GREENPASTURES_______&STILLWATERS

is edmund chen going to die?
tuesday i dreamt of news reporting that. and just now the same thing appeared in a 3-hr nap saying he committed suicide... ....

textbooks. to buy or not to buy

posted by me @ 9:29 pm 0 Comments

just when i thought i had the worst moments of my life dealing with an IRRITATING haolian teacher who dictates me like a child in front of my 8 year old student, i saw this-->

Letter from Francis‏
From:	Francis Low (francis@sciencebuddies.com.sg)
	You may not know this sender.Mark as safe|Mark as unsafe
Sent:	11 October 2008 15: 36PM
To:	Nazreen (nazaziz@singnet.com.sg); Jeffrey Ler Youwei (Jeffrey.ler@gmail.com); Vicki Wong (vickiwwe@gmail.com); Sandy Heng Xiuhui (hengxiuhui@gmail.com); Mardiana (qist_04@yahoo.com.sg); Jaclyn Lee (leej0021@gmail.com); Zhirong (mingren86@hotmail.com); Hafiiz (shadowalker86@hotmail.com); Heng Ching Hon (heng2008@singapore.net); Lee Huishan (huishan.lee@gmail.com); Alice Tan Kia Yin (tkiayiin@yahoo.com.sg); Bukit Timah Centre (bukittimah@sciencebuddies.com.sg); East Coast Centre (eastcoast@sciencebuddies.com.sg); Farah (farahain1@yahoo.com.sg); Feng Shijin (feng_shijin@hotmail.com); Hazel Ang (hazel.ang@hotmail.com); Jennifer Yong (jennifer@sciencebuddies.com.sg); Lam Zhiyong (lamzhiyong@yahoo.com.sg); Maslinda (lin@sciencebuddies.com.sg); May Zin Oo (mimepoterrific@gmail.com); Naatasha Isahak (missnaatasha@hotmail.com); Nicholas Lim (blackwing24@hotmail.com); Nuraisyah Amdan (nuraisyah@sciencebuddies.com.sg); Siti Yariyati (siti@sciencebuddies.com.sg)

you can read his letter if you have
a. nothing better to do
b. no more korean dramas to watch
c. cannot think of any singer/boyband/tennis player to daydream about anymore
d. have practically done your whole day's work i.e teach, eat, bathe, clear mails, watch youtube, watch youtube, watch youtube
e. said hi to your family members for the day


