By Ashley Tan (18A13A) and Choi Hoe Chang (18S07A)

[Warning: This review contains major spoilers to the film.]

“If you see something wrong happening in the world, you can either do nothing, or you can do something.”

– Steve Trevor

This pithy saying aptly captures the essence of Wonder Woman, where the protagonist, Diana of Themyscira, sets out on a treacherous but deeply rewarding voyage of self-discovery, sacrifice and love.

Based on the comic book created by William Moulton Marston, Wonder Woman is the fourth installation in the DC Extended Universe franchise. Directed by Patty Jenkins after a 13-year hiatus, the film was the biggest project ever lead by a female director, and roused a great deal of hype and astonishment from fans all over the world.

Left: Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman
Right: Poster of Monster (2003), Patty Jenkins’ previous film.

To understand the significance of this film to the industry, we must first understand the long struggle behind its production. There had been numerous attempts to put the Amazonian princess on the big screen, dating back to 1996. Dozens of prominent directors and writers had joined and subsequently dropped out of the project. Some blamed the delay and hesitance on the long unsuccessful history of female superhero films.

Nevertheless, the first-ever big screen adaptation was confirmed with the announcement that Gal Gadot had been cast as Wonder Woman in 2013, as part of the DC Extended Universe. Michelle MacLaren was first approached to direct the film, but eventually dropped out due to “creative differences” in early 2016. Only then was Patty Jenkins approached to oversee the majority of the film’s production.

The Unfortunate History of Female-lead Comic Book Films (Clockwise from left bottom): Supergirl (1984; rated 7% on Rotten Tomatoes), Elektra (2005; rated 10% on Rotten Tomatoes), and Catwoman (2004: rated 9% on Rotten Tomatoes). All of these movies suffered humiliating box office flops.

One of the main reasons why the film generated much excitement and buzz on social media is attributed to the fact that it is the first female-led superhero film in recent years. With female empowerment as one of its core themes, Wonder Woman has delivered a strong cultural impact by serving as an emblem of female representation and autonomy in a largely male-dominated society.

While Wonder Woman, as eponymously suggested, is widely recognised as a superhero blockbuster, it was chiefly angled as a film that advocated female empowerment. Diana Prince (played by Gal Gadot), daughter of Queen Hippolyta of the island nation Themyscira, was raised amongst the strongest of female warriors known as Amazons. While growing up in this female-centric environment helped foster a strong sense of confidence in her own skills and capabilities, it also meant that she was wholly sheltered from the harsh realities of misogyny and prejudice that exist in the real world.

The film followed Diana on her quest to save the world, which was trapped in the thick of World War I. With assistance from her partner Steve Trevor and a trio of seemingly rowdy and unorthodox heroes, Diana stormed the frontlines of Europe to put a stop to the chaos and destruction caused by Ares, the God of War.

As a member of the audience, it was particularly amusing watching Diana navigate through several precarious predicaments in early 20th-century London. Without having been conditioned to believe that women were inferior to men in any shape or form, Diana brought a venerable attitude of self-righteousness – or perhaps a sense of foolish naivety, depending on one’s perspective – to these situations.

This was exemplified in a scene where Diana spoke up passionately against a group of British military strategists, who believed that the best course of action was to simply do nothing and wait for an armistice to be signed. During the time period in which the film is set, a woman’s mere presence in any political setting was frowned upon, let alone her opinion on matters concerning war. Diana’s desire to stand up for the principles of justice and protect the sanctity of life, despite being surrounded by imperious male politicians, and her eventual act of leading a battalion of soldiers to fight against the Germans, signified her ability to subvert the moral ambiguities portrayed in many superheroes. In our current political climate, Diana’s unwavering internal moral compass that manifested in her actions reminds us of our duty to uplift humanity while striving to preserve the principles of justice and love, even if this requires sacrifice.

Though Diana was a key influencer in this endeavour, the part that the supporting characters played in helping turn these ideals into a reality must not be ignored either. We saw Diana’s love interest, Steve Trevor (played by Chris Pine), contribute significantly to this crusade against war. Steve was first introduced as an intruder to Diana’s world, but the roles soon reversed when Steve became Diana’s guide, navigator, and companion in the outside world. This partnership slowly blossomed into a romantic relationship that was largely built on the shared desire to save humanity, and eventually culminated in Steve sacrificing himself to neutralise the chemical weapons that would otherwise have delivered a cataclysmic effect.

“I can save today, you can save the world.”

– Steve Trevor

Moreover, the gang of mercenaries that accompanied Diana and Steve throughout their missions added further depth to the film. This trio of unlikely heroes, hired by Steve, comprised Charlie the Scottish marksman, Chief the Native American smuggler, and Sameer the Turkish con artist. While their character development was undeservingly brief, their position as the ostracised outsiders of the society gave us further insights to the injustice involved in issues of the time, such as racial discrimination and treatment of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are still relevant today.

The group photo of the gang. Left to right: Sameer, Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman, Chief, and Charlie. This photo first appeared as an Easter egg in the previous film Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and was re-introduced in the solo film as a storytelling tool.

Furthermore, the interpretation of the villains gave us a some brilliant insights into the notions of good and evil. Super villains are traditionally one-dimensional, in the sense that their interests tend to be singular: most often, they aim for world domination. Ares, the main villain of the film, gave us a more nuanced view. He was not the warmongering maniac Diana believed him to be, but a mere catalyst that stimulated humans’ natural tendency towards violence and chaos. This added depth to Diana’s understanding of the world, as she realised the inherent moral imperfections of mankind.

It is true that the film suffered from several storytelling flaws and certain stylistic choices that ultimately undermined the audience’s ability to enjoy it fully. However, it was still a competent and robust adaptation of the Wonder Woman lore. The multi-dimensional characterisation of Diana, coupled with the adroit portrayal of her dynamics with the supporting characters, stayed true to that of the comic books. The mercenaries and villains undeniably added further value to the film, pushing this version of Diana’s origin story to one that is distinct from, and yet equally competent as, the ones offered in the source material.

The many incarnations of Diana of Themyscira:
(Top) Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman in the beloved 1970s TV Series Wonder Woman (or The New Adventures of Wonder Woman).
(2nd row) Wonder Woman (voiced by Susan Eisenberg) as seen in the animated series Justice League: Unlimited.
(3rd row) Wonder Woman (voiced by Michelle Monaghan) as seen in the animated film Justice League: War (2014).
(Bottom) Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in the solo film and DC Extended Universe

Overall, this film was an undeniably powerful tribute to one of the – if not the – greatest superheroes ever to exist. Aside from impressive stunts, Wonder Woman also provided a timely reminder that love and compassion are the heart and soul of heroism. In the words of Wonder Woman herself, “Now I know, that only love can truly save the world. So now I stay, I fight, and I give – for the world I know can be. This is my mission now, for ever.”

By Calista Chong (18A01A), with guest writer Sophie Low (18S07A)

After a laborious week of (and a month studying for) CTs, our real respite came in the form of Youth Day. What better way to spend it than to go food hunting? The reviewers visited two different soft serve places, Brother Bird and Matchaya, which were conveniently located around the same area.

Brother Bird

Address: 30 Bali Lane, Singapore 189866

Closest MRT station: Bugis (EW12/DT14)

Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

We confess, the mouth-watering pictures of adorably poop-shaped soft serves atop glazed mochi donuts on Instagram brought us to this place. Brother Bird is a venture started by the owners of Stateland Cafe. A five-minute walk from Bugis MRT, this cafe was easily accessible. However, Brother Bird’s exterior is pretty nondescript and easy to miss, so keep your eyes peeled when trying to find the place.

At about 4pm on a Monday afternoon, the cafe was impressively packed, with seats on the first floor all taken. That being said, the cafe is rather small, with only 30 seats on both floors combined.

(Image credits)

The cafe gave off rustic and homely vibes – the warm fluorescent bulbs and groovy music complemented its atmosphere. The furniture, wooden chairs and tables, adorned with plastic wheat flowers, further enhanced this theme with its muted grey-brown palette, making the cafe all the more suitable for a cosy catch-up with friends.

Brother Bird’s cosy interior design on the second floor

We had originally hoped to try the Earl Grey and Milk Chocolate Mochi Bursts, but to our dismay, it was unfortunately unavailable. We settled instead for the Signature Mochi Donut, and chose the soft serve flavour Hong Kong Milk Tea. Other choices at the cafe include Cafe Mocha and Yuan Yang. Their soft serves are served on a rotational basis, and past wacky flavours include Taro Milk Tea and Barley, part of the June rotational menu, as a tribute to Gong Cha.

Signature Mochi Donut with Hong Kong Milk Tea Soft Serve ($15)

Melt-worthy rating: 3.5/5

Signature Mochi Donut with Hong Kong Milk Tea Soft Serve

In a previous feature of this cafe, we learnt that glutinous flour was used to prepare the donut – giving it its chewy texture – as the typical donut will turn soggy once the soft serve melts. The dessert looked extremely appetising, with colourful corn flakes and raspberry sprinkles. We were particularly surprised by the huge serving of ice cream, which bears a comically striking resemblance to something, given the shade and shape of its swirl.

The Hong Kong Milk Tea soft serve had a distinct flavour reminiscent of bubble tea, which both reviewers had a predilection for. However, we thought that the soft in soft serve was not delivered as we had wished – the ice cream was somewhat icy and lacked the creaminess we craved, a minor letdown.

On the other hand, the Mochi Donut did not disappoint. We liked its unique texture – crisp on the outside, sticky and chewy on the inside. The condiments, corn flakes and raspberry sprinkles, added a satisfying crunch to the whole amalgam.

Given the price and portion size of this dessert, we think one is fit for two to share – be prepared to feel stuffed should you wish to take on the endeavour of devouring this alone. While both reviewers have a sweet tooth, we were thankful that the sweetness of the mochi donut did not cloy.

On the whole, we would recommend Brother Bird to intrepid eaters, adventurous enough to try its unconventional soft serve flavours.

Matchaya

Address: 12 Gopeng Street, #01-72, Icon Village, 078877 / #01-08 The Cathay, 229233

Closest MRT Station: Tanjong Pagar (EW15) / Dhoby Ghaut (NS24/NE6/CC1)

Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm (Mondays to Fridays), 10am – 7pm (Saturdays and Sundays)

The reviewers then took the East-West Line three stops from Bugis to Tanjong Pagar, where Icon Village was a 3-minute walk from the station. Located at a little corner of this food village sat Matchaya, a minimalistically-designed confectionary shop.

Matchaya was founded in 2015 by the duo Kaelyn and Kevin. They embarked on an expedition to Japan at that time, searching for premium ingredients to make quality Japanese tea. However, Matchaya is now acclaimed for its curation of delightful desserts – specifically its soft serves.

The Matchaya outlet at Tanjong Pagar (Image credits)

While there was sufficient counter space set up for us to enjoy our treats, one of the reviewers was slightly disappointed by the lack of seats. Thankfully, the quality of the desserts more than made up for it.

It was clear from the unostentatious make-up of the store that the focus was on the food. With a wide array of drinks and desserts, ranging from matcha lattes to swiss rolls, and the main highlight – the parfaits, the reviewers were spoilt for choice. However, we eventually decided upon their classic Matcha Soft Serve ($5.90) with two Shiratama (for an additional $1), and their monthly special flavour of Lavender ($6.90) with Azuki Red Bean (for an additional $1).

Matcha Soft Serve with Shiratama ($5.90 + $1)

Melt-worthy rating: 4/5

Our soft serves with adorable Matchaya figurine dolls in the background

This Matcha Soft Serve was far from plain vanilla. From the first lick of the top of the soft serve, the intensity of the matcha notes in the soft serve was apparent. We were greatly impressed by the authenticity of the matcha flavour. Coupled with the creaminess of the soft serve, we maintain that Matchaya’s matcha soft serve is one of the best – if not the best – matcha soft serves around. The strength of the matcha flavour was further accentuated by the light dusting of green tea powder around the soft serve, and it was clear that the quality of Matchaya’s desserts was not something to be compromised upon.

However, for those who may not be accustomed to the authentic flavour of matcha, its strong flavours may be slightly overpowering, and it may have a drying effect on the throat. Fortunately, the comparatively plainer flavour and chewier texture of the Shiratama balls provided a good contrast to the soft serve. The biscuit that came along with the soft serve was buttery and crisp, which also provided a delightful contrast to the intensity of the matcha notes, though it became a little soggy after being placed in the soft serve for a period of time.

The serving size was also commendable. Do not be fooled by the seemingly small size of the cup in which the soft serve was served, as the portion was actually quite large, and one of us had trouble finishing one serving by themself. That said, the size more than made up for the slightly pricy soft serves.

All in all, this Matchaya dessert is synonymous with the term “Matcha Soft Serve”, and if you are a matcha fan, this is a dessert that simply cannot be missed!

Lavender Soft Serve with Azuki Red Bean ($6.90 + $1)

Melt-worthy rating: 3.5/5

While the first reviewer had chosen classic Matcha, this reviewer decided to take a leap of faith and try Matchaya’s “Mystery Flavour”, which changes weekly. Previous weeks featured mystery flavours like Genmaicha (made from brown rice), Houjicha (made from Bancha tea leaves) and Nama Choco, and this time it turned out to be Lavender. After waffling over which add-on she should choose for the soft serve’s finishing touch, she finally settled on Azuki red bean.

The dessert was presented magnificently. The generous dollop of lilac goodness and the layer of Azuki red bean pooling beneath the tall swirl did more than enough to whet her appetite.

The strong flavour of the lavender could be tasted from the very first scoop – just like its matcha counterpart. As this was the reviewer’s first time trying lavender ice cream, she was not accustomed to its unusual taste. Yet, she still applauds Matchaya for the silky texture of its soft serves.

The biscuit stuck into the soft serve was undeniably delicious – reminiscent of Japan’s famous Shiroi Kobito cookies. However, the reviewer found the Azuki red bean overly viscous and gooey, and would have preferred it to be chewier to counterbalance the creaminess of the soft serve ice cream.

Just as for the Matcha Soft Serve, the serving size of this dessert may also be too filling for one person, though the generous serving does compensate for its price.

Final Thoughts

The modest soft-serve ice cream may look unspectacular, but it has won our hearts with its versatility. Brother Bird made its exotic soft-serve flavours more than merely icing on the cake – or rather, ice cream on the mochi donut – and so has Matchaya, adopting unique Japanese tea flavours to the traditional soft serve.

On the whole, we were extremely impressed by the quality, as well as the ingenuity, that went into creating these delightful desserts. We highly recommend soft serve enthusiasts to check these places out, with friends or family – so that you’ll leave these places with your hearts full and stomachs fuller.

By Lee Chin Wee (14A01B)

What do Raffles alumni do in their free time after graduation?

Aside from two years of compulsory National Service for the guys, we end up getting involved in all sorts of activities: from studying till 2 am in the university library to fretting about getting the right internships so that Future You can pay rent and feed himself, post-JC life is just so fun.

When I’m not scraping together a living or curating my Instagram feed, I’m rehearsing for an independent production. It’s no Hamilton or Book of Mormon, but it promises to be great fun – it’s titled “How Sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth”, and is an irreverent parody of the Shakespearean classic, King Lear.

The story is simple. After many years of middling reign, King Lear decides it’s time to be more than just the worst parent of all time. He’s going to be the greatest retired king ever. He may not keep his power or his responsibilities, but he’s jolly well keeping his titles and respect. One thing leads to another, and by the final act (SPOILER ALERT) nearly everyone dies.

Damn right, I’m going to be the best king of all time. [Matthew Ryan, ACS(I)]

ALBANY
These letters prove you made love to both my
wife and her sister.  What do you have to say
for yourself?

EDMUND
You’ve got to understand.  I come from a
broken home!

ALBANY
And you’re the one who broke it!

EDMUND
I just wanted to experience the affection I
never had as a child!

ALBANY
By making love to my wife?????

EDMUND
Well, I never had that experience as a
child.

What started off as a modest project between friends has quickly become a fairly large endeavour. For one, we realised that loads of talented people were more than willing to contribute their time to this production So, we assembled the Avengers – that is to say, if the Avengers comprised young adults with limited athletic ability and a passion for theatre.

