Another tribute to YPM

First writing here.

A YPM alumni posted a writing about life in YPM and it triggered more alumni to give their testimony too. I am enjoying YPM’s little reunion on the comment section while keep reflecting and being currently on the down slope of parenting.

Reading those comments make me realize few things.

Not all the students become great/famous pianist.
But, all agree in one thing. The result of all the rigorous training done for years are same for everyone :

the good characters stay,
Especially for those who reached certain level.

Lower grade in YPM is about building discipline, consistency, resilience, and many kind of internal characters.

Upper grade in YPM (if one is given the chance) is more about displaying years whether those characters have been successfully internalized or not.

Before grade 6, if you don’t pass, you can repeat the year.
Starting grade 6, if you don’t pass : out.

The brilliant one goes directly to PK 1.
The not so brilliant one (like me) goes to Pra PK.
It’s like another second chance of grade 6.
If you don’t pass : out.

In PK 1 – PK2, if you don’t pass all or half of the subjects, repeat the year.

PK 3 is the final destination. The end of journey.

They pick 2-3 student to be taken as teacher, if they tick all the list.

Looking back, I think, those who could proceed and survive PK years, are ones who got the characters internalized, more than the skills.

Ones who, in spite being scolded hard weekly, keep coming.
Ones who might be not so talented, but keep trying.
Ones who keep juggling between task and challenges, they give their all to finish it,no matter the result.

Evening Replass is where we have play in front of others, being criticized openly and bluntly. Twice a week, From 7pm-12 am.
It might sound weird, but, I have never seen an empty Repclass room even during school exam, like final test or even UAN.
They don’t choose between school or YPM. They embrace both responsabilities equally.

Having/doing/surviving YPM in my formative years, it’s like a ‘shortcut’ to be a functional adult.

The most significant tangible result is nothing written on the paper, but when I look around my peers and realized I was entering 20s fully ready to deal with the most uncertain period of adulthood.

because I am good, but because I have been trained to deal with whatever adult should deal with.

Adults :

Pay their own bills.

Doing multiple roles.

Doing things we don’t like, but we have to.

Having clear goals and know how to achieve it.

Saying no to many things that doesn’t align with the goals, be it job offers or marriage proposals (plurals).

Fully aware that good life comes with price and willing to pay for it.

It’s certainly not because who I am. It’s the works that many people do for me in my formative years and YPM was the huge part of it.

Working and volunteering with the 20s for the past few years, I see it as one way to paying forward for all the hardwork done on me.

Succesful education can be considered by two characteristics : competency and character.

In YPM, they nailed both.

Closing this with one of the most favorite quotes from a book :

“Teachers (and great education) affect eternity. No one can tell where their influences stops”.