This has been the fourth day of an eventful week in school for me. More eventful than any week I have experienced in my 12 years prior to this. As it is, for the past 3 days, I have seen the VP twice, seen a battlefield once and various other things. Today, after getting all my results, the feeling is seriously hard to put in words. Probably just “fucked up” sums it up. But there is worse to come. After all, we never get off so easy. After learning that there might still be a chance that we might get kicked out of school after prelims, we had PE lesson.
PE lesson is a lesson enjoyed by some, dreaded by many. Quoting myself, some people are born to be fit, some train to be fit, others just do not see the need. Surely, a PE lesson helps in giving us a more holistic education, even though what our society seems to be concerned in is how many A’s one gets on a piece of paper. I sincerely believe that this holistic education thing is only the ideal situation. Realistically, think ugly PE teachers with a face closely resembling a building corroded by acid rain who decide to punish you by making you stand in the middle of the field and not giving you any chance to explain why you were not in PE attire.
Then it comes to a crucial question that is hard or impossible to answer. Why? What is the purpose behind those actions? What justification is there? I think that for matters that are supposedly official, one needs to justify his actions. Inability to do so would lead to a lack of respect towards the person. Things like shouting in a students face while contorting ones own horridly ugly face require justification. Shouting things like “I will make your life miserable from this day onwards. 3 problem kids who think they are above the law.” What exactly did the student do to require such treatment? What is the real purpose PE teachers want to push us so hard? For our own health and fitness? I suppose not. For the schools TAF Gold award so that they get a pat on their heads? Probable. To get back at their students whom they nurse a grudge against? Also possible.
Justification complicates the power of what a teacher is able to do to a student. Which also explains why our punishment was changed from detention everyday, to standing in the sun until the end of school, until standing in the sun until 5 minutes after break and make-up PE lessons. He is answerable for his own actions.
Then another crucial question. Why does the problem always lie with the student? Why does the teacher not think why a student is so determined not to go for his PE Lessons? Oh no it could never be the teachers fault. After all they are the authority and students are supposed to bow down to them and submit to them like mice. Perhaps not. Perhaps not. He does not think. Shouting in an authoritative voice does not show who’s boss. To lead and motivate, one needs to command respect. If respect is given, it will be reciprocated. If disrespect is given, it will also be similarly reciprocated. I for one, am not appreciative of being treated like a lesser human. I have a brain and I can think. I have my own principles. One of them is never to bow down to people whom I do not respect. I treat people the same way they treat me because that is what they deserve. Failing to get respect is the biggest failure.
Then it comes to purpose. I digress a little, but I was discussing with Johnson during Econs lecture. Success. What exactly does it mean? Financial stability? A stable job? Most Singaporeans seem to think so. As Johnson says, a straight road is the fastest road to success. It is paved out for you by the Government. I understand but I disagree. I believe it is much more than that. It is living your dreams or die trying. Idealistic. In the real world it is not easy. It is never easy. But why conform? Why is there a need to believe that rules are set in stone? I believe it is nothing more than a mere guideline to morally correct human behaviour. I believe that rules can and should be bent, even broken to fit the situation. Without rules, the world will be in a state of anarchy but with too many strict, inflexible rules, why not build robots?
After all this, PE lessons are but a minor distraction in this big thing people like to call life. But any minor distraction needs to be resolved before it becomes a whole lot bigger. “A stitch in time saves nine” as they say. What to do now? I do not have an answer. Perhaps the best way to solve the problem is long term. Or maybe it will never go away and the years of students following these 3 law breaking students will all suffer that insufferable fool.
Then comes the question of the purpose of school. I have come to the conclusion that it is, and will always be, a necessary “purposelessness”, as ZhenYu puts it. What we are working for in school is nothing more than grades to get us to the next level of education to get more grades. In the Singaporean society, these are what counts. And as Johnson says, you are this close to the A Levels. Is everything worth giving up on? Perhaps. I might not feel it at this time but there may come a time I will. Then I will go off that straight track to success. There may be a time when I might be converted from idealistic youth to cynical adult. I hope it never comes. While I am still an idealistic youth fighting for my dream, which I have a vague idea about, let me end off with a quote from Buzz Lightyear.
[Quote]TO INFINITY AND BEYOND[Unquote]
justin.
posted by justin @ 10:53 PM
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