Of defragmenting the fragments

It is time to revisit this blog. By doing this I am actually taking a break (a short break) from the fragments of data that I have collected for my study. The project paper has to be submitted in two weeks time. It was really hard to piece them together and to make meaningful discussion from them. So, this short break allows me to refresh my mind like defragmenting a hard disk.

The study I conducted was a qualitative study. Why it was the choice? The answer is when I came across this verse in the Holy Quran... which means

In The Name of Allah The Most Compassionate and The Most Merciful

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).(49:13)

This verse encourages me to know the students more. Students were not born with same qualities, attitudes and needs. After I had taken a naturalistic enquiry class, I started to love this way of study in observing humans. Based on the experience I had, this type of study was easy to conduct but interpreting the data was extremely hard. I would say ... like eating sambal belacan! It is extremely hot but it is nice to eat. The picture below are something I would share how the process of interpreting the data looks like.

The coding process

Coding --> recoding --> coding --> recoding arghhhh...

My reused girlfriends - Murcia & Freeman. They are hot babes!

School's Maulidur Rasul

The beautiful maidens
Originally uploaded by Faisal Farish

Some of the nice captured moments

I call it... The Persbook ;-)

In the beginning...

The PERSBOOK (personal book) is the idea to make writing become nice personal thing to share. The idea is based on my observation which I found students like something that looks personal. I have discovered how some students were very fond of their school bags. They decorated their bags with stickers and key chains. This has given me ideas to make traditional writing as students' personal belonging and for that they would have the feeling of ownership. This ownership creates competition. A competition to share their best feelings, their best favourites or even their best ideas.

Sharing is another key point here. The most popular social network has given me ideas on having shared writing. The basic concept of sharing statuses in the Facebook has given me this idea of shared writing. 

Purpose...

The purpose of this activity is to create fun writing environment. The traditional writing; using exercise books for me is very dull and dry. I even fell asleep sometimes while marking students' writing.

Another purpose is to develop students writing skill which from generating ideas by having colourful mind maps, followed by single paragraph writing and ended by an essay.

A brief procedure...

For generating ideas, teacher asks students to get a picture from newspapers that they like most (e.g. picture of famous personalities). Then, from that picture, students provide some words that associated to that picture.

For paragraph writing, teacher asks the students to write few sentences that describe the picture. The words associated must be used. The picture can be the topic sentence and the associated words can be used in the supporting details.

To have FUN!, when the writing task (plus the decorations) is completed, ask them to get a friend to comment on their 'masterpiece!'. Teacher's comment follows their friend's comment.

 The products

 A short paragraph

Generating ideas

You can see more photos at my Facebook album here 

Engagement Cupid

Engagement Cupid
Originally uploaded by Faisal Farish

Another piece from my photography collections. To look for packages available please proceed to http://faizoomphotoworks.blogspot.com

Pre-Wedding: Proton City

Sample06
Originally uploaded by Faisal Farish

Some of my friends had asked me how Pre-Wedding photo session look like. Here are some samples from my collection.

My Passion for history

In the beginning:

I have been teaching English for about 13 years. When I got my transfer to the present school I got a chance to teach history; the subject that I like most during my school time. I just can't deny that my passion for history keeps on growing especially when I started reading the translation of the Holy Quran. Since my childhood I was taught the way of reading the holy book instead of knowing the meaning. The verse that attracted and increased my passion for history was the Chapter 20 (Ta-Ha): Verses 9-80.

Literal beauty led to the passion for history:

At first I was attracted to the assonance that rhymes in every verses. It was just beautiful when I recited it alone like I was neither sing nor reciting a poem. It was just its own kind of literary beauty. Then I suddenly had a feeling that I need to know the meaning. I started to read the translation. All I got was a historical event which happened in one of the great ancient civilisation, Egypt.

