Dear Members,
I thought that I have to reiterate once more the rationale for the punishments during the camp. I read and heard some feedback from your Group ICs regarding the punishments and I feel that it is extremely important that everyone understands the rationale or else, all efforts which your choir leaders and I have put in to organise this camp would be in vain.
Our demands in terms of Punctuality, Responsibility and Resilience
We do not give timing which ourselves cannot meet. Throughout the camp, I have demanded that your Camp Leaders must be at the location waiting for you and that they cannot be late. Otherwise, they would also be punished. Please take note that the leaders were able to meet my demands on punctuality in spite of the fact that we had lesser time to eat and sleep.
In terms of responsibility, we only asked for a few simple things;
Personal responsibility: Water Bottles (at least half filled), booklets and writing materials, flag and meeting the timing.
Group responsibility: That all items are placed in the proper way and that the group should bring the items with them wherever they go.
Group IC responsibility: To ensure that all of the above are met. (Once again, as a leader, you do not just ensure that you can do something well. You need to ensure that others can do it as well, if not better)
We gave difficult tasks, but not impossible ones. This is to help you build resilience as there will be times that you will not able to meet our demands. When this happens, you need to reflect on why this is the case and device a personal and group strategy on how to do it better the next time.
Punishment Guidelines
Before the camp, your choir leaders and I had a pretty long discussion on the kind of tone we would like to set for the camp. We had the following options;
- Fun, Casual, Relaxed
- Fun, Firm and Serious, Disciplined
- Fun, Firm and Serious, Whack until you all die
- Fun, Firm and Serious, Disciplined, Push everyone to your mental limits
We decided on the last one. We feel that other than fun, the tone has to be a firm and serious one with good discipline in order for Choir as a whole to move forward quickly and efficiently. (a gentle reminder that we have quite a bit of catching up to do if we are to reach our SYF 2011 goals.
I also thought, with the eventual support of your leaders that the camp should also push you to your mental limits (especially if you the Group IC). For the details, I've already explained in the earlier posting.
Therefore, as a guideline, I told the Camp Leaders that they would decide on the punishments and I would moderate (as I do not know what your physical and mental limits are). However, I have one general and important guideline for the Camp Leaders, that what ever they request from you they must also be able to do. We worked on this principal throughout the whole camp. Of course, whatever I asked from you, I will also be able to do. Although I'm 20kg heavier than I used to be. (HaAA...) We also standardised the punishment which we will give to ensure that you are not physically punished at one location of your body only.
So I hope that all understand the general guidelines we adopt for carrying out punishments.
Why physical punishments? Is there no other way?
Of course, you all may wonder why we have decided to give physical punishments instead of other forms of punishments such as cutting your shower time or lunch time etc.
Physical punishments helps to build mental strength. Far too often, we allow our body to control our minds. For example, you didn't have enough sleep the night before and your body tells you the following morning that you are extremely tired. When you are in the class, your body tells your mind to shut down (excuses) and therefore, you go into sleep mode. The body has taken over the mind. However, your mind is stronger than you think it is... if suddenly, your favourite movie is shown, you will immediately wake up. In this case your mind has taken over control again.
There are many things in life that are good for us, but the journey towards obtaining it is a painful one. For any sportsman to do extremely well, they go through boring and sometimes painful routines. And once they become good at it, they start to enjoy the game. Those who could not endure eventually give up on the sport. This applies for music as well, for those who plays the piano or for that matter, any other musical instruments, you have to go through very strict and frequent practices on your scales before you are able to play a beautiful piece of music.
The effect of physical punishments would last a few days. (I'm sure that some of you had sore muscles a few days after the camp) This is a gentle reminder that there are consequences for every action (or inaction). A lot of time the consequences do have lingering effects. Sometimes, the consequences make it progressively more difficult for you to achieve your goals.
For example, you could have gone up to your dorms to get your stuff and assembled in 7 mins. However, you were not able to do so due to various reasons (or excuses) you had to endure physical punishments which further tire your body. It would have made it more difficult for you to meet the subsequent time given.
In life, you could have done extremely well in your studies if you listened attentively in class, did your assignments and read ahead so that you are prepared for the next lesson. (Ideal... but how many of us actually do that?) The consequence of not doing any of the above would be to fall behind in terms of understanding of the topic. However, the next topic or chapter requires foundational knowledge of the topic which you did not have a full understanding of. As such, even if you decide later to do all of the above, you would find it more difficult. Can you think of other instances where this is true?
Were my expectations too high? Were the punishments pegged at the level for boys?
As I've mentioned over and over again, it is all about the mental strength, not physical strength. Are girls really physically and mentally weaker than boys? Do you really believe this? If you do, then there is no point reading any further.
Otherwise, I can tell you that this is absolutely not true. In terms of absolute physical strength, a male (physically larger than a female) would have greater physical strength), but in terms of relative strength, it is still largely debatable. Even in sports, you find male and females competing in same events although in different categories and with different timing. (due to difference in absolute strength)
Mentally, it is undeniable that the female has greater mental strength than a male. Otherwise, I can't imaging how a woman can subject herself to 9 months of changes and 5 to 10 hour of indescribable labour pain to bear a child.
Do you know how a man can control an elephant (many times his weight and size)? Can he weaken the elephant physically? The answer is obviously no. So he cleverly weakens the elephant's mind. A baby elephant is tied at its leg to a very strong pole. Of course, at this age, the baby elephant doesn't have enough physical strength to pull itself loose, no matter how hard it tries. Over time, the elephants mind (will power) weakened and it resigns to fate that it will never pull itself loose. At this time, the elephant give up altogether. Every time a rope is tied to the elephant's leg and looped around a pole which is not strong enough to hold it in place, its mind says that its stuck although it is physically well able to pull itself loose.
Notice that I did not pick on how well you executed the physical punishment. I was contented to see you try. All I wanted was for you to overcome your mental barrier and continue to try. As I always tell Gerald, "Daddy is proud of you as long as you have tried your best".
What does it mean to you?
At the end of all this... I would like everyone of us. (including the choir leaders, seniors and myself) to ask ourselves that all this mean to us. This is where the learning takes place. This is the reason why CCAs, camps and all are always the best way to build a person's character.
What does it mean to choir?
Of course, this is choir camp. Therefore, all that we are doing must somehow benefit choir as a whole. I'd everyone to spend some time answer this question as well.
Mr Chong
Labels: Choir Camp 2009
