MUET: Antara mahu atau tidak

MUET: Antara mahu dengan tidak.

Sebagai seorang guru dan pengamal bahasa Inggeris, saya bersetuju dengan keputusan kerajaan menaikkan had minimum kemasukan ke universiti dan syarat graduasi MUET yang diumumkan dalam Bajet 2015 baru-baru ini. Ini adalah salah satu langkah jangka masa panjang bagi memastikan kemahiran berbahasa Inggeris terus dikuasai terutamanya di kalangan pelajar bumiputera.

Pendidikan di Malaysia sebenarnya ada banyak isu yang perlu dibincangkan. Reaksi yang diterima ekoran daripada syarat MUET ini telah sedikit sebanyak menyelongkar isu-isu yang ada. Ada yang menuduh kerajaan tidak mahu bantu orang Melayu. Ada beranggapan kerajaan perlu menambahbaik pendidikan dahulu sebelum mengetatkan syarat dan pelbagai lagi reaksi termasuklah gimik seorang peguam yang kononnya mahu menyaman kerajaan. Okay, itu lawak.

Peranan Kerajaan dan Peranan Warga

Saya suka melihat isu ini daripada dua segi. Pertama, peranan yang perlu dimainkan oleh kerajaan. Oleh kerana bahasa Inggeris adalah antara subjek utama dalam kurikulum pendidikan, maka pembelajaran bahasa Inggeris sejak di bangku sekolah lagi perlu diambilkira. 

Justeru, dari sudut ini, sejajar dengan syarat ketat MUET termasuklah syarat wajib lulus SPM 2016 untuk subjek bahasa Inggeris, kerajaan wajib menyelesaikan 3 masalah pokok di sekolah iaitu:

1. Latih lebih ramai guru pakar terutamanya dalam subjek-subjek utama dan kritikal.
2. Tempatkan guru supaya mengajar mengikut kepakaran mereka dan bukan dilelong mengajar subjek-subjek lain.
3. Kurangkan beban kerja bukan akademik guru supaya pembelajaran dan pengajaran menjadi prioriti nombor satu di dalam kelas.

Hal ini penting. Hal ini juga sudah disuarakan sejak berpuluh tahun lalu dalam pelbagai laporan pendidikan yang dikeluarkan oleh banyak persatuan guru dan jawatankuasa pendidikan. Ini kerana ianya mempengaruhi keadaan pengajaran di dalam kelas dan kualiti penyampaian guru, sekaligus memberikan kesan langsung terhadap penerimaan pembelajaran pelajar.

Itu dari segi peranan kerajaan. Perkara kedua pula adalah dari segi peranan warga. Warga bermaksud pelajar, ibu bapa dan masyarakat. Pengalaman sedikit sebanyak dalam dunia pendidikan membuatkan saya sedar bahawa hanya mereka yang mahu belajar sahaja yang boleh dan akan belajar dengan baik.

Jika guru diumpamakan seperti menyuap ilmu ke dalam mulut anak murid. Hanya anak murid yang mahu membuka mulut dan mengunyah sahaja akan kenyang dan mendapat khasiat secukupnya. 

Walaubagaimanapun, para pelajar kita dewasa ini ramai yang dilanda penyakit complacency. Mereka tidak ambil pusing. Mereka tiada motivasi. Secara mudahnya, ramai pelajar kita yang tidak bersungguh belajar sebaliknya lebih selesa menjadi pelajar pasif. 

Persoalannya, bagaimana kita mahu merawat penyakit complacency ini? Lihat semula kepada peranan warga. Para pelajar perlu sedar hanya mereka yang mampu menjadikan diri mereka berilmu, bukan orang lain. Ibu bapa pula wajib memainkan peranan secara aktif agar anak-anak sejak dari kecil lagi sudah dipupuk dengan kecintaan terhadap ilmu. Manakala masyarakat seharusnya menyokong perkara-perkara yang mendatangkan manfaat dan saling menggalakkan antara satu sama lain dalam usaha mengejar ilmu pengetahuan. 

Yang pasti bukannya bergimik nak saman kerajaan apabila mula menekankan kepentingan bahasa Inggeris! Paling tidak pun kita harus sedar, dengan cara menaikkan syarat MUET, kita sedang sedikit demi sedikit memaksa warga agar terus mencabar kebolehan diri untuk maju.

English itu Mudah! Bagaimana?

Mempelajari bahasa Inggeris bukannya susah. Bahasa Inggeris tidak seperti kursus undang-undang atau perubatan dengan buku-buku tebal untuk dihafal. Ataupun kejuruteraan fizik dan kimia yang perlukan kepada pemahaman pelbagai jenis teori baru, sebahagiannya tidak pernah dipelajari langsung di bangku sekolah. 

Bahasa Inggeris dalam MUET, dalam SPM, dalam PT3 termasuklah di peringkat sekolah rendah hanyalah asas kemahiran berbahasa yang dibina secara berperingkat-peringkat. Dari peringkat perkataan ke peringkat klausa, ke peringkat ayat mudah, ayat majmuk, ayat kompleks dan seterusnya. Bahasa Inggeris juga hanya merangkumi empat kemahiran komunikasi iaitu membaca, mendengar, menulis dan bercakap.

Atas kefahaman ini, buat adik-adik pelajar universiti yang merasakan susah untuk menghadapi MUET, saya ada beberapa cadangan mudah dan praktikal. Tak perlu hafal atau baca kamus dari depan sampai belakang seperti Nelson Mandela ketika dipenjarakan. Malah tak perlu menelaah thesaurus untuk pandai bahasa Inggeris. Sebaliknya amalkanlah cadangan tersebut:

1. Membaca bahan bacaan bahasa Inggeris setiap hari dengan nada suara kuat agar kedengaran bunyi sebutan di telinga sendiri.
2. Cari lagu-lagu Inggeris kegemaran, tulis lirik, fahamkan makna, pasang dalam mp3 dan nyanyilah mengikut lenggok sebutan penyanyi.
3. Cari filem atau drama Inggeris kegemaran dan tontonlah tanpa subtitle bahasa Melayu. Jika tidak faham, ulang tonton filem tersebut sekali lagi.

Saya yakin dan pasti, jika langkah-langkah mudah ini diamalkan dengan istiqamah sepanjang tahun-tahun pertama pengajian, setakat band 2 dan 3 MUET sudah semestinya dalam tangan.

Untuk mengecapi nikmat band 4, tambah satu lagi iaitu menulis jurnal, diari atau entri di blog dalam bahasa Inggeris. Tulislah apa sahaja, langkah-langkah membuat durian crepe, pengalaman memanjat Broga Hill malah review drama Korea yang baru ditonton pun boleh.

Jika mahukan band 5 pula. Bahan bacaan dan penulisan yang lebih kritikal perlu dijadikan bahan makanan harian. Bacalah surat khabar dan ambil tahu isu-isu semasa agar dapat diulas dalam penulisan serta sesi soal jawab. Hafal sebanyak mungkin kata-kata hikmah seperti ‘Education is the only weapon which you can use to change the world’. Iya, jangan kita bermimpi mahu mengubah dunia kecuali dengan pendidikan. Dan pendidikan hanya datang kepada mereka yang cintakannya.

