Kimmy Schemy

Archive for January, 2012

During my long vacation last Christmas season, a client inquired about our review for International English Language Testing System. The IELTS is taken primarily by students intending to study in the English speaking countries of Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. It was also taken by people of the medical profession, skilled workers and immigrants.

This particular client wasn’t a student nor was he a medical personnel. So, it could only be either skilled worker or an immigrant. He first asked about who was going to teach him. It happened to be me, at the time. He asked about me particularly about the school I graduated from. He demanded to talk to me but felt disappointed when told that I wasn’t around and that I was on leave for the holidays. He asked the receptionist to call me on my mobile phone because he wanted to know if I was credible and good enough to teach him. Our receptionist, very politely, said they do not call the teachers ‘on-leave’ unless it was an emergency.

Feeling that he couldn’t impose much more, he left an order for me to call him as soon as I report to work on the third of January when business resumes officially. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go to work on that day. When I reported for work, I had so much else to do that I forgot about him completely. On the first Sunday of January, I took my day-off. He came and berated the receptionist because I did not call. He said it was my responsibility to give him a call as soon as I came to report for work.

He said he wanted to be sure if I was good enough to teach him and if there was something else I could teach him besides the lessons on the prescribed outline. He said, aside from English language, preferably with British accent, he also wanted to learn about the Canadian culture and Canada’s current trend. The receptionist said we only teach what’s on the outline. He answered that’s what he wanted to talk to me about.

I didn’t call him at all..

Irregular Nouns are those that form the plural by changing the spelling or not changing anything at all. Examples of such nouns are:

man-men, woman-women, child-children

Here is a list of other irregular nouns:

One of the most scary things for me is riding a motorcycle and I know I’m not the only one. However, about two years ago, something happened that made me do that thing I never thought I would do in my entire life, and if I had a choice, I would not have done it.

Well, it was a grave mistake and irresponsibility in my part when I accidentally put in my purse the lock and key of our store. I never thought about it the whole day. Only when I was already home and the Officer-in-Charge called me up to ask me where I put the lock did I realize that it was in my purse. Scared as I was, I had to do the right thing and take it in the office.

I woke my cousin and asked him to take me there on his motorcycle. He agreed. So, there I was, scared to death, wearing one of those womens motorcycle helmets and clutching my cousin’s shoulders. Honestly, I thought I would die that night, but I didn’t. So, I guess I had to learn from that experience so that it won’t happen again.

For the regular followers of my blog, they would notice that I already feature grammar tutorial regularly. Honestly, I didn’t think it would be so much fun. At first, I thought it would be difficult. Writing lectures in a story telling way, but when I got the hang of it, it feels like I was just writing one of my stories in The Story Teller blog, the only difference is that, I have to be accurate with what I write because they are rules. And now that I already offer free online tutorial, I’m thinking of including downloadable worksheets with answer key. That way, anybody who wants to improve his or her grammar may take a test and check whether he or she got the answers right.

Honestly, I’m not really sure if there is someone out there who is interested with what I do, but I just want to do it and I guess there’s no harm in it. Well, we’ll see what will happen soon..

Much as I would like to say that I’m all set, sadly I’m still not. My resignation will take effect in a matter of days but I guess it will take me several more weeks or even months to start the thing I have in mind. Since I would be offering my tutorial services at home, rent is one less thing I worry about. Now, if I’m not able to procure necessary equipment and machineries, I might consider equipment leasing instead of buying new ones, but I guess I wouldn’t be needing much.

Among the first things I need to have are a set of table and chairs; plastic will do. I would be needing a nice colored printer and lots and lots of bond paper for my worksheets. The others will have to wait.

By now, the parents of most of my students know that I am leaving the company in a few days’ time. It was so touching to see their facial expressions change from surprise to sadness.. But I guess the most touching of all was from a father of my student in Reading.

Mr. Ang* is a quiet and serious person who never talk with us much. He would just drop his son and when he is sure that there is already someone watching over the boy, he would take his leave and be back again after the session. He would simply say ‘thank you’ and silently go away with his child. The longest conversation he had was not with me but with our Officer-In-Charge about his son’s progress, and the fact that he re-enrolled his son twice already might be an indication that he likes our services.

Then he found out that I was leaving. Just when I thought that he was about to leave, he looked at me and in a quiet and firm voice asked me if it’s true that I will be gone soon and I answered yes. Maybe I just imagined it but I saw an expression of genuine sadness in his eyes before he asked ‘Why do you have to leave us?’

So I said that that’s just the way it is, people come, people go, but I believe that whoever will replace me will teach his son with as much dedication as I had. He looked at me one more time before he finally bid me goodbye.

Right now, I’m having mixed emotions about leaving. I feel excited to start something new but I feel sad for those I will leave behind. I also received some offers for my services at the client’s house but of course that wouldn’t be right, so I have to turn them down very politely.

I guess I just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best

Nouns that come in pairs are automatically plural unless preceded by the quantifier pair of.

Example:

My eyeglasses need replacement.

A new pair of eyeglasses is what I need right now.

Among such nouns are:

Aside from my unknown future, there is something else that I’m looking forward to for the weeks to come. My mother is coming home from the United States.

Well, my cousin from the South is getting married next month and my aunt, together with my mom, is coming. Sadly, I’m not going with them so, I will just tell them to say ‘hi’ to the bride and groom and of course to my uncle, for me.

I know he’s not the one getting married, but I owe my uncle a gift. Well, there is no special reason except that I forgot to send him a gift on his birthday, if I hadn’t, maybe I would get him one of those nice personalized military gifts. My uncle served in the military and I guess he would love something to remind him of his services to the country.

Since my days at work are numbered, I’m trying to prepare everything for whoever is going to replace me. So, regardless whether this is our lean season, I’m quite busy. I print the materials that the students might possibly need. I fixed my files in the computer and I try to make it as user-friendly as possible. I also created new materials that I believe will be used in the near future.

Apparently, I love my work and I feel sad about leaving, but if I’m really intent about ‘going someplace else’ then I have to learn to let go, otherwise, I should not have thought of ‘doing something else’ in the first place.

Sad as it may, there is no easy way around it but go through it..

Just several more days and I will be out of employment. However, I do believe that the end of something marks the beginning of something else. In view of that, let me tell you how excited I am about my plans to offer my tutorial services at home. Yes, I am planning to start my own and I’m kind of elated about the whole thing. I have started looking around for a nice table for kids but I still haven’t decided whether to get armchairs or any of those rustic bar stools. Armchairs, I guess are comfortable while bar stools are handy and space saver. Well, I guess I just have to decide much later.