It's not quantum theory, but just simple physics...

I was honoured to be sitting at the lunch table with a group of people who were experts in the field of Physics, and rightly so, some of them could be called Physicists. They talked about quantum physics, photo-electrics and some unheard of terms. They are normal people, like you and me, with children and family to think about. However, at the same time, they are rather simple - they believe in taking the public transport out for our lunch buffet at Sakura than ride a car, as some of them believes it saves the environment and the pockets. If their cause is about saving gaia, then I would relent but I am sure these are people who certainly have fatter pockets than me, and could afford a car, however they choose not to.

If truth be told, I actually studied Physics in junior college, which was definitely a disaster subject for me. In secondary school, I was studying pure Chemistry and a combination of Physics and Biology. At the end of 'O' levels, I just had it with Chemistry, and thought of switching to something more palatable. I don't know what I was thinking, and the college did not quite offer much choices, so I ended up taking Physics, Economics, Mathematics C and Art. Yes, Art as in drawing and painting. It was a weird combination, of which I'm the only one out of two students taking that combination. As such, I was label as a rebel.

At that time, the arts were frowned upon, as if being in the arts stream means you are doom for life. Though I was in the science stream, I had a very hard time trying to convince my teachers what I was doing was well- for my own passion and good. The teachers did not believe in me, and I had close friends from secondary school who drifted apart because they stuck to the subjects they knew best, and they were all in the same class except me, the rebel. I had a friendship crisis too.

My Physics tutor did not help as I couldn't quite understand him. Maybe he was knowledgeable in the content area but he certainly cannot teach. He was a Chinese educated Physics teacher and that made it harder for me to understand his articulation. I was lost and clueless, and when a junior English educated Physics teacher came to take over the class, he in fact took over the experiments I had to do, and did it for me. In the end, I did not learn to wire up the experiments to light up the bulb, because junior Physics teacher just did it for me, instead of teaching me.

I was told by my class tutor, who was also my maths teacher and the college's discipline master to drop Art when I was in second year. He told me I could not live with the Arts. Art as a subject will not feed me. He told me not to drop the sciences or the maths, as that will guarantee a future. I was half-baffled by such ideas.

My Physics tutor was disheartened with my Physics results but was not sure whether I should drop Physics. I was doing badly, but he still feels that perhaps there is still hope (in me) as Physics (the sciences and maths) will have a better future than Art. Though he was not as fierceful and forceful as my class tutor, he suggested it be best I dropped Art.

My Economics tutor had it with students who took four subjects instead of three. Basically she just did not believe that her students can manage four subjects, so I was asked to drop one subject, any one, economics included. She refused to sign my form that stated I will be taking all the four subjects, as she insisted I should drop one. I left the classroom and cried buckets at the sports hall.How could she make life difficult for me when I already had it so difficult?

My Art teacher insisted that I shouldn't drop Art, and disagreed with my Maths and Physics tutor for thinking that there is no future with Art. She was so furious that she threatened me in fact to stick to Art and dropped my worst subject (which happens to be Physics then) or economics (since the economics teacher did not mind). Again, I cried buckets. I just did not know what to do.

After calming myself down and talking to a friend, I decided to tell all my teachers that I'm sticking to all four subjects, and not dropping anyone of them and at the same time, promised that I will prove them wrong. I will show them that I can do it though deep in my heart, I knew I would be dead for making such a promise.

When my 'A' level results came, the subject that pulled me up was none other than Art. I didn't do well for Physics but I somehow I already knew how difficult it was since I couldn't comprehend it at all. However, I am proud to prove to my maths and economics teachers, who didn't quite believe in me that Art help me, Art gave me a future. I gained acceptance to the university partly because of it when most of my classmates who only had three subjects and didn't do well for one, couldn't.

I was thrilled, I was elated, and I had my Art teacher to thank for. I will always remember her to this day for simply believing in me.

So teachers, since teachers day is just around the corner, do have some faith in your students. Because sometimes they are already having a hard time coping in school, and they don't need that extra bad advice, or the feeling that they are a failure. Don't make them feel like a failure even if they are doing badly. They need encouragement, and sound advice. Really sound advice. Because not everyone is good in the maths and sciences, and that I can guarantee, there is also a future in Art and the Arts.

I'm sure this is simple physics to understand. :)