Thursday, July 29, 2010

IF THEY TREAT STUDYING LIKE CAMPING

Dear students,

Despite our last minutes preparations, lacking here and there and so many other imperfections , yet we manage to win four hampers to the pride of mr Ibrahim and Ust Ya and teachers the like of me and , mr Faizal and Ustzh Mek who spent two days and three nights as teachers in charge for the camping.

Participants in action



I could not agree more if I people say that Faiz a.k.a kipput is hardworking,creative and having leadership skills. I have since realized that as i had seen his task before. Last three days and two nights just confirmed my self- belief that Faiz,Pok Loh, Abushah, Fitri, Alif was so cooperative and hardworking when it comes to things or tasks that of their interest.My challenge is to make them show their working attitude for camping same with his function for studying.The whole world seems being painted our color of choice.

Sir

RETROSPECTION : REVOLUTIONARY MINDS IN THE MAKING

Dear students,

What a feeling! so beautiful and undescribable...!i chanced to meet scores of my former students who happened to take part in the just concluded state level co corricular camp held at 512 regime in Kemaman. My stint with them was short-lived as i was so called mysteriously transfered by force of little napoleons for maybe speaking out my minds.Almost two thirds of girl students of form 1A1 and 1A2 2007 were there and we had hearty laughs and Insyirah updated me of boys students' whereabouts.

This classical reunion might happen once and for all after three years being separated as I don't think I chance to meet them again with dozens of them, the same setting for three days. Seeing them and their antics there was like witnessing a scenic breathtaking hillside views.The like of Insyirah, Wani's although , Amira, Sofiah , Ainiyyah with her not so good story, Fitrah the cutest and most vocal of them all,the shy and timid Nabila Huda, whose writing never failed to impress me.Najihah as brilliant and cute as ever. Just to list a few..

beautiful memory at Bukit Kuang 512 regime camp



Though separated we have..I knew deep deep down inside my heart i do love them as ever..having a chance to teach them was one of the great moments in my teaching career as they all have more than what it takes to be a useful person contributing to the awakening of the muslim commonwealth! they have attitude..the one that i should crack my mind to unearth from almost all of my current pupils.

There lies a challenge and this what makes us a man brazing against odds with grit and determination. The big question mark is , determination demands an energy and energy according to the natural rules dissipates over time. May God replenish us energy as always to be His true servant who is stong and ready to serve His other servants in need of help.

Sir

PRE-TRIAL EXAM ACTIVITY

'Sea lions' enjoying themselves in a scorching hot afternoon

Sunday, July 25, 2010

ON THE EXISTENCE OF LITTLE NAPOLEONS

Dear students,

Growing up in the midst of society where things that matter most is fame,glory or anything associated with success is at times a headache as the path to it demands some uncompromising decisions. Thus, it invariably challenges our self belief to where and what we are after after all in this life. When someone mired in unforgiven sins starts open up mouth, rest assure so called noble men will have to think more than twice to switch to the hard truth as lots of things are to be taken into account.

The term little napoleons has nothing to do with our innocent yet obedient students though rebellious once a while. I think it is imperative to insert an excerpt that best explains what little napoleons is all about. They above all not our beloved students though they might love us not at all. But , i do love them all of them without exception as they have taught me lots and lots more than i have ever taught them. I owe them and i need to love them unconditionally.

Attached herewith an excerpt from the following site.

http://www.dapmalaysia.org/english/2006/april06/lks/lks3871.htm

Bernama tried to be helpful by providing the following definition – “Little Napoleon is often described as one who is pugnacious, arrogant and abrasive, especially a person in power, having features like Napoleon Bonaparte, an absolute ruler in France during the late 18th century.”

The exam looms larger and it is time to move on either to prepare students for exam or for life's unending lessons or both.It all depends on us, our perception and belief as Descartes once said Cogito ergo sum..i think therefore i am. Nothing lasts and the only things that do not change is the change itself. Don't bother much for the changing habit of mortal homo sapien as history by nature repeats itself,retribution is sure either for the good or the evil.Only time will tells.