or else skip the letter

A Letter from Francis
10 October 2008
To all my colleagues at Science Buddies Educentres
Dear Colleagues,
My warmest greetings to all of you!
It’s been awhile since I communicated with everyone and I am writing to share in detail on what is going on in our organization.
Some of you may be wondering, “Why have I not seen Francis or Manager Jennifer for some time now?” I apologize for not being able to spend time with you individually as we have been caught up with new developments that took up a great deal of our time. As some of you may have known, we have taken over our Marine Parade and Bukit Timah franchise outlets this year and are now managing them as branches. We are in the midst of streamlining our business operations by consolidating the Science Buddies Educentres into 3 strategic locations. Hence, our Tampines centre will operate up till 16 November 2008. Thereafter, our Thomson centre will service students in the central part of Singapore, Marine Parade centre, the Eastern region and Bukit Timah centre, Western Singapore. We are now overseeing the business development, training, human resource management and the daily operational issues of 3 centres with 11 Full Time staff and 20 Part Time staff. Indeed, it is very exciting but challenging initiative for Jennifer and me.
Close colleagues who have worked closely with me find that I am a very reasonable person, easy to work with who cares a great deal for my staff. I strongly believe in creating a non-punitive work environment where staff is given amply opportunities to develop their capabilities and learn from their mistakes. I support the idea of empowering staff to do their best and use their initiative and judgement within established guidelines to increase quality standards of our centres. We practise non- discrimination in race and age in our approach to recruit staff that can best fit into the Science Buddies culture.
When I founded Science Buddies 8 years ago, I was very passionate about bringing the benefits of hands-on learning to Singapore. My passion has grown even stronger today as we can see results of this methodology. Through out the years, many parents became our friends and ambassadors. These “long-term supporters” continue to spread our good name to friends and relatives and our organization has expanded steadily. As a gesture of my sincere appreciation to teachers and support staff who have demonstrated a very high level of commitment and professionalism to build up our company’s name in terms of quality education and services, I have chosen to highlight their good qualities in my attachment (Pg 4 to 5).
Recently, some of our “long-term supporters” have started to complain about the behaviour of certain teachers which resulted in discontinuation of their children’s enrolment at our centres. We have taken a long hard look internally to investigate the legitimacy of their complaints and would like to take steps to improve ourselves. Drafting this open letter to everyone is our first step. I would like to reinforce a few points which you may realise were already covered in my orientation session or Jennifer’s training session:
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�� Be well prepared to conduct class
We are receiving complaints that teachers are late for class and have witnessed teachers rushing into class 10 minutes after the start time. The burden of
Science Buddies Pte Ltd, 9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
Co. Reg. 200201569H
answering to anxious parents and students is usually passed on to our customer service staff. Let us not allow lateness to negatively impact our students and co-workers by coming to class at least 30 minutes before lessons. In the presence of parents, teachers should not be seen reading lessons plans or asking loudly to another teacher on how to do the activities. Neither should you cover up for your inefficiency by telling stories and giving out sweets. We do not believe in short changing students who leave the class learning very little.
�� Dress Code and Appearance
Our dress code is smart casual. Teachers need to put on our Lab Coat during classes. We should project a professional image and three-quarter pants, sandals, revealing dressing will not earn you the respect no matter how highly qualified you are. Be prepared for unpredictable weather conditions. If you are caught in the downpour without an umbrella and come into class drenched and soaking wet, this will reflect on your ill preparedness as a teacher.
�� Maintain a clean work environment/toilets
We have engaged outside cleaning contractors to clean our centres during the weekdays but it is definitely not enough due to the heavy usage. Engage the help of your students to clean up before the next class. In upholding the hands-on culture at Science Buddies, every staff should take ownership in helping to keep the toilets clean after individual use and initiative to clean up whenever necessary. On weekends or during Holiday Programme times, you can see Maslinda and Jennifer mopping the floor and the toilet at least 10 times a day at Thomson Centre. I too clean that toilet sometimes. Gurion Ang, our part time teacher comes half an hour early to help clean up the animal area. This is the work spirit that I would like to see not only at Thomson, but also other centres.
�� Speak Good English
As an educational centre, if we want to be taken seriously as educators with high standards in teaching we should make an effort to speak good English and refrain from speaking Singlish to establish rapport with students or parents.
�� Use of Hand Phones
We have observed staff taking calls or texting messages on their hand phones during lesson time even though they have been informed during orientation that this is an unacceptable behaviour. We will continue to monitor the situation and would like to see such practices stopped immediately.
�� Copyright Materials/Poaching Students
All lesson plans are copyright materials of Science Buddies Pte Ltd. We place our trust in our teachers when we issue copies of lesson plan to them for their easy reference. We expect our teachers not to abuse our trust and make copies of it for their private external use. Breach of this requirement is classified as stealing intellectual property and is a criminal act that is punishable by law.
