thank our teachers-in charge, Mr. Nah, Mrs. Ling and Mrs. Vetri for the constant support they have given us.
黄城、未央、创贤不为谁⽽演 了⼀场戏，作了⼀⾸歌，吟了 ⼀遍词；只为感谢在我们最迷 惘的时刻出现在⾝边的你。
MINDSPORTS
SQUASH
The Mindsports Club would like to thank our two teachers-in-charge, Mr Colin Loy and Mr Tan Oon How for their unwavering support and guidance throughout the year.
Thank You Ms Tan Ai Lay for your support, care and dedication for the team! -SQUASH 2016/2017
WUSHU
Thank you Mrs Chia for always baking so many delicious pastries for the team and feeding us amazing food during training :D and also always genuinely caring for the welfare and safety and happiness of our team and giving us so much space to grow as an individual and as a team, being the light that guides us through difficult times.
LIBRARY
STRING ENSEMBLE
TCHOUKBALL
“All the best for Lyra and we hope to see you all continue to strive for excellence in future endeavours!” HCSE Batch 16/17
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CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY
CROSS COUNTRY
“挥毫满纸凤飞舞 泼墨倾刻皆⽂章” 感 谢所有厚爱书法的⽼友新朋在我们着 墨留⽩的点点瞬间陪伴着我们书写青 春，书写灿烂。感恩之情，尽在笔意 中。
FOOTBALL
INTERACT
To all our interactors: Thank you tolerating our nonsense throughout the year and we genuinely hope that all of you will keep that passion to serve the community :-)
A big thank you to our coach, our teachers in charge, all players who poured their heart into the game and Zachary Wu of 16s6E for his great singing during an Official A div game that made the opponents laugh.
FENCING
Thank you Ms Lum and Mrs Teo for your invaluable support thus far! To the team, thank you for being there for one another every step of the way; thank you for being noisy, weird, and as bright as every single one of our jerseys; thank you for being you, because even as individuals fencing on the piste, we fight as a team, and as a family - and it's been a great honour. ❤
CHOIR
CHINESE ORCHESTRA
FIRST AID CLUB
First Aid Club would like to thank our teacher-in-charge, Ms Lin, for her unwavering support as stable as the bandages we tie, and the various CCAs for allowing us opportunities to practice our skills and help the community.
“Shoutout to all HCCO members and teachers-in-charge: Thank you for joining all of us on this journey!”
TOUCH RUGBY
Here's to our teachers, Mr Matthew Sheun and Ms Germaine Tan, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes; to our coach Karen who's given us faith and more than the rules of the game; to Mr Shyam, who volitionally helped us with his expertise; to all our accomplishments on and off the field as a team. “On bad days we're good, on good days we're phenomenal.”
HARMONICA
Jiayou for concert and continue to strive for excellence and bring the CCA to greater heights!!
Dear Council Teacher-Advisors, The past year was nothing short of amazing, fulfilling and fun. It probably wasn't easy for you too, especially when you had to allow us to make mistakes in order for us to learn and grow. Thank you for always being there to give advice whenever we're feeling lost, for sacrificing so much of your personal time for Council, and most importantly for always calling a spade a spade — being honest and critical of whatever that we do. With love, The 43rd Students' Council
STUDENTS’ COUNCIL
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AMUSING AFFAIRS a HACAS x MOCH collaboration When we read the news, we see catastrophic political events, world-ending natural disasters or threats of apocalyptic nuclear war. To break you out of this pessimistic bubble, MOCH has worked with the Humanities and Current Affairs Society (Current Affairs Wing) to bring you Amusing Affairs, a small compilation of fun news pieces for your reading pleasure.
