Ooops... Teacher did it again...

Since I entered the teaching profession, I found that teachers were the most unfortunate creature in Malaysia. Teachers’ conducts are always under the spotlight. The worse thing is media loves to create wonderful story from any mistakes that teachers did. Media speaks people’s mind (I heard this from someone, perhaps a politician). So, it can be concluded that Malaysians has no more respect on teachers (who cares about teachers, even Mufti’s Fatwa nobody wants to follow).

Last few weeks, teachers were reported as cruel entity that whacked their subjects without mercy. Slap, cane, soak, hit, slam, kick, whack were among the famous verbs used in media. Teachers were given barbaric image. The most interesting story and most published was the ‘Pond Squat’ case of Sarawak.

THE STORY: TEACHER WEE, THE PONDY SQUATTY TEACHER

Wee Yim Pien, an English teacher and a hostel warden had gained a bad reputation from her effort to enforce discipline on his ‘anak didik’. She wanted them to live in a hygienic environment but the students reacted negatively towards the rules that she and the school authority set.

The students were punished for their failure of following the rules set. Some of the students failed to understand that sanitary pad is a solid object that is able to stop water flow. They simply threw it into toilet bowl after it was used. Warnings after warnings did not seem to work or to teach them any lesson. Teacher Wee’s patience came to its threshold. The students were soaked in a fish pond after it happened again. This was because there was nobody admitted the offence.

THE EXAGGERATIONS: MEDIA’S FAVOURITE
Media loves to exaggerate. It was reported that the students were soaked in the fish pond during a heavy rain. Teacher Wee denied this statement. She said that the situation was only drizzling and last only for a short period.

The pond was described dirty and contains waste from the nearby canteen. Wee denied this statement and said “We often draw water from the pond for washing. The school has also conducted obstacle courses there.”

SOMETHING TO LOOK ON…

Question:
What are the benefits if Teacher Wee managed to educate the students to throw the sanitary pads into appropriate disposal container?

Answer:
Malaysians will get hygienic environment, pipe leakage can be avoided and can save millions of RM for maintenance cost. The money spent for the maintenance cost can be channelled to any other beneficial matters (such as bonus for civil servants perhaps.. he heh) To get a better idea, read the newspaper extract below,

KUALA LUMPUR: Improper maintenance has resulted in plants and rubbish clogging water outlets, causing water seepage from the roof of the Parliament building, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said. He said the ministry was not going to blame anyone for the situation and that the Government had approved RM12mil for an initial study and immediate repairs to the building...

…..Samy Vellu said the ministry would submit a paper to the Treasury, seeking an allocation to undertake the repairs as well as waterproofing. On the leak from the ceiling of the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital cafeteria, the fifth such incident since the hospital started operations in December last year, he said the ministry would liaise with the Health Ministry on the possibility of putting sanitation boxes in the ladies’ toilets. Hospital director Dr Hariff Fadzilah Che Hashim had blamed the leak on pipes clogged with sanitary pads and disposable napkins. (Source: The Star Online > Nation>Wednesday July 25, 2007)

MY CONCLUSION:
It is very simple and Malaysian. Teachers are the engineers of ‘Modal Insan’. Thank You. Ilalliqa, Ma a’ssalama.

Photo: Teacher Wee, source:The Star Online> Nation>Wednesday July 25,2007.

Le Arome du Sud-Est de Asie

Coming soon.......! How nature teaches us...

I posted this photo on 10.07.2007 but the article was delayed due to the KOF fiesta (My own term. Refer article below for explanation). As promised here is the article.

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July this year is the time for Malaysians to welcome the arrival of ‘His Royal Highness King of the fruits’ (KOF). It is well-known as ‘durian’ {doo-ree-yan}. I have asked somebody who loves durian like bear and its honey-comb about why do we call this durian as King of the fruits. His answer was rather simple and very Malaysian; “I don’t know lah… I just like to eat durian. That’s all”.

As usual, I spent most of my weekend at this KOF feast at my grandma's inherited orchard. While waiting for the HRH KOFs to follow the law of gravity, my ears enjoyed the nature's musical orchestra of mynahs, crickets and merbahs (I do not know its name in English) but my mind kept on spinning with questions. If Sir Isaac Newton thought of why things always fall down to earth not the reverse way (please do not compare me with him okay..), my thinking was more on the sociological aspect. I was wondering who the first man to eat durian was. However, this thought then produced another question, how did he (perhaps she..who knows?) know that the durian was consumable?. I had no answer for those questions though nobody would dare to find it for me. I just made my own imaginative hypothesis. Man learns from nature.

My Hypothesis: Man learns from nature:

The hypothesis follows these imaginative procedures:

1. Man was hungry.

2. Man found durian.

3. Man did not like its smell.

4. Man saw a creature (perhaps squirrel’s ancestor) ate the durian.

5. Man's curiosity reacted towards the creature's behaviour.

6. Man tested the taste.

7. Man liked its taste.

8. Man’s thought concluded that 'bad smell does not mean bad taste'.

9. Man ate the durian.

10. Man enjoyed it.

Result:
Man happy and had full stomach.. burrppp. Praise God!

