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Psychology and Community Course
The most popular course ever in JAE history. With a staggering 768 students applying for this prestigious course of 40 places as their first choice, many had to be rejected. After a thorough elimination and fight, 40 out of these 768 eventually were selected- the chosen ones. The first time that they interacted was the day that they embarked on the first step to their journey of service and welfare for mankind.

The course manager, then in 1.1, was Ms Peggy. The strictest 1.1 lecturer some would say. Yet, Peggy was just like a loving mother shielding them from external threats and maintained order in their classes. Next was Ms Lynn Fong. Lynn was the lecturer for written communication module. Strict, on-schedule and ruthless time management nearly scared them all off. However, her beloved journals that featured their candid and demanding comments gradually changed her. Mrs Cheong, the well known IT expert in HMS, was an adjunct lecturer from MDE division. She was soft spoken, giving in to their pleas and whines as much as she could. There were 2 new lecturers. Mr Glen. Glen taught them Community Service module. Being an experienced counsellor and avid supporter for the community, he taught them ethics and groups that required assistance. Ms Lim. She was perhaps the nicest lecturer that they had in 1.1. A silent observer, she knew the personalities of them.

On 17th April 2007, Ao1 was born. With a strength of only 19, it was led by the class rep and module reps. Ao1 displayed special qualities. They were competitive, but not forgetting helping one another. Conflicts were inevitable, even in this prestigious course. However, the rain will always stop someday. And it will.

Moving on, semester 1.2 started off with nothing but a frenzy. Teachers changed, venues changed, even the course manager changed. This sparked off the period of uncertainty and ambiguity, which A01 unfortunately had a low plasticity for. Adding into the rampant confusion, new approaches other than the familiar learner-centred approach were used. And if those were not enough, it finally became a full blown recession of morale when all 5 core modules were linked under 1 Integrated Project framework. Emotions ran wild, attitudes got the better of behaviours, sharing sessions became a necessity for breathing. Problem based learning has seemed to cause more problems than its purpose. Experiments which measured more confounds than its variables. Self teaching lectures has seemed to work out as intense rattling sessions of endless theories in martian language. where's the translator? why aint she helping us? where's the chicken soup?

No doubt. Semester 1.2 had definitely stretched our limits. No longer is working in the Atrium till 12am a foreign myth. Under the lights of darkness, Under the scrutiny of the intolerable security guards, Under the tearing heart of the patiently awaiting parents, But what have we gained? Trust of our peers, parents, teachers, and ultimately ourselves. We know we can do it. And we did. We proved to our community service partners that we could handle just like professionals, proved to our lecturers that we could take all the heat and sweating it all out, proved to ourselves that we are truly each an unique individual with an inspiring story to tell. We, are the pioneers of Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Humanities Diploma in Psychology and Community Services.

Not forgetting to mention, lecturers for the semester 1.2 are Joyce, acting course manager and sociologist lecturer, Glen, class advisor and organisational behaviour lecturer, Mr Tan, Lifespan Psychology Lecturer, Reuben, statistics and research methods lecturer, Janice, family and relationship studies lecturer.

After a frenzy of semester 1.2, A01 entered into a new phase- year 2. Being year 2s and pioneer batch, they are often reminded of setting the standard and model role for the year 1s. But was it? Or were they the experimental rats afterall? Put this aside, A01 started out semester 2.1 smoothly and had two new lecturers. Ms Low, their speech communication and cross cultural practices lecturer, resembles the days of Lynn. Ruthless, on schedule and ruthless time management. Some wonder if that's a trait of communication lecturers? Ms Heidi, their group dynamics and conflict management lecturer, on the other hand is a bubbly young lady.

A01 experienced its third crisis during its third administration headed by Grace. This crisis stemmed from the previous 2 unresolved conflicts since semester 1.1 and snowballed into an avalanche during a group sortie. External help was not enlisted to help resolve this crisis though, as previous experiences proved ineffective. A01 soon recovered after a day of ceasefire, enforcing a moratorium on the conflict till the next outbreak, probably in a group sortie again in semester 2.2.

In semester 2.1, A01 class activities rose to new heights. Class outings, monthly birthday celebrations and the arrival of the long awaited pullover. They probably have not realised that they have only 2 more semesters with one another before going off for their final year project and attachment.

Soon, it came 2.2. And with it, came the audacity of hope. The hope of changes, stability and freedom. But what changes when even ballots are deemed undemocratic? What stability when even a simple group sortie can tear us apart? What freedom when we don't even dare to plunge into the unknown? Tears gushed, hearts broken, emotions sunked. How much longer can one sustain the hopes of unity? Probably when we don't have to work with one another anymore. By then, what's that's left is just memories, and regrets.

Year 3 came and went, and left some hanging dry, euphoria fueled by emptiness.

Comments by Lecturers
Lynn says:
a bunch of sweet, bubbly, warm-hearted but sometimes competitive kids who wrote their way into my heart!