Kesemua langkah ini, jika diamalkan dengan tekun dan sabar, ditambah pula kelas-kelas teknik menjawab, semangat juang jitu dan doa sebagai senjata mukmin, setakat capai band MUET itu, apalah sangat? Banyak lagi isu lain yang sepatutnya dijadikan buah bicara warga siswa dan siswi kita, pemimpin masa hadapan negara daripada mengeluh perihal takut tak lulus subjek.

Selain itu, jika masih tidak cukup. Adik-adik pelajar boleh juga mengikuti kelas-kelas tusyen khas untuk MUET ataupun kelas bahasa Inggeris percuma di Youtube oleh EduNation. Nak yang antarabangsa? Sila google KhanAcademy. Atau buat carian permainan bahasa percuma secara online jika mahu belajar sambil bermain.

Jika tidak berkemampuan dari segi kewangan untuk bayar tusyen, saya jemput kunjungi laman facebook dan blog Endless-English.blogspot.com dan tanyalah sebanyak mana soalan berkaitan bahasa Inggeris. Nescaya saya akan berusaha membantu anda yang mahu belajar. Pepatah cina ada berpesan, ‘Apabila murid sudah bersedia, guru pasti akan muncul untuknya.’

Asas anda lemah? Anda lebih suka belajar bahasa Inggeris dengan menggunakan bahasa Melayu? Tak ada masalah. Saya mencadangkan buku English itu Mudah WOW! My English keluaran ahli akademik UPSI, boleh didapati secara online atau di kedai-kedai buku. Disamping itu, boleh juga lawati laman facebook ‘Home Tutor kongsi TIPS & TOOLS anak cemerlang’ yang menyediakan perkhidmatan tusyen bahasa Inggeris melalui Whatsapp dengan cas bulanan yang amat minima.

Nah, apa lagi kita mahukan? Saya percaya tak ada pelajar yang setelah berusaha dengan konsisten akan gagal. Hatta jika gagal sekalipun, bangkit dan cuba sekali lagi. Apa masalahnya? 

Sebagai pengakhiran saya ingin berkongsi kisah Zaid bin Thabit. Beliau berkata, Rasulullah SAW tidak selesa apabila berhadapan dengan kaum Yahudi maka baginda menyuruhnya belajar bahasa mereka. Beliau pun belajar. Tidak sampai setengah bulan Zaid telah menguasai bahasa Ibrani. Lantas beliau dilantik sebagai penulis dan penterjemah untuk Rasulullah SAW pada usia semuda belasan tahun.

School-based assessment, why the rush?

School-Based Assessment (SBA) started in 2012 among the Form Ones. Yet, after various chorus of disapproval among the public especially from teachers and parents highlighting different issues, it was postponed in February until April 2014. Then, on the 15^th of June, after only a few months of ‘re-examining’ SBA, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that all secondary schools have to conduct their SBA namely Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) between July and October 2014.
 
The question is, why the rush?

Allow me to start with a statement, I believe the people in charge of researching and planning the SBA have yet to realise the realities of our education. Please bear in mind; by reality, I do not only talk about slow-servers to key-in marks.

If we observe the current world trend, many countries had or are moving towards decentralisation of education. One of it is by submitting to SBA approach. Countries like United States of America, New Zealand, Australia, and Finland; often regarded as advanced countries, have already used SBA for many years, some since the 1970s. Yes, they took SBA only after years and years of research and adapting it to suit their context!

In a newspaper report, Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Dr. Arran Hamilton from CfBT Education Malaysia suggested, “The Ministry of Education did the right thing in implementing School-Based Assessment.”

Simplistically speaking, I tend to agree with their general statement. However, before jumping on the bandwagon hastily, we need to first examine and identify our current context. Then, we will find out the reason why, despite being the favoured education approach by most education powerhouse, SBA cannot be fully-utilised in Malaysia before we address our realities. In this write-up, I will focus on three main realities we have to first deal with.

Reality Number One: Writing focused examination-based v/s the new whole-rounded English PT3 and our perception

Being an English teacher, I prefer to touch on the English subject. As I have written extensively in an open reply to a letter before, the target and the focus of our education have always been examination. By examination, it is the reading and writing but mostly writing, and yeah, grammar accuracy at the top of it.

Here comes PT3, introducing the idea of 3 different tests in English. Written test almost similar to the previous PMR type papers and another two tests involving speaking and listening.

I have no further question for the written exam but speaking and listening? Without much explanation to teachers and students of the format since SBA first started in 2012, now, there are listening and speaking tests?

Ideally, I agree to the listening and speaking tests. As an English teacher, it is my highest hope to have students who are able to read, write, listen and speak using English confidently, accurately and fluently.  Yet, the question arises, why the rush? Why can’t we stop and prepare the teachers for this new approach first? Why can’t we take time to develop the assessment method to be shared among teachers?

How are we even going to run the listening test? Are we supplying the schools with enough headphones and computers or are we only going to play the audio on that cheap, used school’s speakers? It is a fact that many schools lack the facility to conduct a decent listening examination.

Or maybe we ask the teachers to read the text loudly to students? I believe we need to address all these matters because they bring about the issue of validity and reliability to the assessment.

Most importantly, are the schools and the public ready? And how are we going to grade the students to be clustered into SBP, MRSM, Premier and Science schools? Many parents will want to know this and how will PT3 affect their children’s chances to enter prestigious boarding schools.

In fact, the fact that there are many teachers clueless about PT3, including me and many others you can find in teacher’s Facebook groups, already indicates that we are not ready to carry it out. If we are not fully ready, then why are we forcing it on our current Form Three students? Don’t they deserve to go through an education which is already tried and tested through numerous pilot projects?

Therefore, again, I agree PT3 is a right step forward. Nonetheless, if we are hasty in carrying it out the results may not turn out as expected. It is a proven case with rushed policy such as PPSMI, the kind of decision which has cost us not only the millions, but also the bright future of our youths.

Reality Number Two: The right man for the right job

I took the liberty to read a paper by Salmiah Jaba (2013). She mentioned something of great education importance, even greater than the debate of whether PT3 or SBA should be continued. 

The never-ending issue of non-option teachers which is long overdue, but still remain unsolved. My dear fellow Malaysians who care for our education, ultimately, this is among the key concerns we need to address. The biggest hindrance, a major obstacle which needs to be challenged before we can start thinking about implementing new education policy. 

It is to be noted that Salmiah’s notion was based from various other reports, journals and academic papers written by Mohamad Azhar (2006), Rohayah (2007), Abdul Zubir (2007) and Tan (2010) to name a few. There are many more out there, even formal education reports sent to the Education Ministry which touched on this grave matter.

Siva Subramaniam (1995) in his paper ‘Upholding the Dignity of the Teaching Profession’ also mentioned there are cases of teachers being transferred without referring to option quota. This in turn results to lack of teachers in certain options. 

In addition, Malaysia’s biggest teaching union, NUTP laid a claim in 2012 that there were more than 25,000 non-option teachers teaching English. And you wonder why our standard of English is declining?

Basically, it is useless to blame the teacher when he was trained in another major but then forced to teach English at school simply because ‘there is no English teacher’. Obviously, the solution to this matter must come from the top level through good management of human resources.

