Alumni Spotlight- Arthur Kok

 

Arthur Kok
Arthur Kok

 

 

 

 

Mr Arthur Kok, Head of English & Literature at Nan Hua High School, graduated from FASS in 2000 with first class honours in English Language. He was among 10 winners awarded MOE’ s “Inspiring Teacher of English” 2009 Award. As an FASS mentor, Mr Kok also inspires and guides FASS students in career planning] 

 

 

 

 

1. What are some of your feelings about and thoughts on winning this award?
It is humbling to be recognised as an inspiring teacher of English. While I try to passionately engage hearts and minds, I do this in fairly straightforward ways. There are many others who should be nominated by their students and receive the same if not greater recognition.

2. What are some of your best memories as an educator?
One of my students said he wanted to ‘own’ me. In other words, he wanted to be more successful in life and better me in all things English. This is gratifying because he saw teaching as a form of success (as opposed to the ridiculous idea that ‘Those who can’t, teach’) and he wanted to excel in English. Director-General of Education has issued the challenge that every teacher should reproduce himself, and in this regard, I am glad to report that a baby is on the way.

3. What inspired you to be become an educator?
I never thought of being a teacher. I wanted to be a chemical engineer and ultimately make lots of money as I direct people from a senior managerial position. But in a recruitment interview, I was offered a teaching scholarship. I thought of my family, took up the scholarship and found doors opening for me. As I made contact with the young, I grew to love this profession even more.

4. What are three words that would best describe you as an educator?
Reflective. Hopeful. Principled.

5. How has the FASS education helped you?
A varied liberal arts undergraduate programme put me in touch with a wide range of thinkers who have shaped and are shaping human development. I learned to ‘dialogue’ with these dead and living voices and with others who are also on the journey of discovery. In this sea of perspectives, I learned to defamiliarise myself from constructed reality and commonly held assumptions, and problematise, not just as an intellectual exercise, but as a precursor to solutions for acknowledged issues.

15th National Undergraduate Research Opportunities (NUROP) Congress 2010

Dear Students,

We would like to invite you to attend the 15th National Undergraduate Research Opportunities (NUROP) Congress 2010.

Date    : 13th March 2010 (Saturday)
Venue  : LT15 , AS6 Level 1, School of Computing, National University of Singapore
Time    : 8:30 am – 1 pm

Come and see how undergraduates are engaging in research and making contributions early in their programmes!

From advances in science and technology flow a stream of inventions which improve the quality of human life. Young scientists and engineers constitute an important driving force for the competitiveness, progress and development of a nation’s education, economy, industry and research.

The aim of the National Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (NUROP) is to provide undergraduates with an opportunity to engage in Research. Each year, a significant number of students take up projects under the Programme. Some of their results and findings are impressive. Many of these projects are subsequently expanded into final year projects or theses at the honours and graduate level. The achievements and efforts of the students are honoured at the annual NUROP congress.

This congress aims to provide students with the opportunity to experience conference participation, build strong links between participants and facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration. It is intended to stimulate competition, encourage excellence, reward outstanding achievements, and allow the development of personal and institutional networks.

This year the School of Computing at NUS has the honour to host the 15th NUROP congress. We would like to extend our warmest welcome to all students who are interested to join us. You will be able to see how undergraduates at NUS are making excellent research contributions. You will be able to talk to students (staff, too!) and share in the excitement of research and discovery in an informal and friendly atmosphere, with good food!

For more information and to register for the NUROP Congress, please visit us at http://www.nus.edu.sg/nurop/2010/index.html

Pl register for the NUROP 2010 Congress at https://register.comp.nus.edu.sg/UGOffice/ between 12 Feb till 4 March 2010.

NUSSU Hotline Carnival

NUSSU Hotline’s Exhibition cum Carnival, 11-12 Feb 2010 from 10am-6pm at the Central Forum. Explore topics on mental health, HIV…

HOTLINE Exhibition posterNeed some mental peace?

Join NUSSU HOTLINE Exhibition cum Carnival and learn more about how to tackle mental health issues.

Give your loved one a rose for Valentine’s Day and learn how to deal with stress.

Battle stress with the help of Art of Living professionals, while enjoying performances by our very own Kent Ridge hall band “KR Inspire”.

Free goodie bags for early birds and massage for students at the entrance!

Poster for Hotline Workshop 1Youth Empowerment Workshop

There will be movie screening of “The Secret”. The Secret reveals the most powerful law in the universe. The knowledge of this law has run like a golden thread through the lives and the teachings of all the prophets, seers, sages and saviors in the world’s history, and through the lives of all truly great men and women. All that they have ever accomplished or attained has been done in full accordance with this most powerful law.

It will be on 12th Feb 2010. 3pm-6pm or 6pm to 9pm. You can choose either session by registering at nussuhw1@gmail.com!

First 10 to register get early bird gifts!

FASS Host Family Programme

 A/P Cecilia Lim, Dept of Philosophy, joined the new programme as first-time host and was enriched by the experience.

After I had agreed rather impulsively to ‘host’ a foreign student for the programme, I was initially beset by doubts – the role of ‘host’ was new to me, I was unsure how to proceed, I did not know if I could find the time. But much of this concern evaporated at the FASS-organised dinner where I met Hong Phu, the student from Vietnam I was supposed to ‘take under my wing’.  The gathering itself was small and cheery, with good food, the sharing of experiences and hopes, a sing-along session and an inspirational video. Phu herself turned out to be warm and chatty, with an admirable ‘can-do’ spirit. She spoke candidly about her new life as a hostelite at PGP, about her family in Vietnam, her impressions of Singapore.

As I spoke to Phu, I realised that I had a great deal to learn from her – not just about her earlier life in a different place, but her very different perspective of Singapore. What is quotidian to me is fresh and significant to her; she is acquainted with some aspects of Singapore I never knew about.  I realised that I needed to re-conceive my role in relation to Phu. I am not a ‘mentor’ or ‘guide’ to Phu. Rather, we both have much to learn from each other in our future exploration of what will be ‘home’ to her for the next few years.  I hope that each of us will enrich the basket of life-experiences of the other.

Freshmen Nguyen Thi Hong Phu shares:

“Being a freshman experiencing the first time of being overseas does not always bring me a great pleasure. Loneliness and homesickness are two challenges that I experience constantly. When those feelings come, the memories of happy times help me to be stronger to move forward. The FASS host-family programme has brought me moments of happiness – the moments of feeling at home.

Let me share with you the words that my host wrote in her letter:
“May the window catch the sun
And its doors be open wide
To friends and loved ones…”

What impresses me is the phrase “its door be open wide”. NUS is a big house with numerous doors that I am opening and discovering days with joys coming from the studying and new relationships. I am not alone when opening every door in this university because I have my family and my friends beside me. More importantly, I have my FASS family to share with me both the excitement of new experiences, as well as the solace for unexpected things.

Although I just spent one occasion with FASS family members at the dinner gathering, I know that they will be my moral support, not only for the moments when not-so-good things happen to me, but also for the moments of my happiness. It is because the gathering was filled with many meaningful activities which made me feel how much I was taken care of. At that meeting, I had the chance to have dinner with my host, alumni, professors and new friends from over the world. I also had the chance to come to know my host well when we shared our letters to each other. That was the first time I wrote a letter to a foreigner, a Professor in NUS, and received her letter with sincere words.

The FASS Host-Family Programme has provided a warm hand to guide me through my life at NUS, and I hope that some day, I am able to help other FASS students the same way, that is to host new students and show them the meaningful life at NUS.”