Sunday, June 17, 2007 - Comtemplating on: Alcohol and drink driving :

With news reports on drink driving cases, health issues and mishaps which stem out from reckless drivers in stupor states being on the rise, it seems like drink driving has emerged as the latest fad among Singaporeans these days. Have Christopher Lee's sentence to jail not served a warning to those who are on the brink of driving after downing glasses of alcohol at the bar? Drowning oneself with alcohol is one of the popular way to temporarily cast away one's career or domestic troubles. However effective it may be in letting one forget his woes and become a happy person in one night, I believe that it is also detrimental to our mind and body.

Alcohol is a kind of drug which is socially acceptable in Singapore as well as many parts of the world. Business partners consume it over tade agreements and contracts while high-end socialites mingle around with each other, chatting merrily and clink glasses of alcohol. It is also a depressant which can be addicted if consumed over long periods of time. Let us look at the consequences of consuming alcohol.

First and foremost, there are short terms health effects of drinking alcohol. Alcohol causes our brain functions to deteriorate, decreases our nervous tension and reduces self control. Hence, alcoholics may find it difficult to control their behaviours and tempers while interacting with people. In addition, alcoholics would experience slurred speech, blurred vision as well as poor muscular coordination. This is the main reason why drivers become careless under the influence of alcohol and accidents are prone to occur when they drive.

Second, if one consumes alcohol for extensive periods of time, he is likely to develop serious health effects like gastric ulcers or liver problems that would take a heavy toll on his body. For instance, liver cirrhosis, a condition which the liver cells are destroyed and replaced with fibrous tissue and causing the liver to lose its function, could arise. This could even lead to liver failure if medical help is not sought for quickly.

Lastly, alcohol could give a rise to social problems too. When alcoholics are under the influence of alcohol, they tend to violence in family matters , abusing their family members. Stealing would also be prevalent in society as these alcoholics would seeks ways to find money to buy more alcoholic drinks.

As seen from above, there are many complications resulting from consuming alcohol. To avoid these problems, education should instil mindsets in pupils from young that alcohol is damaging to health and we should abstain from it at all costs. Pupils should also be warned about drink driving which could cause others’ life as well as endanger their own. I also think that television commercials about the seriousness and fatal results of drink driving could also be enhanced by giving strict advice to young adults at seminars or assembly talks to pupils in schools. With this, I believe that the trend of consuming alcohol and drink driving could be effectively brought down to a much lower level, ensuring health and safety for everyone.

The future ain't what it used to be. hugged teddy at 11:51 PM

Saturday, June 2, 2007 - Comtemplating on: Its's the June holidays! :

Let us rejoice the arrival of our favourite time of the year- June holidays! It is a time for us to take a break from our heavy workloads at school and relax before restoring our energy for the challenges that await us next half of year 2007. For many students, this holiday also signals the time to hit on our textbooks! Perhaps it is a fine time to get started on our mountainous pile of homework and get the engine going with Project Work! (Well, I can almost hear myself groan at this point.) With so many things on hand, I believe it would be useful to draw up a revision schedule so that homework can be accomplished on time if we stick to the plan.

At some point in life, we may have wondered to ourselves whether daily homework is really necessary and whether it has benefited us in the past years. As a JC1 student myself, I believe that homework serves a purpose of ensuring that pupils are able to reflect on their own learning and are being self- evaluative about their progress in schoolwork. It also helps students to be self-reliant and independent young learners. Personally, I think that daily homework is necessary for pupils as it benefits and enriches them in various aspects.

Firstly, as homework requires concentration, it is important as it helps pupils achieve mastery of newly-acquired skills and knowledge. In my opinion, the phrase “Practice makes perfect” suggests that pupils can make use of their homework to revise on subjects like Mathematics, which requires sufficient practice in order to enhance thinking skills. By doing their homework, pupils can comprehend different topics better and simultaneously realise their weaknesses in certain areas. This allows them to be more proficient in languages and understand concepts in a different light. When pupils spend time doing assigned activities, they learn the necessary skills of independent study.

Following that, pupils learn to gauge their time management well when they do homework. For example, they keep track with assignments and are able to consolidate things taught in school. This promotes a wise and orderly use of time. By spending time to master basic learning taught before, it builds up pupils’ confidence in completely their assignments positively.

In addition, I think that homework acts as an invisible source of motivation, spurring pupils to work towards their fullest potential and challenging them to apply various concepts into several experimental applications. This actually inspires pupils to study exceptionally hard and aim for the best in themselves. Even pupils with lackadaisical attitudes toward their studies can also be given impetus to strive for excellence.

Furthermore, in my opinion, homework helps to instill self discipline in pupils. By completing their homework independently, pupils gain ideas on how to take control of many aspects of life even outside school. Therefore, homework provides a daily opportunity to help pupils succeed through their learning process.

On the other hand, research has shown that homework may too, cause stress in a person. Excessive homework can inflict pressure on pupils, which makes it difficult for them to cope with. With compulsory curriculum activities lined up for pupils in and out of school, many pupils hardly have the time to complete their homework. Homework is also believed to be intrusive on families. In many cases, both parents are in the workforce and wish to spend quality time with their offspring. Also, when examined closely, homework actually often requires the help of parents to be completed (especially for primary school pupils). Some pupils may be weaker in some subjects and thrust their homework into their parents’ arms.

Hence, proper use of homework can be of value to pupils’ academic and personal developments. They give pupils opportunities to show an interest in their school life and learning, which in turn builds up positive-thinking individuals. Indeed, a few pieces of homework a day is a small price to pay for high achievements in the long-run and life long useful skills.

To sum up, I strongly believe that the benefits of homework assignments far outweigh the negatives. Homework encourages independent in-depth study which enables pupils to think critically and creatively. As lessons in schools are merely transmittal of information, homework is essential for the pupils’ own understanding of the material covered in class.

[ I hope you have enjoyed this entry with my insights on homework. May you complete our June holiday homework with an open mind (don’t grumble!) and remember to spend some time with your loved ones (friends AND family) to catch up on things you have missed! Happy holidays everyone! ]

The future ain't what it used to be. hugged teddy at 11:03 PM