Why do we need teachers to teach their major subject? Simply because we want them to teach what they know, what they are good at. We cannot afford to have someone with English major teaching the students Kemahiran Hidup Bersepadu. It will be a disaster. Sadly, in Malaysia, this kind of disaster is common, rampant and considered normal. You know, the tidak apa attitude. It is eating us alive.

Think about it, no good policy, not even the internationally-used SBA, can be implemented effectively when you do not have the right person doing the right job. Maybe that is why we have yet to fully develop the potential of our ideally constructed education policies and ideas, because of poor human resources management.

Reality Number Three: Heavy Non-Teaching Related Workloads

In her paper, Salmiah Jaba also suggested that teachers, the main education workforce who are supposed to support the idea of holistic, continuous and formative assessments in schools – have yet to fully accept SBA. 

One of the reasons for it is the adverse emotions caused by heavy workloads, especially as teachers are also required to perform too much of the non-teaching related clerical tasks.
 

Honestly, when I entered the teaching workforce, I taught my main role is to teach. Yet, after I met the reality of teaching in Malaysia, I have to admit there are times when teaching are not the top priority of a teacher. Times like when you have to chase datelines of keying in the same type of marks repeatedly because some people just cannot develop a one-stop-database, which is functional and not slow of course! Some of us simply prefer teachers to do things (which are non-teaching related) repeatedly rather than efficiently.

Or such time like when you know you have to finish those non-teaching related files because a superior is going to come and rate you based on them, like is it colourful or not? Or is your file divider attractive enough? It does not really matter if the contents of the file do not help you improve your teaching.

Oh, talking about files. Try guessing the number of files being wasted in our recent attempt of SBA before it was postponed? You know, when teachers were asked to keep one file of evidences for each student they have for each subject before being told recently (after teachers doing it obediently for 2 years) that they do not need to keep those evidences anymore. What are to happen to the already kept files and evidences? What about the time spent by these teachers to make sure the files were kept nicely? Apparently, a teacher’s time is not something we value as a society.

Hence, in order to fully-utilise good education policy like the SBA approach, we should first consider having Management Officer or Clerical Helper to assist with school administration so that teachers can concentrate on teaching. Teaching which is more than just a teacher entering the classroom to chalk-and-talk. Teaching which involves pre-lesson planning, while-lesson facilitation, post-lesson reflection, suitable assessment instruments and materials building, emotional and psychological bonding with students, understanding of social reality, lesson differentiation and many more than what we understood of it.

No, I am not merely saying this. Try to imagine a hospital where the doctors, other than treating patients, need to take care of the files, hospital management system, inventory-keeping, drugs-labelling and other clerical tasks. The precious skills of the doctor will then be wasted doing work that can be done by a semi-skilled worker.

Until we learn to look at teaching as a professional career, no education policy is going to be good enough, not until then. Now, if we are to ask ourselves should we continue with SBA?

The ultimate question rings again, why the rush?

An open reply to Miss Nadilla Jamil, from a secondary school English teacher.

First and foremost, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Miss Nadilla Jamil for having the passion and taking much interest on the issue of English education in Malaysia. It is kind of rare nowadays to find people writing or reading about English and education. Well, at least not as many as those who prefer to watch Korean Drama, Maharaja Lawak or read love novels and not care about what is going on in our education.

Let me start by saying I passionately believe a person like Miss Nadilla Jamil will make a good parent. The kind we need to have more in our society nowadays. Furthermore, I believe a parent like Miss Nadilla will take much interest about her child’s education to come and discuss with the teacher to provide more guidance for her child at home. Yes, home, where learning begins, definitely not school. Most of the time, as a society, I find out that we have always misinterpreted the function of schools or teachers. No, education does not start in school and it must not only start with teachers. It is such a shame and a huge waste if a child’s education only starts in school.

Now, being a secondary school teacher I am entitled to reply to her open letter. Let me provide you with some background of my teaching career. I am currently teaching in a secondary school, a Sekolah Agama Bantuan Kerajaan (SABK) which falls under state and federal administration but I am hired by the Ministry of Education. Having a B. Ed. TESL degree, my first option is English and I am teaching a form one, two form three and two form five classes in my school. Being students of SABK, they have fewer English periods where the form one and form three only get three periods per week while the form five as much as only four periods.

To discuss on a few matters which need to be straighten out

Thanks to the open letter by Miss Nadilla Jamil, at least there are a few perspectives being conveyed. As I do not know what is the background of Miss Nadilla, I tend to see the open letter as coming from a concerned person in the society but observing the linguistic items being used in the letter, she must have had some background in English education or linguistic or she must be an avid reader in the field. Although I am thankful for her honest open letter, there are a few things I need to point out which I tend to disagree with (with reasons of course). I will organise my points and ideas to be discussed based on the inputs from Miss Nadilla’s open letter in five different points. And yes, I save the best for the last so hold on tight until the end of it okay?

Point Number 1: You cannot teach English by using other language.

Frankly speaking, I thought so too. It is definitely not naive to think in such a way because English is a language and a tool to be used, to be mastered. Yet, is there any better language which we can use to learn English? Yes, the native language or the mother-tongue.

When I started teaching in my current school I felt like a Mr. Peter Brown, an Englishman, using full English in my lesson, from A to Z, from giving instructions to them as a group to explaining to individual students. Then I asked them, do you understand? All of them nodded and answered a long satisfying yeeeessssss! Throughout and at the end of the lesson I always give more practice questions. As expected, some failed to answer correctly but to my astonishment, most of them submitted the same answers (They copied one another). They were not bothered to try. Why? Simply because they do not understand the questions, not even the instructions. In an ideal classroom situation, students who do not understand will raise their hand and ask questions. Well dear, the reality is no student is going to put their reputation at risk by raising hand and asking questions. They prefer to keep quiet and say yes every time you ask them if they understood. This is the common situation in the classroom, a situation which we have to deal with.

Miss Nadilla Jamil, you said by all means take all the time I need to adjust my lexical choices, paraphrase, slow down my speech and use paralinguistic elements in my classroom to accommodate my student’s linguistic level. Theoretically speaking, you are right, I would love it if I can take as much time I need for the sake of my students. Yet realistically, I just do not have the time. With only four or five periods per week and a lot of things to cover from vocabulary, grammar drills, essay formats, literature contents and others; added up with the instable condition of our timetables when at times the teacher may not be able to enter the classroom because of external courses and programmes, at the other times there are school events during your period, minus the examination weeks, school holidays and so on. Now, in an ideal classroom situation all the students will be motivated, willing and eager to learn. You as the teacher only need to provide them the content and facilitate them. Well dear, in reality before you can even begin teaching you need to take some time to arrange your students, discipline, motivate and grab their attention. From having a 35 or 40 minutes per period, it is considered lucky if you only need at most five minutes for classroom management! So, as I said earlier, time my dear, is something we teachers do not have in the classroom.

