Commentary

Commentary, Staff Features

The Farewell Interview – Mr Geoffrey Purvis (Part 1)
Reading Time: 12 minutes

By Bryan Chua (14A01A)

purvis 1

23 years. That’s how long Mr Geoffrey Purvis has been a member of staff at Raffles Institution, from way back in 1990, joining the school from Anderson JC. Since then, as a tutor of over 2 decades worth of Rafflesians, he has become (and perhaps has always been) one of the most renowned, respected and perhaps even revered teachers the school has ever seen. With his plethora of aphorisms, Mr Purvis has definitely been one of the most memorable teachers for those he has taught, and till today some students still recall his melodic voice in their head whenever they re-read their ‘A’ level texts.

As he departs from the school (and Singapore) and into the land of retirement, Raffles Press sits down with Mr Purvis to find out his views on teaching, the school and the world around us.

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Commentary, Curriculum, Op-Eds, Please Mind the Platform Gap, Student Issues, Subjects

Finding Value in the Struggle – PW Reflections
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Benedict Koh (14S06N)

Coming out fresh from my OP, there was a really odd feeling coursing through my veins – a cocktail of very conflicting emotions. On one hand, there was a feeling of total joy and relief at finally being done with the main bulk of PW. On the other hand, however, was something that was holding me back from jumping around and screaming in absolute jubilation. It could be described as a sense of nostalgia and hollow emptiness – the sudden realization that I was never going to do this ever again.

The past 8 months have whizzed by incredibly quickly. In the blink of an eye, one year of my JC life has passed me by. That first day I received my grouping all those months back seems so close, and yet so very far away. Frankly speaking, back then, I only had one goal for PW – to score that “A” grade, by hook or by crook. I wanted nothing more, and certainly nothing less. But how did things change from then to now? Let me take you through the main events in chronological order.

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Commentary, Food Reviews, Raffles Reviews

Food for Thought: Habitat Coffee
Reading Time: 5 minutes

by Lee Chin Wee (14A01B)

habitat2

★★★★☆

If I had written this review a couple of years ago, I would have claimed that Habitat Coffee was a terrific hidden gem – one of those little-known hole in the wall cafés that boast very homely decor and serve good food at relatively affordable prices. Word of mouth on the street and the Internet, however, clearly beat me to the punch. When we visited the cafe, it was packed with customers – even though people tended not to linger, their seats were quickly filled by the number of new customers entering the small, two story establishment. Thankfully, we managed to snatch a table on the second floor that gave us a rather pleasant window view of Upper Thompson road. It was a little stuffy, but comfortable enough for a casual Press meeting.

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Commentary, Staff Features

Teacher Feature: Getting to Know the Year Heads
Reading Time: 9 minutes

By Tan Jun Xiang (14S06C) and Law May Ning (14S03O)

“What exactly does a Year Head do?”

If there were a list of frequently asked questions about the Year Heads, that would likely top the list. As 2013 draws to a close, we thought it would be nice to find out more about the two individuals who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep things running for our batch. If by now, the term Year Head is still completely foreign to you, then this interview is for you!

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