My Final Reflection

I still remember the night while i was walking out of NUS with Jiwei after our peer teaching group meeting, he told me that completing this peer teaching presentation was just the tip of the ice berg of the course. Looking back, i think that time really flies when i am already writing on my final blog post. Throughout this course, i can say that i have honed not only communication skills but also other important life skills which are relevant to my future.

Frankly speaking, i had chosen this module because i could not get any other breadth modules as the bid points were too high. Also, the name of this module, " Professional Communication" caught my attention as i feel that it would be useful when i step into the working industry. I did not regret my choice when i went through the first lesson. I was surprised by a different kind of teaching style where ideas could flow freely without walls in the classroom. I enjoyed the interaction with my fellow classmates when we were tasked to do exercises. This is because we could share our ideas and learn from different people. This is especially so when we would often change discussion groups, hence exposing ourselves to unique working styles. I believe that this is an unconventional teaching method which i feel is both fulfilling and enriching for me.

Most importantly, besides enjoying the course, i have defintely picked up several new skills. With regards to the 7Cs, i have learnt to be more concise. From my long blog posts to long winded presentations, my peers would point out that i tend to ramble my sentences which could be summarised to give the reader or listener a better idea. Hence, i have learnt to cut short my words while making sure that the main idea is being retained. This would defintely be an essential skill when i need to write concise reports and give presentations to my bosses.

Other than the 7Cs, i am also able to practise on my communication skills through the various interactions with classmates as well as the oral presentations. I find that the feedback on my oral persentations given by my fellow peers especially useful such as cutting down on my use of words ' actually'. I cannot imagine if i continue to be unaware with my 'actually'while speaking to a large crowd when i am in my workplace.

The team project has allowed me to learn how to write a proposal. Having been in army for 2 years, i guess my writing skills have grown rusty. In particular, i have learnt about the basic structure of the proposal as well as writing the abstract. And again, being concise while relevant is important here as well. Most importantly, i have learnt to write professionally such as the application letter. For instance, minor details such as printing the resume on a presentable paper is crucial as this is would increase my chances while i am applying the job.

Having completed this module is only the tip of the ice berg for me, i still have a long way to go in my varsity life. Though official learning for this module has stopped here, i am glad that i could still apply these life skills in my future modules as well as in my life. Lastly, i would like to thank brad and my fellow classmates for making this module enjoyable!

Reflection On Oral Presentation

The Preparation

Expectations rose after we had done rather well in the peer teaching session. We were further stressed to produce an extraordinary oral presentation after Brad listed out what he had expected of us. I still remember that he had mentioned we are the focus rather than the slides, this really drilled into my brain. Being the last group to present had also added on to the presentation standard, i can say that the groups before us did really well. Of course the journey to prepare the oral presentation was brain intensive as we want to give our best for the last shot.

The first question that came to our mind is "how do we create something out of the box that will trigger the audience's mind with relation to our life skills topic?" As usual, our creative director, Jiwei brought in his experience from all his previous presentation ideas. One of his preliminary ideas that we had decided to embed in is how to connect nine dots (lined up in a square) with four straight lines without lifting the pen from the paper. We thought all the ideas we have embedded in would really create an 'out of the box' presentation. However, after sitting through the other group's presentation, we realised that we had focus too much on the presentation itself and not the content. I guess we were carried away to make our presentation stand out so we decided to focus more on the content. This traced back to our main objective of the presentation that is to convince the audience of our proposal.

By working as a team, i learnt valuable communication skills when we need to accomodate each other's schedule for project meetings. I can say my project mates were very understanding towards each other when we had tests ongoing and hence would avoid conducting meetings before the test date. Most importantly, i have learnt how to work more efficiently when we usually spend a productive 2 hours preparing and rehearsing the whole presentation. Many thanks to Xiuling and Jiwei, i really learnt a lot from them.


The Presentation

I can say that my presentation started off with a 'big bang' as proclaimed by the people sitting right in front as my voice was too loud relative to Xiuling's presentation. I initially thought they were laughing at something else perhaps my facial expression when i tried to smile. To my surprise, it was actually that my voice was too loud and this had given a shock to the people sitting in front. I apologised for that and i will improve on this, that is to coordinate the tone of my voice with my team members. Frankly speaking, i was quite nervous at the start and my way of reducing the anxiety is to project my voice out loud. This would actually remove the fear in me. ( Jiwei, this could be a suggestion for you to reduce your nervousness)

I was quite pleased when Jiwei noticed that i had stopped saying the words 'actually' repeatedly during the presentations. This is really an improvement from my peer teaching sessions. I guess this is due to the amount of preparation i had put in so that i am familiar about what to say and not hesitate by saying 'actually'. This was also due to the increased in self-awareness during presentations so that i would not have this bad habit of saying 'ok' or 'actually'. I should also give credit to the amount of interaction i was exposed to in classes, that is to practise speaking distinctly. Hence i am glad that i have achieved one of the most important outcomes of the course that is to communicate professionally.