We know that in the course of your teaching, parents may approach you to coach their children privately. When this happens, just politely explain to them that you are under contract with Science Buddies and it will not be right to accept their request and refer them to speak to our Customer Service staff to see if we can work out a special arrangement for their children. We can certainly work out a mutually beneficial scheme for all of us and still maintain a good relationship.
�� Misuse of office computers and Internet
We are aware that staff use the company’s time and resources to chat online, surfing for personal information e.g. to buy wedding gift. If you are one of them, stopping the practice now will save you the embarrassment of being told face-to-
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Science Buddies Pte Ltd, 9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
Co. Reg. 200201569H
face. It certainly does not contribute to a good work record. Please do not your bring your own personal computer to the centres as well.
�� Keep your cool and do not get emotional
When dealing with public and amongst colleagues about work, miscommunication and misunderstand may occur. The best way is to be professional and not get emotional. Focus on that particular behaviour and not attack the person.
�� Formal written communication
We are seeing incidences of communication breakdown which led to finger pointing. For requests on scheduling changes due to urgent/and or family matters, please communicate clearly via email. This will allow the office to help you and reschedule classes promptly without interrupting operations. Your email should be set to require an acknowledgement. If you do not receive a reply, we need your co-operation to follow up with the office to ensure no communication breakdown. This will minimize miscommunication that can happen when the messages are conveyed verbally. Text messages by phone are discouraged unless the situation is extremely urgent.
If a situation arises whereby you plan to engage a part-time staff to replace a full-time staff, please check and seek permission from Jennifer or myself before doing so.
These are some of the negative traits that have come to our attention, although the list is by no means exhaustive. We are always looking to ways to improve and I have done a write-up especially for you to give a profile on attributes of a good teacher/customer service personnel with glimpses of real life examples to illustrate the messages I am trying to put across. The tribute to staff serves to inspire us to do better, be helpful and communicative to one another. It is by emulating the good attributes described that we derive ‘intrinsic qualities’ that you can carry with you through the rest of your life.
I would like to conclude by inviting each staff (existing Full Time & Part Time) to share your thoughts with me. Your response will help me know your standpoint on the issues raised as well as serve to re-affirm that staff do care and wish to make a difference to the organisation. Together, we can achieve Science Buddies’s mission to provide the best learning experience for students and meet their parents’ expectation and trust in us.
Please email to me at francis@sciencebuddies.com.sg by 26 October 2008. If you do not have email, please place your letter in sealed envelope and leave it with the customer service person at your respective centres.
Thank you and I look forward to your feedback.
Sincerely,
Francis Low
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Science Buddies Pte Ltd, 9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
Co. Reg. 200201569H
I. Tributes to Staff
Ms. Jennifer Yong – Manager
Most of you know Jennifer. She is responsible for managing all the centres. Everyone likes her, as she is so friendly towards all. She is also a great teacher of teachers. She trains teachers – new and existing ones on how to teach our Science Buddies programme. Jennifer is also extremely passionate about Science Buddies’s well-being. She is always looking for ways to help everyone improve your performance. When Jennifer was teaching with us at the community clubs when we first started in 2000, she would arrived 1 hour early to prepare. Even the staffs of the CCs were so impressed with her dedication.
Ms. Maslinda - Head of Customer Service
We call her Lin. she is stationed at Thomson but oversees customer service issues at all the centres. Maslinda brings a lot of joy to the working environment with her hearty laughter and her ability to see the humour in situations. It is contagious. She is popular with teachers, parents and students and is constantly looking into ways to promote Science Buddies and improve customer service.
As Head of Customer Service, she will also conduct Customer Service Excellence training to all full-time staff of Science Buddies.
Thomson Centre
Ms. Aisyah
Aisyah is a very gentle and dedicated teacher. She silently makes everything works out. She sometimes helps Jennifer to conduct training to new teachers. She is also the main star in our video training programme. Being an experienced teacher at Science Buddies, she is able to help many of her students achieve impressive academic performance.
Ms. Mardiana
Mardiana is another great teacher. We have cases of parents pulling out their children from Science Buddies because of some other teachers’ bad behaviour but rejoining after their children attended Mardiana’s lesson. Parents appreciate Mardiana’s feedback about their children’s progress.
Marine Parade Centre
Ms. Fadhilah.
We call her Lala. Another cheerful person. Lala is also very fast to send any email replies to me. To me this is also an important trait of good customer service. We must serve people fast and not let them wait.
Ms. Naatasha
Naatasha just joined us in September and already getting popular with students. If you meet her, you will know why. Naatasha is a very knowledgeable person and she is willing to share with students and fellow colleagues.
Ms. Farah
Farah has been teaching at our Tampines centre for the last five years. She will join the team at Marine Parade in mid November 2008. Farah was the main star teacher at Tampines and she had helped many of her students to do well year after year.
Bukit Timah Centre
Ms. Sharifah
Sharifah is a very polite customer service person. She keeps her cool even when - 4 -
Science Buddies Pte Ltd, 9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
Co. Reg. 200201569H
handling demanding and abrasive customers.
Ms. Alice Tan
