Say Kiat

My Math wasn't great in primary school and there was once when I barely passed. I also had little friends and was often doing things aimlessly. But the game changer came in Sec 1, when I started to get taught by a lovely couple, Kelvin and Anne. They run a tuition center called The Epic Mind Learning Loft. The way they taught me was so inspiring and liberating; it was always about my process of growth, not just the outcome alone. Their focus was on me as a person, and not just whether I got the question right. And because of that, I felt relaxed and able to learn, they gave me the space to fail and explore.

And most of all, they helped me see that Math isn’t just about X and Y, it trains my analytical skills, critical thinking, and most crucially the resilience to solve problems.

Beyond Math, Kelvin is big on personal development. He talks to us, jokes with us, spams us with books, videos and all kinds of learning material, outside our schoolwork. He made me realise the true essence of education - to develop a love for learning and growth.

Personally, I’ve started to pick up an interest in investing and financial literacy. Unfortunately, even though money management is such an important topic, it’s not taught in schools. Learning how to grow, save and invest your money teaches you many other lessons – like discipline and emotional control. Why learn about money and investing? Personally, money has been a rather controversial issue in my family, and I hope to ensure that that never happens again.

My generation is growing up in a very volatile world, as you can see from the recent virus. We need to develop skills outside of formal education. My dream is to grow up to be a person like Kelvin, who cares for and loves the people around them, and equips them to succeed in life.

Jeven

My teacher treated me differently. Once, we were answering challenging questions. She laughed and said: “Class, you are not allowed to use the textbook. Only he (pointing at me) is allowed to use it”. Many started laughing and calling me names like “noob”, “dumb sia”.

This was in primary 5, and I got into the “best class”. It was a culture shock..the level of kiasu-ism... It was like the ‘Hunger Games’, where everyone’s trying to win and fighting not to be “killed” by each other. Despite trying my best (72 marks), I still scored lowest in class for 3 consecutive exams. That was when the bullying started. I got called names like “retarded, disgrace” and “waste of resources”. My teacher lamented ‘lowest in class again!’ when handing out exam scripts. That didn’t help either.

I was quite emotionally affected back then. It’s hard to describe it exactly, but when you’re being bullied, you wake up every morning and have this lingering negative feeling, that you’re expecting bad things to happen. And it made me fearful and unmotivated to come to school.

There’s a quote that goes: “Work hard in silence, let success be your noise”. When I felt like giving up, this was my silent motivation. I did my best in PSLE, and scored better than some who called me names. But that’s not that important, it’s the resilience I developed that I treasure. To anyone who is facing bullying, I shared my story to encourage you to persevere on and never quit, you’ll eventually win the battle and be grateful for the tough times.

Right now, I’m in secondary 3 and I’m doing much better. I love my secondary school - my friends and teachers offer a helping hand or listening ear when I’m feeling low, they have shaped me into who I am. My mindset towards education changed too. Although I do my best in academics, I know it’s not the only thing that matters. A musician I spoke to said that he did not need math and science to produce music, only relevant subjects are important when you work in a certain industry. Also, results do not dictate who you are as a person. If you achieve academic success but have a terrible character, you’re still a not-so-good person. So as long as we do our best and work on ourselves, we can be successful in our own way.

Looking back, I don’t blame or have hatred for my primary school classmates nor teacher, they were just influenced by the competitive, kiasu culture. My hope for students is to be more accepting and not be so kiasu haha. Do not judge others who are less academically-able, some people have other talents such as in the arts (dance, music, etc.). If you observe friends not doing so well, try to help them. We learn when we teach too. Organizing group study sessions also helps you have a diverse group of friends, with different strengths to help each other. This way we can build an inclusive culture where everyone can succeed together in different ways. This is my hope for our education.

Sebin

When I first came to Singapore, there was a massive language barrier, even though I studied English for years in South Korea. It felt like those years went down the drain. I couldn’t understand lessons, nor join in conversations. Once a boy stole a ball I brought to school, and I couldn’t even stand up for myself. Grades were terrible too. It was devastating for my self-esteem, and I considered going back to Korea.

