The 'Lost Pages' - Learning from good jokes and bad jokes

Yar, once again ... insomnia has kicked in. Maybe its because I slept too much in the afternoon. Then again, maybe I feel 'lost' again. So here I am, blogging about a 'lost page'.

Currently I am taking a course in N.I.E on pedagogy. What is pedagogy? In layman terms ... simply means 'how to teach a subject'. So this post is about pedagogy and a bit on the 'fruit' of pedagogy... learning.

Sometime ago, I remember sharing jokes and laughing till my tummy ached at Sentosa with Peiyong and Lao Ye (welfare beavers), Fifi the dragon and Talie. I remember telling them that with 3 jokes, I can roam the world looking for friends. If you want to know what are 3 jokes, I can tell you them as well.

However, then a thought struck my head... how could I can remember these 3 jokes very well. And how come only 3 jokes? Then I realize, these 3 jokes had a common characteristic: they were riddles that provide a positive outcome.

Then I wondered deep into my mind and I realized that some popular puzzles or riddles, such as 'black magic' or 'open close open close', are extremely difficult to recall. Even if you were told the solution and the key to the puzzle, often we would forget them easily. This is extremely true when your the only one in the group who doesn't recall or know the solution and the entire group mocks you for being a 'loser'.

But are we 'losers' because we really are dumb? or is it because our mind simply rejects such learning because of the negative thoughts of being an 'outcast' or 'loser' within that social group.

Now ask yourself: "would you feel easy if your friends seemed so much 'smarter' when they know the answer yet refuse to share it with you 'positively'?" I am sure I don't want to be in that situation again.

I notice I learn much better when the joke is a 'good' riddle that makes me happy and feel at ease. While 'bad' jokes are often forgotten because at the point of making an attempt to guess the riddle behind the joke, I feel negative and emotionally hurt due to the taunting of friends.

Hence, I think we all should practice a bit of kindness as well as consideration and stop making 'bad' jokes. We should try to stop 'belittling' our love ones, even if we don't intentionally do it. We may just end up hurtimg our friends and affect their learning. So for all those who really want to make your friends happier, tell 'good' jokes and throw away the 'bad' ones. Well you can apply this form of pedagogy to your everyday life as well. Be it to teach your kids, students, love ones, family members and friends. I am sure they will remember positive lessons, which make them feel at non-marginalised, much easier.

Hehe.

The 'Lost Pages' - A girl called Angeline

Angeline was my student.

I was her geography teacher.

She was probably my brightest student in my favorite class.

But I remember her not because of her intelligence ... but because of her change. Her change in her attitude towards her teacher.

When I started teaching my favorite class, I realized she would try to 'hide' her talents. Maybe she was frightened of being 'shot' a question. Maybe she was shy. But I knew from day to day events, she was the brightest kid in that class of 35.

For the remaining 3 weeks, She just kept quiet during lessons. But when I marked her work, I knew she was the brightest kid in that class. Even when I asked her to smile more and participate more, she would still remind silent but attentive in class. Maybe that is who she is. And I accept her for that.

The day I left the school, I never got to say good bye to her. As her classmates came up to say farewell, Angeline didn't appear. And I felt a bit lost that she didn't come to see me. I did.

And I left the school and my favorite class.

A few weeks later, as I was making my way to dinner around 5pm on a Friday. I saw Angeline.

I thought for a moment; 'Should I go up and talk to her'. Eventually I did.

"Why so late still never go home?"

And then, I saw the brightest kid of my favorite class smile at me like she never did before. And she wouldn't stop talking to me for that short 10 mins. That smile was probably the happiest 'image' in my memory in a long while.

Her bus came and it was time for us to part again. As I wished her goodbye and best of luck... Angeline asked if I was going to go back to teach them. I didn't give her an answer. I just couldn't. Up till now, I still can't. As your teacher, I am sorry I may have to break that promise we made in class.

The reason I posted this was because, Angeline wasn't the only kid in that class that changed. I guess I will always remember that bunch of 'monkeys' ... G***, A*****, W** A**, C*** R**, J***, C******, S******, M*******, H** C***, A****** ... etc.

I will always remember them, not their names but at least their faces. How we joked together, the 'stupid' jokes they cracked, how noisy they were, those who always slept during lessons, the little 'sharing' sessions with me ... most of all, how they changed, just like Angeline, the girl who wouldn't smile even when I encourage her, till we met again that fateful day.

'Ladies and Gentlemen, if you ever see this blog post. I wish you good luck in life. Do your best, I believe in you guys. Remember Mr Tan's 3 'R's. And most of all, keep smiling.'

The 'Lost Pages'.

I am going to start a new blog section.

Its called the 'Lost Pages'.

This section will touch on matters I wanted to Blog about but I forgot to.

But then again I might have 'remembered' because I randomly noted them in my handphone, the candy bar. Yar my handphone is called the candy bar.

I think it is appropriate because when something is 'lost' it isn't really lost until you remembered you 'lost' it. Sounds confusing? Lets give a counter-example.

When something is not 'lost' it is probably found / around / present. At least it is acknowledge that it exist somewhere in your memories or mind. The most radical counter-counter example of this is ... that things are 'forgotten' or 'lost'. But then again, 'forgotten' matters are never found... cos you just don't realize it is 'lost'. Confusing. Yar, I think so too.

So the reason why I coined these matters 'lost' is because I remember I have to blog about them ... and usually this happens when I delete my smses, while I am lying on bed trying to sleep. So it means, when I blog about a 'lost page' it means I am suffering from insomnia... like now.

Bleah.