We reached out to friends from other schools (we’ve got actors from ACS(I) and SJI), RI alumni from the years below us, and our batchmates who were free thanks to summer break (Aeron, one of our batchmates, does UberEats deliveries on his way to rehearsals. Hurrah for adult life).

No rehearsal space? No problem. One of our friends agreed to have his entire living room converted into a makeshift stage. Seriously – we aren’t kidding when we call ourselves “Living Room Productions”.

It’s a boy! (Aeron is on the right.)

In true-blue millennial youth fashion, we are casting off the nasty shackles of late capitalism and are donating all proceeds from the production to a charity of our choosing. None of us are pocketing a single cent, and we’re hoping to raise about $2000 for a good cause.

Here’s the best part: Tickets are currently being sold for $20 a pop, but as a token of thanks for reading Raffles Press (after all, I used to be Press chairperson back in 2013–14), we’re offering a 10% discount! Just go to this website, and key in the code ‘PRESS2017’ upon checkout. The promotion is, however, limited and expires on 14 Jul (Fri), 2359 hrs.

Remember, after the recent HPB initiative, one ticket to the play is effectively worth six healthy set meals in the canteen – and is probably going to entertain you much more than cai fan with a slice of fruit and a can of Coke Zero would.

One big happy family.

If you’re undecided, you can follow us on our Facebook page here, and keep yourself updated.

How Sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth runs on 24 and 25 July (7 pm both nights) at the Goodman Arts Centre.

Directed by Jeremy Khoo and Marc Leong. Starring Aeron Ee, Cai Hai Yun, Cheang Ko Lyn, Emily Eng, Jeremy Khoo, Lee Chin Wee, Lee Xin-rui, Marc Leong, Matthew Ryan, Myko Balbuena, Tan Kuan Hian, and Victoria Teng.

By Lynn Hong (18A13A) and Choi Hoe Chang (18S07A)

The third reboot of this popular franchise was met with a mix of anticipation and skepticism, but Spider-Man: Homecoming has emerged as an enrapturing and competent love letter to fans of the beloved superhero. It presented a dorkily endearing version of the superhero in a decidedly more light-hearted take on Spider-man’s origins story than the Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire reboots.

This movie picks up after the events of Captain America: Civil War where we see Spider-Man being roped in by Iron Man to fight with the Avengers. The movie is not in the strictest sense an origins story, as Peter Parker starts the movie with powers. Instead, it depicts how he finds his identity and ethos as a superhero even as he returns to the placid normalcy of daily life under the watch of Iron Man after his outing with the Avengers.

The third reincarnation of Peter Parker as portrayed by Tom Holland; many fans argue that his version of spiderman is the most comic-book accurate one.

Admittedly, this movie did follow the standard Marvel superhero formula. Though it was simplistic in that sense, the excellent execution made it an enjoyable watch. Rather than going down the angst-ridden protagonist path, Homecoming takes a lighter approach. Tom Holland portrays an energetic and eager Spider-Man, returning to the earliest comic characterisation of a spontaneous webslinger, prone to snappy one-liners before fight scenes. Only 19 when the movie was made, he gives the most convincing portrayal of a teenaged Spiderman. The movie uses a bright and preppy aesthetic, playing up the high school element of the movie with attempts at dry millennial humour.

There are elements of teen drama throughout the movie to remind the audience that Peter Parker is a 15 year old, high school Sophomore in Homecoming.

Rather than being bogged down by Spider-Man’s history of film adaptations, Homecoming turns audiences’ familiarity with the story and characters to its advantage. With the decision to skip the exposition of Peter Parker’s background, the movie buys itself more time to establish a compelling character that will keep audiences coming back for more in subsequent instalments. The movie finds space to show us little moments which humanise Spiderman, such as his social missteps in school, his confusion when learning to use his equipment, or him expressing his fear in the middle of a daredevil rescue mission. Scenes of him and his best friend, Ned, geeking out about the superhero world put him alongside the audience in his innocent wonder and amazement. His earnestness, and sometimes excessive eagerness, endears him to the audience – he may be pulling off acrobatics we could only ever dream of, but he’s no polished super hero.

However, there was little emotional arc to speak of. Due to how lighthearted this reboot was, in comparison to the previous reboots with major character deaths capping each movie, there was not much in the way of an emotional punch. The constant jaunty tone of the movie was integral in papering over instances where the movie suffered from “cinematic logic”. The character arc also left more to be desired. There appeared to be two possible character arcs or “learning moments”: the more explicit and predictable one of learning responsibility, and the actual focus of the film, Spiderman’s commitment to staying on the ground, embedded within his community.

The Ferry Scene: perhaps an homage to the train scene in Spiderman 2 (2004) . Peter Parker face many challenges to showcase his ability as a superhero, which unfortunately did not translate into emotional impact as it did in the previous adaptations of Spider-Man

The first arc’s impact was compromised as Iron Man swooped in to save the day, rather than allowing Spider-Man to take responsibility. The whole debacle was concluded with a few cliched lines from Iron Man, which was a bigger reference to Iron Man’s character development in his own series than it added to Peter’s, as the incident did not seem trigger any large reflection in Peter. The focus of the movie was meant to be Spiderman’s realisation of the importance of staying rooted to his community, as opposed to aspiring to grandiose heroism. However, the link between the final fight scene and this realisation was not substantial enough to elucidate this character arc, leaving some confused about the title “Homecoming”. The writers relied on a short monologue delivered by Michael Keaton to point to this theme, but it was swallowed by the bombastic action sequences. The Vulture’s back story of a powerless civilian forced to bear the repercussions of the Avengers or a specific Avenger’s actions was too overused in Marvel villains (recall the twin’s vendetta against Iron Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron) such that it failed to act as a pertinent clue pointing to this central concern.

Michael Keaton (top) and the Vulture (bottom). Michael Keaton’s performance as The Vulture was absolutely stellar, but his capabilities were perhaps under-utilized due to the way the character was written

However, this hardly means Homecoming was a subpar movie experience. The flaws of the story become evident in retrospect, but its brisk pace and action kept us engaged like all blockbusters should. For fans, the movie becomes an easter-egg hunt to catch references and revel in the glory of Marvel’s world building. For more casual audiences, the movie serves as an irrefutably competent popcorn flick. Perhaps, the perks and flaws of Homecoming come from the fact that it is an episode in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

In a larger context, Homecoming is both typical of the MCU as a franchise, and a herald of its changes. A remarkable number of criticisms of this movie mentioned the film’s heavy reliance on cliches and comedy, which the rest of the MCU falls prey too as well. The repetitive usage of the “Marvel Formula” desensitises the audience to its charms, and the franchise eventually becomes stagnant rather than comfortable. Granted, Marvel has experimented with more serious tones and themes in the attempt to diversify its franchise, such as the successful Captain America trilogy by the Russo Brothers. However, it is undeniable that the light-hearted atmosphere and witty banter  in Homecoming are the defining stylistic choices of the Marvel brand.

The duality of Marvel: Some films such as the Captain America trilogy are prime examples of superhero films with more serious tones, and Black Panther is anticipated to be Marvel’s attempt at a political thriller. On the other hand, films such as Guardians of the Galaxy or Antman are renown for as well executed action-comedies.

The reason for this phenomena boils down to how the the MCU is managed. Every single MCU film is produced by Kevin Feige, the CEO of Marvel Studios, who is accountable for all choices made in the filmmaking and production process. In many cases, the involvement of the directors and other key production personnel tends to be less significant. Moreover, the directors and writers are often chosen specifically such that their styles are compatible with the existing Marvel formula, thus perpetuating it. Additionally, if these key creative personnel are less established, Feige will naturally override their authority. This is why the notion of “creative freedom” and distinct artistic approaches rarely manifests in Marvel productions.

(Top): John Watts, the director of Homecoming, his previous works include Clown (2014) and Cop Car (2015). His works were criticized for their reliance on tropes and shaky resolution of the story.

Jonathan Goldstein, the writer of Homecoming. He is most well-known for writing Horrible Bosses (2011) and Horrible Bosses 2

On the other hand, Homecoming is also the herald of greater ethnic diversity in the MCU. Feige himself has expressed his desire to shake up the MCU, especially with regards to characters. He stated in an interview with Vulture magazine that the MCU will become more “inclusive”, moving away from a “completely white, European cast”. Homecoming , featuring perhaps the most ethnically diverse cast in recent memory, definitely delivered on that promise.

Kevin Feige, the CEO of Marvel Studios and the mastermind behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He is dubbed as one of the most successful film producers in history of cinema.

It was precisely the issue of ethnic representation in films which stirred controversy on social media. Specifically, the debate was to do with racebending, where the media content creator changes the race or ethnicity of a character. Two characters, Flash Thompson and Mary Jane, were the focal point of the debate, particularly the latter.  Both characters were traditionally depicted as white in both the comics and past live-action adaptations, but in Homecoming were played by non-white talents. The controversy surrounding this movie was exacerbated as it was compared to another instance of race-bending in Marvel: The Ancient One in Doctor Strange. It raised hackles with the casting of the originally Asian male Ancient One as Tilda Swinton, with criticism of it as yet another incident of whitewashing, heightening the fans’ sensitivity to racebending. This raises an interesting and important question: in which cases, if any, is racebending acceptable in comic book adaptations?

Usually, racebending is meant to enrich the lore of the character by bringing in elements of  culture belonging to or associated with a different ethnicity, although sometimes it comes across as  blatant disrespect. In some cases, racebending goes completely unnoticed altogether. In the case of comic book adaptations,racebending reads as a deviation from the much-loved source material. In comic books, every visual aspect of a character is meticulously illustrated to the smallest detail, and particular character designs are re-used over the years until it eventually reaches “canonical” status. The defence of this cannon becomes even more imperative when it comes to pop culture icons, like Spider-Man. Thus, to the fans, the ethnicity of a character usually becomes a non-negotiable aspect of live-action adaptations. It is vital in upholding the film’s integrity as an authentic adaptation of the comics, this authenticity being the main draw for these fans.

However, the idea of authenticity does not really hold water in the world of superheros. Superheros and their stories have survived for decades, precisely because the writers and editors had persistently reinvented and reimagined them to appeal to the changing demands of the audiences. Granted, there are irreplaceable aspects of a story that cannot and must not ever change (for example, Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and is motivated by the death of his uncle), but superheroes must be updated regularly to stay relevant to the times. Superheroes appeal to us as reflections of societal landscapes, an articulation of our common imagination. The role of comics and fiction in escapism has been well documented. At the point at which superheroes and their stories stop reflecting the aspirations and values of their audience, these icons lose their magnetism as symbols for readers to rally around.

This is what we saw in Homecoming.  The diversity of the cast is meant to reflect the metropolitan social fabric of the modern Queens, New York. Flash Thompson is now snobbish and passive-aggressive, rather than playing the overused “big dumb jock” stereotype. As for Mary Jane, she is a different story. Zendaya is playing Michelle Jones, and not the feisty redhead. It was confirmed that her character borrowed the initials in order to emulate the character dynamics from the comic books and Sam Raimi’s Spiderman trilogy.

Admittedly, this is still problematic and a dissatisfying resolution to a problem with serious implications. The casting choices in major studio productions like Homecoming  is an indication of the potential paradigm shift in the attitude of Hollywood producers with regards to race representation in mainstream films. However, the rationale behind Zendaya’s character we were given might as well have been a haphazard reaction by the studios to appease the fans and the public after being met with outrage and contemplations. Nevertheless, her character was unique, her mixture of rebelliousness and nonchalance bringing an enjoyable twist to the character dynamics. On Marvel’s part, it was also commendable that they did not resort to racial stereotypes to characterise Michelle, an issue racebending is liable to run into. On a separate note, it is worth noting that this is not the first occasion on which Marvel has successfully executed “White-to-black” racebending. Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D, for instance, was depicted as a Caucasian in the comics but was played by Samuel L Jackson , an African-American actor. This was, however, received with unanimous approval from both comic fans and general audience alike, due to Jackson’s sheer charisma. This boils down to the perhaps obvious conclusion that racebending, like all other ideas, must be well-executed to be convincing and thus be well-received.

(Left) : Zendaya as Michelle “M.J” Jones in Homecoming
(Right): Mary Jane “M.J” Watson in the comics

In sum, as far as action-comedies go, Spiderman: Homecoming does not quite push the boundaries of the genre or the house style of MCU, but nonetheless is a well executed mix of light-hearted humour and web-slinging worth your two hours. Viewed against the backdrop of the larger MCU, it is a marked step forward for Marvel in the diversity of its cast. The studio will have to continue grappling with the questions of canonical authenticity and ethnic representation, a point of particular note in its upcoming Black Panther.

By: (From Raffles Press) Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Angus Yip (18A01A) and Abigail Ang (18S06B); (From HCI Publications Society) Wong Yang (16A14), Zachary Loh (16A12) and Owen Cho (16A11)

This article is a collaboration between Raffles Press and Hwa Chong Institution’s Publications Society.

A small sample of various promotional materials given out by tuition centres.

There are some quintessential experiences in JC life, be it orientation, Open House, or last-minute Project Work (PW) escapades. However, there is another experience that almost all students share: the sight of strangers distributing promotional materials for tuition centres at the school gate in the mornings.

As if the pressure to perform well in academics isn’t enough, many students start the school day with visually engaging reminders of the perils of not attending extra lessons. Ever the harbingers of doom, the tuition industry has indeed thrived on our society’s obsessive focus on academics. (A report by The Straits Times last year indicated that the industry is worth over $1 billion.) With such lucrative profits at stake, the competition for students is fierce; it is no wonder that tuition centres invest time and money in advertising campaigns to entice students into enrolling for their classes.

Many tuition centres thus engage in self-promotion by distributing promotional materials outside school gates. While some tutors distribute materials themselves, most centres outsource the work to other people. Two distributors we spoke to shared that they distribute about 200 copies each morning. One of them, who only wanted to be known as Wendy, said she earns $20 per hour for her work. These individuals, armed with stacks of flyers, may be outside school gates as early as 6.30am, and usually leave just as the last few students stream into school before flag-raising.

The most common materials that are distributed are flyers – a simple and convenient means of promotion. However, whether flyers serve their purpose of persuading students to enroll in a centre’s classes lies in question. As one student rather savagely testified, “Flyers usually go straight into the bin after being received.” Another was even more curt in his response: “I can’t even remember the names of the centres. I usually dao (ignore) those giving out flyers.” Clearly, this ubiquitous form of promotion has done little to impress today’s students.

To counter such staunch disinterest in flyers, many centres have diversified their promotional methods to target students more effectively. In the first part of our investigation, we take a look at some of these methods.

Upping the Ante

An astute strategy adopted by an increasing number of centres has been to print wads of foolscap pads and distribute them for free outside school gates. Often featuring vibrant covers with humorous or eye-catching taglines, so many centres have embarked on this method that foolscap paper seems to be in endless supply.

Recognising the hectic school lives that students endure, some centres have printed flashcards and condensed ‘cheat sheets’ that students can use to revise on the go. Apart from the common Periodic Table, cards with common errors in Mathematics have been distributed as well.

The periodic table flash card from Chemistry Guru is one of the most recognised promotional materials among students.

Other centres have expanded the scale of their advertising by taking out large panel advertisements at MRT stations or bus stops located in the vicinity of schools. Admittedly, these displays are hard to miss, though it is can’t be cheap for centres to pay for such large ad space. One student also commented that he actually finds tuition centres who do this “quite aggressive”.

Indigo panel advertisements at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Half of Indigo’s students come from RI and HCI.

Going Digital

You’d be hard pressed to find a teenager today who isn’t a user of one of the many online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Keenly aware of students’ addiction extensive use of these social sites, several centres have gone beyond just paying for physical ad space.

There has been a trend of tuition centres starting their own Instagram pages and even Snapchat accounts, with each one eager to attract the tech-savvy millennials. Furthermore, Chemistry Guru has a YouTube channel that offers 9–12 minute video tutorials, giving students a “try before you buy” experience.