Yet I am thankful my Mum never once stressed me. She was so assuring and told me to persevere. So I carried on, studied hard, watched lots of English shows (Sherlock is my fav!), believing one day I’ll be able to write and speak fluently. I really wanted to prove myself, because I was never an outstanding student in Korea. After some years, I’m still here in Singapore and smiling too, so I guess I did ok eventually 😄

I think resilience means hanging on when you really really feel like giving up. It's in that mental stretch that we grow the most 🙆

Jon

When I first received my PSLE results, I felt really down. I was the first in my family to be enrolled in the Normal Technical stream and I felt like a disappointment.

When I started secondary school, I wasn’t motivated and wasn't doing well. Then one day, my teacher (Mr Ng) pulled me out of the class. He spoke to me with passion, I could feel it. He said he believed in me and my potential. He said I was special in the way I showed leadership and helped my peers. I was deeply inspired by his words. I worked hard and managed to be in the top few of the cohort. I also joined the student council to improve my leadership skills.

Now when I face failure, I think of the word ‘opportunity’. Failure gives me the opportunity to reflect and improve myself. What can I change to better myself?

It’s sad when I see students put false limitations on themselves, like how I did. We all need a 'Mr Ng' in our lives. He taught me not to base my potential on my current grades. He taught me to appreciate my unique strengths beyond my grades.

My hope is that I can be a 'Mr Ng' to my peers.

Sanshray

I've always wanted a pet dog since primary school, but my Mum wasn’t too keen. About 2 years ago, she finally agreed. Not just that, she even went the extra mile to take care of our dog’s needs. I was so touched, because my Mum’s love for me was bigger than her concerns. She wanted me to be happy.

I love her dearly, I am where I am because of her. She is strong-willed, gentle & supported me throughout my life, despite knowing my condition will worsen slowly. She gave me the freedom to make my choices, she comforted me when I felt low, she followed me throughout my schooling life until my graduation. She waits for me when I'm having classes, helps me when I need to go to the toilet and joins me and my classmates for lunch.

Recently, she can’t carry me anymore, so we had to hire a domestic helper. I’m glad she finally gets a rest after 20 years, although she still follows me around, it’s part of her. She comes to my public speaking programs, takes videos and pictures of me, and claps along even though she doesn’t understand English. When I see the pride in her eyes, I am grateful.

My advice to students would be to increase mutual understanding and love with your parents. Maybe find a time to ask them out for a meal, they’ll be pleasantly surprised. Just have a chat & know them better. Once there is a stronger relationship, it becomes easier to communicate when you have different values and opinions. It’s also easier to open up and seek help when you need to.

In primary school, I had a friend who did some DJ-ing. I thought ‘that’s pretty cool’ and persuaded my Dad to buy some simple DJ equipment. I fell in love with it.

In Sec 1, I played at a talent contest in school. I got some flak. Some said I was just “pressing some random buttons”. Well, I can’t blame them because it did look like that haha. Still, I kept playing. Eventually, when they learned more about it, I received a lot of support from my peers and the school. I owe them a lot…. CCA groups gave me a chance to perform and my teachers encouraged me to nurture my unique talent, instead of stopping me.

I learnt mostly online and had a tutor for a short while. I kept practising and made tons of mistakes. It sucks at first, but they’re great learning moments. To be a good DJ, my mantra is ‘Be carefree, yet mindful’. You have to play to the crowd, be upbeat and passionate, yet watch your Mixer and Jogwheel (the board with many buttons & the big spinny wheel). Your hands have to work independently to mix and match the beats/effects to the music track. It’s not easy because our brain naturally synchronizes our hand actions (you know when your friends make you do that irritating hand switch thing).

It’s tough, but the challenge is satisfying. Benefits of DJ-ing? I overcame my shyness, which helps me be a better leader too. And I get to play to many people! Last June, SYF organizers saw my videos and invited me to perform. I collaborated with a band and performed to my biggest audience yet of ~1000 people. The feeling is priceless, to bring joy to others through music. I’m happy when I do it.

I always encourage friends my age to explore opportunities too, go beyond the initial fear, you might find something you’re good at. I believe if you put your mind to something you enjoy, you will make a contribution to others, which makes your own life meaningful too!