I am glad that our group presentation turned out to be smooth sailing and the project is finally over. I can say i have picked up a lot of positive attributes from this project be it writing the proposal or giving the oral presentation. Once again, i would like to thank my project mates, Xiuling and Jiwei for the great work together!

Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour in New Zealand!

My trip to New Zealand for army overseas training exercise was a once in a life time experience for me. Apart from the beautiful sceneries and the cooling climate, I discovered a distinct cultural difference. This interesting observation was made while I was working with the New Zealand Artillery army unit.


It was the final day of the firing evaluation exercise. We were attached to a group of New Zealand army comrades in the exchange programme. As it was lunch time, I had to collect rations for my fellow platoon mates before the start of the first firing. While I was queuing up at the ration collection point, I received a call from my senior commander that I had to send the ration back to the platoon (which was 20 km away) in 10 minutes. This was because they had to meet the firing time requirement in this important evaluation. Looking at the long and slow moving queue, I got impatient and frustrated. I then requested to ‘cut’ the queue by explaining to the people that I had an urgent timing to meet. Seeing that I was a foreigner, they gave me the priority and I was very thankful of them. After I left hurriedly, I then realized that the New Zealand boys would also have to meet the same firing timing since it was a bilateral firing exercise. I started to wonder, “At the rate they are going, how are they going to meet the timing?” In addition, I was surprised that they allowed me to move to the front of the queue when they were supposed to be in the rush too. Eventually, they were late in delivering the first firepower.


This incident allowed me to discover a different pace of life in another country. After talking to some of the New Zealand boys, I discovered that they are used to the slow pace of lifestyle that deadlines served no purpose unless there really was. At first, I thought that the New Zealand army was being inefficient but this laidback attitude can be seen in other aspects of their lives as well. Even during the peak hours, New Zealanders walk on the streets slowly. This is a stark difference compared to Singaporeans, who tend to rush to their destinations. Shops always closed at 6pm sharp when Singapore malls end their business in the late evening. To us Singaporeans, we lived in such a hectic lifestyle that we are forever rushing to meet deadlines. Another point is that if you were in Singapore, would people let you jump the queue if you tell them that you are rushing for time? I guess not. They might be rushing for time as well.


I believed why there is such a different cultural occurrence is because of the environment that they are living in. New Zealanders depend heavily on cow rearing for their national domestic output. Life will automatically become slow as they lived largely in a rural environment. It is surprising to note that the proportion of cows is higher than the number of people there. This clearly shows that cows are very important natural resource for the country. For us Singaporeans, we are regarded as an important resource in the country. To ensure survival, we need to depend on ourselves as we do not have any natural resources. This explains the rise of Singapore as a financial and trading urban centre. It is inevitable to rush as time is a crucial factor in the business world.


After noticing such a way of life in New Zealand, I finally understand why some Singaporeans migrate to New Zealand during their retirement days. It is place of tranquility and beauty where it gives a break to the hectic lifestyle of Singaporeans.

My Personal Statement

In preparation for my application for the teaching internship programme, i thought of writing a personal statement in response to the question posted by the Ministry of Education. The title of the essay is shown below.



What are some of the values and beliefs that you hold strongly to? Please provide examples of how you have demonstrated these in your actions.


Values play a very important role in one’s overall psychological well-being. They shape a person’s character and directly impacts the way he reasons morally in every action he takes in his life. My belief is further justified after listening to Mr Teo Chee Hean’s SAF day speech: “Fundamental to the 3G SAF soldier are the values that are imbued in generations of the SAF” during my National Service. This is especially so when i was a commander in NS, i need to align those values to my followers as a leader myself.


Being a morally upright person, i always believed honesty is a virtue. There was once when i caught one of my classmates cheating during a history class test in secondary school. Feeling that it was not right, i spoke to him in person about fairness and integrity. Fortunately, he realised his mistake and owned up to the teacher. I was glad that the teacher did not punish him because he knew his mistake. My ethics were further being demonstrated in army. During my BMT training, i noticed that one of my commanders taught something wrongly. Having the moral courage, i pointed out the mistake to him without hesistation.


