Kem SKORlah Week 3: Week of celebration, appreciation and goodbye

It's week 3 guys!
It is the time our hard work for these past 6 weeks paid off.

We have seen real progress made by the students. The once shy and unconfident students took the center stage to perform in English, ask question and clarification in class, presented in front with clear and loud voice and mingle around with their classmates. I also saw some students who still shied away from the opportunity to speak in public so I hope they will be able to gather their courage and jump to the next opportunity they encounter.

Among the highlights of the week:

                                           Interviewing the principal for Student Project

                                          Getting student's opinion on the School Canteen

                      It is heartwarming to see group members started to work well with each other

                                       Some of the Sky High class performing in Moana choir.

Sky High class goal. All students to achieve Level 3 in reading, speaking and writing by the end of KemSKORlah.

Yes, we do aim high and I always expect the best from my students. But I also know that I am teaching a  human, not a computer. There were times my students were not able to achieve my success criteria and not paying attention in class but I know they are trying. They just need more time and I need to have a lot more patience.

Flowers bloom at different times, my students will also bloom when the time is right for them.

Give me some sunshine,
Give me some rain,
Give me another chance,
I want to grow up again.

Other than celebrating the achievement and noting down the students' achievement this week is also about appreciation. In the business of things, it is easy to forget to properly thank those who have helped me and also teaching students the spirit of appreciation.

Hence, in the check-in session, we have a 1:1 conversation with our home group student. I realized how important it is to let the students know that their presence is being appreciated as well as their effort in the class.

               Student's drawing to show how they have been included during KemSKORlah

                                                Our appreciation tree grew so big.

                                                       How my student sees me.

Throughout PSP week these colorful notes of encouragement, gratitude, apologies and constructive criticism have helped me grow.


One take away from the appreciation session is that we not only have to properly appreciate all people who have helped us but also to remember others that we didn't say our appreciation to. Because everyone needs to feel appreciated.

At the end of the week, we need to do this one last thing. We need to say goodbye. There were many different goodbyes.

                                           Some are happy goodbyes..we will meet again

.                                            Some are sad goodbyes...we will meet again too

Regardless of the different goodbyes, I realized that for some goodbyes are harder. However, for me, all goodbyes mean 'Till I see you again'.

That is all from me. Until I write again, Bye!



                                   

I love KemSKORlah...I really love KemSKORlah

I love KemSKORlah (lead)
I love KemSKORlah (all)
I really love KemSKORlah (lead)
I really love KemSKORlah (all)

Some may argue that the cheer was sung out of tune but, I think it achieved its purpose.
By the end of the 2nd week, it is impossible to unhear this cheer made famous by our beloved principal of KemSKORlah, Jessica.

The first week flew so fast.
I still remember how nervous I felt conducting the first lesson.

But, however nervous I felt. I must remain professional. I must stay calm. I am a teacher. I eat confidence for breakfast.

Later, during homeroom session, I found out that I was not the only one feeling nervous the first week.
The students were nervous as well.
They worried what kind of teacher they will get.
They were also worried about whether they can make any friend.
Boy, I was glad we started off in the same boat.

With the 2nd week, the nervousness was replaced by the stress of 'PERFECT' lesson plan.
I learned later on that the perfect lesson plan only exists in LaLa land.
As a teacher, I wanted to give the best lesson to my student and at times packing so many things to teach in one lesson because everything seems so important for them to know.

I still need a long way to master the art of effective but simple lesson plan. Often times, I envisioned the lesson plan will be completed in 3 hours but soon it is already 10.20pm and I need to rush to the print room before it closes.

                                             To the print room!!

Right around this time, my charming house guest from the land of Far Far Away, Fiona will make a comment that I look close to 80 years old. If she made her late-night visit around 12pm I will pass my 100 years by then.

FYI, Fiona if you are reading this, now I feel like I am 20 years old (flip shawl).

Our class name is Sky High and we proclaim the class as our kingdom. The ruler of Sky High kingdom consists of my amazingly royal colabs.
The ever-resourceful Princess Eileen and our singer/guitarist/FAB prince Gee Keat.
I know it sounds cheesy but..what the heck! It's our class.
By the way, I have taken the role of the queen.

                                             The Sky High kingdom..the kingdom of smiles

            Staying true to the kingdom concept, any request to go out during the lesson needs a passport.
                           (please note the 9 kingdom rules all citizens and rulers need to obey)

Introducing our colorful Parking lot which is full only after mandatory instruction to put on questions. Finally, we were able to get into the minds of our students. Hence, we started the week with a pep talk session during homeroom to answer the students question eg: how to become confident speaker, what did we study and where and a special request for guitar session.

