SINGAPORE: I've covered political summits, quizzed world-class athletes and even interviewed the president of a Pacific island nation.
But nothing prepared me for a rather different assignment one early morning in June.
This time around, the tables were turned. I'd be facing a group who had done their research and were ready to go with no holds barred.
It was time to see if I could handle a barrage of questions from preschoolers.
NEWSROOM TO CLASSROOMAbout a year prior, CNA had published a story about whether it was possible to go plastic-free for a week in Singapore. The article was pegged to Plastic Free July, a month-long sustainability challenge aimed at curbing use of the synthetic material.
Among the key takeaways from the story was that I'd been unthinkingly and unknowingly generating an embarrassing amount of plastic waste. Much of this was down to forgetfulness and bad habits.
Another conclusion was that plastic waste is unavoidable in some circumstances – but they can also be repurposed or recycled.
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Going plastic-free for a week in Singapore. Dream or reality? What I didn't expect was for the story to land me an invitation to a classroom.
It so happened that students at Odyssey the Global Preschool's Fourth Avenue branch were exploring the importance of reducing plastic waste, in their current affairs curriculum.
As part of an enquiry-based learning approach, the children are encouraged to ask questions and seek answers through investigation and discussion, explained their teacher Joanna Gan.
"We believe that young children should know the impact of plastic use on the environment," she said.
"By starting this conversation early, we believe that we can instil good habits that will be beneficial for their futurejilimacao, as well as for our planet."
An Odyssey preschooler eager to pose a question to Matthew. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)