Sir

Saturday, July 24, 2010

GENG PAK KANCIL WOWS THE CROWD

THE OTHER SIDE OF ENGLISH COMPETITION

Dear students,

I could hear from afar as far as Sudanese temporary yet tiny settlement the song sung and rapped by our Geng Pak Kancil a.k.a GPK yesterday morning. It seemed the crowd turned a bit crazy when Edie took turn belting out his husky voice to the excitement of the audience. I think mat yie as usual , showcasing his macho style with his extra made-in-UK slang. Bob did a great job anyway with the help of back up dancers Mizi and Amar. And not to forget Zil Majdi, whose energetic performance deserved credits from the true jurors, the crowd.

I prefer staying afar as I decided to myself moments it came to my knowledge that English Competition Final was to be held right at SMAS.Why did they prefer SMAS, the dump site of the rejects?I mean those rebellious against the small napoleons?those having gut to voice out their dissatisfaction over issues created by teachers-cum-big headed officers.. .Ironically,they want us the rejects to entertain them,to add another extra day commuting to and fro from as far as Kuala Terengganu to give them first class treatment. They give us prior warning that certificate will not be awarded should we fail to commit ourselves giving our best to welcome them.It sounds intimidating..fuhhh... come on we don't need the certificate after all.No added value to my CV.

However,to my sadness. i did it at the cost of forcing my teaching colleague to handle all and everything alone. Incessant complaints and comments hurled against her throughout the competition as if nothing others could do but to complain instead of to help. I could visualise that, but i was a reject among the rejects.I rather talk with Coelho than taking pains to entertain those small napoleons.Though small the task to her, it might be monumental if doing it alone, especially for her first time being entrusted to handle such an event. Thank God , in the end, the program proved to be a stupendous one despite her first time handling all and everything alone.She learnt the most during the one and a half day event. I know i will not regret my decision as i can't stand giving undue respect to those who once conspired to put me in trouble.The memory of me being hauled to the commissioner's spacious room to testify before six top brass including the arrogant commissioner himself that i am fit to be a teacher despite being undermined by them based on data collected by investigating officers then who on of them happened to be the master mind of this 9th English Competition remains and will always remain in my memory so long i permit myself to it.After all i am a human, i admit that to forgive is divine.However, to simply forgive without reason is at times a cowardice act itself. There are many ways to learn and i prefer to learn the other way around.

The only way to stop contempleting this nonsense is start thinking of you my dear students. Without you all, dear students, we teachers and those in exalted positions will be of non existence. Forgive me should i make mistakes for i am after all human. To coin a quote from Kurt shared by the someone ' I rather be hated for whom i am not'.

Sir

Thursday, July 22, 2010

AWESOME DEBUTANTS !

NATIVE DEEN'S INTENTION



Dear students,

Having watched you guys live, i mean the geng pok kancil, practising your gig at smas hall was a gift as you all despite time constraints, managed to perform superbly well. Courtesy of your dedicated selfless teacher-cum-mentor miss Farah who has been training you all all this while out of nothing but passion to see success lie in your very eyes.And i could see that! I don't care whether or not you can impress the audience come Friday morning, when some vips will be watching your debut, as you are all already great.

Don't worry , simply do your best, as after all you all are debutants except the old timer like Mat Yie & Edie.., whose stage fright seems has long gone. Nervous? come on..that is good to feel nervous or experience stage fright as without which you are abnormal. If you are normal, to feel nervous is a bonus dose to push you to greater heights.

My humble advice to you all should you dream of giving the best performance ever is bear in mind two things. First, give a feeling to the task at hand, i mean sing like a true singer..as if you are the one who penned the lyrics out of your life's experience and remorseful acts. Second, practice and practice and practice..

Do your best and difinitely your all deserve this five-letter word. BRAVO!

Sir..

Monday, July 19, 2010

THE READERS BY HEART - CAPIK & AYUB LEADING

Dear students,

I just saw the newly released timetable nicely put on my table yesterday when i entered teachers' room to get pieces of paper for notes for the evening class with 3A. As expected, only half of them were present, the rest were missing without plausible yet convincing reasons.Or, they just want to see how far we teachers would react for their misbehavior.

Thank God, until now, despite a bunch of not-so-motivated students, still we have some who though not commited but manage to memorise at least an answer script for literature's TPOZ. They are chapik and ayub and a few others coming from 3A whom need not for introducing.

I hope that Capik and Ayub will be of a great help for the fellow friends to learnt the art of reading by heart. Until now, only around 10 students who manage to memorise well.They are Capik Ayub Ainur Aina Nadzirul Amirah Hidayah Khalis Idayu and Iman. The number constitutes slightly 10 % out of the total PMR candidates.

