Friday, January 9, 2009

"Vote However U Like"

I have read the headline : Answer to prayer - Oprah gives school S$522K (US$365,000) with amazed. The Ron Clark Academy is founded by teacher Ron Clark. The teacher who finds private donors to pay most of the US$14,000 annual tuition for each student, teach all day and fundraise at night. The amounts of donation will pay for 26 children to attend the school for one year. The 80 student school depends almost entirely on donation to operate.

Clark and his students became overnight stars during the Presidential Election when a video of the students performing a rap they wrote grabbed the public 's attention on YouTube. The children performed the rap, called Vote however U like, on TV shows including CNN and BET. Teachers at the school often use rapping, dancing and drumming to help students learn.

Clark , who taught in one of New York City's (South Atlanta) toughest schools and wrote the best-selling teaching book The Essential 55 opened the school last year with proceeds from his book and private donation.

Frankly, I see the video with tears. I am touched and I am amazed how the students responded during the interview. I am assured that American has hope since they are able to raise such fine intelligent kids.

I recently met a grade 5 kids from our neighbouring country. He always skip school becase he said the teacher doesn't teach. His father brought him to be appendics in a car workshop. For the past one year, he goes to school in the morning and work in the workshop after school. He works almost every day and was given S$100 wages every month. I have spoken to the boy, he is an intelligent kid, but what to do if the teachers don't teach or don't know how to teach!

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