By Dawin Ng (25A01D), Peh Zhi Ning (25A01B), Sophie Chong (25A01A)
Special thanks to Li Houzhe (25A01A) and Isaac Chan (25A01B) for the photographs.
This interview with Mr Aaron Loh had originally started off with no clear direction. There was an understanding that we were going to do it, but for what purpose, no one knew. “School issues” sounded vague. “Getting to know” felt uninspired.
Continue reading “A Year In RI: An Interview with Mr. Aaron Loh (School Matters Special Edition 2025)”
By Huang Han Cheng (26S05B) and Lerraine Neo (26A01A)
The average student spends around five hundred and twenty days enrolled in JC. For most, the number is a countdown, with each passing day one step closer to liberation. Yet every year, several students of the graduating class make the brave (if confusing) decision to return to RI – not as students, but as teachers.
This year, RI’s teaching staff was temporarily joined by three Y7s, as well as a few Y9s returning after their stint in the National Service. We spoke at length with some of them to hear their experiences working in such a strangely familiar place. This is their guide on surviving an extended stay in Raffles Institution.
Continue reading “Back in the trenches: A Guide to Surviving as a Y7 Teacher (Part 1)”By Huang Han Cheng (26S05B) and Lerraine Neo (26A01A)
At the start of the year, several ex-students made the perilous decision to return to RI as teachers. At first glance, it seems the choice has been nothing but beneficial — newfound freedoms, no more pressure, endless time to bask in nostalgia (read more about this in Part 1).
But being at school can never be a pain-free experience, and the teachers have run into plenty of obstacles in their journey as teaching staff. Read on to find out more about their struggles, how they coped, and their final words of advice.
Continue reading “Back in the trenches: A Guide to Surviving as a Y7 Teacher (Part 2)”
By Foo Le Xuan Shanice (25S03A) and Teo Hui Sian (25S06C)
12th February – it’s been approximately two weeks after the school and its student population celebrated Chinese New Year. Yet, lo hei sets are scattered across several canteen tables, exactly 10 – enough for about 70 of RI’s custodians.
This year, Raffles Community Advocates revived a long-standing tradition: a lo hei session held for the school’s custodians and support staff – a show of appreciation for the work they do for the students, staff, and anyone who steps into the school compound.
Continue reading “Toss for Prosperity — Do We Lift Up Those Who Make It Possible?”
By Qiu Bixin (25A01A)
Featuring Mr Soh Wei Kuan
Special thanks to Teo Hui Sian (25S06C) and Keng Yi, Nicole (25S03S)
As the three of us walked into the interview, I had no idea what to expect. Out of the three of us, I was the only one who hadn’t taken Physics since Year 2, a good three years ago—if he started talking about some Physics concept in the middle of the interview, my mind would go completely blank.
Once the interview started though, I heaved a sigh of relief. Other than the fact that no actual Physics was involved in the interview, Mr Soh broke down his teaching method in a very digestible way—a way that even someone who has no knowledge of Physics concepts can understand. This can be credited to Mr Soh’s extensive experience in teaching Physics, as although this is his first year teaching in RI, Mr Soh had previously taught Physics in Nanyang JC (NYJC) for more than two decades.
Continue reading “To (Understanding) Physics and Beyond!: Teachers’ Day 2024”