a teacher's glory

A tribute to all teachers in the world..and also to the teachers who are in the making.
A teacher is not a person who earns glory through earning millions and billions of ringgit.

A teacher is rich not by cash, but by knowledge.

A teacher's glory is reflected not through her/his achievements but through the success of those who are taught (the students)

A teacher is someone who brings changes to the lives of those who are taught by them through all the knowledge shared.

A teacher changes thousands of lives. it is a teacher who can improve the living conditions of poor students. it is teachers who mould students into better people.

A teacher's profession is indeed noble.

So why in the world would i regret my decision? i'm not interested in jobs that gives me thousands of ringgit and make me stuck-up.

I rather be a teacher who touches hearts and changes lives; just like how my own teachers have touched my heart and made me who i am today.

WHEN EDUCATION FAILS

Education provides one with knowledge that is often useful in earning a better life. Education in Malaysia serves another purpose: to promote unity and harmony among its people. To fulfil this aim, national schools are built where students of different races learn and socialise with one another. Through this socialization in schools, racial integrity is promoted. Education also teaches people about the proper conduct in life. Children are thought to be respectful towards others. Simplicity and humbleness are often values which are highly looked upon in the Malaysian context of living. A Malay saying, ‘Ikutlah resmi padi, makin berisi, makin tunduk’, teaches us to become more humble as we grow wiser or even wealthier.

So, what happens when education fails to instil these values in people? What we’ll then get are hard-headed stuck-ups who show little or no respect to others. In my life I’ve sadly met quite a number of people like this. Not only are they racist, they even show disrespect to the elders in their own families. The worst part is these people are not those with little education. They are professionals who hold degrees in highly looked upon careers. What use is their education if they only end up as people who forget their roots?

I have met people who think so highly of themselves and their careers that they feel only their careers deserve recognition and that their careers are the best of all professions. These people look upon ‘lower’ careers such as teachers, economist, tailors, etc with nothing but deep contempt. They fail to realise that their success is very much attributed to their teachers. They are oblivious to the fact that the nation’s stable economy depends greatly on the economist in the country. And obviously, they do not acknowledge that the clothes they wear are from tailors. I doubt doctors or lawyers or even engineers would be able to sew a garment which is perfect to be worn. Even I don’t have the skill to do that and I know many who read this blog are just like me.

These people tell me that ‘people who opt to do careers which do not result in an income of thousands of ringgit are stupid’. I think the greatest idiots on earth are the people ruled by such thoughts. Their ego has been so inflated that they fail to realise money is important but-it is not THE MOST important thing. It is essential in providing a comfortable life. However, excessive wealth is dangerous. Money, after all, is the root of all evil. What’s the use of having thousands of ringgit if you have to slog like mad and end up not even enjoying the hard-earned luxury? What’s the use of thousands of ringgit if you are going to be so busy working so much so you miss the joys of raising your own children? What’s the use of all that money if it makes you so arrogant that you no longer know how to treat others with respect? Most importantly, what’s the use of all that excessive luxury when in the end of the day, only a white sheet of ‘kain kapan’ accompanies you to the grave? And has all those wealth brought you happiness? Are you free from worries and problems?

This is what happens when education fails to correct the third-class mentality of some people. While there are many educated people who are successful yet still humble and respectful in manner, those few who are of the opposite nature continue to be a real pain for everyone who have to bear their existence. May they regain their senses and realise that once upon a time, they too were poor, and that their lives depend highly on all other people who are not only teachers and tailors, but also farmers, hawkers and fishermen and most of all, their lives depend very much on the grace of the Almighty. HE needs only a plit second to turn our lives around, so while we're still well off, it's best to stay humble and respectful. 

sex education

The inclusion of sex education in schools is now a hotly debated topic. Some feel that it it a necessary move to curb the growing social ills in the country. Others feel that it is ridiculous to teach children about sex. questions are raised about who are the best people to educate and in which subject should it be included?

Having recently done an assignment on 'free-sex among teenagers' I think it is necessary for our youths to be well equipped with sex education. Through my research and various reading, it is appalling to find that even adults are unaware of how pregnancy takes place. Nor are they aware of the many sex-related diseases such as std, aids, etc. If even the adults are unaware, what about the children?

It was also found that many parents are still shy to discuss this topic openly with their children. They prefer their children to learn about 'the birds and the bees' from friends and reading materials. Anyway, how can we monitor that children are learning the right things if they learn from friends and reading materials? The internert for one is a dangerous place for children to learn about sex. Just type out the word in the search bar and they would end up with thousands of porn sites which is inclusive of pictures of lewd acts and sex videos. This will indeed teach youth about sex but it will also encourage them to be involved with free-sex. These sites wil not teach them the dangers of unprotected sex or the negative consequences it brings.

Thus, I strongly believe that children should be given appropriate education about sex. They should know what it really is and what happens after an intercourse. They should be informed about all sex-related diseases. Religious education should also take place alongside sex education. With strong religious grounds the youths will be protected from the growing social ills in this country.