Splashing the Cash

A more costly but elaborate approach has emerged recently – Timothy Lim, Eugene Toh, and Xavier Tong from the Academy of SuperHeroes (AoSH) group of tuition centres rented lightsabers, Star Wars costumes and themselves went down to HCI and NJC to give out free breakfast on 4 May (“May the Fourth”, designated Star Wars Day) dressed as characters from the film series.

When we spoke to Mr Toh, from Economics at TuitionGenius, he said, “Some centres spend a lot of money on print advertising; we wanted to stay away from that direction and show students that we really care about them. We wanted to show that we’re not just people in newspapers, we’re not just tutors, that [our promotions] are an extension of our fun personalities.”

This personable and hands-on promotional style has also seen the trio conduct free bubble tea and portable charger giveaways outside school gates, which have proven to be a hit with students.

The Academy of Superheroes outside Hwa Chong Institution on May the Fourth (Image credits: tuitiongenius’s Instagram)

Besides publicity stunts that boost the centre’s popularity, some established centres even boast an offering of seminars on topics such as scholarships and studying abroad. Competitive as the tuition industry is, there are centres which organise Open Houses, inviting students to visit their premises while enjoying a carnival-like programme.

The heavy investment in promotional materials and marketing stunts then begs the question: just how effective are such methods in encouraging students to enroll in their classes?

Running the Rule

While freebies like bubble tea make for memorable mornings, our investigation reveals that students are more attracted to practicality than material value. In fact, two centres that the most number of students could recall receiving promotional materials from were Captain Mathematica and REAL Education Centre, which both print free foolscap pads bearing animated covers with their names on the front.

According to Ethan from the Marketing team at REAL Education Centre, “Some students even come out from their schools to take foolscap… If I give out foolscap, I can bring six or seven hundred and they will take it all. If I give out flyers, I can bring four hundred and still be left with half.” As one of our survey respondents declared, “Yes to free foolscap!” Clearly, centres have exploited the insatiable need for foolscap amongst students to good effect.

The mere prospect of failure has driven the feline on the cover catatonic.

Flashcards and formula tables (mentioned earlier) also seem to be rather well-received. The most prominent distributor of the periodic table, Chemistry Guru, turned out to be another centre that many students could recall well.

One would expect the apparent receptiveness of students towards the more novel promotional materials, like free bubble tea and portable chargers, to reflect greater effectiveness, but bubble tea ranked as the second least effective method of promotion, with only 18% of respondents believing that it is the best way to promote tuition services.

At the end of the day, though, it seems no matter how memorable or persuasive certain promotional methods may be, only 39% of students said they would enroll in classes based on a centre’s promotional materials and advertisements. More discerning and cautious than some might think, several students reflected a certain wariness toward tuition centres that base their appeal on vague statistics and testimonials. In the words of one student, marketing a centre’s defining characteristics “[would] be much better than generic responses.”

One point of interest that we came across in our inquiry is the role reversal in the traditional relationships between students and tuition centres. Students may long have been viewed as the ones seeking out knowledge, and one would have the impression that it would be students pursuing these centres. However, this investigation has revealed a sense that tuition centres are the ones seeking out the students, to the extent that they must position themselves outside schools to reach to them.

Centres are driven to ‘throw themselves’ at students, and, in an unending game of one-upmanship, centres will pursue increasingly novel and extreme ways of promoting themselves.

While it’s not clear who has triumphed in this relentless race for publicity and enrolments, one thing is certain from the distribution of free materials, foolscap and bubble tea – the real winners here are the students.

Edit (22 July 2017): A portion of this article has been removed as per the request of a tuition centre. 

By Ianni Tan (18S03C)

Additional reporting by Angus Yip (18A01A)

This article is a preview for Mental Health Awareness Week 2017.

You’ve (very unfortunately) probably heard this same refrain over, and over, and over again – it’s all up in your head, stop being weak and attention-seeking, just be positive and you’ll be better.

This is exactly why raising awareness of mental illnesses is such an important task. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) isn’t just wanting to be reasonably clean and hygienic, anxiety disorders aren’t simply “worrying about things”, and depression isn’t just “feeling down”. Apart from these more commonly-discussed ones, there remains a myriad of other mental illnesses.

Luckily, Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) is back once again, organised by the Peer Helpers Programme (PHP). This year, the theme is “Embrace;”. Though it differs from last year’s, the event has the same goal of cultivating a culture of acceptance, raising awareness and destigmatising mental illnesses.

“Embrace” is an incredibly intimate term – embracing someone is extremely personal act, one that bridges the distance between two individuals, one that comes close to the heart both literally and figuratively. Similarly, PHP hopes to embrace those with mental illness via MHAW 2017.

What does the semicolon have to do with anything, then? The semicolon is a symbolic representation of continuity; as much as the colon indicates a pause, it also suggests that, unlike full stops, this isn’t the end.

This year’s batch of Peer Helpers is comparatively larger than the pioneering batch. Consequently, the school population can look forward to a wider range of topics exhibited by the various project groups, with all projects being done by the students, for the students.

If you would like a glimpse of what will be happening in Week 6, read on:

Sleep Clinic (back by popular demand!) and a Workshop:

Care Packs: Care packs will be given out every day! These packs include food and informative materials from the booths. These supplementary materials provide lots of opportunities to write cards for friends, and include useful information.

Self-Care Booklets: While mental health does include the issue of mental illnesses, that’s not all that there is to it. Maintaining and regulating your emotional well-being is a part of mental health too. Self-care booklets discussing common issues that RI students face, as well as providing tips and methods for self-care, will be given out.

Project D-ARE: This project covers depression and self-care. Look out for handouts, bookmarks, and a Kahoot! quiz.

Rarer Mental Illnesses: There are many more mental illnesses besides depression and anxiety – learn more about dissociative disorder, depersonalisation disorder and more via informative cards. There will also be other cards that you can write on to encourage your friends.

Borderline Personality Disorder Booth: BPD is one of the “rarer” mental illnesses. What is BPD and how can we help those who have been diagnosed? At this booth, there’s a large informative picture book (illustrated by one of our very own Peer Helpers!) that you can flip through.

Social Anxiety Booth: At this booth, there will be posters and cards that have details on the illness and how to help those who have been diagnosed.

Stigma Booth: One of the main goals of MHAW is to combat stigma – pledge your support by writing something encouraging at this booth. There’s a new take on this, though. There will be a bigger picture outside of the notes that you’ve written.

Body Positivity Booth: Besides brochures, fruits will be given out to promote healthy body image (and no, you don’t have to pay for them). Visitors are encouraged to write down anything that they wish to say about body positivity at the booth, and take the bookmarks provided.

Project Postbox: You can write notes of encouragement that will be posted to your friends.

Project CARE: This booth, which will only be open on Wednesday, combines Polaroid pictures and self-affirming messages.

Survey: Two groups have carried out research regarding levels of social support for students. Their survey findings will be presented.

Additionally, this year will feature more collaboration with external organisations, which will also be setting up booths. Non-profit Silver Ribbon will be represented by their collaterals, while the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) will promote anti-drug messages.

Above all, MHAW 2017 asks the question: what can you do to help yourself and others?

With all that said and done, it’s worth noting that 7 days worth of activities (and a great deal of hard work by the Peer Helpers) isn’t the proverbial silver bullet to the stigma surrounding mental illness. But as Peer Helper Shannon Tan (18S03L) puts it, “I hope that it will be a fun and enriching experience for all, and that the population of RI will come to know more about mental health and learn to take care of their mental well-being.”

By Angus Yip (18A01A)

Photos courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society

Singapore is a society characterised by a fast pace of life; long hours at work and school have become a norm, creating an environment that has regularly been described as a “pressure cooker”. The number of stressed-out people is on the rise, and it has been estimated that one in six Singaporeans suffer from some form of mental illness.

In such an environment, it is imperative that we are aware of the importance of taking care of our mental health, as well as knowing about the methods we can do so. Of similar importance is that we know how to support others. To that end, the Peer Helpers’ Programme (PHP) recently organised the Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW).

This year’s MHAW was themed “Embrace;”, encapsulating PHP’s aspiration: to be inclusive of those around us who suffer from mental illnesses. As Ms Woo Mei Hui, PHP teacher-in-charge and counsellor at the Raffles Guidance Centre, put it, “It’s about building a culture of acceptance in RI through raising awareness about mental illness. We want to build a student-driven community that stands together to help one another.”

In fact, PHP’s theme could also be seen as reflective of its desire to build a greater sense of awareness of how we can be more accepting of ourselves, whether through more consciously taking care of our mental health or seeking help through appropriate channels when needed.

A key focus of MHAW this year was how we can manage of our own mental health. Booths, set up near the canteen, displayed infographics about mental health and mental illness – while some focused on information about specific mental illnesses, others were more general, discussing different ways for us to destress amidst our hectic schedules.

Infographics were set up to help students learn more about different types of mental illnesses, as well as different ways to improve our mental well-being.

In addition, pamphlets were also distributed as a way for students to learn more about the different avenues one can turn to for help should the need arise. The underlying message was clear: there is no need to feel ashamed if one wishes to seek help regarding their mental health.

The Sleep Clinic was another highlight of MHAW that intrigued many. For this, the old My Rest Space venue (opposite the Underground) was converted into an area for students to take much-needed naps, with mats laid out and alarm clocks handed to students. For many, the opportunity to get some sleep was a brief respite from the hectic school day, as well as a reminder of the importance of getting enough sleep (something that most students, myself included, fail to achieve for one reason or another).

Peer Helpers setting up for the Sleep Clinic.

Another key area of focus this year was how we can build a more inclusive society for those suffering from mental illnesses. Some of the infographics set up focused on less well-known mental illnesses, such as dissociative disorder and depersonalisation disorder. Through training the spotlight on these conditions, the Peer Helpers hoped that others would gain a greater understanding of them and hence become less dismissive of more uncommon illnesses.

Particularly noteworthy was the booth set up by Peer Helper Huang Huanyan (18A03A). To complement her infographic about borderline personality disorder, she displayed a picture book that she designed herself for others to read. By depicting a tale of a woman who found herself incapable of being understood by others because of her condition, this picture book was an extremely unique method of helping others realise the importance of being accepting of others.

Huanyan’s picture book about borderline personality disorder was interesting and informative.

Project Stick-ma was another memorable project that aimed to destigmatise mental illness. Students were asked to write words of motivation on Post-it notes to the wider school population. These post-its were then pasted on a board, and all the Post-its formed the shape of a heart – a clear nod back to MHAW’s theme, “Embrace;”.

In a similar vein, Project Postbox gave students the chance to write well-meaning notes of encouragement to friends, which were then distributed during morning assembly. Seeing these personalised notes definitely brought warm smiles to many people’s faces. Not only was this a boost of motivation, but it also brought forth the message that we can all play a part in building a more inclusive society by supporting others.

In Project Stick-ma, students wrote post-its with words of encouragement, pasting them on a board to form a heart.

On the whole, MHAW was a very timely reminder of the importance of taking care of one’s mental well-being. It was also an opportunity for others to reflect: Are we doing enough to create a culture of acceptance? Are we being dismissive about the prevalence of mental illness, and in doing so, stifling the voices of those who want to talk about it? In a society where mental illnesses are seen by many as a “taboo” topic, such opportunities are particularly important. It was heartwarming to see other students take a greater role in raising awareness about a topic dear to their hearts.

However, while it is extremely heartening that such a platform exists and more events like this should be organised, awareness campaigns can only do so much. At the end of the day, it is up to us to create a more supportive environment for others, and this writer looks forward to a day when we are able to do so.

By Calista Chong (18A01A)

In conjunction with Teacher’s Day, Raffles Press has collaborated with the 37th Student Council’s Teacher’s Day Committee to bring you a series of articles featuring several teachers in Raffles Institution. In this instalment, we feature Mr Gavin Swee, a History tutor.

Mr Gavin Swee is an alumnus of Raffles Institution. In his time here, he was a member of Raffles Players and helped to organise the first Bone Marrow Donor Drive at Raffles. He began his teaching career at a secondary school, before returning to RI at the start of this year as an International History tutor.

An intriguing memory a student of Mr. Gavin Swee would have is one of him humming Chinese songs whenever there is a prolonged silence in the classroom. A Press writer fondly recalls an exultant Mr. Swee showing her class a video clip of his favourite Chinese orchestra, and he transfers this degree of passion to the discipline he teaches.

How would you describe your experience as a student at RI?

I was having a conversation with a dear old friend from my time here, and the unfortunate conclusion we reached was that we came to school for CCA, and tolerated the academics. I guess I could say that I was not as devoted to my studies as I should have been, compared to you folks as students now these days.

But I had a whale of a time in CCA, and I did also find the academics to be fulfilling, even if my subject tutors didn’t necessarily find me a rewarding student to teach! One of the most enduring things which stuck with me all this time, is that taking the subjects that I did really taught me to think and write critically. Because of this, I developed a writing style that has grown over the years.

What made RI memorable for you, as a student?

I guess it would be the sheer amount of activities I involved myself in, though it was at the cost of what Mrs Perry called “academic rigour” and sleep! For Raffles Players, I was Student Producer for almost all the productions in my time: Drama Feste, a charity Haunted House attraction, our SYF play, and the annual College Play! Our Year 6 College Production was a double bill—I was assistant director for the SYF play, had a minor role in the second play, and was also the also overall producer of the double bill! As it turned out, one of our cast members was the grandchild of a Very Important Statesman, so I remember first being in my front-of-house crew attire to welcome the VIP and usher him to his seat, then rushing backstage during intermission to put on my costume and makeup so that I could be onstage for my part! I almost gave the makeup artist a heart attack!

Mr. Swee acting in a cameo role in his College Play, Daisy Pulls It Off. The play was directed by Mrs Nicola Perry, who was Mr Swee’s Civics tutor at that time!

There was also the Bone Marrow Donor Drive which I helped start at Raffles, together with my classmates, our CT Mrs Nicola Perry and our PW teacher, Mrs Jasvinder Dhillon. It coincided with the official opening of the Bishan campus of RJC. We got over 900 over donors in one day! I was the secretary, and in charge of volunteer recruitment and deployment. On that same day, there was also Raffles Players’ Haunted House, which we used to raise funds for the Bone Marrow Donor Programme, as well as a showcase for our SYF play at the Black Box. I remember scheduling my day into 20-minute blocks! (laughs)

If you were to pick the most iconic thing you have pioneered or done, what would it be?

If I could crystallise what I am singularly proudest of in my two years at Raffles, I was the first to draw a computerised seating plan and label the seats in Lecture Theatre 2—and the subsequent year, for the Performing Arts Centre. We had just moved into the Bishan campus and were settling into the spaces, so I had to do this in order to sell tickets for Players productions! I remember the then-Estate Manager, Mr Chris Han, asking me to share with him the plans which I had drawn!

How is teaching at RI different from other schools?

In a “heartland” school like my previous posting, a teacher is like a father, mother, subject expert, counsellor, social worker, coach and mentor all in one package. It is so much more emotionally taxing to teach in a “heartland” school, and the amount of sacrifice a teacher has to make is significantly greater.

In my previous school, I would constantly feel bad that I had not found the time during the school day to reach out to a student to check in on her family situation, sit down with another student to make him complete his corrections, or mock-interview a student in preparation for his polytechnic admission interview.

Therefore, I think that as a teacher at RI, I have sometimes taken the kind of students we get here for granted. That’s not to say that my previous students were awful (quite the contrary), but it was a bit of a reverse culture shock to experience the efficacy of class reps and CCA leaders, for instance. The extent to which our students are self-directed, responsible and reliable, is something that perhaps [teachers] forget to appreciate.

Mr Swee with the Water Polo team

Another way teaching at RI differs from my previous school is probably the fact that it is less of a struggle to get “buy-in” from students. The implicit faith in authority isn’t something you can expect all students to have, and for that I’m very grateful to have students who largely want to learn, and who usually hold themselves to very high standards! But it also explains why building rapport with my students is very important to me—it was a survival tactic in my previous school!