I take great responsibility in whatever i do especially when i am given the opportunity to lead in school and in the army. This could be because i always take pride in my work. As a class leader during my college days, i assisted my teacher by managing the class through several duties and organising several projects. As I was also the captain of the recreation badminton team, i enjoyed organising badminton matches for my 45 members in the CCA. Due to my good performance in NS, i was sent to prestigious courses and became the NSF Sergeant Major of my company, and led all my specialists and men to glory.


I am a person who is self-motivated and optimistic, hence have great fighting spirit. This is especially so when i was required to undergo tough trainings during my NS days. Being a combat soldier, SOC and IPPT were physically intense and mentally testing activities that i had to go through. With my mental strength, i was able to overcome all the obstacles in SOC and achieved a GOLD timing in my IPPT.

Application Letter Draft 2

Company: Ministry of Education

Applying for: Teaching Internship Programme 2009

Basic Requirements:

Applicants should possess one of the following entry qualifications:

-University degree;

-Polytechnic Diploma, with 5 ‘O’ Level or

-2 ‘A’ Level passes and 2 ‘AO’ Level passes

Most importantly, possess a passion in teaching

Responsibilites:

-Teach a class of students in various subjects specialisation

-Involve in the school activities such as planning of events

Internship Application link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MOE-Teaching-Internship-Program-for-Singaporeans-Overseas/75950188721

_______________________________________________________



Blk 641 Hougang Ave 8
#15-169
S530641

2nd September 2009

Mdm Yang Jing Fang
Ministry Of Education, Singapore
1 North Buona Vista Drive
S138675

Dear Mdm,

Internship Teaching Position


I am enclosing my CV in response to your advertisement for the MOE teaching internship programme which was posted in ‘Facebook’ on 1st May 2009.

As you can see from my CV, I am currently a year 1 student studying Bioengineering in NUS. Teaching has always been my passion since young and I would like to take up the challenge to educate our young today. This can be clearly reflected from my past experience as a relief teacher in Anderson Secondary School.

Having a strong foundation in mathematics, I taught the subject to a class of 42 students. Though handling such a large number is challenging, I find it very fulfilling and satisfying when there was a 20% increased in the maths test passing rate for the class. I feel that this demonstrates my ability to deliver good teaching skills as I have to maintain a balance of focus on all the students. Apart from that, my management and organizational skills were put to test when I was involved in the planning of the Family Carnival 2007 with my colleagues and students. Furthermore, having to work with people from different backgrounds taught me a good deal about teamwork cooperation.

With a strong passion in teaching, I am currently tutoring 3 students in their maths homework while juggling my varsity studies. Hence, I place great emphasis in time-management skills.

My leadership skills are demonstrated when I was appointed a senior commander position during my National Service. I was tasked the job to lead the entire company during outfield training exercises. It has given me an opportunity to learn managerial skills that would never be taught in school. As a surveyor for the employment ministry, I was able practised my interpersonal skills which are crucial for an educator. The challenge is to be able to build rapport with respondents so that they are able to answer the surveys truthfully.

I was inspired by this year Teachers’ Day message from Ms Ho Peng (Director-General of Education) that Singapore teachers are to ‘Lead,Care,Inspire’. I found a new meaning that a teacher is also a guardian, a mentor and a friend. I am confident that I can realise this new motto when I pursue a teaching career after graduation. I look forward to hearing from you.


Yours sincerely,



Mr Lim Zi Kai

An interpersonal conflict (The blame game)

Having spent 2 years in the army, I have not only got myself operationally and physically ready but also gained work experiences, especially in terms of work politics. I still remember vividly an interpersonal conflict that involved 3 parties, including myself. Before the usual outfield training exercise, our fellow commander (a regular) was tasked the job of distributing 8 CVC helmets (used for training) to 4 section commanders. Being the platoon sergeant, I was asked to help him oversee the accountability of those items as he had to settle other important matters. After the training, I realised that there were only 7 CVC helmets. The section commander who was responsible claimed that he had the 2 CVC helmets accounted for at outfield before returning to camp. He also said that he had informed our regular commander who claimed that he did not remember anything about being informed.


The regular started to blame the section commander for being irresponsible and demanded him to pay for the loss. Being sandwiched in the middle, I was at a loss as I did not know whom to believe. However, after having a heart to heart talk to understand the situation from the section commander, I realized that his work ability could be trusted. In the end, I requested to share the cost for the loss since I was also in charge of the outfield items. I did not want the blaming to continue but wanted to resolve the situation quickly instead. There was clearly no trust amongst us.