Now, who and how is sex education going to take place? It will be quite hard and awkward for parents to discuss this issue with their children. Not all parents are open enough to share about sex with their children. To ensure that all chidren are given the necessary information, the education should be given in shcools. I vividly remember that my school used to invite people to give talks on sex. This way, even the teachers don't have to embarass themselves. It took only a few sessions which consisted an hour or two each for us to be exposed to 'the birds and the bees'. Not only were we told about what sex really meant, we were also provided with details regarding the hormonal changes taking place in our bodies and how to deal with them. Then, we were shown scary pictures of sex-related diseases. Pictures indeed paint a thousand words as it was these pictures which affected us the most. sSeing all the sufferings of the victims, surely, a child with enough senses wouldn't want to take the risk.

A child will surely grow more curious about sex as they reach puberty. Before they find their own measures to satisfy their curiosity, proper measures must be taken to protect them from bringing harm to themselves, their families and the nation.

'the best profession'

Ask a child what she/he wants to be when she/he grows up and the general answer will be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Most likely, the child deosn't even know what the profession really means.

Anyway, i believe a young 21 year old adult like me have lived long enough to know what i have got myself into. after being in the tesl course for 2 years, i still have no regrets. however, some people don't seem to get it to their heads that this is exactly what i want to do with my life.

some still claim that 'the best profession' for me is to be a doctor or engineer. and that with 8 a's i should be doing a better course than tesl. they would go, 'what a waste..all those A's goes into nothing.

my arguments are:
1. i got all those a's to get what i want in life. not what other people want for me. i worked hard to fulfil my own dreams. not anyone else.'s
2. these people are not my parents. my parents are more than happy with my choice. so, who the heck are they, to force me to become a doctor or any other job that drives me insane?
3. every career and profession starts from a teacher. every individual have obtained a certain form of education, formal or informal. the point is, it starts from a teacher. so, why shouldn't i be a teacher?
4. i'm not interested in money. 'if you're a doctor in the private sector, you can earn up to 20-30k'. this is what i think 'as a mortal, that 20-30k will all be left behind when we get into our graves and face the Almighty'.
5. i really hate to do science., contrarily, i love to do language. why should i suffer with science when i am perfectly happy doing language?

so, i was asked 'you think what? study in England very great ah?'
no, it's not great, but since i'm precisely doing English, where else should i be studying? in a foreign university which ranks 52 in the world or a local university which ranks a few hundred something in the world? with all due respect to the local varsities, it is a blessing to be able to learn english in Warwick. local varisties are still good, but if i can get better, why not go for it? after all, i will be back to serve the locals. i am not just wasting my knowledge, i will share whatever i get with my future students so that they shall benefit from it.

this is MY verdict: i am going to do all it takes to fulfil my dreams. say whatever you want, even though you are my family, it leaves little impact on me. keep wasting your time with all your insults. the more you talk, the more foolish you seem to me. not to mention, i think you a highly proud and ungrateful person, a person who only sees your own profession as 'the best profession' and look down on other professions. the world will be a better place if there are less people like you around.

The Rather Spoilt Me

I just realised how very lucky i am. Yes, i have always been grateful and thankful for all that i have but still, doing SBE at home is a bit different. i have my mother doing almost everything for me.
She..
1. Irons my clothes
2. Prepares all the meals
3. Prepares my water bottle in the morning
4. Makes milo for me in the morning
5. Baked a cake for me immediately after i mentioned my craving
6. Washes all my clothes
7. Prepares meals every day based on my requests
8. Takes me out shopping (and usually pays for it)
9. And does all the other housework

These are the things which i would normally need to do on my own. Contrarily, at home, i have it done for me. How lucky =)

Life is to be lived, not regretted

Now that the STPM results are out and the SPM results will soon be out too, many school leavers will be thinking about their next step-choosing the best career. While people often have good advices to share, the fact remains that at the end of the day, it is you who’s going to live through it. So, my advice is follow your heart and fulfil your own dreams.

I write this base on my personal experience. I was formerly a Pure Science student who pursued studies in Biological Science after SPM. I had certain doubts about furthering in the Science field as my true passion was language. While I was ready to apply for the TeSL programme, i faced certain drawbacks and did not even apply. There were people telling me that i was wasting my future and that students with good grades should be doing ‘better’ courses. Since i was still ruled by the stereotype ideology that Science courses are better than Art courses, i still entered and completed my foundation in Biological Science.

However, within two months in the course, i realised my mistake and became certain of my true interest. Now a trainee teacher in the TeSL Programme, i have no regrets about my decision. This is the thing about passion, you get satisfaction from the learning itself where every day unfolds new knowledge and experience. As a language student, i get the opportunity to be involved in the staging of a Shakespearian drama and it was an unforgettable event. I enjoy literature and find that i view things differently now. Literature and Social Studies have thought me to think more critically and be less judgemental of others. I learn how to respect the thoughts and cultures of people in various societies. Through this programme I learn about life and i truly enjoy it.

When you do something you enjoy, you will find that you are ready to face any challenges and obstacles that come your way. With this positive attitude, you will find that you are able to perform better in your field, and most importantly, you enjoy it. People around you will always have their own views about what is best. Respect their views, but don’t let others decide for you. It is your life, you decide it. Remember, life is to be lived, not regretted.