I’m also struck by how very well-resourced we are as a school. The fact that we—teachers and students included—are not struggling to stay awake in a tutorial at 3pm in a non-air-conditioned classroom—that has an impact on my ability to teach well and your ability to perform in examinations too.

What do you find most fulfilling about teaching?

I think most teachers will tell you that if you’re teaching in Singapore for tangible career advancements and pecuniary benefits, you will be in for a rude shock. This is a very unsustainable motivation. I love being in the classroom and the LT, and with the students in my CCA—as I get to tease them, and deliver witty remarks! But on a more serious note, the ability to shape people to become more empathetic, compassionate and sensitive to the world around them, that’s the most important and fulfilling thing to me. I hope that ultimately, honest work and human decency are seen to be more valuable than conventional markers of success, like the money we make or grades we achieve, for example.

Would you like to leave us with a quote?

In the long run in life, what matters is effort, and if you fail, try and keep trying. The ability to do well is determined by your motivation, and how dogged your determination is.

By Nicki Chan (18S03C) and Ashley Tan (18A13A)

In conjunction with Teacher’s Day, Raffles Press has collaborated with the 37th Student Council’s Teacher’s Day Committee to bring you a series of articles featuring several teachers in Raffles Institution. In this instalment, we feature Mr Christopher Selvaraj, a Project Work tutor.

There are just some teachers who possess that je ne sais quoi – a quality you can’t quite verbalise or fully explicate, but is distinctly extraordinary. You somehow feel compelled to lap up every word of wisdom they have to offer, before storing it in a safe crevice of your mind, because you want to be able to retrieve these nuggets of percipience on a day when you will need it the most. You find yourself walking out of their class feeling somewhat pensive, challenged, or even “shooken”, but also profoundly inspired.

Mr Christopher Selvaraj – more commonly known as Mr Chris – is one of those teachers. Known for his penchant for aesthetically appealing Powerpoint slides that he spends “way too much time on” and his unabashed claims to the “Bad Speller” title, Mr Chris is a deeply insightful individual (though he will never admit it!) whose self-effacing humility warrants even greater respect from his students. His ability to introduce laughter to the otherwise stifling atmosphere of the lecture theatre during Project Work – arguably one of the most toiling subjects any Year 5 student has to endure – spurs many of us to take our hats off to him.

If there is one axiom that best encapsulates the incredible human being and teacher that is Mr Chris, it would be this: The best teachers are those that show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see. In this interview, Mr Chris shares his insights on teaching and its relationship with learning, and explains why life should never be taken too seriously.

How and why did you choose to go into teaching?

I never really saw myself as a teacher, and I’m really a teacher by accident. My wife (then girlfriend) wanted to be a teacher, and she was really passionate about it. And because she was so passionate about it, I was certain that I would never make the cut because I was sure I did not have the sort of passion she had…

But the way things turned out was that when she went into teaching, it was very challenging for her, so I wanted to see what was going on in teaching and joined just to see what it was like, so that I would also know about what she was passionate about. So I guess I really started teaching because I wanted to see what it was my wife was so passionate about and that I didn’t understand.

If you ask me, did I think I’d become a teacher? Nope, no way. So why am I still a teacher? I have no clue. (chuckles) But that’s what makes it fun.

Was there a specific teacher who inspired you to step into this profession when you were a student?

I’ve had some great teachers along the way. The two that stand out the most are my Secondary 4 literature teacher, and my JC biology teacher, Mrs Yeo. My literature teacher in Secondary 4 was so passionate about literature, but my biology teacher in JC was so passionate about us, and she really believed that we could be better, or that we could aspire to be more than we were. To me, that’s what I remember them for. I wouldn’t say they made me want to go into teaching, but now that I am teaching, I take a lot of reminders from them about what’s important.

My dad is also a teacher, but he’s a physics lecturer and lectures on thermodynamics. […] He once told me that the core to being a good teacher is to love to learn, and the reason he loves teaching is because he loves to see people learn. That put things in perspective, because we always think teaching is about teaching. But it’s not really – it’s about looking at how others learn, how others change their mind, how others see something new, how others are confused, how others are not sure, how others get better. So that’s the thing that drives him, and I guess it’s what drives me now. It’s not so much the teaching part, but the learning part.

If you weren’t a teacher, which career path do you think you would have undertaken?

I did reasonably well in school, and I did pretty well in university too. I was all set to go and pursue my PhD in sociology and history and try and be an academic because it allows you to think about things in an original way and that was what I really loved. I mean, that’s the idealistic part, because it’s not always like that in reality. I remember one of the things they told us in school was that you must study hard and become useful… But I didn’t just want to become useful. I really wanted to have original ideas, and I wanted to learn from other people. So I’m not sure academia would have been the best place to try and get all this, but I probably would have tried to become a professor of sociology.

Why did you choose to study sociology in university?

Honestly, it was because sociology classes ended the earliest. When I first applied to university, I applied to study chemistry. I was pretty good at chemistry…Then I switched to do literature, then history, then political science. The Dean of Arts told me I had to choose, and that I couldn’t keep switching majors.

So I picked the subject with the classes that ended the earliest. That’s the thing – sometimes when you look at it, I’m not a good role model when it comes to making life decisions. I chose my job because I wanted to see what it is that my wife likes. I chose my university degree because I wanted to go home early. These are not the best reasons to make such enduring choices, but it’s amazing how it all turned out. I’m probably going to make many more strange decisions for many more strange reasons, and I wonder where they will take me.

How do you think your background in sociology has helped you navigate the world of teaching?

One of the things I love about the social sciences is that there are no easy answers to explain anything. When you look at teaching and learning in the class, it gives you a very illusory sense of what goes on. I stand at the front – you sit, I teach, and somehow learning is supposed to happen. But most times, the learning that goes on in your mind has very little to do with the teaching going on in class.The relationship between teaching and learning turns out to be hugely complex and it can get very intimidating trying to think things through. But the social sciences also teach you that just because there are no easy answers, it doesn’t mean you should shy away from trying to get an answer. It takes a lot of courage to hazard an original explanation for something in the social sciences, just as it takes a lot of courage to stand in front of students and suggest that there is a new way of looking at something.

At the same time, explanations for everything in the social sciences are always contested and challenged because there are so many angles to social phenomena. So you’ve got to be humble, because most of the time, you don’t have the answers. That same disposition applies in the classroom. I might be the teacher and I hope I’ve given students something to think about along the way, but I think I’ve learnt a lot more from my students than they have from me.

Why did you choose to teach PW?

Actually, I started off teaching General Paper (GP). I switched to PW after some time because I started to see the subject as a space I could use to get students to see that problems can be framed in so many different ways, and that each frame you settle on brings with it a different way of tackling the problem. It’s not as if you can’t do that with GP, but I think the idea generation part and process in PW matters a lot to me. It’s a terrifying and exciting thing to conceive of new solutions to enduring problems, and I guess I want to be with students when they are doing that.

What is your favourite thing about Raffles?

One thing that I really love about the school is the size of the cohort and the diversity that it brings with it. It’s a strange thing to say because the school is so big, and I know a lot of people will look at it and say, “Oh, it’s difficult to make a difference, to have friends, to know everyone.” But I guess from where I see it, there’s so much diversity in the school, and while the uniform makes it seem as if everybody’s the same, that couldn’t be further from the case. While I will never know the whole batch, and will only get to know those in the Governance and Civics Engagement Programme (GCEP), or Council, or in the classes I teach, there is so much diversity, and people are so different. Some people are so talented at things and in ways I cannot even begin to imagine.

For instance, I had a student two years ago who was an accomplished pianist. I’m always in awe of musicians because I had to learn the piano growing up and I hated every moment of it. This student had synesthesia, which means that she can taste music when she plays it because her aural senses are tied to her taste. That’s incredible.

And then there are others who are struggling with all sorts of things and trying to do the best they can. There are those who wear their hearts on their sleeves and there are others who are so stoic you’d be hard pressed to guess what they are feeling inside at any given moment. Two years in JC is a short time, but the sheer number and diversity of students always reminds me that there are a million ways to experience the two years. While I might see batch after batch and after some time, the school year can seem repetitive to me, the experiences of each student are not the same and I count myself lucky to cross paths with the few I meet.

The soul of the school is really the students. Sometimes, I consider it to be a privilege to actually witness this as you all are growing up in this very important phase of your life. What’s become very important to me along the way too, is that because I see you grow, I remember that I can grow too. That’s very important because I always tend to forget that. That’s what I love most about this school.

Do you have any memorable anecdotes from encounters with students?

One of the most important things I learnt, especially after being a teacher, is how appearances often don’t reflect who people are – especially for students. Students will always  surprise you. We make so much judgement based on how people look and yes, to a certain extent, that’s fine, because we can’t all stop doing that. But what amazes me is how you’re able to witness people grow from the start of the year to end of the year.

I remember one year, there was a girl in my PW class who was very quiet. I thought, “She’s not going to make it through the Oral Presentation (OP).” But, at the end of the year, her OP was one of the best! I told her, “I didn’t know you could talk like that, you are such a good speaker!” Then she told me, “Oh it’s not me…I had to train myself.” And I thought, “That’s even more inspiring because it’s not natural.” She made herself into something she thought she couldn’t do! I was so inspired by it. But when I looked at her at the start of the year, I was judging her and thought she wouldn’t be able to do it. I love when our preconceived notions of people are shattered.

What’s a secret pastime of yours that we may not know about?

It’s only been about 2 years since I became a dad, but I already can’t remember what it was like to have free time, much less what it was like to have a pastime. I spend most of my “free time” playing cooking with my daughter. She’s got the most amazing dishes in mind: fish with ice-cream, bread and tomato sauce… The list goes on. I love seeing how creative she can be and how she thrilled she is when I tell her that I’ve never had watermelon and croissant before, but that her dish is the best I’ve had. I also used to play a lot of floorball when I was younger, but those days are long, long behind me!

What is your life motto/favourite quote?

My favourite quote is from a short story I read when I was much younger titled The Remarkable Rocket. It’s from Oscar Wilde’s collection of short stories, and it’s hilarious. In a nutshell, it’s about a rocket who is blinded by his arrogance to the very end (read the story!).  The quote is, “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.” This quote always reminds me that as clever as you think you are and as good as you think you are, you can’t take yourself too seriously. It’s that little bit of good-natured self doubt that keeps you humble and that’s very important as you grow and get better at a lot of things…

You should be serious about your work and I don’t think it’s wrong to have expectations of yourself, but if you don’t learn to laugh at yourself along the way, life is going to be terrible. Laughing at yourself gives you permission to look at yourself in the mirror when you fail or when you make mistakes, and be vulnerable and ask, “What on earth was I thinking when I did that?” I’ve failed so many times and in so many spectacular ways (the classes I’ve taught will know about some of these moments); but if I can’t look back and shake my head with a smile, then I’ve got nothing in the future to look forward to.

By Lim Jing Rong (18A03A)
Photographs provided by interviewee Shayna Toh

Thinking about which university to apply to, or already a J2 beginning your early admission applications? Raffles Press brings you our Please Mind the Platform Gap (Universities Edition), a series of articles dedicated to providing information on Rafflesian alumni’s experiences at their respective universities.

Brown University is the seventh-oldest college in the United States. Brown is an independent, coeducational Ivy League institution comprising undergraduate and graduate programs, alongside the Alpert Medical School, School of Public Health, School of Engineering, and the School of Professional Studies. Undergraduates pursue bachelor’s degrees in more than 70 concentrations, ranging from Egyptology to cognitive neuroscience. Brown is frequently recognised for its global reach, many cultural events, numerous campus groups and activities, active community service programs, highly competitive athletics, and beautiful facilities located in a richly historic urban setting.

In this article, Raffles Press interviews Shayna Toh, an alumna of RI who graduated in 2015. She is currently in her second year of at Brown and will graduate in 2020. 

Pre-University

Why did you choose to study in Brown/in the US?

I was very attracted to the whole idea of a “liberal arts education” which only the US system offers – as opposed to a Singapore/UK/Australia system where you apply for a certain major and take most, if not all, of your courses in that department. Although I wanted to study more academic subjects, I also really wanted to have the option to take music or theater classes, and a liberal arts education allows you to take courses in any discipline you fancy.

I applied to Brown in particular because of its “Open Curriculum”. Unlike other colleges which stipulate that you have to take one course in the sciences, one in the arts and so on, Brown has no distributive requirements – which to me, meant that I never had to take a math class again! Yay! But more than anything, when I visited the campus in 2013, I felt like it was such an open and welcoming place where everyone was doing their own cool thing, and that sense of individuality and drive that I saw in the students was very inspiring.

Brown looking beautiful in the fall.

What was the admissions process like?

Stressful. I applied during the Regular Decision cycle through the Common App platform, which is a portal where you upload your test results, achievements, awards, and a common essay that you send to every college.

In addition to the Common App Essay, Brown had about 4-5 essays (e.g. Why Brown? What do you intend to concentrate in? Where have you lived?) and they were challenging but I actually had a lot of fun writing them. I submitted a music supplement to Brown where I submitted a portfolio of my classical/musical theater compositions, and I had to write a supplemental essay about classical music and which my favorite piece was (for anyone interested, it’s Debussy’s La cathedrale engloutie. It’s such a beautiful piece). Around a month later I was called for an alumni interview – which is a very casual interview given by an alumnus of the school which has relatively little bearing on your application unlike interviews for Singapore/ UK. It’s just for them to find out about you in a more personable manner than a list of awards you’ve won, and also for you to have a first-hand recount about Brown and hear about how much they loved their time there.

And then, results come in on April 1st! I woke up at 4.30am to check my results, which was the most nerve-wracking period of my life ever.

What compelled you to choose International Relations as a major?

I was attracted to International Relations because it’s one of the concentrations (that’s the fancy term they use for majors at Brown) that is very interdisciplinary, so the courses come from a range of departments – it’s not like a Physics major where 90% of the requirements are Physics courses. In the IR core (the mandatory courses you have to take if you want to concentrate in IR), there’s an anthropology, economics, history, political science and sociology course. Learning about how states relate to each other in these sort of disciplines, e.g. International trade in economics, the US-Mexico relations over the border wall in Anthropology, the legacy of America’s imperialism and how it affects 3rd world countries even in present day, gives us a comprehensive understanding of how international relations affect every academic discipline, and the lenses through which we analyse and delve into these problems provide us with the application skills to look at the issues we have today.

Adjustments

Was the shift from life in Singapore to life overseas difficult?

It was actually fine! I was nervous because I’ve heard stories of people feeling completely lost and lonely but the transition has been very good to me. I guess for the first few weeks, having fellow Singaporeans in my batch (I had around 8) really helped because we could navigate this new scene together while also having a safety net if we felt overwhelmed or homesick. I think what helped me find a sense of continuity while there were so many changes was carrying on with extra-curricular activities that I’d been doing all my life (i.e. Music and theatre) because it gave me something to hold on to, and in this area which I felt comfortable in, I found the new college landscape to be exciting instead of daunting.

Was it hard to socially integrate into such a different environment? Was it difficult to find friends with common interests/whom you could click with?

I think it’s hard if you try and integrate yourself into a lifestyle you’re not familiar or comfortable with. There are many different scenes in college and there are such different ideas of what it means to have fun, so my advice would be to find a crowd you can be yourself with. I think finding friends you really like and click with takes some time, and at the beginning of the school year everyone is eager to make friends and create a good impression but with time you’ll gradually gravitate to the people you have a stronger bond with.

Downtown Providence – the first protest Shayna went to, which was against Trump’s travel ban. About 2000 people showed up, despite it being deep winter.

Life on Campus

Describe a typical day of your life as a university student.

For this past semester, two or three times a week I’d have a 9am, 11am and 12pm class, and from 1-2pm I’ll go to the Ratty, Brown’s main dining hall, to have lunch with a bunch of friends and I have my last class from 2-3pm. After that I’d be in the library doing homework/in my dorm hanging out with friends trying to do work/sometimes conducting interviews for the Brown Daily Herald which I write for. Nights are spent differently – if I’m involved in an upcoming show, rehearsals can range from half an hour to four hours a night. By the time I get back, it’s around 10.30 or 11pm and I do more work until around 1am where my friends and I go to the Commons in the building next to us to buy apple turnovers. They’re good apple turnovers.