To add an informative perspective to my argument that we can actually teach English using the student’s mother tongue, in the field of linguistic there is the theory of Universal Grammar which is said to be proposed by Noam Chomsky, a well-known philosopher and linguist of our modern era. It is about us, humans having a commonly built linguistic context with similar language properties being shared by all human languages. If we observe carefully, the structure of sentences for different languages are almost the same. There are nouns, verbs, adjectives, subjects, predicates and other linguistic items. Most language has these functions only to be used in different arrangements and obviously with different vocabulary and pronunciation to separate the languages. So, by explaining and comparing English sentence structures to the mother tongue (in my case, Malay language), it somehow helped students to understand better.

In addition, a personal experiment which I carried out after getting tired from the tireless tries to explain ‘how to write and arrange the structure of an article essay in the Directed Writing Section in Paper 2 SPM’; I tried using Malay to explain. The next thing I know, most of my students managed to write an article essay. Even those who do not understand the question, they were able to at least arrange the structure of the essay and the points given according to what I taught them; using paragraphs, sequence connectors and the main points. If you read their essay (the weak ones), it is incomprehensible but at least they submitted an essay! Before this they used to submit empty papers so this is kind of a huge achievement for them (and for me, yeay!) considering that they are going to face the big SPM this year. Only after getting them to submit not an empty paper, then only I can go with my next agenda, for them to write an intelligible essay.

Moreover, today on the market, there is also this book ‘English itu Mudah’ initiated by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) teachers. I strongly encourage those who are comfortable learning in Malay language and who want to understand grammar items better to buy this book as it provides explanations and examples in Malay. If you go through the book obediently, you will be able to understand grammatical properties, relate them to the structures in Malay language and thus help you to write better English sentence. We all know that writing is ‘the thing’ being tested in our education system, so yeah. Speaking can come after your writing because it is the way of our education and as for me; there is no harm in taking a step at a time, as long as it keeps the students ‘in’ with what you are teaching. After all, it is as said by Stephen Krashen in his famous ‘i + 1’ input hypothesis. Give students something which is slightly above their level, to keep their confidence and motivation up to help them progress through the learning.

Point Number 2: In Malaysia, English is about SPM, the big examination

Yeah, I did say SPM and described it as ‘the big examination’ because that is actually the summary of our education. After a long 11 years of studying, SPM is the answer. Well, personally I do not believe it is right to summarise education as SPM. Yet hey! Let us admit our current reality. Everyone wants to know about SPM. The universities look at SPM and even scholarships are given out based on SPM results. Why? It is because contrary to your passionate believe that education does not go on in the committee rooms of our legislative buildings, our education actually starts there, in the meeting room. We teachers, we are merely the officers who carried out orders to achieve the targets set by people who met in the meeting room. They believe SPM is the target and by SPM, it is always about reading, writing and grammar!

You honestly said, when our (read: the teacher’s) discretion is removed, our education will stop working. By saying this, you allow me an opportunity to honestly agree to what you said. However, I will not say it has stop working. It is still working but the question is, is it still working correctly the way we want it to? The recent internationally-recognised PISA and TIMSS results, the decline in our student’s discipline, the lack of interest among students when we talk about school and classroom and also the lack of interest from parents to participate in school activities thus empowering the function of school in their children’s belief system are among a few examples which have honestly provided answers to that honest question. Parents, admit it, more of your kind come to school to receive that RM100 Bantuan Persekolahan 1Malaysia than the number of those who are there during school PIBG meetings. To those who came, who donated, who voiced out opinions and ideas and supported school’s activities; we teachers would like to convey our deepest and sincerest appreciation to you. You are the nation-builder, by taking care of your child’s education and not make us, teachers, feel like everything is burdened on our shoulders when they are actually your sons and daughters. Again, thank you.

Dear Miss Nadilla Jamil. Yes, like you I believe education is much more than written examination. Yet, being realistic, I must say I tend to focus on their performance in written exam. This is due to the fact that it is the written exam that matters in our system. Well, at least I passionately believe this is one of the biggest issues for teachers. Especially for teachers whose students are sitting for big examination like me. Trust me, you do not want your students to slack out in the written examination because if they do, you are the one who will be on the hot seat of test and trial. The education officers are going to come to your school that ‘did not make the grade like every other school’ to ‘find out what’s wrong’; and the principal and administrative school officers are going to come looking for you to get answers. No, they do not want explanation or listen to you rambling about ‘the right way’ to teach, they just want answers.

And then all the smirks and the head shakes you will get from fellow teachers for putting your school and them in that position to be scrutinised and examined like dissected frogs in a biology laboratory. Open to the eye of the public, to be mentioned in every district and state meetings as ‘the bad example to be followed’ in front of fellow teachers from other schools. You will not want that to happen when you receive calls or visits from concern parents (at least IF you are lucky to have parents who are concerned enough to discuss about their child with you) who will ask questions as to why is this (bad result) happening to my child? Your name, your reputation and your future are at stake. Yet do not get me wrong, it is not about me, the teacher. It is about the students themselves. It is because at the end of the day, you will be jeopardising the future of your very own students when they fail to make the grade like their every other friends. As a teacher, that will be the last thing you would want in your entire career.

Point Number 3: English is fun and grammar is just a part of English

So we have arrived to the next point. You said English is fun. Yeah, everyone thinks so but is it fun? Well, it should be fun! I should bring my games, movies, do act out and role plays for students to enjoy. Yet again, at the end of the day, everything is about the ability of students to answer the examination papers and by that let me emphasis on it again, the ability to write an essay in the examination. Therefore, no! you (read: Miss Fadilla) are not right when you said as a teacher I am not supposed to be grammar Nazis. Yes, I do not want to be a Nazi but I just have to. I need to be grammar Nazi because in the exam, there will be 20 out of 35 marks for language in the Directed Writing section. Or the fact that the marking scheme for Continuous Writing ask you to identify if the essay has multiple errors, less clarity or count the number of error free paragraphs?

Can you see? By language they mean, how many errors? So, yeah grammar Nazi, that is me. *Smirk* Grammar is not only there to make sense of semantics. In our education system, grammar is everything! I tried my best not to correct my students’ grammar when we do exercises or at least I used the approach where I corrected particular grammar mistakes which were committed repeatedly for them to realise the mistakes and not do it again. However, now, I can proudly say this, that if it is not because of my teachers who drilled my grammar and punished my mistakes (while allowing rooms for fun English of course!), I can never acquire the language in the way I have acquired it now. It is far from perfect, yes, but at least for Malaysians, if we are good in grammar, we ARE good in grammar (Say the ‘are’ Harith Iskander’s style). Sometimes, even better than those using the language as their native tongue, you know? So, thank you Grammar Nazis!

Point Number 4: The power of home and parents

Well, well, well, this is one of the points you mentioned which I cannot disagree with. In order to learn English, we need to provide a linguistic environment for our students. A very good point indeed, Miss Nadilla. Therefore, we need to always speak in English and encourage the students to do the same in order to provide the learning environment for them. Then, you asked a question, “If not you, as English teachers play the part, then who?” Now, to answer this blunt and direct question, allow me to share with you the story about SK Ulu Lubai in Limbang, Sarawak.

Once upon a time, there was a small normal primary school inhabited by normal teachers and normal students who I believe would like to care more about playing happily rather than studying for examination. Yet, this particular school has achieved international awards and national recognition for being successful in producing successful students. A fellow teacher of mine who used to teach in Sarawak once told me, “We went to a sport tournament. I was shocked to find out that the students from that school use English among them during practice session.” Well, I was shocked too. It is no wonder the school received Commonwealth award, was enlisted to receive a UNESCO award and received cooperation with international education organisations from the United Kingdom and Singapore.