Alice also joined us in September. Her hometown is in Perak, Malaysia. Alice is a very efficient and fast learner. Students warm up to her quite fast. Though Alice has been with Science Buddies for only over a month, she already projects a professional image and parents have confidence in her to help their children perform better.
Ms. May
May is from Myanmar. She is currently helping out at Marine Parade centre but will be transferred to our Bukit Timah centre around November or December. She was teaching the Singapore syllabus at the International school in Yangon. She also joined us in September. May have already started to contribute suggestions on classroom management techniques to Jennifer even though she just joined our team less than a month ago. This shows her experience and initiative to play an active part in Science Buddies.
Part Time and Former Staff
Ms. Siti Yariyati Mohamed. Siti is the Trainer of teachers for our maths programme. Siti is helpful, responsible and a committed trainer. She puts in much extra efforts to bring the best to her training sessions.
Mr. Patrick Tan. Patrick is highly energetic and a very animated teacher and relates very well with young kids. He is also our best performer for our Science Parties and Science Shows. Patrick always goes to the show venue 1 day earlier to check out the place always arrive at shows at least 1 hour before his performance. He practises diligently and even conducts mock shows at our centre and to obtain for feedback on how to improve. We call our show the Science Buddies Amazing Show. What is really amazing is Patrick!
Ms. Lim Loh Lin. Loh Lin joined our Thomson centre as Customer Service in 2002. She was retrenched from the bank after working there for 25 years. She knew nothing about customer service or sales when she joined us. I personally coached her. She learned very quickly and was able to increase our student intake by 60% within a year. Many parents enrolled their children at our centre because they were convinced by Loh Lin. She is dynamic and full of energy. Parents appreciate her service. The main reason, Loh Lin was able to please so many parents and convert enquiries into sales is because of her right attitude. Loh Lin did not think that her employment at Science Buddies was just another job. She provided genuine sincere services from her heart.
Mr. Gurion Ang. Gurion has left us to serve his National Service. He prepares many extra materials at home in his own time and brings them to Science Buddies to add more value to our already comprehensive programme. A very helpful individual who cheerfully comes early before lessons and volunteers to clean the animal sanctuary.
Mr. Goh Kim Pong. Kim Pong conducted our CSI programme in June this year and was able to bring the programme to a much higher level of excitement with the students. Parents were impressed. So was I.
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Science Buddies Pte Ltd, 9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
Co. Reg. 200201569H
Profile of a Good Teacher/Customer Service staff
Energy Conscious - Makes a concerted effort to check and see that air-conditioners are not left turn on when not in use. Taps must be tightly turned off. On many occasions, I found the water dripping after someone turned on the tap. If you see such thing, please just turn it off and ensure that it does not drip before going away.
Customer Service - Quick to answer calls and attend to walk-in customers is an important aspect in customer service. For e.g. At Thomson Centre, I tried to walk-in quietly; Maslinda, Aisyah and Jennifer will suddenly appear to check who just walked in. I did not train them to be service oriented. They just felt it is very important to provide good service.
Maslinda, Aisyah or Mardiana take turns to wait until parents fetch the last student before closing the centre. One parent is so happy that they give a thank you note and cakes to our Thomson staffs. On one occasion, I noticed that staffs from one of our branches trying to close up the centre even when there are still students waiting for the parents to pick them up. I hope that this will not happen again.
Give good feedback to parents - When one parent wanted to know how their child is progressing, Ms. Siti Yariyati wrote a very clear objective email to explain to the parents and even suggest what they should do to help their child. The parents were so pleased that they wrote a letter to me to thank me for the fantastic service and advice that Siti had provided them. They are very grateful. More parents are asking us to provide them with a teachers’ report about their children’s performances and progress.
Ms. Jaclyn from Thomson centre was teaching and helping a below average students to slowly improve his grades. He was improving until his father stop his lessons at Science Buddies lessons during the 4-week examination period. His father felt that it would be more effective to coach his son himself. Unfortunately, the boy’s grade took a plunge and his dad was shocked. He came to our centre demanding an explanation. As Jaclyn was the boy’s teacher, she wrote a very clear and objective report. After reading the report, the boy’s father immediately realized that his son was improving slowly but his action to stop him from coming to Science Buddies lessons during the exam period was his mistake. He quickly resumed sending his son for the weekly classes.
Know your students well. As a teacher, do you know your students well enough to write an accurate assessment to their parents? What are their strengths and the areas of that they are weak at. Which topic are they good at and what concepts don’t they understand. Your student makes careless mistakes. What are the careless mistakes when answering questions and how can you help them to avoid such mistakes in future. Your students have a time management problem when answering test questions. How do you help them? As a teacher at Science Buddies you are trained on our Enquiry-Based Approach to conduct your classes. Are you following this method closely or are you just talking most of the time? If you use our Enquiry-Based techniques properly, you will be able to find out and pinpoint every one of your students’ capabilities and level of knowledge.
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Science Buddies Pte Ltd, 9 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576582
Co. Reg. 200201569H