Week 2 also saw the student project in full motion. Fall in love with the team (Fantastic Ten) who came up with comic strip concept to present their ideas. Tried to lead the project by guiding them to come up with their own ideas and solution for the environmental problem. I guess I need more practice in team building (note the obvious gap).

It was a stressful week indeed with the constant rush to finish lesson planning, managing the class, observation and debrief, PLC, breakout, and social sessions. It was easy to lose myself and got caught up in the whirlwind of things.

So, I learned it is important to take a break, to slow things down a notch and just enjoy simple moments with gratitude.

                                                    What does double rainbows mean?

                                        Writing on the foggy window while the sun is rising.

The rest of the class went for a selfie/groufie session with the HongKong visitors but these two stayed with me. 

When other fellows stayed within the country for the weekend, decided for a trip to SG.
And that is how Week 2 ends.

I survived Week 1 KemSKORlah

After every successful hike, I was exhausted, hungry and physically drained. However tired, a question always come forward. 'When can we do this again?' That is the same feeling I have after 1 week of KemSkorlah.

Planning lesson plan and making sure every material is printed out, every mahjong paper written down, and worksheet filled with the cute cartoons. Sometimes I slept at 1 am and woke up at 5am.

"Cut, cut lesson plan" (insert chopping movement)
"Edit, edit lesson plan"
"Throw, throw lesson plan" (imagine throwing lesson plan in an imaginary dustbin)
-based on the hit 'Cut, cut watermelon" song by the energizer JiaQi.

                                          1,2,3..and it is going in..and goal. Marshmallow clap.

Despite the lack of sleep, patched up lesson plans and spicy breakfast, when I am in front of the students I was ready and excited and full of energy. Magically, I seem to be getting some energy by seeing their faces despite some absentees. And the more I feel better standing in front to teach I felt my student learned and responded better.

That reminds me, that I got a feedback saying I am a responsible and a stern teacher. I am not aiming to be the nice popular teacher who the students adored.

I am a teacher...
who likes to ask and answer questions.
who likes to challenge students with new knowledge.
who not only teach them how to differentiate plural and singular but also the wrong from the right.
who teach them to be on time and be disciplined and understand how hard it is because I am also training myself.

There are a lot of memories and photos made in the first week. Don't get me started on what I have taught my students this week. It will be a long entry if I did start.
I am still revising my 2nd and 3rd-week's post so do stay tuned for more posts.

Teach For Malaysia (TFM) ROS Week

Yes, I joined TFM.

 I am hoping to get posted in one of Malaysia secondary public school which needs me. I need to go where I am needed because I work better that way.

TFM main goal is to end Malaysian Education inequity.
My personal goal is to improve Malaysian education experience (to be revised when needed). Although our goal may differ in wording we are going in the same direction.







So...one of the main requirement by TFM is to go for ROS Week. ROS stands for 'Rancangan Orientasi Sekolah'. It basically means observation week at a school so that we (TFM 2018 Cohort offerees) will have a better understanding of the ins and outs of a public secondary school. My ROS Week will be in Johor at SMK Pasir Gudang 3.

My first impression of the school is quaint, colorful and promising. To be honest I have prepared for the worst. This is just one thing I learned in the Navy. Prepare for the worst case scenario and if I think I can survive it then, things will be okay. I had my 5 years corporate experience and few years teaching experience under my wings and a whole lot of "never give up" attitude. I think I will be just fine.

My ROS Ambassador is Norlin which is the current 2017 TFM Fellow working in the school. As I became her shadow for the rest of the week I get to experience what it meant to be a teacher in a secondary public school although honestly what I experience is just the gist of it. I saw things that move me to the core like the cheerful students full of potential whether seen or unseen. I am also impressed on some of the students' ability to follow instructions like their lives depend on it. I listen to their complaints of unending tasks, projects, lack of support for their interest, seniority clash or just been look down upon. It dawned on me that sometimes, the student doesn't really need we, the adults to solve their problem but just to lend an understanding ear to them.

One week at the school taught me a lot but I know I still have a lot more to learn.
That's is all for now.

Satu Hari Di Dalam Kelas (One Day in a Class)

Assalamualaikum dan Selamat Datang.

Tujuan Blog ini dibuat supaya saya dapat merekodkan sebanyak mungkin detik manis, pahit dan bermakna sepanjang pembabitan saya dalam dunia pendidikan. Saya adalah guru, pencinta dan pengguna banyak bahasa, jadi Blog ini akan ditulis dalam banyak bahasa.

Sekali lagi, Selamat Datang.

Saya berharap saya dapat berkongsi pengalaman saya di dalam kelas dan membuka mata masyarakat mengenai realiti tugas, cabaran dan pengorbanan seorang guru. Saya juga berharap dapat menyumbang idea dan jalan penyelesaian dalam meningkatkan kualiti guru supaya murid dapat belajar dengan efektif.

Terima Kasih.