FOURTY DAYS TO GO : DECISIVE MOMENTS

Dear students,

Huh!! 40 days to go before you all sit for 'another test'that people name it PMR. Given that such the exam especially paper 1 has been taken over 20 times for months, it should not be a great deal after all.Instead, It would be more or less like just another test. Only this time, the question papers are to be printed with state-of-art printing technology by the government linked company, PNB. The good news is the question would be in size bigger yet clearer than ever.So if you read carefully , I am pretty sure that you can score well.

Today, we had a special meeting known as temu murni.Lots of things flood into my mind that I at times are in a state of confusion whether or not things related while meeting with parents were worthy a story. Could baring all students' weaknesss to their parents be worthwhile or a backfire.

To let bygones be bygones holds true as we need to move on despite making errors or mistakes as without which we remain stagnant waiting for premature departure to the world of oblivion. 40 days left both scare and excite me as the pmr has in it what people say hope and fear. Both are unseen yet forceful driver..

Sir

SHARING IS CARING

With them the seed of wisdom did I sow

And with my own hand labour'd it to grow

And this was all the harvest that I reap'd

'I came like water and like wind I go'

- Omar Khayyam

'Knowledge is light (nur) that goes straight into the heart. Knowledge is in the hearts of men, not in the line of books. If it were to be the case that knowledge is in the lines of books then those non-Muslims who study Islam, and sometimes called orientalists for example, would have been guided already by now.' (Sh. Afifi Al-akiti).

As far as I am concern, I haven't achieved or realised some of my ideals in teaching. It is my wish that students will have this hunger for knowledge, then it's a mission accomplished for me. I believe it is knowledge (the light) who will guide ones be it in their attitude or exams. We make mistakes all the time, but the moment we realise we've made mistakes, it is knowledge that acts as a reminder for us that we've sinned so immediately we will ask for forgiveness from dear Lord. We say istighfar.

I know, when students misbehave, it is my fault for not trying hard enough and for not giving the best. It's not good pointing fingers at others whilst we are the ones deserve the blame. One thing for sure, God has the right to blame me and thinking about it is disturbing as I know I do not only live in this world. Men are made for eternity, we might say that we're old but we are still young and still at the very beginning of this eternal life.

We must be better than yesterday. That's what distinguish us from other creatures.

p/s: It's not what you know but what you do with what you know.

TO SCHOOL ONE'S MINDS IS A DAUNTING TASK

Dear students,

What an easy task! should we teachers know things lingering in your mind moment we are about to open our mouth to talk the so called subject matters be they English, Mathematics and etc. Interestingly, God does not endow us,teachers,telepathy such a gift earned by Solomon the prophet so that we have to crack our brains figuring out the best applicable methods to unearth the best in you dear students.

Our sole task to school your mind and at the same time for that purpose to achieve we have to stretch our mind muscles to think beyond applied-yet not so practical approaches for we should at all times better ourselves to better you. Blessed and lucky are those whose today is better than yesterday and tomorrow is better than today.Teaching is in fact an enjoyable task until it has been laden with things and chores not worthy doing or attending. We teachers sometimes become reluctant attendees as our heart are towards grooming young minds with things benefit them the most. Unfortunately, we need to abide by dissenting directives from two self-proclaimed lions at the cost of students' learning hours. One party is insistent to finish the allocated budget no matter what programs to be held. Another prides for exercising absolute directives from the ministry.We teachers are always in the dark for what and for whom the bell tolls.

Daunting the task is when we repeatedly repeat the same thing over and over again as if all said is new. Yet, nothing changes but the calender and the moon. This what makes us do wake in the middle of the night contempleting of our past wrong doings waiting for retribution once we ourselves become teachers. I spare that thought or else i spare no one my humble slaps.And from now on, we have 50 days and 80 days left for pmr and spm respectively. Though exam is not everything but mind you that you will forever carry digits printed on the paper. Why can't you make it colorful that your parents grinning from ear to ear moments they see you result! we teachers at that time are nowhere to be found as we did finish our task preparing you to the battle!to celebrate we rather smile from afar knowing some of your are jubilant enough!