the length is crazy...


and...and. na**sh*.. my kids are only at kindergarten.. there's no need to draw secondary physics formula on the board..

*rolls eyes.. <---this is quite bimbotic. but really, can anyone be more annoying than her?


in the lift, she goes "are you all both from SIM?"

sj: err..no i'm in NUS

bitch: which course?

sj: biological science..

bitch: turns and tell the male colleague "NUS" pointing to sj

LIKE HE COULDNT HEAR?


stop being an elitist..
i dont see the difference here, we're claiming the same pay.

posted by me @ 1:07 am 0 Comments

posted by me @ 10:22 pm 0 Comments

if only i could clone him..

--->too much 'the island'

posted by me @ 11:51 pm 0 Comments

the kind of people who some people term 'know-it-alls' are the ones who keep answering their own questions--->i met one in a misfortune

me: walked into the teachers' lounge
placed my bag into the drawer

**: storing up 7 bubble teas in the freezer

me: looks surprised

**: 'dont ask me why, the students requested for them'

me: went in and touched the recycled papers, deciphering the smudge

**: 'they're yours'

me: nod

**: 'do you know when to do the colouring?'

me: 'er.. yea---

**: -------YOU cant colour straight after taking it out of the tray. you have to wait for it to dry. The ones here are like this because you didnt wait. Colouring it straight will cause the prints to turn out blurred and smudged and all you know? do you know how to wait?'

me: 'i---

**: ------SEMI-DRY. you have to wait for it to be semi dry. do you know why the prints were not clear? the solution. the water and the glue dissolves the colouring. that's why the colouring does not stay. do you know what you should do?

me: looks at her mouth and realise it keeps moving......words, too many words spewing out of her mouth

**: 'YOU could have put up the recycled paper to dry. maybe play some simple hangman or give out worksheets you know? to stall time while the paper dries. do you know how to perform the class management?...........---

me: ---these papers turned out good!

silence..
**: walks away to impress the new teacher with her bubble teas


tsk tsk.. the only way to shut her up i thought.. there's nothing more for her to say if i'm fine with my experiments..

posted by me @ 9:59 pm 0 Comments

posted by me @ 2:48 am 0 Comments

posted by me @ 1:31 am 0 Comments