In a freaking good mood today.
Enjoyed myself thoroughly at work today.

Woah. Have I gone bonkers? Isn’t work the malaise of modern life? How can work be enjoyable?

It all goes back to last Tuesday, when my Head of Development got us English teachers to get together in groups and discuss the upcoming project we were to design for our students in Term 3. The Year 2 students were tasked the topic “Faces of NorthLight”, so I volunteered to come up with a sample information text. Good teachers know that scaffolding is essential to students acquiring pertinent language skills, right?

I already knew that I wanted to write a piece on Mr Suhaili since we worked intimately as Form Teachers before. More importantly, he has been harbouring thoughts of retirement, so I better catch him for a chat while I can, right?

Which explains why I interviewed him this morning. Tbh, I kinda dreaded the writing, no thanks to my hastily scribbled notes, but once I got down to it, I was soon engrossed in crafting a piece that would do justice to his humanity. I didn’t want to type my interview notes on ChatGPT and ask it to write for me; I wanted to do it myself.

It isn’t often in life that I get to honour someone through my humble words. And I really feel good about the endeavour because my words are a vessel through which his heart and voice would be known to the world. Okay, so I exaggerate, but at least, this year’s Year 2 students will get a better idea of who Mr Suhaili is as a person. What can be more meaningful than this?

Ngl, I’m not above using ChatGPT to improve my work. So after I finished writing, I typed “I want you to make suggested edits to my writing below, removing awkward expression errors while retaining my writer’s voice” on ChatGPT. Voila! I got a tighter and more coherent piece. I loved my edited piece so much!

The purpose of this post is actually to admit that I’m a narcissistic person, that I’m obsessively in love with my writing.

And here’s my information text:

The Hands-On Teacher 

Mr Suhaili is well-known for his hands-on approach to teaching. He not only imparts air-conditioning knowledge to NorthLight School students, but he is also the teacher-in-charge of the Environment Club, where he helps maintain the school garden. Hisstudents and co-workers find him an approachable and reliable teacher. 

Education and Work History 

Mr Suhaili is a role model for lifelong learning. After completing his 'O' levels, he pursued welding and fabrication at the Geylang Serai *VITB (Vocational and Industrial Training Board). He worked as an apprentice at Far East Levingston Shipyard and gained skills in the shipbuilding trade. Along the way, he pursued part-time studies in air-conditioner maintenance at VITB in the evenings. Later, he studied for a diploma in Mechanical Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic to expand his knowledge.      

Teaching is His Calling 

Mr Suhaili loves being a teacher as he feels that helping his students completes his life. Given his familiarity with the VITB system, he tries to connect students with behavioral issues and helps them change for the better. He started teaching at VITB in 1980 and joined NorthLight School in March 2006 as a Facility teacher, where he continues to teach today. With his extensive experience, he understands that students cannot be scolded all the time and need plenty of encouragement. He finds joy in seeing his students grow and develop themselves. It's especially satisfying when NorthLight alumni come back to visit and share that they're doing well in life. 

Enriching Family Life 

In addition to being passionate about teaching, Mr. Suhaili is devoted to his family. He loves spending time with his four children and nine grandchildren. They often gather at his house to share meals and relax. Occasionally, they have picnics outdoors and enjoy each other's company. Since he and his wife enjoy cooking, food is the glue that bonds all his family members together! 

Life After NorthLight School 

Mr. Suhaili hopes to retire at the end of this year so he can spend more time pursuing his hobbies and interests, such as gardening and fishing. He plans to continue upkeeping the school garden when he retires, as he lives near NorthLight school. Therefore, Mr. Suhaili will always be someone whom students can turn to for help.