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Burger King’s New Ad
Burger King has come up with an ingenious (or annoying) advertisement that is designed to intentionally set off Google Homes and Android phones. Photo Credit: Android Police Its 15-second ad features someone in a Burger King uniform leaning into the camera before saying, “OK Google, what is the Whopper burger?” For anyone with a Google Home or Android phone near their televisions, the question could prompt their device to begin reading the Wikipedia entry for Burger King’s ‘Whopper’. The advertisement was aired across the US on popular networks such as MTV, Comedy Central and E! However, the description on Wikipedia for the ‘Whopper’ had been suspiciously edited to read “The Whopper is a burger, consisting of a flame-grilled patty made with 100 percent beef with no preservatives or fillers, topped with sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and mayonnaise, served on a sesame-seed bun” by username ‘Fermachado123”, who appears to be Burger King’s marketing chief, Fernando Machado.
Baby Driver
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On 13 April, in Ohio, the United States, an 8-year-old boy drove his 4-year-old sister to a local McDonald’s after watching tutorial videos on how to drive on Youtube. The unidentifed boy successfully navigated railroad tracks and multiple intersections. Witnesses called the police out of concern despite the fact that he had maintained the vehicle under the speed limit and obeyed all other traffic rules. A friend who was eating in the outlet contacted the children’s grandparents, who picked the duo up while they ate. Photo Credit: thelinkup.com 6
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Cow Chaos!
When one travels to the rural towns of Britain, cows grazing in the idyllic fields would be a common sight. But have you ever spotted a herd of cows lining the platform at a train station? Well, Hever station in Kent faced this novel and bewildering situation on 15 April 2017, with around 60 cattle invading the station. Train services were cancelled or delayed as the animals were escorted back to the fields they had escaped from. While much inconvenience was caused, many commuters were nonetheless amused by the bizarre sight of cows Photo Credit: @Fran_Ryan18 on Twitter turning into train commuters.
Photo Credit: Newport Orgeon Police Department Facebook Page
Furry Feline Felon Found on Tree
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A worried member of the public alerted the police to a cat which was spotted with a rifle. This caused the Newport Oregon Police Department to investigate the situation, before realising that the picture that they had been sent of the formidable feline was but a simple optical illusion of it holding on to a rifle-resembling tree branch. In a Facebook post, Newport Oregon PD stated that ‘The cat was given a verbal warning for posing with what could be mistaken as an assault rifle while wearing poor camouflage attire’.
Record-sized Bunny Dies on United Airlines Flight
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Photo Credit: Huffington Post
The spotlight is once again on United Airlines as Simon, a 3-foot bunny, was found dead in the plane’s cargo compartment on a flight from London’s Heathrow International Airport to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Simon was 10 months old, weighed 50 pounds and was said to be in healthy condition before getting on the flight. He was expected to grow to become the world’s biggest rabbit, according to his breeder, Annette Edwards. Edwards claims that Simon’s death is very unusual given her prior experiences sending “rabbits all around the world”. Simon was supposedly on his way across the globe to an anonymous celebrity owner, who is very upset by the entire situation. 7
Dr. Hon KING OF THE HILL
Honour Humility Hard Work
Dr. Hon’s life, philosophy, and vision for Hwa Chong IN THE THURSDAY AFTERNOON heat, we walked past the unmistakable golf buggy and into the cool shade of the Kong Chian Admin Centre. The white mansion-like building overlooks our miniature Bukit Timah hill, nestled between the regal historicism of the Kuo Chuan House and the futuristic hightech SRC. Ms. Yeow, Dr. Hon’s personal assistant directed us to an adjacent room to wait for him. Dr. Hon is, after all, a busy man. Soon enough, Dr. Hon greeted us with his characteristic bubbly smile. “What do you all want to do today?” he asked. Jokingly, one of us told him that we planned to interrogate him. Ever thinking about the future, he casually suggested, “So, SPF scholarship?” Dressed in a formal blue shirt and black pants, Dr. Hon could be easily mistaken for a kindly CEO or politician. Although he is now in charge of one of Singapore’s best schools, he came from humble beginnings. He grew up in Malaysia--“a small place in Johor” as he said it. Back then, the schools he attended did not have the best facilities, and teachers were not well trained. “In a school with no resources, I eventually had
