My school days
If luck had anything to do with it, it has to be because I got the right school and the right teachers in my primary and secondary school days. My parents had refused to queue up the previous night as did many other parents - and had depended on luck to get me a place in Monfort School. True enough his optimism was rewarded. I got a place. I was lucky that for all my school life I had excellent, dedicated teachers - actually quite normal in my school. This is as far as my luck went.
The teachers I had in primary school had a passion for education that I cannot believe even now. They treated us like their own children and did not hesitate to punish us when they felt there was a need for it. I remember how in primary three I had developed a dislike for mathematics. I had decided that all those romantic numbers were not for me. Mr. Tan thought otherwise. He kept me back after school. I resented that very much as my father had just bought a new computer and I was eager to play all those games. Mr. Tan kept me in school twice a week. Through his teaching, I realized his passion for mathematics. Soon I fell in love with the subject and became as good as the others.
By the time I reached secondary school, I had a genuine love for all the subjects. I did feel a little sorry for the frogs I dissected though. Soon I overcame even that and began to like science. However, my real clination was for history and literature. I read a lot about the subjects, especially history. What really fascinated me was the war. Soon I became a walking expert on the Japanese conquest of Malaya and Singapore. Even the teachers referred to me. From this time onwards, I became a better and better student almost entirely -through my own ability. I began to realize that there was a lot of things I could do which I had not known I could do. I applied myself diligently and referred to my teachers every now and then. The result was that I was soon one of the better students in the class.
I can truthfully say that my progress in school was due largely to the good teaching of my teachers and consequently, my being inspired by them. Secondly, it was due to my own interest and ability and a little to luck.
(423 words)
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