Have you heard the story of Musa?" (verse 9) 

While reading this verse I felt like the God himself asked me the questions. He wanted to give me a knowledge about the one I did not know. To enlighten me,  to teach me, to reveal what had happened in the past so that I learn from it; and then I fall into a 'spiritual conversation' which (by the book) He explained one of the great historical events in the land of Egypt. One cannot feel the beauty if one did not read the rest of the verses (the whole chapter I would say).

Pharaoh the antagonist:

It did not stop there yet I found  many chapters in the holy book revealed the historical event in different types of beautiful language style. One of them was in Chapter 10 (Yunus): in particular verse 90-92.

We led the Children of Israel across the sea. Firaun (Pharaoh) and his hosts pursued them with wickedness and oppressions, until when drowning, he cried out:  "I believe that there is no God but Him in Whom the Children of Israel believe and I have become one of the Muslims (surrender).(90)

(In response it was said to him:) Now you believe! but a little while before you were disobedient and one of the mischief makers!.(91)

We shall save your body this day, so that you may become a sign for the succeeding generations; indeed many among mankind are heedless of Our signs! (92)  

 

Photo Source: Famous Pharaohs

 Verse 92, was the one that made me become more interested in knowing events in history especially the ancient civilisations. I'm not the only one that impressed the fact that the verse clearly described one of the mummified pharaohs which was revealed through prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) who was not a historian neither a scholar. Modern scholar such as Dr. Maurice Bucaille was also impressed on the relevancy of this verse with his findings about the mummified Ramses II. Thus, he published a book titled "The Bible, the Qur'an and Science: The Holy Scriptures Examined in the Light of Modern Knowledge.

My passion for history:

My students for history class may realise my historical intention is more towards the ancient civilisation. Many books that I bought and my detailed explanation on ancient Egyptian civilisation are leading to that belief. I was asked once by a friend of mine that for academic purposes I should not based my study to a holy scripture. I just let him to be in that belief. For me I cannot clarify any knowledge without referring to it since God has stated a clear and strong testimony in the first and second verse of chapter 2 of the holy book which states;

Alif Lam Mim (1)

This is the Book in which there is no doubt. It is a guide for those who are God conscious, (2)

 

who believe in the Unseen, who establish Solah (5 regular daily prayers) and spend in charity out of what We have provided for their sustenance.(3)

who believe in this Revelation (the Quran) which is sent to you (O Muhammad) and the Revelations which were sent before you (Torah, Psalms, Gospel...) and firmly believe in the Hereafter.(4)

They are on true Guidance from their Rabb(God) and the are the ones who will attain salvation.(5)

 -----

Books I read which related to Ancient Egyptian History

 The Prophet Joseph in the Qur'an, the Bible, and history (Louay Fatoohi)

Moses and Akhenaten: The Secret History of Egypt at the Time of the Exodus (Ahmed Osman)

Should I say Ben Bradshaw has created a phenomenon?

Ben Bradshaw@Gigi Putih

Ben The Gigi Putih:

I would say Ben Bradshaw has attracted lots of fans who are impressed upon his ability to speak Bahasa Melayu. I can't deny this. I was impressed too when I first watching his first video. He has attracted 35,199 people so far to his Facebook fan page. I think our students should take example the way he showed  how fun language learning is. Now I'm thinking will this type of person included in the government's native speaker teachers package (as highlighted in Budget 2011)? If so, I would welcome them with the warmest welcome.

How English (as a second language) should be taught?:
Ben has produced some videos which according to him are for the teaching of English purpose. Many many years ago during my training I was taught (and even now I think) not to teach English by using students' first language. English language teachers should avoid using direct-translation method as possible as they can. However, Ben's way of introducing English vocabulary and pronunciation somehow develops a 'rethinking' thought in me. Should I use the way Ben is using? It looks nice though. Somehow, I don't think it is suitable because it looks nice for Ben only since he is an 'Orang Putih' who speaks Malay. That's what I think.

P/s: I like the way he pronounces 'Tak De' 

Ben's first video

Ben is teaching pronunciation of some words