The question is how they managed to do it? Put aside the fact that it is a small school where it is easier to manage and obviously with less administrative burdens for teachers as compared to other bigger schools. (Administrative burdens and teaching? *Sigh*) When I read about them, I found out that the key factor was the cooperation between the local community (read: the parents) and the school. The teachers ask the students to use English all the time, even at home. When the students do not use English at home, the parents will tell the teachers and they will work out something for the students. This kind of cooperation is magical! It is what we really need. Like what I mentioned earlier, ‘Yes, home, where learning begins, definitely not school.’

I do not mean to generalise parents but let us all ask these question to ourselves, how many of us (read: parents) care to check if their child has done the homework given, or how is their child behaving at school, or what extra input does their child needs to improve academically? This is the crux of this issue, a fact we have to accept, that learning starts at home. Most of us teachers, we are more than willing to help, assist and facilitate parents, provide feedbacks and extra guidance needed at school but education has and must start from home. If only I can make a fatwa about this! At least, that is what I passionately believe in. Ever wondered why many children of teachers tend to be successful academically? Maybe, just maybe because as teachers, we tend to care more about academic achievement and we make sure our children care too. I repeat, I do not mean to generalise parents, I am simply asking us to rethink about the need to cooperate between parents and teachers for the sake of their children. To stop pointing fingers and obviously it has to start with the parents. Is it easier for a parent to step aside one day to come to school and meet the teachers or for a teacher to go to every student’s house to meet with the parents? I myself am teaching a total amount of 140 students more or less in three different subjects! So, parents, please consider to ask yourselves that question too.

Point Number 5: One education solution for all in our 1Malaysia? 

We have come to the last point, finally. Miss Nadilla gave a simplistic comparison in her letter. I would like to point out that IF and IF ONLY teaching English to unmotivated learners can be equalled to giving vaccine shots to small babies; it would be a lot easier for all of us then! The thing about teaching English is there is one-for-all remedy or vaccine which we can use to provide the solution for every learner. I believe this is also the case for any other subjects in education. Learners are different to one another, different in different situations, in different settings or environment with different motivations and targets. Hence my point is learners are always different. They bring different problems, ideas, motivations and targets to school with them and therefore all of us should stop trying to find a one-size-fits-all solution. It does not work that way, not at all. By all of us I am pointing at myself, at the education officers, at those in the ministry, at parents and at passionate believers like Miss Nadilla Jamil. We are all concern but there is no way we can provide one vaccine shot for everyone. Decidedly, we can force our vaccine shot on them but forcing brings different meaning than providing.

Since the World Cup is ‘the thing’ nowadays. I would like to imagine us, education stakeholders, the teachers, parents, administrators, ministry and the community as a football team. Everyone in the team needs to do what is expected of them. The goalkeeper needs to work on his reflective, positioning and handling skills; the midfielder needs to focus on improving long shots, passes, volleys and on the field vision while the striker needs to be able to dribble creatively and shoot for goals. If everyone in the team plays their part accordingly then our football team may have achieved what was promised to us earlier, World Cup qualification by 2014. *Smirk again*

The thing about our education team is, what is the vision? What are we trying to achieve? What kind of students we want to produce? Let’s take English. Do we want our students to be able to speak or to write fluently? Are we following the British style or the American style or maybe the Indian style of English? Or should we focus on building our Malaysian style of English? If that is so, what is this Malaysian style of English we are talking about? Is it about writing grammatically flawless essays or about being able to convey ideas fluently in English or is it about creating generations of Malaysian who are at least able to read and understand English materials?
 

All of these questions are necessary to be answered before we start to point fingers at each other. And please do not ONLY look at us teachers when it comes to education issues. We do what we have to do. We do what is expected of us and that is to teach the students to be able to answer examinations. It may not be the right thing but that is what everybody wants. We are only strikers in football team and our job is to score goals. It is also to be noted that in order for us to score goals, we need successful through balls from our midfielders. The defenders need to tackle and feed the balls to midfielders while the goalkeeper needs to keep the goal save from opponent scoring. Yet, most importantly, all of us wait for decisions from the manager who needs to have a vision first before being able to decide on the tactics effectively. Last but not least, it is already confirmed that without a suitable manager, even a highly reputable team with years of success like Manchester United has failed to perform.

Thank you again, Miss Nasilla Jamil and fellow citizens alike!

Before I end, I would like to once again thank Miss Nadilla Jamil for her kind intention and passionate believe. Please continue to do what you are doing. I would rather speak, discuss and argue about education than talk about which celebrity has the biggest wedding ring or compare to see if our car is bigger than the neighbour’s. For, the fate of our nation’s future, solely lies in our attitude towards education, if we care enough to see.

How to tackle Racisme and Stereotyping?

I am still reading this awe-inspiring book about teaching by Lou Anne Johnson. Here's a bit in the book which discussed about racism I would love to share.

Humans are all part of the same tree

Light came to me when I realized I did not have to consider any racial group as a whole. God made them duck by duck, and that was the only way I could see them - Zora Neale Hurston

Dialogue between Lou Anne and one of her student

     "I just wanted to thank you." he said, "because you weren't afraid to make me do my homework. All the other teachers are afraid of me because I'm a big black man. They act like they think if they make me mad, I'll hurt them." As he spoke Dante's eyes filled with tears. Watching him, I felt my own tears rising.
     "So what do you do when those teachers act like that?" I asked.
     "I act like I'm going to hurt them." Dante tried to laugh, but his chuckle turned into a cough that stopped just short of a sob.
     For a split second, I nearly laughed myself, because it sounded funny. But I quickly realized that Dante's remark was not funny at all. Those teachers were prompting Dante to act as though he intended to hurt them. Whether intentionally or not, they were manipulating him into fulfilling their stereotype of black men as angry and violent. To fear a child simply because of his or her skin colour is the same as saying, "I know you are inherently violent simply because of who you are. It is only a matter of time before your true nature revealed."

Adult's attitude towards children's behaviour

A good thought from a friend of mine about teacher's attitude towards student's/ children's behaviour. This is related with what we are talking about: stereotyping. A gentle, well thought-out and straight to the point reminder important for all teachers, parents and adults to take note so we don't stereotype adults as being better and superior than children for whatever reason it can be.

The issue with children always right is true and is a side effect of those who believe the opposite of strict disciplinary through punishment etc. Basically capital punishment is one side, the opposite is children always right.

In the event of our global change, we MUST stay away from opposites and find the middle. Since the children are able to show emotional dilemma at such a younger age, we need to implement proper solution like having a equal-level or status conversation and talk between teacher and student especially parents. Children in this state can show brighter growth if given the same level of respect as an adult. In the case of rude children who don't give respect at the same time is hurting someone (teacher or other student_ physically, mentally or emotionally and can't be reasoned with RESPECTFUL (not oppressing esp. from the teacher) conversationg, should be dealt with a reasonable form of capital punishment.

