Focus on Silver Lining Behind Misdeed

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life
a wonderful journey.

              In just a fortnight, “leak” has become a buzzword in the media and people’s daily conversations. No thanks to the masterminds behind the leak of Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), pupils had been given additional pressure following the report that Mathematics and Tamil papers too, were leaked. This issue has since garnered grouses from parents and students.

Since the questions for the four subjects are no longer valid, Year 6 pupils are required to re-sit the papers on Oct 9. This may be one childhood memory they will never forget.

Those involved in the conspiracy should regret their action for causing so much trouble to the country. The individuals who helped pupils cheat in the exams thought they knew what was best for the children but they did not. All they did was try to help the children obtain results they did not deserve. I support the idea of changing parents’ attitude in Chok Suat Ling's column, “Dishonesty’s culpability” (New Straits Times, Sept 25), as parents are the role models for the children to follow.

Nevertheless, milk has been spilt and there’s no use crying over it. Let’s focus on the silver lining behind this “cloud”.

We should stop feeling sorry for the children and instead, be proud to call them heroes who help make things right for future UPSR candidates. When the investigation comes to an end, I believe that things will change for the better. The validity of the results will also improve and no cheaters will outshine the non-cheaters. The results will come clean and students will realise their true potential.

Students should learn that there is no short cut to success. Their perseverance and determination will help them pass the bumps and pitfalls along the way. They also should start preparing for the worst besides hoping for the best, because life is full of surprises. There are opportunities in difficulties, and we should be able to see these opportunities with a positive mind. It may take time but justice will finally prevail.

Now, let’s pray that our little “heroes” will win this battle. This, too, shall pass.

27 September 2014

English Proficiency (Find Creative Ways to Teach Students)

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life
a wonderful journey.

       One of the most common excuses my students give when asked to use English during lessons is: “Why should I speak English when I was born Malay?” And, everyone else in the class would agree with their friend in no time. That is the power of peer influence. They don't foresee the challenge awaiting them in the future.

      Lately, the issue of English proficiency has been taken more seriously, and new changes have been made in the education system to enhance the level of proficiency in students and teachers alike.

Previously, it was announced that starting from 2016, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia candidates need to pass English in order to get their certificate. Just recently, it was announced that English would be made a must-pass subject for students in public universities and that they must be able to communicate effectively in English.

        All these policies are carried out for a long-term objective of making Malaysia a developed country with a high quality workforce. It is deemed essential for us to have good communication skills to go further and higher. To make these plans work well, we should not just sit back, relax and play the wait-and-see game. Instead, we should put every effort and help in any way we can.

            I have several suggestions that may be useful for English lessons.

            Before we get the students to read, write and think in English, we need to get them out of their fear of using English words. Students need to repeat after their teachers for correct pronunciation and enunciation. This drilling process will help learners get familiar with English words before they proceed with a harder task. From a psychological point of view, psychologist B.F. Skinner supports this idea of learners learning through imitation and practice

For weak learners, teaching English through songs is effective. I used to teach Form 1 students to sing My Favourite Things from the movie Sounds of Music. The song was catchy so I took this chance to teach them some body movements based on the lyrics. The activity lifted their mood and interest to learn the subject.

Teachers also need to provide extrinsic rewards. I remember buying my student Jeff Kinney's book Diary of a Wimpy Kid for his achievement in maintaining good grades in English tests. He finally managed to obtain an almost perfect score in his final exams and I couldn’t be any prouder. 

Teachers should also give compliments and positive feedback for students' effort.  When learning a second language, extrinsic motivation is important to create a stress-free learning environment. They will develop their intrinsic motivation when the pleasure of learning takes over. At this stage, they will start seeking knowledge out of curiosity for self-improvement.

Choral Speaking Team of 2013

Another effective way is through English competitions. Students who participate in English programs are more likely to perform better in oral communication and written tests.

Speech Choir Team of 2011

My experience training students from different levels of proficiency for various English competitions has proven that participants manage to gain new vocabulary and improve their articulation skills. Above all, they begin to build confidence conversing in English with their classmates. Here, it is important for teachers not to correct too many grammatical mistakes the students make in their speech. Otherwise, students will become de-motivated and lose their confidence.

English Drama Team of 2014

For weaker learners, teachers should provide scaffolding to help the students expand their idea. This is supported by psychologist Lev Vygotsky who introduced the concept of Zone of proximal development (ZPD). This concept explains that children need guidance and assistance from more-skilled adults to master a difficult task.

We need to get students ready for the new requirement to pass English before they leave school and university. 

22 September 2014

Don't Let Prejudice Cloud Our Judgment

           

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life
a wonderful journey.

The investigation into the leak of Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) papers has become breaking news in many newspapers and tabloids. As the probe widens, more teachers have been arrested to help police with the investigation. Consequently, people start being judgmental and stop believing in teachers, not only the ones involved, but also those who are not. This over-generalization should not occur and the definition of the noble profession should remain positive. It is not fair to judge the quality of other apples in the basket based solely on the bad one on top. It is also necessary for us to filter everything we hear so that we will not jump to conclusions. After all, we should think before we leap, shouldn’t we?

            To treat teachers who have nothing to do with the offence as badly as the ones who have tarnished the good name of the profession, is unjust and unprofessional. It might be hard to forget a person’s mistake but to recollect his good deeds may help the forgiving process.