to find my own resources and that is how I became a resourceful person,” he said. Being a scout helped too. Activities like building his own hut and going camping almost every weekend trained him to look after himself. Unlike many parents of today, Dr. Hon’s parents gave him a lot of space and autonomy--so much so that he confessed to signing his own report books. It was easy to see how growing up in this environment would help him develop a strong sense of self-sufficiency and independence. As a young man, Dr. Hon knew that he would have to work hard to get into a university in order to forge a better life for himself. However, he needed a scholarship. The University of Malaysia offered him a place, but courses were taught in the Malay language. Having only attended schools where the medium of instruction was English or Mandarin, this was a major obstacle for him. Thankfully, Dr. Hon was offered a Singapore Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship to study Physics at National University of Singapore (NUS). Why Physics? 9
“Physics is for lazy people” he opined, “As long as you submit your assignments and pass your exams the [Physics] lecturers were okay.” Although Physics was instrumental in developing his problem-solving skills, the most important lessons he learnt during his university years were at his Dunearn Road hostel (opposite Botanic Gardens MRT). As the Vice President of the hostel’s student association, he was in charge of social welfare and looked after the allocation of rooms. In that capacity, he learnt to organise activities and increased his understanding of interpersonal relationships. This proved useful in his future career. In those university years, Dr. Hon had already developed a burgeoning admiration for Hwa Chong: “Every time I went past Bukit Timah Road, I looked at this school [and] I said ‘Wah this is a majestic school’. I really envied those people who could come here.” After graduating from NUS, Dr. Hon attended NIE to serve a teaching bond. As chance would have it, a vacancy opened up for a physics teacher at the Chinese High School. His lecturer, who happened to be a Chinese High alumnus, recommended him for the job. SO BEGAN DR. HON’S decades long journey with the school. During this time, he had the pleasure of working with Mr. Tooh Fee San, the previous principal, whom he cited as his biggest inspiration. “He’s the one with very great vision. He wants to do something and mobilises people and goes for it,” shared Dr. Hon. “When MOE asked for volunteers to go independent, 10
he was the first one to volunteer. When we talked about IP, he put up his hand and went.” Those risks paid off, as Hwa Chong made tremendous progress in the years that followed. Having taken on the mantle as Principal, Dr. Hon has taken risks of his own too. Nowadays, students can enjoy a multitude of options to do research in both the humanities and the sciences. Previously, research being done at a secondary school level was unheard of. Dr. Hon pioneered the research culture in Hwa Chong, having been inspired by the lessons he learnt from his Master’s education. “If you really want students to be independent learners, they have to do research. But before students can do research, the teachers have to do research,” he said. Dr. Hon partnered with the University of Western Australia to create a programme where teachers can take Master’s and PhD courses during the school holidays. Now, more than 50% of teachers in Hwa Chong have at least a Master’s degree. It has taken him 25 years to create this culture of research, and it is his proudest achievement in this school.
“Sometimes you fail when trying new things. But with the spirit of learning, you will go very far.”
Dr. Hon enjoys a relatively fixed daily schedule. “If you want to kill me it’s very easy to find me”, he jokes. His day begins at 5am each morning. He first clears his Hwa Chong emails at home and has breakfast. After arriving in school, he clears his MOE emails before flag raising. He then spends the rest of the day meeting with parents, teachers, and school’s partners, including other schools that wish to learn from Hwa Chong. “In Singapore, at least 20 to 30 schools are learning from us,” Dr. Hon said. “When we share, we don’t need to hold back. We teach them everything.” Dr. Hon also spoke about forming good relations with schools abroad, emphasising the importance of win-win when dealing with others: “The moment there is interdependence, we all do well together...Working with them, I create opportunities for you all to learn. When they invite us to speak at their conferences, we go over, we try to help them.” Many things have changed since the day Dr. Hon first stepped into the Chinese High School. “Students are more independent, teachers are more forthcoming,” Dr. Hon said. “They propose new things to me. Sometimes you fail when trying new things. But, with the spirit of learning, you will go very far.” A man of his word, Dr. Hon practises what he preaches. Although he has accomplished much in his 35 years here, he recognises there is still room for him to grow. “We learn together. And there’s one thing I learn together with you all,” he acknowledged. “I learn to listen.”
