GTG Learning Weblog-Wither Thee?

I had been trying to read this blog for almost two days now but it no longer existed.

So,I emailed Eliz the blog administrator of GTG Learning Centre and she told me that the blog has been discontinued as they could not find spare time to actively contribute to it.

A sad ending for a blog that started ambitiously and had to fall by the way-side because of "work pressure", to put it politely.

Downsizing.....

These days, brand no longer matter that much to well-heeled senior citizens. Even though they may reside in middle class enclaves, many of these senior citizens have forsake their Mercedes and have chosen the plain and diminutive Kancil; and are proud to be seen in one of them. In fact, a certain buddy of mind has chucked his Mercedes for the LRT. Yet, another friend whom I met today is driving a Kancil, in place of his Mercedes,talking about the Kancil's unrivaled fuel economy and its ease in parking.

Well, time sure has changed. For me, I am still driving my two old jalopies.....

Senior Citizens' Goodie Shops

Goodie shops-that's what my wife calls them. All you need is pay RM1 for entry to a 60 minutes health talk and then you can walk away with some daily use items ranging from tissue paper to biscuits and snacks.

So where's the catch?. What is the modus operandi? The RM1 entry fee is just to defray operational costs like contributing to some of the workers' pay,air-conditioning and the like.Actually,it will not even cover their daily expenses. Sometimes they also sell small priced items before the actual talk begins, to make some small money.

For something like 4 months they will have these health talks and will introduce health foods and health equipment. These are real expensive and cost nothing less than RM 1,000. Some even can go up to RM13,000 such as health exercise machines. If they can sell these, they will make a lot of money.

Believe me, these senior citizens are really loaded. Most of them are retired or receiving money from their working kids. They are on a high,buying up almost every health related product that was introduced. As usual, their hope-a cure for current ailments.For those that are big ticket buyers, they will be given free membership to organic food shops where they can buy things at discount prices.

For me, as most of these health talks are either in Cantonese or Mandarin or translations from Japanese, my attention literary fades away after 20 minutes.Before you know it, the talk ends and you hand over your little green cards to get your presents.

Goodie shops open all over the place in KL and PJ and the same senior citizens will be there to take advantage of the goodies that they dish out for just a mere ringgit. Very soon they will get to know one another and trade news on what is being offered at which goodie shop.

What a time to spend the morning just looking at these old folks and to listen to the rambling sales talk!

Quo Vadis Masters in Education at OUM?

So it looks like I will have to look to the September 2009 intake if I intend to take the M.Ed.

A new condition has now been made known to me.

Apparently, as I have no evidence of teaching for two years in the private sector, I will have to take the open entry route and that is to do the entry examination on 10th May. Time is not on my side for the examination as it is only 36 hours away. However, a lead time of three months is a good time as any to learn more about the M Ed. before actually doing it.

The other information that I have learned:

You must take 3 papers per semester
You must at least have a CGPA of 3.0 to move on to the next semester.
Even if you should fail any of the three papers per semester, you can still move forward if the combined CGPA grade of the other two papers is 3.0 and above
You can pay your fees by 3 installment each semester.

So all this new information is good for me and could be the tipping point for a positive consideration of the M Ed. in August 2009.

Rajan Takes Over

So GTG is always prepared.

If anyone of its teachers again should resign, there are many more on the backburner, I am sure! All ready to come on board. B Uch must be one fertile watering hole to GTG. Compliments and accolades to Celine.

Effectively, I stopped teaching on 29 April.

I have just been informed that a Mr Rajan has taken over from me to teach my EIEP class beginning 5 May. Good for him!

I do not know whether he is a full-time lecturer or a part- timer.

But whatever it is, I do hope he stays longer in GTG than I was able to do so.

Open University Malaysia

Well now that I am foot-loose and fancy free once more from an 8.30 to 5.30 job, I have options to consider.

While I still have my regular home tuition as well as that 90 minutes with the Section 14 Tutorial Centre, taking up a course continues to be a desirable option to mull upon.

So yesterday afternoon after handing in my quotation and invoice to MFPC,dropping by UOB and window shopping at Sogo, we went in search of the Open University.

It was to be a long walk all around the old PM's Department vicinity. We walked past the Tun Hussein Onn and the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorials before we finally found it way behind the yet to be completed Bank Negara Museum.

Had a talk with Encik Fauzi of the Marketing Department and got my details. Soon we were headed to Tuanku Abdul Rahman Road for my wife's favourite mee rojak.

A very eventful day. RM7,300 is the fee and the Masters in Education course will take 24 months. Also there are 8 papers to pass in the first three semesters.

Need to do some hard thinking.

I Quit! I Quit! I Quit!

On 27th April, I handed in my resignation letter.

With that, I ended my short stint, teaching English to the undergraduates of Berjaya University College of Hospitality.

Looking back, the best times were in the classroom, imparting my knowledge of English grammar to those eager beavers.

I like my Foundation students-Hana, Sheida, Alvin, Joshua and Alan. Glad they did well in the first semester. Hana, Sheida and Alvin came in with good As while Joshua and Alan got in with strong Bs.

As for the April intake,I have done my initial evaluation. Angela, Mok,Fun and Tee are progessing well and so is Kevin. Middle of the road students include Ben, Yew, Yung, Faizal and Ughandran.

The weaker ones in need of help includes Cze Kiat and Shin Pei.

I hope my replacement teacher will carry on the momentum I have set so that these students can excel in the finals.