At the end of the day, it depends on the rationale thinking capacity of teachers, not everyone have the ability of making the right decision. I've had great teachers I will always remember and horrible teachers who contributes only to my decline. Therefore we should see teachers mistakes constructively and work towards progression (from teacher perspective and society perspective). Unfortunately our society is not very forgiving, we have the capacity, we just need good examples/ influences for us to incline towards becoming more constructive.

Battling prejudice only comes from oneself as an ongoing self-treatment

My solution to purging my prejudice and stereotype was to meet and talk to as many successful and educated black and brown men as I could. I sought them as mentors for my students. I befriended them in the school lunchroom and during community activities - not simply as research subjects but as human beings. After several weeks I knew I had made some significant progress in minimizing my racial prejudices when I met a black man I didn't like at all. Disliking that man was pivotal in my rehabilitation. Prior to that meeting, I would have compelled to like him or to act as though I did, in order not to appear to be prejudiced.

After nearly twenty years of ongoing self-treatment, I feel free to like or dislike anybody I meet, of any skin colour or ethnic background, based on the way that person treats me - and especially the way that person treats children and animals. I don't pretend there is no violence in the world. I try to keep my distance from anybody of any colour who appears to be drunk, stoned, sociopathic, or potentially dangerous. But I don't expect any particular person to be violent simply because of his or her origin.

We need to always remind ourself and others in regards to this matter. We can't afford to sink ourselves in the fight between races instead we have to be the one either avoiding or even better, preventing such demeaning issue from escalating. Are we ready? Maybe not, yet we have to be.

*Racisme is like a time bomb in Malaysia, waiting to explode just to burn everyone in the vicinity. It doesn't matter what colour you are, the fact is if we don't battle prejudice, it's going to instigate battles where we will all lose.

Letter from a teacher: Being positive in the classroom!

I would like to share this other letter I read in the book 'Teaching Outside the Box' by Lou Anne Johnson. The awesome and inspiring book was given to me by a kind friend during my journey in an education NGO in Malaysia. The letter came from a new teacher who decided to start her teaching class positively. What I like was her being optimistic of her students. Let's hope we (new teachers) can take her as a good example to start with.

Here it goes.

This is the end of my third week of teaching. I was given 125 'remedial' students. The other teachers told me they wouldn't show up to class. If they did, they would either sleep or disrupt the class; they wouldn't do homework and they didn't care if they passed or failed and I'd have to throw most of them out at some point or another.

I took a lot of your positive advice to heart. I went in on day one and told them all that I could guarantee they would have the best year in school they had ever had. I asked if that interested any of them, and they all admitted it did. I told them I only asked for three things, and I would do the rest. They had to show up every day; they had to come in with the attitude that they could and would learn something; and they had to try. I told them the story of Edison taking ten thousand tries to invent a light bulb and told them that I was only asking that they try three or four times. I asked how many had been told they were stupid or couldn't do math? Every hand went up. I told them it wasn't true; they just hadn't been taught math in a way they could understand it. I told them there were two words I would not tolerate in my class - "I can't" - because they all could and there wasn't stupid one in the bunch.

Three weeks later, my students show up on time. The few who skipped in the beginning don't skip anymore, and no one skips on Friday, because it's cookie day! They do logic problems every day that require them to think, and now they ask for more. They do their homework; and if they get a low grade, they ask to fix it and turn it back in. I've told them I only care that they learn it and that if they're willing to do their homework or tests again, I am certainly willing to grade them again. I cut them some slack in the discipline department, but when I speak they stop and listen; and when I take someone outside and ask them to settle down, they do. I'm having a blast, and so are my students. Students tell me it's the first time a math teacher actually cared about them and made them feel like they could succeed. Students that have on-the-job training in the afternoon come and hang out in math instead of leaving - some show up three periods a day - and participate in each class.

I can't thank you enough. If I had listened to those other teachers and not you, I would be having a miserable year. But it's more rewarding than I could have imagined!

I know you are busy finishing up your book, but thought you would like to know how much fun I'm having!

Laura Hauser

Tugas cikgu bukan lagi mengajar.

Tugas cikgu bukan lagi mengajar? Biar betul?!

1. Sekarang ni tugas utama nombor wahid seorang guru bukan lagi mengajar. Tapi tugas nombor satu cikgu adalah kemaskini dan susun fail cantik-cantik untuk tatapan pegawai atasan.

2. Jadi ini bermakna klien nombor satu seorang cikgu juga bukan lagi pelajar, tetapi klien utama sekarang ni adalah pegawai-pegawai atasan. Pegawai-pegawai inilah yang perlu dipuashatikan agar kemaslahatan cikgu-cikgu kekal terjaga (Rekomen naik pangkat dsbnya, orang atas kena jaga beb. Hehehe.)

3. Sebab kalau seorang cikgu nak lorat-lorat beri tumpuan kepada pengajaran dan pembelajaran (P&P) banyak masa dia akan terbuang. Kita ambil contoh seorang cikgu Bahasa Inggeris yang rata-rata mengajar 25 - 30 waktu seminggu dalam 3,4 atau 5 kelas.

4. 3,4 atau 5 kelas ini jika semuanya kelas sama tingkatan kira okay la lagi. Sebab jika semua tingkatan 2, maka spesifikasi kurrikulum yang digunakan adalah sama untuk tingkatan 2. Sasaran P&P juga hampir sama, cuma level pelajar berbeza-beza. Tapi bayangkan cikgu yang mengajar 3,4 atau 5 kelas berbeza contohnya campur-campur antara tingkatan 1, 2 dan peralihan? Spesifikasi kurrikulum mereka pun berbeza-beza, sasaran P&P juga berbeza. Pelajar peralihan pasti berbeza cara mengajar mereka berbanding pelajar tingkatan 2. Bukan kah lebih banyak masa untuk merancang P&P diperlukan?

Jadi guru kini tidak seindah dulu.

5. Saya baca ungkapan ini di Newsletter KPPK kata-kata daripada Presidennya Saudara Hashim Adnan. Memang benar. Ibu bapa saya juga kedua-dua mereka guru. Mereka kata biarpun dulu gaji cikgu sebulan dua ratus ringgit, pergi sekolah sekadar naik motor tapi kita 'enjoy' mengajar. Jumpa ibubapa berbincang tentang prestasi anak-anak (Siap ibubapa buatkan minum petang, mana tak best kan? Hehehe.) Ibubapa dulu pun banyak percayakan guru sampai kata "Cikgu pukullah anak saya macam anak cikgu sendiri. Asalkan tak mati tak cacat sudahlah." Kerana mereka tahu, cikgu ni kerjanya bukanlah nak marah atau pukul budak tanpa sebarang sebab. Ibubapa dulu juga ramai yang berminat nak tengok anak-anak mereka rajin belajar. Tetapi kini? Sikit-sikit mau hantam cikgu adalaaa.