For the Record
‘I hereby declare half day.’ DR HON CHIEW WENG, PRINCIPAL declaring an official half day in celebration to the fantastic A level results attained by the batch of 2015.
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‘Come on students, start moving. You heard the bell!’
This last happened 15 years ago.
4206 Number of Brownies sold at the Council Room
Our CCAs have Our CCAs have made proudbyby madeus us proud attaining top attaining top awards awards in their in their various various competition competitions.
MR KEN YEOW, prompting students to assemble for morning assembly.
Number of Champion Trophies attained at the 79th National Track and Finals The Hwa Chong Track and Field team made history on 28th April, sweeping all 4 championship titles.
Competition Seasons
GOOD TERM BAD TERM
‘DAB DAB DAB
I’M NOT SURE HOW TO DO, MY CHILDREN SHOW ME ONE.’ MRS FOO-LAM WOON KEAT, explaining and displaying her brief encounters of dabbing during a Biology Lecture on Infectious Diseases in relation to TDAABSs, an acronym citing the steps of the adaptive immune system.
Loss of a Founding Father Othman Mr OthmanWok, Wok, champion ofunity unity champion of and harmony andracial racial harmony, passed awayon passed away on April 2017. April17, 17, 2017.
2088 Number of followers on HCUnite Instagram Page
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Time Off “WE STUMBLED ON A VIEW THAT’S TAILOR-MADE FOR TWO.” ---- LA LA LAND (NEXT PAGE)
Buddy Hoagies offers instagram worthy and decadent meals at affordable student prices
BUDDDY HOAGIES CAFE & GRILL --- an authentic western restaurant located in the vicinity of Bukit Timah with rustic ambience and meticulously plated dishes. The best part? They offer Student Specials going at $6.50+ or $7.50+ only. So get in your potato sack and munch on some cheesy potatoes now!
Address: #01-05/10 Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, 170 Upper Bukit Timah Road, 588179 Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 1130am – 10pm, Sat, Sun & PH: 11am – 10pm Student Set Lunch Promotion: Weekdays, 11.30am – 4pm. Prices from $6.50
99 CAFE --- A homely local eatery that offers an extensive range of familiar delights below $5!
Address: #B1-11/12 Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, 170 Upper Bukit Timah Road, 588179 Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 9:30am to 8pm Set Lunch Promotions: Mee Rebus ($3), Putu Mayam ($2) and Hong Kong Mee ($4.50)
FOOD
Make the best out of your last years as a student, just around Hwa Chong! The promos timetable you can look forward to
LENAS --- a modern American Italian restaurant featuring a vast menu, trendy decor and bustling atmosphere. Best deal you can find in Orchard! Address: #04-19 Orchard Gateway, 277 Orchard Road, 238858 Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 10am 10pm 10:00 – 22:00 Student Promotion: 15% off the bill on top of daily promotions promotions.
Time Off Reviews MOVIES
4 Movies to watch this May 1. La La Land Clinching 6 Academy awards, this movie has been dubbed by many as a must watch. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical tells the story of struggling artistes Mia and Sebastian and explores the joy and pain of pursuing one’s dreams. With unforgettable songs and dances, La La Land is bound to bring you both laughter and tears.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 After bringing a whole new galaxy into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Guardians of the Galaxy is back with a Vol. 2. This hilarious movie is sure to capture your attention with explosive action scenes and heartwarming backstories. Do also look out for Baby Groot, who will definitely win you over throughout this movie.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 6 years after the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie, the franchise is finally back with Dead Men Tell No Tales. Fans would definitely enjoy this movie for its exploration of Captain Jack Sparrow’s past and his legacy. Even if you have not been following the franchise, this action-packed movie is sure to keep you engaged.
