Author Archives: Wai Leng

Peer pressure and society’s expectations can be just too immense for the young souls to withstand. We need to rethink the whole approach to educating our young. We should help bring out their talents rather than try to put in … Continue reading →

Have you ever asked yourself this question, before embarking on any educational pursuits? In fact, it is a very important question, of which, not enough discussions have been committed to it. Whichever path you embark on, you have got to … Continue reading →

“Dear teenage self, it was #worldmentalhealthday yesterday so I wrote a little letter because it is such a strange time. Sometimes the world might feel too big and you’ll feel too small. Breathing gets harder and your heart will race. … Continue reading →

I can’t express my gratitude enough for the dedication and passion of the individuals responsible for the formation of NEST (Nature Education Society) and who have created this wonderful program in collaboration with Taman Tugu, to bring us Nature U … Continue reading →

Arian and I went for 2 music events yesterday: a talk and recital by Dr David Carrington – a medical doctor cum amateur pianist; and a piano recital by Prof. Congcong Cai of China. The former by the doctor was … Continue reading →

Schools often stage plays to allow their students much-needed creative space to voice their heartfelt messages that otherwise, would be locked forever in a dark and hidden vault. And this particular play would have gone unnoticed if not for its … Continue reading →

I was introducing my students to Reader’s Digest to inspire them to read, when a student suddenly held up a copy with Obama on its cover and asked, “Teacher, this person in the photo looks like you!” And I looked … Continue reading →

“Joy” and “learning” do not often go together when they are done for an external purpose (extrinsically), like to cover a syllabus or to prepare for exams. Because the boundaries are fixed and there is little room for innovation. But … Continue reading →

To spark joy in learning, make learning FUN and let children learn through PLAY! Every child is a natural self-directed learner. Children are naturally curious about the world around them. Young animals are no different. If you were to observe … Continue reading →

I did not realise at that time – when the idea of having a gathering of young people to play music, sing, write and draw – that trying to organise an event of this size single-handedly, would be considered dangerous … Continue reading →