What is the teaching style, and how does it compare to that in RI?

In RI I never believed the lecturers when they said they were “hand-holding” us but now I actually do see where they’re coming from. Lecturers go at very fast paces, and they expect you to go to class prepared. RI gives you lecture notes which they tell you to read but go through them in the lectures, but in college you have to be largely responsible for all your readings. Each class normally has 2-3 lectures a week and some have sections, which are basically tutorials where you have to share your thoughts on the assigned readings or discuss problem sets. Of course, there are also support systems, and professors and TAs (teaching assistants – undergrads/ grad students who conduct the sections) hold office hours for you to answer queries or doubts. I will say though, one good thing is that because of the frequency of exams, there’s never that much material tested in each exam – it’s not like prelims where you have to show up retaining 2 years’ worth of knowledge.

Writing her show The Olive Trees in the Steinert Practice Centre, which is where she spends 90% of her time. Her senior from Brown (who was from Hwa Chong) once told her, “The amount of time you spend in Steinert is inversely proportional to the number of friends you have.”

How heavy is your workload? How much leisure time do you have, and what do you do during your leisure time?

It depends on the classes you take and the time period in the semester it is. A key difference between Brown and RI is that RI has 3 exams in a year, but Brown has two midterms and a final all within one semester (which is around 4 months), so sometimes it feels like the exams just keep coming. This semester, I took 4 classes – Beginner Italian, Intermediate Economics, American Empire since 1890 and Theory of Tonal Music. Your workload also depends on your strengths and weaknesses – I’d study for my Econ exam two weeks in advance while my friend could get away with cramming it one day before, but I didn’t have to spend as much time on music assignments as some of my other classmates. It’s give and take.

Apart from weekly assignments for some classes, this semester the workload hasn’t been crazy insane (although the Computer Science concentrators would beg to differ), but for humanities/social science classes, you have to make a conscious effort to keep up with the lectures and do all your readings so as to not be bombarded by undone work when midterm season arrives.

Having said that, I do have a fair bit of leisure time, especially in the periods right after midterm season. When my friends and I have more time, we take the opportunity to go to the dining halls that are further from our dorm but have better food, or stay in and binge-watch The Bachelorette, occasionally go to parties, or devote an hour every weekend morning to stand in line for a breakfast burrito.  

What is your accommodation like? Do you live on-campus or off-campus, and what is the experience like?

All freshmen and sophomores live on-campus, so last year I lived in Miller Hall which is the love of my life – I still strongly argue that it’s the best freshmen dorm on campus (WE HAVE GLASS FLOORS). It’s been fantastic. Some of my closest friends and the girls I’m rooming with next year are all from this building. Having a “unit”, which is a community of 40-60 people from the same building, gives you a really good support group and a home base especially in your first few weeks of school, and the people in your unit end up being really great friends and people you can always come back home to. The many common spaces in Miller like the lounges and kitchens also allowed all of us to congregate to bake cookies at 11pm/ stress over midterms and papers/ watch the Oscars – this year there were at least 30 people in the basement lounge watching the Oscars and it went WILD when the whole La La Land/Moonlight debacle went down.

Shayna’s housing group for next year! (Shayna, pictured center right).

What is the student profile like? Do people come from diverse backgrounds?

Yeah, completely. I think around 10+% of every class are international students, and within the American students, all 50 states are represented in each class and 40+% are students of colour. There is a conscious effort to have a diverse student body. I have close friends who are both international and American, and just hearing about the differences in their ways of life (even within America, between those who come from the North and South) or the way things are pronounced or the words they use has been so entertaining and intriguing. Furthermore, the strong friendships that can emerge from such a melting pot and the common ground we can find despite all our differences is really a testament to the merits of diversity and it’s just been such an enriching experience for me.

You are currently staging your own musical, “Firefly in the Light” in New York. How has that enriched your university experience?

I’m not sure how it will enrich my university experience going forward but I’m excited to find out! Next semester, I’m assistant directing Pippin, and directing is something I haven’t done before, but this experience with Firefly has helped a lot. My show Firefly in the Light, which was written in 2014 but has been since expanded to a full production, is an official selection presented by the New York Musical Festival. Having this opportunity to work with an amazing team and being in the rehearsal room with my director and seeing how she does scene work with the actors gives me a much better idea of how a director is to conceptualise and analyse a story and bring life to the plot and characters.

I spent the bulk of the 9-month gap between graduating RI and going into college reworking Firefly and adding new songs. During the second month of school, I sang one of the new songs I wrote in a showcase organised by Musical Forum, a theatre group on campus, and after the showcase they approached me to apply for their Mini-Musical Festival, and my second musical, The Olive Trees was selected for it and performed this March! Having previously written Firefly definitely gave me experience, familiarity and a passion for writing shows.

What do you think are the benefits of participating in extracurricular activities?

From what I’ve found, it’s not the easiest thing to make friends in your classes – especially lectures where there are several hundred people in attendance. So one big plus of participating in extracurriculars is that you’ll get to meet new people! When I wrote for the Herald I mainly interacted with the people I was interviewing and my editor, but even then, writing about the local Providence news or reporting on protests other members of the Brown community were organising was very eye-opening and it introduced me to other aspects of university life I would not have otherwise known about. I had never been involved in journalism and writing for a school paper until I got to Brown and I ended up really liking it, so going into a completely unknown field may also pleasantly surprise you! The biggest benefit participating in extracurricular activities bring is being able to come together with people who have common interests with you and forging strong friendships with them.

This year, I was involved in three productions – The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Modern Major Musicals: A Cabaret (the latter which I co-music directed) presented by Brown University Gilbert & Sullivan (BUGS) and Musical Forum’s (MF’s) Mini-Musical Festival, and they’ve allowed me to interact with a bunch of like-minded people who are talented and hilarious and inspiring all while doing what I love. I’m also on the boards of BUGS and MF, and just having an opportunity to contribute to the societies and help shape the direction of theatre on campus is immensely gratifying.

The cast and pit of Modern Major Musicals: A Cabaret, which Shayna co-music directed.(Shayna, pictured in the middle, 5th from the right).

Advice

Any advice for juniors who trying to figure out what university course to take?

What you’ve heard is true – I’ve had so many friends who go into Brown who start off wanting to be engineers but end up concentrating in Theater Arts because they just really fell in love with the discipline. So what I’d say is be open-minded, if you see a course that sounds interesting go shop it (shopping courses is a process in the first two weeks of a semester before you lock in your course choices where you can drop into any course you fancy and check it out) and don’t be afraid to venture into disciplines and departments that you wouldn’t normally consider! 

Any advice for juniors who will be studying at or applying to Brown in the future?

Enjoy every bit of it! The four years in college pass by so fast (I can’t believe my first year is over), so spend your time doing things you love. Be open to trying new activities, make new friends, and don’t forget to have fun!

Shayna is happy to entertain questions from readers about Brown or studying in the US. She is contactable at shayna_toh@brown.edu.

By Elizabeth Leong (18S06G)

With Promos or A’s right around the corner, many of us have been scrambling to find precious study resources – from the depths of our dusty files, from the generosity of our classmates and friends, or from the ever-trusty Internet. During this arduous process, some of us may have stumbled upon Tick, an online resource-sharing platform where all contributions are from fellow students.

Since its launch this July, the site’s collaborative model of learning has proven to be a success. Tick currently has over 900 ‘A’ Levels, IB, ‘O’ Levels and IP resources, ranging from model essays to summary sheets and content notes. The platform not only has many local users, but also many more across the globe.

But how did this project come about? Press speaks to some of the founding members, alumni of RI’s Class of 2016, to find out.

Sai Suman Mirthipati, Founder.

What inspired you to start Tick?

Sai: In a country with a billion-dollar tuition industry, it might be fair to say learning has become overly competitive and commercialised. I’ve always wanted to spark a change – to help make learning a collaborative, cumulative process. And more importantly, to help level the playing field so anyone can find resources and the means to learn regardless of financial background.

As graduating students, we wanted to leave something tangible behind for the student community – a community we’ve grown up in, and learnt a lot from. We identified a gap, and found a way to better the lives of students around the world.

So, we got to work.

How does Tick work?

Sai: Before Tick, students typically started their academic journeys from scratch and consolidated concepts, case studies, analyses and the like along the way – only to leave their work untouched after graduating. We felt there was tremendous potential to do good here. The Tick platform closes the loop so students don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time: peers and graduated seniors contribute their resources to benefit current students, who can in turn pay it forward by contributing theirs when they graduate.

This makes learning a collaborative experience in which students learn from each other, and a cumulative one that raises the standards of academic rigour over time.

Tick’s extensive library of resources. The site had a thousand users from Singapore and over twenty other countries in their first week; they currently have over 7000 unique users from over ninety different countries.

What makes Tick different from other learning platforms (such as KhanAcademy)?

Sai: One way to look at existing alternatives is to classify them into two broad groups.

The behemoths in this field like KhanAcademy offer some brilliant lessons and practices across a host of subjects. That said, even for a topic that’s taught everywhere in the world like algebra in Math, each course – A levels, O levels, IB, and so on – varies in exactly what it teaches and tests. Each course has unique question and answer styles, subject and topic breakdowns, and so on, so these mainstream courses might not be tailored to the precise demands of the course. However, the resources on Tick are made by students who study exactly what you do, which means the content is perfectly in line with what you need.

Another type of learning platform that’s available include local “notes sites” that have come up in previous years. While these may be effective in addressing the needs of students, they might not have the technology to sustain scale. This is because these sites primarily serve as compilations – think sites that could’ve been a public Google Drive instead – having more notes might crowd these platforms and make it difficult to find what you need. Because of the way resources are archived and indexed on Tick and its search system, you can find exactly what you’re looking for. So instead of a system that drowns and dilutes the content you’re looking for as more resources go up, we focused on designing one that helps you as more resources go up on it and gives you exactly what you’re looking for.

How do you feel about Tick?

Sai: Watching Tick transform from a vision and a desire into a tangible product that’s making a difference to so many people has been heartwarming. I’m glad I’ve been able to put together a team so capable and dedicated to make all this possible.

Feng Jiahai, Tech Director.

What is so special about Tick as a platform?

Jiahai: Right from the outset we designed Tick to be student-centric. We drew from our own studying experiences, as freshly graduated ‘A’ Level students, and thought about what features we would have loved to have, such as optimisation for all devices and personalised bookmarking and annotation. Such features greatly enhance the efficiency of studying, and despite some technical challenges along the way, were worth implementing. After all, they’re what makes the Tick platform a learning aid as much as it is a library.

Another aim we had was to build a community, which we feel is critical in ensuring sustainability. We approached this by adding elements of interaction between contributors and users, such as through enabling users to rate and comment on resources. Going forward, it’ll be a continuous cycle of upgrading, testing, collecting feedback, and upgrading once more, as we strive to better our platform.

What were some of the challenges faced while designing Tick?

Jiahai: We actually had a hard timeline to meet – exam seasons don’t wait. Between National Service, work and university commitments on top of Tick, late nights were common, but it’s all worked out reasonably well so far, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved in just a short two months.

On the technical end of the project, the main challenge I faced was familiarising myself with technologies I didn’t have experience with, but wanted to incorporate in order to improve the platform. Additionally, because we wanted to scale to a large audience while maintaining low costs, I made choices early on in the project to select the ‘stack’ of technology behind the server as one which would satisfy our operational needs at a low server load.

Heather I’anson-Holton, Academic Director.

How did Tick amass such an extensive collection?

Heather: It is important to us that our platform be represented island-wide, and so I reached out to all my friends, shared our vision, and invited them to be a part of it. It was heartening to see so many respond to the call with generosity and support for our cause, and it wasn’t long before the resources started pouring in.

How are the resources managed?

Heather: We value quality as much as quantity, and from the very beginning each resource was carefully and personally vetted. We had a few core priorities in mind: performing quality checks, respecting intellectual property rights, and making our library navigable. I worked closely with Jiahai and Sai to ensure that this translated effectively onto the platform, and the end results speak for themselves.

Keane Chua, Outreach Director (Media).

How successful is the platform so far?

Keane: We garnered over a thousand users within a week from across Singapore, and to our delight (and surprise), from over twenty other countries too. It was my first experience working on a project at this scale, so it was a truly encouraging and heartwarming beginning for us.

Currently, we have over 90 000 views, 7000 unique users and an average of about 500 active daily users, from over 90 different countries. According to many who have personally written to us, they are highly appreciative of our project and felt that it has helped them better prepare for the upcoming examinations. It’s too soon to really quantify our effectiveness in aiding our users since learning is a long-term, ongoing process, but we hope that users will embrace our values and continue fostering this peer-to-peer learning community.

Cheung Chun Man, Outreach Director (Public Relations).

What’s your favourite part of the experience so far?

Chun Man: Taking charge of publicity has given me the opportunity to reconnect with many batchmates and reach out to peers all around. While visiting school for an event, I even heard some of my juniors saying “tick ninja!” and giving me a thumbs up. That gesture really made my day! Personally, I do hope that more students will be able to benefit from our platform since this would have been akin to a god-sent tool for me back in junior college. We also hope our project inspires others to support their peers, as we believe that learning should not take place alone.

–

The Tick platform is still in its beta stages, but it has given us much to look forward to. It hosts a wide collection of resources on a clean and intuitive platform. While it may be some time before we see any major improvements as the team manages their university and National Service commitments, this addition to our educational arsenal is indeed something to celebrate.

You can find Tick at the following:
Website: tick.ninja
Facebook: facebook.com/tick.ninja
Instagram: instagram.com/tick.ninja
Twitter: twitter.com/TickNinja

By Grace Lau (18S03I)

Thinking about which university to apply to, or already a J2 beginning your early admission applications? Raffles Press brings you our Please Mind the Platform Gap (Universities Edition), a series of articles dedicated to providing information on Rafflesian alumni’s experiences at their respective universities.

Founded in 1864, Swarthmore College was one of the earliest coeducational colleges in the United States. The private college is located in an idyllic suburban setting and boasts a rich culture, as can be inferred from the elaborate stone buildings on campus. It offers a wide range of courses ranging from Engineering (pretty uncommon for a liberal arts college!) to Peace and Conflict Studies, and is a well-recognised liberal arts college that has been ranked as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. Academics aside, the school places great emphasis on nurturing passionate students who are intellectual and critical thinkers.

In this article, Raffles Press interviews Liu Lijia from Swarthmore College, an alumna of RI who graduated in 2015. She is currently a sophomore majoring in Economics.

Parrish Hall, the college’s first building. It is named in honour of Edward Parrish, Swarthmore’s first president. (Image credits)

Pre-University

What motivated you to major in Economics and why did you choose overseas education (specifically, at Swarthmore) over local education?

I want to major in Economics and Mathematics because I enjoy learning about them. I used to feel ambivalent about math, but in college, math is less about arithmetic and memorization than about reasoning and proofs. It is a challenging subject, but I enjoy the thought process. I have always wanted to do Economics because I think it’s a great way of looking at the world – it offers insight into human behaviour and current events through models, theorems, and an acknowledgement that the former two may not suffice at times to describe human idiosyncrasies.

I chose to study overseas because I wanted to be in a diverse environment that offers more space for independent exploration. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be in the US because it’s a huge country with a lot of sights and sounds. I picked Swarthmore because it has a very open campus community with people from all over the world. People are very passionate about issues close to their hearts, from cooking to environmental justice. I also like Swarthmore’s suburban location because I wanted to get away from being in a city all the time, but also wanted to have the city (Philadelphia) within reach.

What was the admission process like?

For the US, I feel that the process focused more on your individuality, or a combination of your academic interests, extracurricular activities, hobbies, and personality. The Common App essay offers some room for you to talk about your own experiences, and while it isn’t the easiest thing to write, I thought it offered a good opportunity for self-reflection and for you to tell your own story. Most colleges would ask additional questions and some would request for your CV or resume. Apart from essay questions, sometimes colleges ask wacky short-answer questions on the Common App, like “What kind of dinosaur would you be?”. I also did an alumni interview for Swarthmore. It was a casual chat in a cafe and the interviewer was really friendly and approachable. I still keep in touch with her.