4. Split After bouncing back with found footage horror film The Visit in 2015, acclaimed director M Night. Shyamalan delivers with an interesting take on dissociative identity disorder, where fate and trauma combine. Split will keep you at the edge of your seat as you wonder when the “Beast” will finally be unleashed. Definitely his strongest work since The Sixth Sense, could this be the twist M. Night Shyamalan needs?
UPCOMING MOVIES
Watched these movies already? Look forward to other movies hitting the big screens in the upcoming months, such as Wonder Woman, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Cars 3 and Transformers: The Last Night. 18
MOCH PICKS
SPOTIFY
The time spent with friends at the Faculty Outings was definitely worthwhile.
MOCH’S WEEKLY TAKE ON
Decorate your laptop with these Hwa Chong stickers that were released just this year.
LOVE IT LEAVE IT
Going up to the top floors of Block D is always a problem due to the congestion at the Block D lifts.
WHAT POPPED IN SCHOOL
Contrary to its name, most of the water coolers in Hwa Chong serve lukewarm water and not cold water.
THEATRE
The Noose & Kakis: My PSLE Is Better Than Yours With everyone sharing stories of their successes and failures at age 12, there’s no better way to discuss hard-hitting issues affecting the future of our nation than through humour and irreverence.
Looking for some songs to get you through the school day? Fret not, MOCH has put together a playlist for you to enjoy. (tinyurl.com/ timeoffmoch3) SONGS
1. Something Just Like This (Chainsmokers) 2. That’s What I Like (Bruno Mars) 3. What Do I Know? (Ed Sheeran) 4. Bambi (Jidenna) 5. All We Got (Chance The Rapper) 6. Million Reasons (Lady Gaga) 7. Do I Wanna Know? (Arctic Monkeys) 8. Yellow (Coldplay) 9. All Night (The Vamps) 10. Bright (Echosmith) FESTIVALS
ART
Dotty at (He)art: Yayoi Kusuma Exhibition In June, Singaporeans will have a chance to see the works of Yayoi Kusama up close. The National Gallery of Singapore has revealed that it will be holding a retrospective exhibition on the iconic Japanese artist.
Coming this July, this edition of the Singapore Food Festival is a celebration of the diverse flavours and amazing talent of Singapore’s culinary past and future.
FAKE NEWS Make Hwa Chong Great Again The global populist wave has reached the Hwa Chong Campus. MOCH reports.
A
fter a gruelling election process last year, the American Cultural Club (ACC) has finally voted in their 45th President: Donald Tan. Coming into the race as a dark horse, Tan shattered all expectations by beating favourite Hillary Chen at the polls. Critical swing states like Block D, AOA and the Printing Shop voted in his favour, giving him the edge he needed to secure the Presidency. Although he is only in the first 100 days of his Presidency, President Tan has already signed a number of controversial Executive Orders that will without a doubt upend the current status quo. Temporary Visitor Ban After a suspected terrorist attack on Tan Kah Kee MRT station earlier this year on 25th March, Saturday, the Donald has introduced a new executive order, calling for a total and complete shutdown of visitors entering the Hwa Chong campus. While some have criticised Tan for being ‘demagogic’ and ‘xenophobic’, he had this to say, “We have people coming into our campus to do tremendous harm. It is my responsibility to make sure our students can use the Common Room, among other things, safely.” Tan is also clamping down on 20
students lending their EZ-link cards to visitors to enter through the turnstiles by introducing severe punitive measures like waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and a total of five demerit points. The Wall A hallmark promise of his campaign, Tan has officially commissioned work to begin on the border wall between the JC and High School sections. That he actually pulled this off came as a surprise to political observers, considering the flak he drew during the campaigning season for saying: “We’re going to do a wall; we’re going to have a big, fat beautiful door on the wall; we’re going to have people come in, but
they’re going to come in legally. The High School side is sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them into our borders. They’re bringing khaki shorts. They’re bringing long queues at the Japanese stall. They’re teenage boys. And some, I assume, are good people. Nobody would be tougher on our borders than President Donald J. Tan.” Looking ahead, the President also plans to bring back jobs from Block D to the inner plaza and repeal the Air-Con policy since “global warming is a hoax by the Chinese Literature, Drama, Debate and Film Society (known as CLDDFS)”.