Chain Reaction:
Man spread the findings, community got the benefit.

Durian’s Personal Impact:
Durian became a famous entity.

Cikgu Farish:
My grandma's civic-minded motto: Fruit, fruit jugak. Sampah tolong kemas!
Le Arome du Sud-Est de Asie= The aroma of south east asia

Never ever shake a baby: Protecting the 'Modal Insan'

A baby is the raw source of the 'modal insan' (Human Capital). In the PIPP (Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan 2006-2010), In chapter 5, it is mentioned that "Development of human capital is the determination for increasing the competitiveness and the productivity of the country" . So never ever shake a baby! But you can baby a shake.. hah.. hah.. hah. This video tells about never shake a baby thing...



p/s:

• PIPP, some people make a joke on it, they change it to -"Pelan Ini Perempuan Punya". An escapism from Malaysian male teachers to let their female colleagues to do all the implementations. LOL
  
• Teachers who have not gone for their interview yet, should read and understand the PIPP.

Cikgu Farish: I posted this just for a relief from all of the stressful afternoon session matters. (Never ask me what...)

I got the power! (Don't scratch my car, please...)

I attended a meeting for the first time at the school. After a few matters had been discussed, I was shocked (even though I had some hints before) to know that I had to replace a teacher's (who left the school for Institut Bahasa) position. I was appointed as a disciplinary teacher for the afternoon session. I got the 'license to cane' according to the senior teacher. I haven't got this opportunity before. (opportunity??? Is this mean my car will got scratch?) Having negative perception makes this thing appears as an opportunity for me to punish the problematic students. However, my positive mind has more percentage than the negative one. Caning is not the main solution for the problematic students. Only if there is no other way I will use it but under permission of the principal. I accept the 'license' with responsibility. Hopefully my emotion will not defeat my rationality.

(Hmm... Do I have the 'disciplinary enforcer' look?)

Knowledge bite: Rattan cane for disciplinary and coercive implement

Cikgu Farish:I like rattan chair :)

A letter from a caring mother

It has been almost a week since I first started my service in the school. I found something interesting when a girl (student) approached me to give me something to be filled in. She handed me a book which I had to give comment after every English session.

I have to fill in the book every time after the class ended. The book is prepared by his caring mother who seriously wants to see his daughter's success. Her effort, I believe can encourage parents-teachers relationship. The photo below describes how serious and caring she is...

(click photo for a larger view)

National Research and Innovation Competition (NRIC 2007-USM)

At last, my hard work has been paid off. Even though I had to struggle for my 18 credit hours subjects, I managed to complete my research and it was selected to represent UPSI's Faculty of Languages and The English Language Department for NRIC held in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang. I received silver medal for my research. Thanks to everybody who had given their support. My special thanks goes to Dr. Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun for her help and support and Puan Ainon Omar for giving me a chance to compete in the national level competition. I managed to proved that PKPG students are not spoon fed type of creatures. Here are some photos during the competition(click on the photos for bigger view):

Me at my booth No.118: Category: Information Technology and Communication

The silver winner

With other UPSI's participants and The Museum director of USM.

At the Faculty of Arts and Music's booth

At my booth after the judgment (the borrowed laptop had been returned)

The Silver Medal and The Plaque

The Pewter Plaque

The Silver Medal

Happy Teacher's Day: The bilingual messages

'GURU PENJANA MODAL INSAN GEMILANG'
(Teacher is the generator of human capital)

Happy Teacher's Day to all Malaysia's dedicated and beloved teachers. As usual since yesterday till this afternoon my hand phone has received many messages wishing me Happy Teacher's Day. I would like to share some of the messages here..(I also got the naughty ones but dare not to share it here..).

From Selvakumar,

1. Congrats to us... we made them all-doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, accountants, thieves, murderers, and even loan-sharks...
2. Kehebatan guru bukan terletak pada Ijazah yang dimiliki, harta benda atau kemewahan yang dikecapi ataupun lama mana anda bekerja tetapi kepada banyak mana hati yang anda telah sentuh. Selamat Hari Guru.

From Robert Collins,

1. Dulu DIA pegang rotan kau kata dia garang, kalau DIA lambat masuk kelas kau kata DIA malas. Bila DIA marah kau kata DIA melampau.. KINI kau adalah dia... SELAMAT HARI GURU.

From Norhaslini,

1. Teacher is like PEPSI "Ask for more". Teacher is like NIKE "Just do it." Teacher is like NOKIA "Connecting people". Teacher is like Mc D "I'm loving it". HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY.

From Shamsudin,

1. Bukan material yang kita kejar, bukan sanjungan melangit yang kita impikan, bukan pujian yang kita perlukan, bukan pangkat yang kita harapkan, bukan hadiah yang kita idamkan. Sebenarnya harapan kita adalah kejayaan membentuk keperibadian dan keintelektualan sebuah generasi. "Benih yang baik dicampak ke laut menjadi pulau". Adakah kita 'benih' itu? SELAMAT HARI GURU 2007.
   

I'm waiting for the 'surprise' from the government for teachers tonight. Live telecast at TV9...