6. Perlu diingatkan bahawa memang ada cikgu yang sambil lewa dalam mengajar tetapi sebenarnya ramai yang betul-betul ambil peduli dan mahu membantu. Begitu juga ibu bapa, memang ramai yang mahu membantu guru-guru mendidik anak mereka cuma baru-baru ini nampaknya semakin hambar. Macamana nak tau hambar ke tidak? Kiralah berapa ramai ibu bapa yang datang untuk perjumpaan PIBG bersama pihak sekolah berbincang berkenaan anak mereka sendiri, bukannya anak orang lain. Lepas tu bandingkan dengan jumlah berapa ramai ibubapa yang datang ke sekolah untuk ambil bantuan RM100 yang kerajaan bagi. Siap beratur pun tak apa I cakap you. Hehehe.

7. Kini, tugas cikgu, selain daripada mengajar, perlu siapkan fail serta dokumen, buat kertaskerja untuk program, urus aktiviti sukan, urus persatuan, kuiz, minggu bahasa inggeris, minggu bahasa melayu, jadi emcee perhimpunan, hias dewan untuk majlis terutama lagi bila ada 'orang besar dari luar' yang nak datang, jadi cikgu bertugas, cikgu disiplin, cikgu bilik fail, cikgu spbt dan bermacam-macam  lagi. Tak masuk lagi dengan kelas tambahan samada sukarela atau yang 'dipaksa' oleh pentadbiran. Ini semua tugas guru. Juga memberikan kerja rumah yang bersesuaian, semak kerja rumah suruh pelajar buat pembetulan dan semak semula pembetulan. Apa lagi kerja guru? Anda hitunglah sendiri.

8. Selain pengajaran, kita tak masuk lagi tentang pengurusan kelas. Bagaimana nak ajar jika ada pelajar degil? Menguruskan disiplin pelajar. Lebih-lebih lagi pelajar yang naik kepala sebab ada 'back-up' ibu bapa yang mana anak mereka tak pernah salah. Ditambah pula dengan peraturan-peratuan disiplin seperti dalam gambar dibawah. Suruh murid berdiri lama pun tak boleh. Apaaacriitttaaa?

9. Kemudian cikgu-cikgu ditekan pula menyiapkan fail-fail untuk ditatap oleh pegawai-pegawai atasan. Bermacam-macam jenis fail. Nak tahu tanyalah seorang cikgu terutama jika dia ditugas untuk menguruskan bilik fail. Haa, jangan terkejut jika sekolah ada bilik fail yang raknya bukan main besar dah macam perpustakaan siap kena naik ladder lagi. Ini mesti sekolah kluster. :p

Gambar hiasan tetapi real dan true: bilik fail yang penuh dengan fail PBS.

10. Akhirnya, apa kesan yang kita terima? Cikgu tak lagi mampu untuk meletakkan sepenuh fokus kepada P&P. Masa rehat dibilik guru yang jika dulu boleh diguna untuk berbincang sesama warga pendidik tentang kaedah P&P masing-masing terpaksa digunakan untuk menyiapkan kertaskerja program Minggu Bahasa Inggeris.

11. Masa petang untuk cikgu-cikgu pula digunakan untuk merancang kegiatan kokurikulum termasuklah persatuan, kelab sukan dan badan beruniform. Masa malam cikgu pula selain daripada P&P, juga terpaksa digunakan untuk 'key-in' data ke dalam sistem seperti yang dimahukan oleh pegawai atasan.

12. Bukankah lebih baik jika beban-beban kerja golongan guru ini dikurangkan terutamanya yang melibatkan tugas pengkeranian. Bukankah lebih baik jika para guru boleh menggunakan masa mereka sepenuhnya untuk klien utama mereka iaitu anak murid. Bukankah lebih baik jika ada pegawai khas bidang kokurikulum untuk merencana aktiviti sukan, persatuan dan badan beruniform dengan lebih tersusun? Macamana seorang cikgu dapat memberikan tumpuan sepenuhnya kepada P&P anak murid mereka jika perlu mengajar 2 atau 3 subjek untuk 2 atau 3 kelas berbeza disamping menguruskan sebuah kelab sukan dan persatuan disamping tugas-tugas pengkeranian lain dan perlu juga fikirkan tentang macamana nak hias dewan atau nak buat persembahan yang boleh buat ' tetamu orang besar' tersenyum gembira sewaktu hari anugerah. Belum masuk hari kantin lagi? Hari sukan lagi? Hari ambil buku prestasi lagi? Hari bagi bantuan persekolahan RM100 lagi?

Pentingnya para guru dalam sesebuah masyarakat.

13. Ramai orang kata pekerjaan paling mulia adalah guru. Bagi saya, dalam sesebuah negara, pekerjaan paling 'penting' adalah guru. Mulia tu kita tolak belakang dulu, kita cakap soal pentingnya para guru ini. Justeru, suara golongan guru perlu didengari dan dinilai pendapat mereka kerana merekalah 'frontliner' dalam sistem pendidikan kita. Bukan ibubapa, bukan pegawai ppd, bukan pegawai kpm, bukan juga pak-pak Menteri sebaliknya para gurulah barisan paling hadapan yang melaksanakan sistem pendidikan kita. Maka wajarlah suara dan pendapat mereka yang paling utama diambilkira untuk menambah baik pendidikan kita sendiri.

14. Seperti jika pergi berperang, yang paling sesuai bagi cadangan adalah askar-askar yang pergi membuat reconnaissance atau askar yang berdepan dengan musuh di medan perang kerana merekalah yang paling faham akan situasi di lapangan. Jika pendapat mereka ini tidak diambil kira oleh pegawai atasan mereka, maka tak mustahil mereka akan terkorban diserang bertalu-talu.

15. Pernah saya sertai satu kem motivasi. Saya antara sedikit pelajar B. Ed. TESL yang ada dalam kem itu. Yang lain ramai daripada mereka menuntut dalam bidang kedoktoran, farmasi, undang-undang, ekonomi dan bermacam lagi. Sewaktu memberi taklimat berkenaan 'field of study' kepada adik-adik peserta kem motivasi, ramai yang bercerita tentang hebatnya dan pentingnya kursus yang diambil. Bahawa seusai pengajian mereka akan jadi lawyer, doktor, pharmacist, economist, strategist, dan gist-gist lain yang sememangnya bergaji besar dan berprestij tinggi. Kemudian sampai giliran saya, saya berkongsi kata-kata ini, "A doctor heals the patient, a lawyer protects the innocent, a pharmacist gives you the right medication BUT a teacher teaches to educate and create more professional individuals like these guys for the benefit of the people."

16. Begitulah tanggungjawab dan peranan seorang guru. Pendapat saya, seorang guru bukannya mahu dimuliakan dengan sanjungan dan pujian apatah lagi tatkala 16 Mei bilamana pujian oleh politikus-politikus negara untuk kaum guru terpampang didada-dada akhbar. Seorang guru juga bukannya mahu kerja mudah apabila merungut tentang beban kerja yang terlampau. Apa yang guru mahu adalah beri ruang dan kepercayaan untuk para guru mengajar kerana itulah kebolehan professional mereka serta jangan dibebankan dengan kerja-kerja lain yang akan menjejaskan keberkesanan pekerjaan mereka.