Life On Campus

Describe a typical day of your life as a student in Swarthmore.

Attend classes in either the morning or afternoon depending on which classes you pick and how your schedule turns out. I used to do lots of morning classes but next semester, as luck would have it, most of my classes start late morning and some run into the afternoon. Apart from my academic subjects, I also take dance classes in the afternoon.

I often do my readings, assignments, and papers in the library with my friends after classes. I try to go to the gym a few times per week either in the morning between classes or in the afternoon. I work on campus in the evening, but as I’m going to switch jobs next semester, I foresee signing up for shifts in the morning before classes begin.

In the evening, I may hang out with my friends or go to an interesting campus event. Funnily enough, a lot of club activities on campus are in the evening, probably because it’s so difficult to find common time to meet during the day. However, if you sign up for volunteering gigs or other activities held outside school, they tend to be during the day.

Swarthmore students, like RI kids, sleep late. I try to sleep by midnight, though sometimes I stay up to finish readings.

What is the teaching style, and how does it compare to that in RI?

Most classes at Swarthmore are small, so there is a lot of class participation. Professors are very willing to answer questions. They also have office hours outside class for you to drop by and talk to them. Some classes are bigger lectures (“big” at Swarthmore is more than 30 people) though you can talk to the profs after lectures or during their office hours. Some classes have group projects, though they don’t usually take up the entire grade. For some science classes, there are compulsory lab sessions, and usually students have to partner up in labs for the whole semester and receive the same grade for the lab component.

There is definitely a lot of independent learning. The profs do not force anyone to do the readings so self-discipline is important. They tend to hand out syllabi with crucial deadlines, along with a description of how the grade is assessed and weightage of different assignments, at the start of each semester, and it is up to you to pay attention to these things.

The pace is manageable. If you can keep up with the A levels, or the Kardashians, you can keep up with Swarthmore.

What has been your favourite class so far?

My favourite class was a freshman economics seminar on how technological change affects the economy. We read books and articles on how technology affected the everyday lives of Americans, from the phenomenal introduction of radio and television into the average household to the IT revolution in the 90s. There was also more academic material offering economic analysis like Leonard Nakamura’s “The Invisible Hand meets Creative Destruction”. Some essays were also quite philosophical, such as Keynes’ “Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren”, which is probably one of my favourite essays.

How heavy is your workload? How much leisure time do you have, and what do you do during your leisure time?

Although Swarthmore is one of the most academically intense colleges in the US, I find the workload manageable so far. It comes down to good time management. I focus on the most important things first and divide a big project into small chunks to be worked on gradually. Some of the people I know pull all-nighters, but that is not my working style and I prefer to start early and do a small bit every day. I actually think I have more leisure time than at JC to go for school concerts, parties, and even visit Philadelphia. When I’m free, I like walking in the woods beside campus, getting good food with my friends, or going shopping at the nearby mall.

What is your accommodation like? Do you live on-campus or off-campus, and what is the experience like?

I live on campus in a double with a roommate. I met most of my good friends because we live in the same dorm – funnily enough, in the one furthest away from the main campus. I like living on campus because your friends are always within reach, making it very easy to hang out with them just to chill or have an impromptu pizza party. I also like returning to my room at the end of the day and having my own space. It’s definitely different from being at home because you feel more independent.

What is the school culture/atmosphere like?

The students are generally friendly and helpful. Since Swarthmore is known for academic rigour, a lot of people are self-proclaimed geeks, though there are also plenty of party animals around. People are very outspoken about causes they are passionate about, be it lacrosse (I still don’t quite know what that is), fitness, orchestra, or costume design. Swarthmore is a lively campus because there are always lots of events, such as dance performances, mental health awareness week, holi celebrations, career networking forums, and presentations by faculty and other famous speakers. It is a liberal arts college with very few students (around 1500) so people tend to know one another quite well. The environment is more collaborative than competitive, and a lot of the pressure comes from your individual desire to succeed than your classmate secretly sabotaging your notes.

The Alice Paul & David Kemp Residence Halls at Swarthmore. (Image source)

Adjustments

What were some difficulties you faced in terms of adapting to the new environment and majoring in Economics? How did you overcome these obstacles?

The first few days at school during orientation was tough, but I am biased because my phone glitched and I had neither wifi nor a phone plan to make communication easier. I got to Swarthmore by myself without knowing anyone, though I met a few people during orientation that turned out to be my very good friends. I was quite bummed out at first because I felt like I had barely any friends, and was questioning my social abilities. But then I realized that friendship needs time to develop, and if other people are talking about something you’ve never experienced before, it’s okay to just listen for the time being.

Academically, it was quite easy to adapt. Because we have so much homework, drilling, and practically impossible-to-get-As tests at RI, it wasn’t very challenging for me to get a hang of my classes. However, I took honors linear algebra, which was very different from the math in JC, and that was a difficult but fulfilling class.

Was it hard to socially integrate into such a different environment? Was it difficult to find friends with common interests?

Being the only Singaporean in my cohort forced me to be with people different from me all the time, but in the end, I feel that my peers are just normal people like me and it was not very difficult to socially integrate. Of course, you would naturally gravitate towards particular groups and people and it isn’t possible to be close with the entire school.

In fact, being away from other Singaporeans made it easier for me to get to know other people. I met most of my close friends by chance through orientation and dorm activities. I also know plenty of other people from my classes and extracurriculars. As long as you are interested in other people and willing to connect with them, there will be at least a few people you can stick with.

Advice

Should students be interested in taking Economics at tertiary level? What should they take into consideration (e.g. what skills are required) and how can they prepare for this new stage in life?

I think that most students who graduate from RI have no problem adjusting to the Economics syllabus in any college. However, I do think that genuine interest is very important because plenty of people are taking Economics, some for pragmatic considerations, and the only way for you to differentiate yourself and keep going when things get tough is your passion for the subject. Some students may think that Economics is all about math, and I don’t think that’s true because it is ultimately a way of analyzing societies and human interactions, so don’t let the technical details deter you from doing Economics.

Any advice for juniors who are trying to figure out what university course to take?

Give yourself some time because in the US, you don’t need to declare a major until the middle of your second year. Granted, you have to take into account graduation requirements, but for now just come up with a few fields you are interested in (e.g. Physics/Computer Science/Engineering; Art/Biology/Political Science) and figure it out as you continue taking more courses. The US offers a lot of flexibility in choosing classes and if you end up disliking something you’ve wanted to do, that’s completely fine and you can just choose something else. If you want to go one step further, talk to people in careers you are interested in and find out what they did in college, but make sure you make the final decision.

Any advice for juniors who are planning to apply to Swarthmore in the future?

Sign up for an alumni interview if you can. It probably gives you an advantage over the people who just wrote essays, and you can also talk to an actual person to see if you like the kind of people who go to Swarthmore.

Start your Common App essay early (preferably by June-July). Even if you write a bad first draft, just keep editing and don’t be afraid to start from scratch. I wrote at least three full drafts before I came up with an essay I liked.

Always email the admissions or financial aid office if you have any questions or ran into any problems with the application. They always reply to my emails and when the financial aid portal glitched, they were really understanding and extended the submission deadline for me.

There’s no need to get straight “A”s for Prelims for colleges to like you.

Look at Swarthmore on Google maps and images. If you like what you see (that includes the surrounding area), consider applying.

Financial aid is very generous, though Swarthmore practices a need-aware policy towards international students. If you want to get financial aid (like me), you must apply for aid when you submit your Common App and other materials. It’s better to apply through early decision if you want aid and are keen on Swarthmore because the odds are in your favour. Financial aid comes in the form of grants (no loans to be repaid) and is based on your family’s income, background, etc. You have to work on campus, but that is a small sacrifice for affordable tuition. Unlike government scholarships, you also don’t need to serve a bond when you graduate. (I’m not sure how many potential PSC scholars I just denied the Singapore government from having.)

Don’t let the lack of Singaporeans deter you if you are keen on studying overseas.

By Mr Patrick Wong
GP teacher/Raffles Press teacher-mentor

I have been studying for some months now, taking a part-time course three evenings a week. In one of my modules, we covered the concept of empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Or, in a familiar metaphor, to stand in someone else’s shoes.

More aptly, it’s been like sitting in someone else’s chair – the student’s, to be precise. And the experience has deepened my appreciation of what my students may be going through. It has certainly allowed me to understand better why they behave the way they do (sometimes infuriatingly) and made me think about what I expect or ask of them.

“Am I good enough?”

This is not a phrase that I like. I don’t believe that acceptance into this school or that CCA says anything about how “good” a student is. And I’ve shared this view with many batches of students (even my own children) in the hope of urging them to value themselves beyond narrow judgement criteria of personal worth.

But I must admit that the thought did stay in my mind after I’d sent in my application for my course. In fact, it strayed all over my mind, switching back and forth between a confident voice (“Of course I’m good enough – I have X qualifications, Y experience, Z personal qualities…”) to a nervous whimper (“They’re going to reject me… I don’t have what they’re looking for… Others are sure to have better CVs…”).

In truth, I was quietly confident that I would be accepted. Also, I kept reminding myself that even if I were not, it would not be the end of the world: I have a good, satisfying career; I don’t really need the extra qualification; I have hobbies to occupy me if the night classes did not materialise.

I don’t think my students have – or believe they have – that same safety net. Especially not with the narrative of “academic excellence” that is writ so large in their young lives from an even younger age. Being “accepted” into that dream school or CCA must mean so much more for them, whether I encourage that sort of thinking or not.

Lesson: Don’t dismiss or devalue what a student aspires to. Never tell them “don’t feel so bad” if they miss out on something they’ve set their heart on. Make time to listen to their hopes and disappointments, to offer them guidance in reaching life goals that are meaningful to them, as far as a teacher can.

“What a lonnnnng day!”

So I got accepted into the course. Yay!

The orientation was exciting. Getting my student card was fun (last time I held one was almost 25 years ago). Buying a new laptop for my course work was cool (we had chunky PCs and floppy disks when I last studied).

Enthusiastically, I was 10 minutes early for the first evening lesson. I’d made sure I left work to get home in time for an early dinner, pack my school bag (so fun just saying that!), and make my way to “school”.

But as the first week of triple three-hour evening lessons closed, reality bit: This is tiring! How could I keep this up – working by day, rushing home, dashing to class, concentrating (or trying to) through an evening that I could have spent unwinding (books, music, the latest episode of Doctor Who or Game Of Thrones, etc.)?

Soon, personal commitments and sheer fatigue meant that I skipped one lesson… then another… It helped that I was allowed a certain number of absences (adult learning is like that), with catch-up videos of lessons available online – bless you, technology!

My students don’t have that luxury. (Well, they’d be in big trouble if they skipped lessons without a valid reason.) And their day must be just as tiring, if not more: long hours of lessons, back to back; CCA after (or before, if training for some sports); homework to do after getting home past sunset… Makes you want to throw in the towel – or work till the wee hours!

Lesson: Don’t preach to students about “getting more sleep” – well, some of them should, instead of being on their devices. But many have no choice. If students keep nodding off in class, check why before ticking them off, complaining to their civics tutor, forming a negative impression of them.

“Why are you so quiet/noisy?”

Teachers must seem like a funny bunch. We keep prodding you to speak up in class, then we shhhhh you for “chatting” with your classmates. In our defence, for the latter, it can be hard to distinguish between students discussing what’s relevant and chattering about other things.

But sitting in the student’s chair, I’m experiencing again (the decades have hazed over my memories) the dynamics of being among so many disparate personalities. Just as no two teachers are alike, there is no way that so many students will respond similarly or uniformly (no pun intended) to a teacher’s instructions – or, more often, expectations.

So I must stand up for the misunderstood student, quiet or “chatty”.

First, why do students clam up when the teacher asks a question? Did they not prepare for class? (Guilty! I seldom had time to read up ahead of a lesson.) Do they not know the answer? (Actually, I didn’t catch the question because the teacher was going so fast!) Why does that student who seems to know the answer not speak up? (I don’t want to come across as Mr Know-It-All or as sucking up to the teacher!)

Second, why does that bunch keep on talking? There are two main reasons. One, the group is genuinely excited or curious enough to want to confer with classmates. Two, they are just a talkative group who influence one another badly. I belong in the former (you can ask my tutors), but there is that other table that seriously needs to pipe down. And the tutor is not helping by doing nothing to stop them!

Lesson: Students aren’t machines who will respond or shut up simply because we want them to. There are so many dynamics in the classroom: fear of speaking up because one didn’t read up; fear of speaking up too often; genuine interest that sparks conversation; lack of interest or energy that causes one to “switch off”; chatty friends who just don’t know better; chatty classmates who are so distracting… I have to keep honing my classroom management skills to get the best out of the most as often as possible – any higher target is probably a pipe dream.

“That assignment is due when???”

I’m a stickler for timely submission of work. Ask my students. And I want to scream when a student does not read or follow assignment instructions carefully. I mean, I took so much trouble to prepare that assignment sheet!

But in the first three months of my course, I almost missed a deadline as well as a 50%-portion of an assignment. Me! Mr OCD when it comes to such things!

Regarding the deadline, I just didn’t plan my time properly. I’d forgotten to factor in a week-long family holiday during the June break, but thankfully a much more on-the-ball course mate pointed out that I needed to finish the assignment before flying off.

As for that 50%, I plain didn’t read all the way through the assignment handout (which the tutor must have taken so much trouble to prepare!). Once more, it was my course mates who came to my rescue, and I had to make a mad dash to meet that deadline.

And I was doing only three modules. My typical student juggles at least five subjects, with more homework and class time than I have to bear. Let’s not even get into CCA… or tuition… or VIA… or hanging out with friends (you’re only young once, right?)…

Lesson: Students will miss deadlines and assignment requirements. They’ll mess up even when instructions are crystal clear. I’m not making excuses for some who really need to focus better. I can only say that so much is competing for a student’s RAM space, especially across subjects. So I need to exercise more patience. And, yes, patiently repeat those instructions…again!

“Studies aren’t everything!”

The all-consuming nature of studies is another bubble that I try to burst for my students. I come back to this theme often, reminding students that there’s so much more “out there”, exhorting them in Thoreau-esque fashion to “suck out all the marrow of life”. I imagine myself as Mr Keating in Dead Poets Society.

Mostly, all I get in return are stunned looks, confused brows. Or worse, the sceptical sneer. I think to myself: “These people need to get a life!” or “How narrow their worldview is!” Having recently mugged my eyeballs out for three exams in one week, I won’t be making such hasty, nasty judgements again any time soon.

Because my studies really got all-consuming! I was lucky enough to get study leave to prepare for the exams, because there was just so much to revise or read for the very first time. I went to bed with course concepts swirling in my head, had weird dreams about statistics (yes, there was a module on that), woke up and rushed through breakfast so that I could hit the books.

My study notes on statistics

My family took a back seat (well, all I could talk to my wife about was “There’s this interesting thing I’m studying…”). My goldie was deprived of those long walkies she loves. My vinyl collection cried out, “Play us! Spin us just once!” My marking piled up – and for once seemed like a really good alternative!

And this was just after three months. Imagine studying two whole years for a major, possibly life-defining exam. Imagine doing that after 10 years in the school system. Forget the marrow! Life? What life?

Lesson: Stop judging students for being so caught up in their studies. Yes, it should not be equated to “life”, but it does take up so much of their time and attention. Understand – nay, empathise with – how much it must mean to them. Still, do find ways to help them see the “bigger picture”, though much of that perspective can only come with age and experience.

“If I only knew then…”

In my 15 years of teaching, I believe I have connected well with my students. I am always fascinated by the person behind the student, as I believe many of my colleagues are. That keeps us going when students irritate, frustrate, vex us.

But stepping into a student’s shoes again, I see more clearly why they might do so. I also have stronger compassion for them as they grapple with so many things with such high stakes. And I certainly have new respect for how so many of them carry on not just with acceptance but with joy and enthusiasm.