8 Questions
Director/Studies Mrs. Foo-Lam Woon Keat shares about her life, Hwa Chong and more. How did you start working in Hwa Chong? I joined Hwa Chong Junior College in June 1995. At that time, the Principal was Mdm Leong Fan Chin and Vice-Principal Mrs. Ho Woon Ho. I did my teaching practicum in Methodist Girls’ Secondary School for 10 weeks and then came to Hwa Chong to teach afterwards. Hwa Chong in this sense is my first school as a permanent teacher and I have been here ever since and I do plan to stay with Hwa Chong for a long time to come.
Can you tell us more about your job in Hwa Chong? I head the Biology unit at the College section in Hwa Chong. I do not just teach Biology but also take on the role of Director/ Studies. As Director/ Studies, I assist Deputy Principal/Studies Mr Chan Kwok Leong to look into curriculum matters, promote active student centric learning and manage Professional Development for College teachers. On top of that, all examination matters at College section comes under my purview, focusing on both internal and external examinations.
Why did you choose to become a Biology teacher? I come from a family of teachers, my mother was a teacher back in Malaysia as were many other members of my extended family. I was inspired by them, and after attaining a degree in Zoology from NUS and going to a one-year teacher training at NIE, I started
teaching Biology. Science is also ever-changing, and as a teacher, I learn new things along the way as well. I like how new evidence through scientific research shapes and revises our knowledge but yet the approach in obtaining s c i e n t i fi c k n o w l e d g e remains robust and dependable. I am particularly drawn to the need for developing young people with an ethical mind as they help to develop solutions to tackle real-world problems with a heart.
happened while you were overseeing the ‘A’ Level examinations?
At the year-end GCE ‘A’ Level examination each year, I get to see both the good-natured sides as well as the ugly sides of our students. I find it particularly heartwarming when I observe and hear from the examiners about the appreciative gestures of our Hwa Chong students. I remember there was a year when the students stayed back to say thank you to the Chief Presiding Examiner (CPE) and took photographs with him, as they were grateful for the CPE’s sharing of interesting humorous stories to ease the tensions during the exams.
What do you expect from the Hwa Chong student batch of What do you look 2017? forward to the most I expect the during your day? Hwa Chong
Every morning I wake up at 4.30a.m. and I come to school joyfully, full of energy and drive, mainly because I love my job. I love to come to school and never have to drag my feet to work, as Hwa Chong is like a second home to me. There are also days when I look forward to going to bed by 9pm as well, as my job can be very demanding and mentally draining!
What do you do in your free time?
student batch of 2017 to be as exemplary in their academics as the preceding years. I believe they will do well as the batch of 2017 is especially motivated, multi-talented and creative. I do hope that the students will remain grounded and not be too proud, despite their achievements.
What was the most memorable incident that
I believe in consistent hard work and effort that include reading the lecture notes prior to lectures and following up again post-lecture with practice of tutorial questions. I applaud students who find time to read beyond the resources provided out of interest and passion to learn. I trust that our students have good self-discipline and control. With the ability to prioritise and focus, they should be able to excel academically.
I love to cook, or bake, in my free time especially over the weekends. I find these therapeutic and also because I love food and I like to feed people. Some of my favourite dishes to cook are laksa, chicken curry, Malaysian roti jala (net-like crepes), beef stew and I also like to make my own chili paste. I do Hainanese dishes like chicken rice too, as I learnt from my Hainanese mother-in-law.
Do you have any advice for students on how to better manage their time in preparation for tests?
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