Unwritten

After a fruitful module on HRP (Humanities Research Paper), we, students from H1, H2 and H3 were asked to stay back, for a few very important, serious issues were to be addressed. Mr Samuel Lim started by telling us about emails he received from the “top”, saying that HP boys in particular were complaining about the Programme, the teachers. Ms Esther Cheong elaborated by asking us to just shoot out any problems we have about the programme, what do we dislike about the programme. Nobody responded. And I wondered whether it was guilty conscience.

A few speakers spoke up, mentioning it was actually the CSE system that was the source of problem, how the lack of classing system led to lack of class spirit and class bondings. Even with the clusters we are grouped in, we are eventually split to join different people from different classes for our subject groupings. Some said it was the transitional period that was our problem – all of a sudden, wham, this CSE system was just thrown to us, while the orientation only lasted a short period of 3 days.

Addressing all these, Ms Cheong and Mr Lim told us that we shouldn't be complaining about HP then, it was the whole new system that was the source of the problem. Mr Lim then told us the trouble this led to, all 4 HP teachers receiving emails from the “top”, requesting for the teacher in HP to be “kinder”, informing them about our qualms. Ms Cheong joined in with occasional comments. He further urged us to discuss any problems we might face in HP, expressing the desire to improve HP, while Ms Cheong welcomed all to their home rooms* any time if we wanted to talk, to have a snack, to chit chat. (*Our HP teachers have home rooms, in conjunction with CSE, it would be a class room transformed into their very own office, classroom, “home”, where students take lessons there, find their teachers there)

From this I saw the sincerity of our teachers, the passion they have, the concern they have for us. Mr Lim then asked whether if it was a question of the heavy workload of HP. Some people murmured some things. He told us it was just the transitional period, and he would be doing us a great injustice if we joined HP just to slack and do nothing. I agree with him. Every single one of us joined HP, knowing that the workload would be heavy. So what was the real problem?

It was then someone brought out the point that H2 (my cluster) feels very “left out”. It reflected what I felt. For H2, it was different sets of teachers, instead of Ms Cheong for Geography and Mr Lim for History, what H1 and H3 has, we had Ms Gwee for Geography and Ms Teo for History. Every single bonding Ms Cheong and Mr Lim had with their students, we missed out. Furthermore, it contributed that Ms Teo Cheok Mei did not have a home room, where our cluster H2 could hang out for snacks and have chit chat sessions with her, while Ms Gwee's home room isn't what you would call homely (just tables and chairs and shelves, unlike Mr Lim's mini fountain and a settee in his home room and Ms Cheong's couch and some cookies for sharing in hers “they [cookies] are all gone in a day!” , she exclaimed.) Thus, it meant that the majority of students in HP are under Mr Lim and Ms Cheong, and they have more opportunities to do things as a group. Mr Lim and Ms Cheong assured us that they know about the inconveniences we faced without a class, how class spirit and bonding didn't apply to us any longer, told us that they knew what H2 was facing, with the different teachers and all, and then promised us that we would have more activities together, for example, all HP students eating in their home rooms together, doing every single thing as a family. I liked this idea. HP as a huge family.

Then Ms Cheong said “I won't be humble. All 4 of us are very excellent teachers. Yes, don't laugh. Like me, I could just walk out of this school and still get paid. And yet here we are talking to you” Their dedication really touched me. True, with qualifications like theirs, they could just resign, find another job with a higher pay. But they stayed, for their love and passion for HP!

It was later revealed that majority of the complains made were by Aphelion boys, my consortium. Apparently, some among us Aphelions complained to the “top”, our DC (Director of Consortium), about our discontent about HP. Mr Lim explained that even though if what we complained about was about CSE, teachers would see it as a complaint by a HP student, and that linked that complaint to HP. He urged us to mention accurately whatever we want to complain about, if it was the system, state that clearly, if it was about HP, state that clearly too, or alternatively, approach him. Actually, I was surprised. Who would have done a thing? Then it came to me, I think that a few people (not me) actually complained to Ms Pek about our teachers in HP during the first few Maths lessons. Maybe Ms Pek told Mrs Ke, the DC of Aphelion? I do not know. Just a guess.

After all these, Mr Lim and Ms Cheong promised for a better HP. Who can say “no” to the great enthusiasm of theirs? For that, I truly respect all my HP teachers. I big thank you to you guys, I am really touched. I don't care what my SMTP friends say about HP, (and what I say about their programme in turn oops *blushes*), Humanities Programme is no doubt a programme of substance, a programme of distinction, and a programme for outstanding students, with all these dedicated and passionate teachers, who do not waver even under the fiercest circumstances! HP all the way!