17. Cuba anda bayangkan, disamping membuat 'check-up' dan membuat keputusan ubat apa untuk diberikan kepada pesakit, seorang doktor juga disuruh menjaga sendiri kebersihan dan keceriaan biliknya. Atau diarah membuat kertaskerja dan menguruskan program kesihatan dua bulan sekali. Atau doktor itu perlu menguruskan bilik farmasi dan bilik peralatan hospital. Atau merancang aktiviti-aktiviti kokurikulum untuk kakitangan hospital seminggu sekali. Tak ke kelam-kabut jadinya? Tidakkah kita belajar dalam subjek TITAS diperingkat universiti dan kolej bahawa pengkhususan pekerjaan adalah salah satu ciri utama yang dipelajari oleh tamadun awal dunia seperti mesopotamia untuk menjadi besar dan berjaya.

18. Pendidikan Malaysia menjadi cacamarba apabila semakin banyak tangan-tangan yang campurtangan dalam memperkenalkan polisi itu, polisi ini tanpa mengambil kira pendapat para guru. Tak perlu saya bincangkan mengenai PPSMI yang sudah pun terkubur setelah menelan belanja berjuta-juta. Apatah lagi nak saya katakan tentang SPPBS yang sedang bermaharajalela sekarang ini? Dimana tempatnya suara para guru dalam isu-isu sebegini? 

19. Gurulah yang terpaksa dan dipaksa menjalankan pengurusan sistem sebegini yang lebih banyak mendatangkan beban akibat perancangan dan pengurusan tidak teratur. Kenapa perlu buang masa para guru dengan perkara sebegini sedangkan merekalah pejuang pendidikan kita dan 'the real battle is in the classroom!!'. Pejuang yang dipaksa membuat perkara lain akan kehilangan tenaga dan menjadi lemah untuk berdepan dengan peperangan sebenar. 

20. Akhir kata, majulah pendidikan untuk Malaysia dulu, kini dan selamanya. Kerana jika bukan pendidikan yang kita utamakan, apa lagi yang ada dalam masa depan generasi muda Malaysia?

Alter Terahsia Bangsa Melayu

Yang pastinya, UMNO itu berasal daripada Melayu tetapi asal-usul Melayu datangnya jauh lebih lama daripada apa yang ditaksirkan oleh kerajaan pimpinan UMNO sekarang.

Jemput baca 4 artikel berkenaan asal-usul orang Melayu.

Artikel 1: Berkenaan pengaruh bahasa dan budaya Melayu yang sangat luas.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46504218/ATBM-3-5-04-Artikel-Pengiring-Pelajaran1

Artikel 2: Berkenaan penempatan orang Melayu yang banyak di pesisiran pantai.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46504237/ATBM-3-5-05-Artikel-Pengiring-Pelajaran-2

Artikel 3: Berkenaan perkongsian budaya dan bahasa antara kaum-kaum Austronesia.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46504255/ATBM-3-5-06-Artikel-Pengiring-Pelajaran-3

Artikel 4: Melayu proto dan Melayu deutro, bukti Melayu berasal daripada Nusantara.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/46504275/ATBM-3-5-07-Artikel-Pengiring-Pelajaran-4

Benar atau tidak, sekurang-kurangnya penjelasan ini lebih komprehensif dan mudah difahami perkaitannya jika dibandingkan dengan penjelasan dalam buku teks sejarah yang sedia ada di sekolah.

Puchong people, where you at?

Selamat sejahtera!

Projek terbaru TFTN ialah aktiviti kesukarelawanan dengan kerjasama Projek Iqra' di Rumah at-Taqwa, Putra Perdana, Puchong. Sukarelawan adalah dialu-alukan menyertai projek ini bagi mengajar anak-anak yang memerlukan di sana.

Projek kerjasama TFTN dan Projek Iqra' ini akan menjadi perintis kepada program kerjasama TFTN dengan NGO yang berminat dengan aktiviti dan khidmat kesukarelaan yang kami jalankan.

Sesi pertama akan di adakan pada 19 Januari (Ahad) ini. Kami memerlukan keprihatinan dan keluhuran hati sukarelawan TFTN untuk sama-sama turun dan menjayakan sesi pertama ini.

Sila hubungi Expansion Project Manager, Ismael Za Azrene (014-9303851) yang menjadi penyelaras bersama sebelum Project Manager dilantik.

Mari bersama gerakkan semangat sukarelawan anda ke Rumah at-Taqwa

2014, #TFTNPeduli. We care, we share!

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Alamat penuh:

Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Bimbingan At Taqwa

No 1, Jalan Putra Perdana 6/10

Taman Putra Perdana

Capaian untuk FB Volunteer: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tftn.volunteers/

Dear teacher: An open letter

Salam.

This is a letter I would love for all teachers out there to read. It was written by LouAnne Johnson, author of Teaching Outside The Box. Here we go.

Dear Teacher:

Thank you. Thank you for being a teacher.

And thank you for choosing to use your time and talents teaching students when you had so many other career options, most of which offer better pay, more comfortable working conditions, and much more respect from the general public than the teaching profession does.

Thank you for taking yet another exam to prove your competence, although you have already completed five or more years of college and hundreds of dollars' worth of standardised tests.

Thank you for continuing to teach higher-level thinking skills and advanced academics, in spite of having test after test added to your curriculum requirements, without any additional instruction time.

Thank you for getting up at 5 or 6 a.m. every day to go to a graceless room bathed in artificial light, a windowless closet, or a dilapidated trailer and for coping with the malfunctioning or nonexistent air conditioning and heating.

Thank you for eating your lunch out of a box on a folding chair in a sparsely furnished lounge where a working coffee maker is a treat and a functioning microwave oven is a luxury.

For spending your so-called time off grading papers; making lesson plans; and attending professional development conferences, committee meetings, restructuring meetings, parent-teacher conferences, school board meetings, and continuing education classes.

Thank you for working countless hours of unpaid overtime because it is the only way to do your job well and because you cannot do less. And for not reminding people constantly that if you were paid for your overtime, you could retire tomorrow and never have to work again.

Thank you for consistently giving respect to children who don't know what to do with it and don't realise what a valuable gift you are offering. And for caring about children whose families don't care-or don't know how to show that they do.

Thank you for spending your own money on pens and pencils, erasers and chalks, papers, tissues, bandages, birthday gifts, treats, clothing, shoes, eyeglasses-and a hundred other things that your students need but don't have.

For spending sleepless nights worrying about a struggling student, wondering what else you might do to help overcome the obstacles that life has placed in his or her path.

Thank you for raiding your own children's closets to find a pair of shoes or a sweater for a child who has none. And for putting your own family on hold while you meet with the family of a struggling student.

For believing in the life-changing power of education.

For maintaining your belief that all students can learn if we can learn how to teach them. And for putting up with the aching back, creaky knees, tired legs, and sore feet that go with the teaching territory.

Thank you. Thank you for giving hopeless children enough hope to continue struggling against poverty, prejudice, abuse, alcoholism, hunger and apathy that are a daily part of so many tender young lives.

For risking your job to give a child a much-needed hug. For biting your tongue and counting to a million while a parent lists the reasons why your incompetence is responsible for the misbehaviour of his or her undisciplined, spoiled, obnoxious child.

For taking on one of the most difficult, challenging, frustrating, emotionally exhausting, mentally draining, satisfying, wonderful, important and precious jobs in the world.

Thank you for being a teacher.
You truly are an unsung hero.
You have my respect and my gratitude.