When I sit in the teacher’s chair now, I know there’s much more to learn.

By Zhu Xiuhua (18S06A) and guest writer Beatrice Lee (18S06A)

This article is the first part in Raffles Press’ series, Please Mind the Platform Gap: The Road Less Taken, about non-traditional A-level subjects offered in RI. For our previous features on H2 KI, click here and here.

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of RI’s academic management and should not be used as a substitute for formal academic counselling.

If you’ve always wanted to be fun at parties, then Knowledge and Inquiry (KI) is for you. Amuse your friends by exposing their logical fallacies. Befuddle your peers with logical paradoxes. Assert your intelligence by asking the big questions (“Could God create a rock so heavy even he could not lift it?” “Checkmate.”) Perhaps all you’ve ever wanted is an excuse to lean against a wall, tipping your fedora with one hand and taking a drag from your cigar with the other, while contemplating being and nothingness. Or argue heatedly with learned peers about the number of angels that could dance on the head of a pin. KI will provide you with all this, and more.

H2 KI, offered in lieu of H1 GP, is “the study of the nature and construction of knowledge”, or more impressively, epistemology. It is a specific branch of philosophy that deals with what it means when we say we know something, and how knowledge is constructed across different disciplines – mathematics, science, history, art, you name it. The curriculum begins with a short course in logic, before moving on to a general study of epistemology – the definition of knowledge, the structure of knowledge and philosophical doubt, among other things – and finally examining the nature and construction of knowledge in various fields. If you’ve ever heard of the philosophy of science, that is a part of what we do. Learn to grapple with questions like “Is mathematics just a meaningless game with strings of symbols?”, “Does a rainbow exist in the raindrop, in the air, in the mind, or nowhere?” and “How can I be sure that the external world exists?” (spoiler alert: you can’t).

(Source)

“Alright,” you say, “now you’ve gotten me all hot and bothered. But what do I need to do to gain admittance to this exclusive club?” (Yes, exclusive – generally, less than 5% of the cohort takes KI every year.) The prerequisites for RP students are an overall GPA of 3.6 and a Grade Point of 3.6 in English. Prospective candidates will have to pass a placement test, which JAE students are also welcome to sit for. In addition, RP students who have taken the “Introduction to KI” course during RI’s Gap Semester or RGS Options may sit for an earlier test; if they pass, they are subsequently exempted from the placement test.

Lessons tend to be fairly open, with plenty of room for discussions and questions. As mentioned, the cohort size typically is rather small, which means all lessons can be carried out in a classroom. You will be handed stacks of notes that grow thicker and more arcane as time passes, and you will be expected to read a fair portion of them before coming to class (or risk looking foolish when your tutor asks you a question you can’t answer).

And then there are the assessments. For the A-Levels, there are three papers in KI. Paper 1 involves writing two essays, one on pure epistemology, and the other on knowledge in a particular field of study (science, history, ethics, etc.) Paper 2 is on critical thinking, where students evaluate arguments presented to them in the form of one long passage and two short passages. Paper 3 is the Independent Study. Over a span of 6 months in Year 6, you will have to write a 3000-word paper on any topic you like, as long as it involves the nature and construction of knowledge. For instance, you could examine how divine revelation can give us knowledge. This is potentially the most taxing part of KI. While you may spend the first 3 months of JC laughing at your H1 GP peers (read: plebs) and the countless essays they have to write, you will soon spend the rest of the time weeping when you realise that although, like Socrates, you know nothing, you still have to pretend you do know something in order to crank out your paper in time. (If it gets too much to bear, rumour has it that whispering “das ding an sich” three times in a darkened room in front of a mirror summons the spirit of the long-dead Immanuel Kant, who will put you out of your misery.)

(Source)

On to other practical matters, namely the question of subject combinations. As mentioned, KI is offered in lieu of GP. It serves as a contrasting subject for both Mathematics & Sciences and Humanities & the Arts. Students are encouraged to offer KI with three other H2 subjects and one H1 content subject; however, it is possible to do otherwise. Offering KI and only three other H2 subjects without a H1 content subject is not advisable, as it will create problems should you want to drop KI afterwards (yes, there is an escape hatch) due to the school’s requirement of at least 10 academic units. On the other hand, every year a few foolhardy/valiant souls decide to take KI along with 4 other H2 subjects. (As this would add up to 12 academic units, one must appeal in order to have a chance at taking a H3.) KI cannot be taken with certain “exotic” subjects such as H2 Art, H2 Music and H2 English Language and Linguistics (ELL). It is, however, possible to take KI with a third language at H2 level. Subject combination constraints will be clarified during the Introduction to Knowledge & Inquiry talk held during the January Induction Programme.

As is the wont of all materialistic, self-serving RI students, you will doubtless be wondering, “what’s in it for me?” Well, the short answer to that is: nothing. In the long run, we are all dead. God (if there is one), at the end of this, may not be too pleased to find out that you’ve been spending so much time doubting his existence. On a more serious note, several major UK universities do not consider KI a content subject in university admissions. However, since UK universities only require 3 H2 content subjects, this should not be a huge problem. KI may give you a head start if you are interested in studying philosophy at university. There are also intangible benefits, such as the skill of logical argumentation, a healthy scepticism and critical worldview, and crippling existential doubt. After all, when things get rough, you can always find comfort in one thing – that everything may be, after all, just a dream.

(Source)

(Cover image source: http://existentialcomics.com/comic/9)

By guest contributor Shen Hongyi (18S06K)
Additional reporting by Soh Ying Qi (18A01C)
Photos courtesy of Shen Hongyi

This article is the second part in Raffles Press’ series, Please Mind the Platform Gap: The Road Less Taken, about non-traditional A-level subjects offered in RI. For our previous feature on H2 KI, please click here. For our feature on taking a third language in JC, click here.

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of RI’s academic management and should not be used as a substitute for formal academic counselling.

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité—for most people, this simple line is probably the first thing that comes to mind when they think of French. Between the superb cuisine, strange idioms and elusive gendered nouns, France’s cultural nuances remain ever fascinating, providing more and more reasons to offer H2 French at the A-Levels.

The popularity of H2 French varies from year to year; the nationwide class of 2017 boasts more than 30 candidates, while the class of 2018 across Singapore is just 9 students strong, with 5 of them from RI. Neither batch is typical; it really depends on the cohort. Lessons are twice a week in the evenings from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, and are taught at the Bishan MOE Language Centre (MOELC).

Bishan MOELC, where lessons are held twice a week (Source)

As some may be glad to hear, there are no prerequisites to offer French—prospective students are not required to take the French O-levels in Year 4, but attending some of the sample classes offered by MOELC in January may give you a better understanding of what French at H2 level entails, and provide a gauge of your own ability. The last sample class for this year’s intake included an informal placement test, comprising an expository essay about tourism; however, there is no reason to worry, for those who do not pass the test can still opt to take French at H1 level. Current French students can look forward to a briefing on A-Level French after their end-of-year exams, and teachers will be more than happy to answer any of your queries.

Perhaps the only “prerequisite” to take French is your aptitude in the language, as H2 French encompasses a large jump in content from Year 4; think GP in French. Many tend to think that since French is a foreign language, it is simply an easier and watered-down version of GP—but you might be in for quite a shock! The truth is, since French is a H2 subject, expect the content and assessment to be heavier. We discuss many social, political contemporary issues, and learn to appreciate French culture. Themes covered so far under this year’s J1 syllabus include (but are not limited to):

• Introduction (French language, geography, outre-mer regions and other Francophone cultures etc.)
• Political issues in France (2017 elections, political system, welfare system etc.)
• Social issues in France (poverty, unemployment, delinquency etc.)
• Family (evolution of family, its impacts etc.)
• Urban and rural life (comparison of both lifestyles, neo-ruralism, gentrification etc.)
• Education (education system, causes of stress, school drop-outs etc.)

Collaborative class work: comparing urban and rural life (click to enlarge)

Tutors have much liberty over lesson plans, and may directly consult students regarding what they would like to learn under a particular theme. Not all themes covered in class are strictly part of the official A-Level syllabus, but all are nonetheless interesting and insightful.

Lessons typically consist of the tutor showing us news articles, videos or slides relating to the day’s topic—all in French, of course. This is where small class sizes become advantageous: lessons are very interactive, with students taking turns to answer questions and everyone getting a chance to speak. The forgiving nature of the environment is also beneficial to students who are unsure of their responses; after all, making mistakes is part of the learning process.

Question: Why, statistically, do more people go to the countryside in summer than in winter?

Classmate: Because people are more radical in summer?

(Correct answer: The countryside climate is more comfortable and practical during summer, especially considering its relative lack of amenities.)

Alas, so are assessments, as any student knows. Though the assessment schedule and format may differ between tutors, J1s this year have CTs at the end of every academic term, meaning that French has triple the number of CTs that other subjects do, in addition to an end-of-year exam. All exams comprise the full suite of papers: composition (la rédaction), listening comprehension (la compréhension orale), and reading comprehension (la compréhension écrite), as well as an oral examination (la présentation oral) at the end of the year. Fortunately, all papers are modelled after the A-Level paper, so students will have many opportunities to hone their exam skills before the all-important national paper. For learners eager to delve outside the syllabus and hone their research skills, H2 French also comprises a coursework component, which comprises a dissertation on anything French-related that interests you and makes up 25% of the final A-Level grade.

Still, French isn’t all tests and exams—we also save some time for fun! This year’s J1 batch has embarked on two field trips: one to the Alliance Française médiathèque (library) to learn about the various resources at our disposal, and another to Lycée Français (Singapore’s French international school) for Francophonie Festival (the food was really good). As most current French students will know, J1 students also have to put up some form of entertainment during the annual MOELC French Day. This year, our contribution was a puppet show depicting Petit Prince’s misadventures in Francophone countries.

The Alliance Française médiathèque (Source)

That aside, what can one really do with H2 French? While there is no H3 paper for the more academically inclined, the MOE Language Elective Scholarship (French) offers interested students the opportunity to embark on the Overseas Study cum Immersion Programme to France in late November and early December, as well as subsidised school fees and an annual allowance of $1000. Outstanding scholars may be offered undergraduate scholarships to fund their study of “specific academic or professional disciplines in established tertiary institutions in France”.

But perhaps the true value of learning a foreign language lies in gaining the ability to discover and appreciate the nuances of a particular culture. Besides offering a gateway to French universities in the future, H2 French gives students access to the country’s unique philosophy and way of life. While there are some apparent disadvantages which might put you off—evening classes and extra assessments included—you will hardly, if ever, think of those things during your journey if you really like the subject. Furthermore, even if your linguistic ability is floundering, interest and hard work will most likely be able to tide you through and help you enjoy your time learning French—in fact, the rigorous curriculum may even help you improve your language.

Ultimately, the prospective H2 French student is one who likes engaging new cultures and knowing new people; one who is truly passionate about the language, and excited about the possibility of pursuing it at a higher level. If French holds a special place in your heart, take the subject! If you are uncertain, give the sample classes a try to gauge your interest. Trust that all will turn out fine in the end, and use this article to assuage any remaining fears you may have about taking French at H2 level. Bon courage!

External Links

For more information about the 2018 H2 French syllabus, visit the SEAB website at http://www.seab.gov.sg/content/syllabus/alevel/2018Syllabus/9735_2018.pdf

For more information about the Language Elective Scholarship (French), visit the MOE website at https://www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/scholarships/moe-preu/french

(Cover image source: http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-eiffel-tower)

By guest writer Izzy Seah (18S03B)
Photos courtesy of Izzy Seah

This article is the third part in Raffles Press’ series, Please Mind the Platform Gap: The Road Less Taken, about non-traditional A-Level subjects offered in RI. For our previous feature on H2 French, please click here. For our feature on taking a third language in JC, click here.

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of RI’s academic management and should not be used as a substitute for formal academic counselling.

After a presentation, no clapping is heard in the German Resource Room at Bishan MOELC. Instead, a deep rumbling echoes throughout the room as students pound the table with their knuckles. This is common classroom etiquette in German universities – one similarly practised by the H2 German class. This way, students can acknowledge and applaud the speaker with one hand while scribbling notes with the other.

In H2 German, students not only learn about the language and culture from the syllabus, but are able to experience it too. Lessons are typically conducted in a style similar to that in Germany, consisting mostly of discussions and presentations (completely in German, of course). Although students continue to learn the nuances of German grammar and expression, students who take H2 German are expected to already have a firm grasp of the basics, which should have been established in their first four years of learning the language. Only students who have passed the O-Level German paper with a minimum grade of A2 are encouraged to take German as a H2 subject, as the unspoken rule in class is to converse entirely in German.

The aim of this two-year course is to equip students with communication skills and a proficiency level adequate for a university education in Germany. The curriculum is structured around a select few topics such as ‘Friends and Family’, ‘Tourism and Travelling’, and ‘Learning about Learning’. Students discuss various aspects of these topics, through which they learn how to express their opinions through argumentative and reflective essays. This bears much similarity to H1 General Paper, except everything is conducted in German. Students play active roles in the classroom, as the tutor assigns groups to research certain topics to present to their classmates, and students answer any queries raised by their peers. In these instances, the tutor primarily plays the role of a mentor, facilitating discussions after the presentations to highlight important points. Most, if not all, German tutors have studied in Germany and the affable, experienced H2 German tutors take their classes all the way through to the A-Levels. Teaching styles no doubt differ from tutor to tutor and will largely define the typical flow of lessons.

However, there is a common trend: an easygoing class environment is cultivated as students are accorded the autonomy for self-directed learning and voluntary contribution of ideas. This is also reflected in the major assignments such as Oral Presentation and Coursework, where students deliver a three-minute speech and produce a thousand-word term paper respectively. Students are given the liberty to research the topic of their choice for each assignment. There is only one restriction: the topic has to be related to a German-speaking country. Three other aspects of assessment are Writing, Listening Comprehension, and Reading Comprehension. All assessments bear similar weightage and take place throughout the year, ensuring that students are never idle in their learning journey.

It’s been months since JC has started, but ‘Why German?’ is still one of the most frequent questions I get when people hear about my subject combination. What makes German so special? For one, the opportunity to apply for the German Language Elective Scholarship is exclusive to students who take German as a subject in JC. In addition, opportunities to participate in Singapore-Germany exchange programmes and experience German culture first-hand are extended to all H1 and H2 German students. In fact, participation in such programmes is highly encouraged, as such experiences definitely serve to improve one’s proficiency in the language and broaden one’s horizons in perspectives and knowledge. Students are also encouraged to study in German universities, as having the added advantage of fluency in the local language opens doors to pursuing courses not only in English but German as well. Given the fact that the rough year-on-year candidature is only approximately 20, I’d say everyone stands a good chance to participate in at least one of these activities.

July 2017 exchange programme with German students – we took them to see the Supertrees light up at night!

That being said, the essence of H2 German isn’t just confined to the aforementioned activities. Why did I choose German? The answer is simple: I like German. I enjoy learning the language, and about the country, culture, and political issues. I enjoyed the three-hour blocks of German lessons every Friday through my secondary school years, and I continue to enjoy it enough such that I willingly spend two hours (from 5.30–7.30pm) every Wednesday and Friday at MOELC. (I have also grown to appreciate the extra-long breaks in my school schedule.)

Excelling in German in JC takes on a considerably different form as compared to secondary school. Extra reading, listening, and speaking go a long way, so a sustained interest in the language is paramount. Finding suitable material is the easy part. Anything you’re interested in, from biology textbooks to The Hunger Games to K-pop fanfiction, there’s bound to be a German version of it out there. Tutors also readily inform students about available events they can partake in such as volunteering to assist in German lessons for children at the Goethe Institute or attending the annual German Film Festival. Likewise, these are completely optional but definitely very valuable in defining your H2 German experience.

Visit to Goethe Institute

Nevertheless, it is a unique and gratifying experience, one that I am grateful for. Taking H2 German is a decision that I do not (and will probably never) regret. If you enter the course with a passion for the language and a desire to learn, I can guarantee you won’t, either.