Out target is by the end of this month all PMR candidates have to at least memorise a sample essay out of four given. Those manage to memorise all four given, you are great! and stand to win a prize! what prize? let the winning itself be the real and everlasting present.

Sir

SMAS GLADIATOR'S NATIVE DEEN

Saturday, July 17, 2010

HIGH TIME TO LOOK DEEP DEEP DOWN INSIDE

Dear students,

It is almost two months and a half before this year PMR batch will prove the mettle either being able to fare well or otherwise. We teachers start wondering and contempleting best means to muscle up our fluctuating strengths to prepare you for any imminent danger. Danger is nothing for the bravehearts as they at that time will already have had what it take to brave themselves against any odds and challenges. PMR is just an exam that requires us to throw what we have all this while learnt since form one, or indirectly accumulated knowledge right from standard one.

It is nothing but to benchmark you all of your latest updated standing academic performance. Then, true dramas will unfold after the release of the result at end of December this year. Then, your teachers' priceless advice will start haunting your sanity for being repeatedly ignored months,weeks or days before the D day. What a regret! The good news is you still have ample time not to experience regret on that day. They say PREPARE, PREPARE and PREPARE as preparation meets success. Preparation requires brilliant planning as coined by the author of Think and Grow Rich book. And that is what i as a teacher am thinking right now.

Last night was a failure for me as a teacher as students seem having already lost interest the way i have been teaching them with the same old yet uninteresting methods. No one turned out for the additional class except the informer entrusted upon him to relay the news of the additional class, he was no other than mr Ayub. It is high time now for me to look deep deep down inside ( to borrow native dean's intention) of my old yet dull methods of teaching should i be determined enough to see success in my students' sparkling faces. I should admit that they don't have a strong drive or desire to make them attend or be motivated enough to learn English.

It seems the exam papers beckon us from afar to see whether we keep soldiering on not . To remain frantic without taking necessary steps would cost us unbearable burdens for both mind and body.

So, dear students, do something to better yourself from yesterday and to coin Mahatma's popular quote ' Be the change you want to see' .

Sir

Thursday, July 15, 2010

TSUNAMI IN THE MAKING

Dear students,

It seems past year historic English revolution remains history and will not recur this year. However, each passing year offers us different set of pupils that have different set of skills and antics.Should we take positively we can bring about the best out of them despite the existing differences. We teachers should love them all the same as they are deserving. It would be impossible for English performance graph index to escalate up to almost 20 percent.

We were short of 3 percent to hit all pins down. So, this year target is, though not as tough as last year, is still within our reach if we are focused and remain committed to our almost impossible mission which is to secure 100% pass for PMR with a total of up to 20 students getting As.

The question is how? wake up early and go bed late at night , almost every night

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

THINGS GO BLANK AFTER SOMETIMES

Dear students,

All of a sudden, i feel obliged to pour out a thing or two that besides others most importantly i myself can benefit from it.The problem is i am running out of ideas, i mean ideas that matter which can bring about the change. After almost three weeks in hiding in KL listening lectures and talks that at times some were not worthy to my eardrums for self betterment as most of the lectures more or less tend to provoke some unsound government policies.

Nevertheless, who am i to criticise only to risk myself being labelled as hard core critic and put my profession at risk. The only thing that i can pride myself is when i questioned the speaker the rationale of legalising sports betting license as all religions are against betting, the unfamiliar speaker from ipba who blindly champion government policies shot me back with some same old illogical answers uttered by some ministers. To his and almost everyone's surprise the policies was declared scrapped the following day . I think I would be the last person in his people-to-meet list.

The big question mark is does the abovementioned issue matter to students as those things are beyond their life sphere, let alone their academic life . That is the problem as students are alienated from having engaged with sorts of thinking patters drawn from policies even at drafting stage. Thus, students can be easily cowed. So our challenge now is how to create a thinking students, harder still is to produce students who abide by principles upon knowing of their benefits and importances. We teachers sometimes behave against accepted rules of laws yet remain scot free for lacking of integrity. I am in fact now talking to my own basal self which fail to conform self propagated dogmas. Above all at present time, I will my best shot to help you my dear students despite my many weaknesses as a principled teacher.Then,things go blank sometimes.Probing in the dark for self evident truth seems no longer rules but norms.

Sir