Sir

HOPES AND FEARS

In any battle, preparation is a must. It involves lots of training that goes way beyond one's capability, sacrifices and the ability to adapt with any unexpected situation. I would regard the battle of Badr which happened during the month of Ramadhan as the greatest war ever in the history of mankind because it is the war that changes the whole course of the world's history and to certain people, illogical, as 313 won the battle against 1000. No matter how illogical it sounds, fact remains that it actually requires only 313 God-fearing men to shape the world to be the way it should be for generations. These people's greatest weapon is their faith in one Lord, Allah and it is the faith that grants them greatest help from the Greatest helper that one could have.And certainly, it is a faith proven trough actions. They worked hard in the best way possible, in the most pleasing way for the sake of Allah the most High.

The world only needs 313 people with a firm faith or iman in order to make it a better place to live in. Why should we constantly bother about geniuses,whom in terms of faith they have none?

Let's welcome the Holy Month of Ramadhan. A month to develop taqwa insha Allah so that we can become as great as these 313 are.

MAKE IT LIKE JUST ANOTHER TEST

Dear students,

In the wake of pre-trial exam result which is to be released within no time.I am of the view, with half baked marks within my knowledge, that all of you r in the brink of either winning with thumping victory or otherwise whatever you are willing to say.

Nevertheless,since you have been through countless exams, just think the coming pmr exam is like another test provided this time you will be surrounded by dozen of eyes watching your antics.

Thy yourself be true.And you will the would be memorable hall a happy man.

sir

BEING CONSTANTLY CHASED BY NUMBERS AND FIGURES

Dear students,

From now on, we still have around 60 days left before the final that might cheer or haunt you if not for the rest of your life at least during your schooling years.Coming december, some of you might feel miserably sad for failing to hit the targetted number of As and some might feel jubilant over unexpected result through either solely their own efforts or the inteference of hands and eyes of god.

I am still figuring out within this remaining time frame the best yet practical approaches to prepare you all to sit the second hurdle after upsr with ease and confidence .If I sort out to the number of meetings that we have right from now till the exam date, the number of days left becomes so scary considering lots of you guys still struggling even to string a simple sentence with a subject and a verb, lacking most basic vocabs and battling with english phobia entrenched since primary school.

The accumulated number of vocab possessed by each and everyone of you my dear students is a clear indicator that explains why writing task seems a monumental one. Thus, we teachers need to crack our tiny brain to resolve the existing woes. It is undniable that problems abound. But, it is we who need to set the sail despite unpromising gales to hail for success and glory in the name freedom and happiness .

REFLECTION: CONFLICTING TEACHING BELIEFS

Just finished working at JHEAT and this morning I had a pedagogy course at PKG Permaisuri. I was all smiles upon seeing the name of the writer of the module for the course entitled 'Scaffolding for writing'. A memory of me stucked in the lift together with her flashed and because of the incident she still recognizes me. I got to find out about the fact during the drama course that I've attended months back. She is a great lecturer and I am sure the pedagogy course would have been more interesting if she is the one who facilitates the course. Not that the current facilitator is not good, it's just that the one who wrote the module would explain things better. In a way i am so proud that I've got the chance to learn from her as she is a great teacher yet humble. She makes me feel comfortable in her class and she used to say that teaching and learning process should not be threatening to the students. I personally think she is really a practitioner of what she preaches as I felt nothing but joy throughout the course as if it is something as fun as watching movie etc.

Compared to my own current practice in teaching at the moment, it is far from what she does. I can give students non-threatening tasks, but it won't be that entertaining and fun. The only activity that I think that students really find enjoyable is singing. At the same time, the need to prepare you for examination is also a matter of a great concern that at times I am forced to do nothing but instruct students to do the dull copying activity. It is a belief of so many academicians that such approaches towards exam do nothing in preparing students for the real world. I feel like I am stucked in the middle.

One important thing is that I must ensure that students exhibit change even it is little. It's not easy but it is what teachers are here for.
No matter what let's treat everyday as a door towards something new. Struggle or 'mujahadah' is needed. Difficult as it sounds indeed.