External Links

For more information about the 2018 H2 German syllabus, visit the SEAB website at http://www.seab.gov.sg/content/syllabus/alevel/2018Syllabus/9736_2018.pdf

For more information about the German Language Elective Scholarship, visit the MOE website at https://www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/scholarships/moe-preu/german

By Zara Karimi (18A01A) and Nadine Staes-Polet (18A01B)

The front page of the SWF programme brochure, accessible via the SWF website.

Clear out your calendars for the second week of November, because the Singapore Writers Festival is back with its 20th edition!

The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) is an annual literary event organized by the National Arts Council (NAC). Over the past few decades, SWF has grown from a niche platform showcasing emerging local talent, to an exciting outreach event featuring both local and international writers, academics and thinkers. Last year, it engaged over 41 000 people, establishing itself as one of the region’s premier literary events. This year, SWF will be taking place in the Civic District from the 3rd to the 12th of November.

The theme for SWF this year is ‘Aram’ (அறம்), taken from Thirukkural, an ancient text widely revered as one of the Tamil language’s most influential works. This is SWF’s first ever Tamil theme, part of a larger, more inclusive narrative that featured ‘Sayang’ as last year’s theme, serving to cement SWF’s position as one of the few multi-lingual literary festivals in the world. ‘Aram’ zeroes in on the universal ethical concept of what ‘goodness’ really entails, seeking to question ethical quandaries and moral conundrums.

As Festival Director Yeow Kai Chai shares: “We are always looking for new ways to use SWF as a platform to question different ideals and provoke thought amongst readers and writers alike.”

A photograph by Alecia Neo, a visual artist commissioned to respond to the theme of ‘Aram’. Neo has also produced a video art project, accessible here.

“The richly nuanced theme of ‘Aram’ is complex and multi-layered, and with conflict and tensions rife in our world today, we hope that this year’s like up of authors and programming will inspire festival-goers to reflect upon the concept of ‘goodness’ in thoughts, words and action.”

For the uninitiated, here’s how SWF works. Festival events are divided into five groups; SWF Class (featuring workshops and masterclasses), SWF Stage, (mainly performances and lectures) SWF Pop (pop-up events and performances), SWF3 (events for families) and SWF Beyond (featuring exhibitions, film screenings, panels and more.) While free events abound at the festival, the value-for-money Festival Pass grants you access to a wider variety of events throughout. Masterclasses and workshops, however, tend to be ticketed separately, so do be sure to snap up seats before they sell out.

This year’s festival will feature 240 local literary talents, and 65 international creative talents, from Colombia to Hong Kong to Israel. In addition to being an important platform in promoting Singapore’s emerging and established writers to Singaporeans, SWF also invites international writers for fruitful exchanges of opinions and learning opportunities.

Aside from the list of five headlining authors released by the NAC in August – Tony Parsons (UK), Ken Liu (US), Perumal Murugan (India), Lu Min (China) and Datin Saidah Rastam (Malaysia) – SWF features writers from one country every year to share their experiences with their local literary scene.

This year’s country of focus is Ireland, featuring 8 Irish authors in panels and talks. Alongside this, SWF 2017 will be casting a spotlight on Southeast Asian literature, and use the Festival as a platform for cultural exchange by presenting authors across the region in celebration of ASEAN 50. Other notable writers attending include Jay Asher, author of smash-hit young adult novel Thirteen Reasons Why, as well as critically acclaimed American writer Junot Díaz, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2008.

Author Jay Asher alongside his book, Thirteen Reasons Why, which has since been adapted into a controversial Netflix series.

As always, there is truly something for everyone at this year’s SWF, from writing clinics, to talks and panel discussions on serious topics like “Hope and Resistance in the Age of Dystopia” and even more lighthearted issues such as “Travel Writing in the Age of Instagram” and “The Enduring Allure of the Moomins”. If nothing particularly tickles your fancy, SWF’s highly anticipated closing debate is always a winner. The motion for this year’s debate is ‘This House Believes that Kiasuism Is a Good Singaporean Trait’.

Whether you’re looking to brush up your writing skills, meet your favourite authors, expose yourself to new literature, or just looking to have a good time, SWF is the place to be this November. For more information on the programme, check out the Advance Programme Brochure on the SWF website for more details on upcoming events.

Early-bird tickets are available from now till the 30th of September via SISTIC at www.sistic.com.sg. All early bird tickets will be sold at a 20% discount, including the Festival pass at $20.00 (regularly priced at $25). For more information on ticketing, check out the Singapore Writers Festival Ticketing Guide, or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sgwritersfest.

By Choi Hoe Chang (18S07A) and Ling Young Loon (18S07A) 

Raffles Rave Publicity Poster

Ever wake up mid-sleep, tell yourself you want to party, then realise you are too young to go clubbing? Fret no more. Audio-Visual Unit is bringing the rave to Raffles this Thursday. An afternoon of delicious thrills and musical wonder awaits — free for all Rafflesians.  Are you down for the party?

Raffles Press invites Thet Hay Thi Tun (17S06O), chairperson of the Audio Visual Unit (affectionately known as Raffles Crew or AVU for short) to share her thoughts on the event.

Why did you decide to organise Raffles Rave?

AVU has always been known as the CCA that only helps out with events behind the scenes. As such, we felt that the event would be an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our talents! And what could be better than putting up something that everyone can enjoy (especially after GP Common Test ) – an afternoon of great music while we do what we are most comfortable with – mixing music!

What can students expect from this event ?

[We will be playing] Top hits from many genres, some sample mixes and great vibes! Do check out our website (link below) for more details on the genres. We will also have a low-key club-like atmosphere – except that it is completely legal!

Has there been a lot of preparation going on?

Our members have been practicing hard despite being busy with event rehearsals for the arts season. So, do come down to support us!

Convince Rafflesians to come in a sentence!

It’s free, it’s dark, there’s good music – what more do you need?

Raffles Rave will be held this Thursday, 25th of May, at the Theatre Studies Room, from 3pm to 5pm. Entrance is free.

For more information on the Rave ( and more! ), do visit ttps://avurjc.wixsite.com/rave

By Lee Chin Wee (14A01B)

What do Raffles alumni do in their free time after graduation?

Aside from two years of compulsory National Service for the guys, we end up getting involved in all sorts of activities: from studying till 2 am in the university library to fretting about getting the right internships so that Future You can pay rent and feed himself, post-JC life is just so fun.

When I’m not scraping together a living or curating my Instagram feed, I’m rehearsing for an independent production. It’s no Hamilton or Book of Mormon, but it promises to be great fun – it’s titled “How Sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth”, and is an irreverent parody of the Shakespearean classic, King Lear.

The story is simple. After many years of middling reign, King Lear decides it’s time to be more than just the worst parent of all time. He’s going to be the greatest retired king ever. He may not keep his power or his responsibilities, but he’s jolly well keeping his titles and respect. One thing leads to another, and by the final act (SPOILER ALERT) nearly everyone dies.

Damn right, I’m going to be the best king of all time. [Matthew Ryan, ACS(I)]

ALBANY
These letters prove you made love to both my
wife and her sister.  What do you have to say
for yourself?

EDMUND
You’ve got to understand.  I come from a
broken home!

ALBANY
And you’re the one who broke it!

EDMUND
I just wanted to experience the affection I
never had as a child!

ALBANY
By making love to my wife?????

EDMUND
Well, I never had that experience as a
child.

What started off as a modest project between friends has quickly become a fairly large endeavour. For one, we realised that loads of talented people were more than willing to contribute their time to this production So, we assembled the Avengers – that is to say, if the Avengers comprised young adults with limited athletic ability and a passion for theatre.

We reached out to friends from other schools (we’ve got actors from ACS(I) and SJI), RI alumni from the years below us, and our batchmates who were free thanks to summer break (Aeron, one of our batchmates, does UberEats deliveries on his way to rehearsals. Hurrah for adult life).

No rehearsal space? No problem. One of our friends agreed to have his entire living room converted into a makeshift stage. Seriously – we aren’t kidding when we call ourselves “Living Room Productions”.

It’s a boy! (Aeron is on the right.)

In true-blue millennial youth fashion, we are casting off the nasty shackles of late capitalism and are donating all proceeds from the production to a charity of our choosing. None of us are pocketing a single cent, and we’re hoping to raise about $2000 for a good cause.

Here’s the best part: Tickets are currently being sold for $20 a pop, but as a token of thanks for reading Raffles Press (after all, I used to be Press chairperson back in 2013–14), we’re offering a 10% discount! Just go to this website, and key in the code ‘PRESS2017’ upon checkout. The promotion is, however, limited and expires on 14 Jul (Fri), 2359 hrs.

Remember, after the recent HPB initiative, one ticket to the play is effectively worth six healthy set meals in the canteen – and is probably going to entertain you much more than cai fan with a slice of fruit and a can of Coke Zero would.

One big happy family.

If you’re undecided, you can follow us on our Facebook page here, and keep yourself updated.

How Sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth runs on 24 and 25 July (7 pm both nights) at the Goodman Arts Centre.

Directed by Jeremy Khoo and Marc Leong. Starring Aeron Ee, Cai Hai Yun, Cheang Ko Lyn, Emily Eng, Jeremy Khoo, Lee Chin Wee, Lee Xin-rui, Marc Leong, Matthew Ryan, Myko Balbuena, Tan Kuan Hian, and Victoria Teng.

By: (From Raffles Press) Jeanne Tan (17A01B), Angus Yip (18A01A) and Abigail Ang (18S06B); (From HCI Publications Society) Wong Yang (16A14), Zachary Loh (16A12) and Owen Cho (16A11)

This article is a collaboration between Raffles Press and Hwa Chong Institution’s Publications Society.

A small sample of various promotional materials given out by tuition centres.

There are some quintessential experiences in JC life, be it orientation, Open House, or last-minute Project Work (PW) escapades. However, there is another experience that almost all students share: the sight of strangers distributing promotional materials for tuition centres at the school gate in the mornings.

As if the pressure to perform well in academics isn’t enough, many students start the school day with visually engaging reminders of the perils of not attending extra lessons. Ever the harbingers of doom, the tuition industry has indeed thrived on our society’s obsessive focus on academics. (A report by The Straits Times last year indicated that the industry is worth over $1 billion.) With such lucrative profits at stake, the competition for students is fierce; it is no wonder that tuition centres invest time and money in advertising campaigns to entice students into enrolling for their classes.

Many tuition centres thus engage in self-promotion by distributing promotional materials outside school gates. While some tutors distribute materials themselves, most centres outsource the work to other people. Two distributors we spoke to shared that they distribute about 200 copies each morning. One of them, who only wanted to be known as Wendy, said she earns $20 per hour for her work. These individuals, armed with stacks of flyers, may be outside school gates as early as 6.30am, and usually leave just as the last few students stream into school before flag-raising.

The most common materials that are distributed are flyers – a simple and convenient means of promotion. However, whether flyers serve their purpose of persuading students to enroll in a centre’s classes lies in question. As one student rather savagely testified, “Flyers usually go straight into the bin after being received.” Another was even more curt in his response: “I can’t even remember the names of the centres. I usually dao (ignore) those giving out flyers.” Clearly, this ubiquitous form of promotion has done little to impress today’s students.

To counter such staunch disinterest in flyers, many centres have diversified their promotional methods to target students more effectively. In the first part of our investigation, we take a look at some of these methods.

Upping the Ante

An astute strategy adopted by an increasing number of centres has been to print wads of foolscap pads and distribute them for free outside school gates. Often featuring vibrant covers with humorous or eye-catching taglines, so many centres have embarked on this method that foolscap paper seems to be in endless supply.

Recognising the hectic school lives that students endure, some centres have printed flashcards and condensed ‘cheat sheets’ that students can use to revise on the go. Apart from the common Periodic Table, cards with common errors in Mathematics have been distributed as well.

The periodic table flash card from Chemistry Guru is one of the most recognised promotional materials among students.

Other centres have expanded the scale of their advertising by taking out large panel advertisements at MRT stations or bus stops located in the vicinity of schools. Admittedly, these displays are hard to miss, though it is can’t be cheap for centres to pay for such large ad space. One student also commented that he actually finds tuition centres who do this “quite aggressive”.

Indigo panel advertisements at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Half of Indigo’s students come from RI and HCI.

Going Digital

You’d be hard pressed to find a teenager today who isn’t a user of one of the many online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Keenly aware of students’ addiction extensive use of these social sites, several centres have gone beyond just paying for physical ad space.

There has been a trend of tuition centres starting their own Instagram pages and even Snapchat accounts, with each one eager to attract the tech-savvy millennials. Furthermore, Chemistry Guru has a YouTube channel that offers 9–12 minute video tutorials, giving students a “try before you buy” experience.

Splashing the Cash

A more costly but elaborate approach has emerged recently – Timothy Lim, Eugene Toh, and Xavier Tong from the Academy of SuperHeroes (AoSH) group of tuition centres rented lightsabers, Star Wars costumes and themselves went down to HCI and NJC to give out free breakfast on 4 May (“May the Fourth”, designated Star Wars Day) dressed as characters from the film series.

When we spoke to Mr Toh, from Economics at TuitionGenius, he said, “Some centres spend a lot of money on print advertising; we wanted to stay away from that direction and show students that we really care about them. We wanted to show that we’re not just people in newspapers, we’re not just tutors, that [our promotions] are an extension of our fun personalities.”

This personable and hands-on promotional style has also seen the trio conduct free bubble tea and portable charger giveaways outside school gates, which have proven to be a hit with students.

The Academy of Superheroes outside Hwa Chong Institution on May the Fourth (Image credits: tuitiongenius’s Instagram)

Besides publicity stunts that boost the centre’s popularity, some established centres even boast an offering of seminars on topics such as scholarships and studying abroad. Competitive as the tuition industry is, there are centres which organise Open Houses, inviting students to visit their premises while enjoying a carnival-like programme.

The heavy investment in promotional materials and marketing stunts then begs the question: just how effective are such methods in encouraging students to enroll in their classes?

Running the Rule

While freebies like bubble tea make for memorable mornings, our investigation reveals that students are more attracted to practicality than material value. In fact, two centres that the most number of students could recall receiving promotional materials from were Captain Mathematica and REAL Education Centre, which both print free foolscap pads bearing animated covers with their names on the front.

According to Ethan from the Marketing team at REAL Education Centre, “Some students even come out from their schools to take foolscap… If I give out foolscap, I can bring six or seven hundred and they will take it all. If I give out flyers, I can bring four hundred and still be left with half.” As one of our survey respondents declared, “Yes to free foolscap!” Clearly, centres have exploited the insatiable need for foolscap amongst students to good effect.

The mere prospect of failure has driven the feline on the cover catatonic.

Flashcards and formula tables (mentioned earlier) also seem to be rather well-received. The most prominent distributor of the periodic table, Chemistry Guru, turned out to be another centre that many students could recall well.

One would expect the apparent receptiveness of students towards the more novel promotional materials, like free bubble tea and portable chargers, to reflect greater effectiveness, but bubble tea ranked as the second least effective method of promotion, with only 18% of respondents believing that it is the best way to promote tuition services.

At the end of the day, though, it seems no matter how memorable or persuasive certain promotional methods may be, only 39% of students said they would enroll in classes based on a centre’s promotional materials and advertisements. More discerning and cautious than some might think, several students reflected a certain wariness toward tuition centres that base their appeal on vague statistics and testimonials. In the words of one student, marketing a centre’s defining characteristics “[would] be much better than generic responses.”

One point of interest that we came across in our inquiry is the role reversal in the traditional relationships between students and tuition centres. Students may long have been viewed as the ones seeking out knowledge, and one would have the impression that it would be students pursuing these centres. However, this investigation has revealed a sense that tuition centres are the ones seeking out the students, to the extent that they must position themselves outside schools to reach to them.

Centres are driven to ‘throw themselves’ at students, and, in an unending game of one-upmanship, centres will pursue increasingly novel and extreme ways of promoting themselves.

While it’s not clear who has triumphed in this relentless race for publicity and enrolments, one thing is certain from the distribution of free materials, foolscap and bubble tea – the real winners here are the students.

Edit (22 July 2017): A portion of this article has been removed as per the request of a tuition centre.