After this incident, I thought to myself, what was the cause of this conflict? Is it because of a miscommunication between the regular and section commander? Or was it just because of work ability? If you were in my shoes, what would you have done to improve the situation?

Why is effective communication so important to me?

I would like to start off my very first post by sharing my unique job experience before i came into NUS as a freshman. Due to difficulty finding a decent well paying temporary job amid the economic crisis a few months ago, I ended up as a surveyor for the ministry of manpower. Little did I know I would soon be interacting and meeting people from different walks of life especially the minorities, that is the less fortunate ones. My job as a whole is to collect important employment information from each household. What is so interesting about this job is I get to communicate with different kinds of people such as the kind ones, impatient ones, talkative ones and even the nasty ones. Hence, I would always need to change the way on how I persuade and convince them into providing this information to me just like handling different types of customers. Therefore, effective communication in terms of how you present yourself, the tone and body language significantly contributes to the successful completion of the survey.


I would usually use simple English or mandarin verbally to get the message across to respondents whether through the phone or house visits. However, I came across two special cases where no verbal communication is used. Yes, both cases were couples who were either mute or deaf. The second case was harder to complete as the couple was mute, deaf and illiterate. You may wonder how I can manage to complete both cases. For the first case, since the couple was deaf, I was able to communicate effectively with them by writing every messages on paper. Though it was time consuming, I was glad that they made an effort to spend the time to complete the survey. For the latter, I tried really hard to get my message across but failed to get what they were saying since they cannot read or write. Fortunately, I managed to use hand gestures- another form of non-verbal communication and got a handphone number from them. I was informed by their hand gestures that this number belongs to one of their neighbours who could provide the necessary household information. I heaved a sigh of relief when I could at least get a link to the information needed. But a question came across my mind, “How would I communicate with a person if he is blind ,mute, deaf and illiterate?”


My experience as mentioned from the previous paragraph highlights two important issues. Firstly, you can see how important effective communication to me is, simply to get my job done. Secondly, effective communication is not just about simply getting the message across using oral language but it does relate to understanding each other’s mind under special circumstances when other mediums of communication have to be used. Hence being able to express yourself effectively is more than the ability to speak distinctly but also using appropriate body languages, postures, hand gestures and etc. The main reason why I think being able to communicate effectively is important to me is because I want people to understand me as much as how I comprehend them through various forms of communication. This aids the smooth completion of a job and even to avoid miscommunication which would give rise to conflicts.


Having good interpersonal skills are especially useful to me when I am in school. From getting to know new friends where first impression counts to getting a project done with my group of classmates, effective communication is very important here. I would like to have good friends to accompany me through the entire varsity life as we share weal and woe. I would also like to be able to task and relate well to my project team mates especially if I have the opportunity to become the leader. This ensures a smooth completion of the project work. If misunderstandings occur from communication breakdown, ironically, effective communication is needed to solve the problem such as giving in to each other.


Family ties are known to be the most important fabric in our society. Hence, to be able to communicate effectively with my parents is important. I was rather saddened whenever I read news that bloodshed occurs in families when conflicts arise from misunderstandings. I believe the large part of the reason why this fateful ending happened is because there is no proper channel of communication and mutual understanding between two parties. I myself treasure my family and I need to show them the love and care appropriately through good communication skills.


From young, I aspire to become a teacher and I am going to be one in the future. Hence, communicating with my students is very important here as they need to understand my lessons well. Other than that, as a counsellor as well, I need to listen and understand my students’ problems and give appropriate advice. As I am in a workplace, I need to relate well with my colleagues when politics are bound to happen.


Last but not the least, good communication is required in successful marriages. Divorce rates in the modern city of Singapore are sky rocketing as reported from ‘The Straits Times’. A fast paced and hectic lifestyle of today’s young married couples leaves little time for interaction or love making. This often results in poor relationships and misunderstandings, therefore even causes violence between spouse when they are not resolved. I do not want to end up like one of them. I need to learn how to maintain a good and stable marriage with my spouse by improving my communication skills. A relationship takes two hands to clap. Mutual contribution through actions and good communication is hence essential here.

To end my first post, i shall present an interesting chinese character ( translated in english is called 'listen' as shown above) that depicts the art of listening. The chinese character of listen shows that we do not listen just only by our ears. One listens with one's eyes, ears and whole heart as if listening to a king. I always believe that effective communication is not merely speaking distinctly but it also involves listening from the heart, therefore displaying sincerity in conversations.