Let’s look at the bright side of the continuum. Teaching is, figuratively speaking, a profession that covers many other professions, too. Teachers are “doctors” who inject pace and purpose into lessons. They are “pilots” who fly the students high to achieve their dreams. They are “comedians” who crack jokes to give their students a break from studies. They are “chefs” who serve students food for thought. They are “photographers” who capture their audience’s attention in the classroom. They are “scientists” who experiment different strategies of learning. They are “designers” who design creative activities during lessons. They are “dancers” who ensure that students take the right steps and moves in life. They are “police officers” who help discipline the children at school. Their contributions to the world of education are countless and priceless, and they deserve our appreciation.

East of Eden published in 1952

In his 1952 novel, East of Eden, author John Steinbeck used this word, timshel- a Hebrew word that means the ‘power to choose’ between what is right and what is wrong. According to the literary work, humans have the right to make a choice in life but they have to bear with the outcomes. In the case of the leak, those involved with the crime have chosen to take the risk as they are aware of the repercussions of their actions. However, we should not punish other teachers who stay ethical and loyal to their profession. In fact, we need to be proud of them for sustaining the beauty and quality of the teaching profession.

Do not let prejudice control us and prevent us from being able to differentiate between right and wrong, innocence and guilt, and good and bad. 

It costs our teachers blood, sweat and tears to help us achieve our successes today, and we owe them for that.

18 September 2014

Children May Lose Faith in Us (following the UPSR Leak)

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life a wonderful journey.

If this were 1994, Year 6 pupils might have just re-sat their UPSR papers without much thought to the reason behind the changes. But, this is 2014 and their first introduction to ABC is not ‘Apple’, ‘Bear’ and ‘Cherry’ any more, but ‘Android’, ‘Blackberry’ and ‘Computer’. They are smart children and their minds are governed by curiosity, and this time, it doesn’t kill the cat. It kills us, the adults.

            News that UPSR candidates need to re-sit the examination due to a leak has left more than 470,000 candidates feeling disappointed and de-motivated. Unsurprisingly, people start to point fingers and cause chaos on social media. It is clearly our concern to bring the perpetrators to justice but shouldn’t we also worry about how the children perceive us now?

            At home, these children are constantly reminded by their parents about the dos and don’ts. Their teachers teach them discipline, morality and attitude at school. They visit their grandparents just to receive more advice about the importance of education and good values. The community also motivates them to keep dreaming big for their future.

            Sadly, the damage has been done and these innocent children have to suffer from it. Power has been abused. The privacy and confidentiality of the exam questions too has been broken. Children may think that we don’t practice what we preach, and they will lose faith in us.

Your front-page headline, "Preserve Exam Integrity" (New Sunday Times, September 14) showed a 12-year-old girl who felt victimized following the leaked UPSR English and Science exam papers, and who thus lodged a police report. She represents other 12-year-olds who find it hard to feign their emotion, knowing that their future is not taken seriously by some irresponsible people. It is upsetting that some of us fail to maintain our accountability and integrity, and that is a point to ponder. 

New Sunday Times, Sept 14

If this issue is repeated, chances are our eloquent speech on instilling positive values will not work that well any more. By all means, we should all adhere to the ethical principles and standards of our profession.

15 September 2014

Respect is the Key Word

            It is hard to believe but good values are dying. We are living in an era of materialism that deteriorates life values our ancestors had upheld for ages. Young people have lost their sense of appreciation of everyone and everything around them and for some, respect is a forgotten word.

The following are scenarios that happen in schools every day that show students’ insensitivity and immaturity.

            In the classroom, it is common to see educational books lying on the floor. Outside, exercise books and workbooks are discarded in the dustbin with other waste. Is that the value of books? These students throw them away without a second thought or sense of guilt. This is actually a reason why students have hard times comprehending new topics in the syllabus. The respect for knowledge is not there. This is upsetting.

            To make it worse, they disrespect not only the knowledge but also the knowledge giver. Many students treat their teachers badly and nonchalantly. For them, teachers are puppets. They lose their temper easily especially after they are taken actions for breaking the school rules. These rude students call their teachers bad names straight to the face. The teachers’ vehicles are always on target too. Just recently, a few Form 1 boys wished me, “May your house be on fire when you get home.” The words hurt but I tried not to take it personally.

            On another note, some students are caught chatting when the national anthem is sung. They should observe the moment of patriotism as a sign of respect. The special feeling to be Malaysian is clearly not instilled in them. This is certainly not the way we thank our heroes who fought to earn the freedom we enjoy today. These unpatriotic students fail to understand the value of the meaningful Negaraku.

Students also lack civic consciousness that results in a dirty environment. Rubbish on the floor and leftover food block people’s way when they walk along the corridor and the staircase. This causes discomfort and danger as they could slip or stumble on the rubbish scattered everywhere.

In his poem, “Heir Conditioning”, M SHANmughalingam expresses his disappointment towards the new generation who shows little respect for the environment. The poet reminisces the old days when pollution was not an issue and people embraced nature. Now, things are not the way they were and money is all they care about.

            One of the solutions to curb this problem is by starting an awareness campaign. I used to carry out a Clean, Clear and Conducive Campaign (4C) for the hostel in my previous school. The students work cooperatively based on the task distribution. They are free to decorate their dormitories and beautify the hostel compound creatively. The activity has not just taught them to respect their surrounding, it also teaches them to preserve the environment for the next generation.

            To show some respect is not rocket science. The children just need some guidance from their parents to help them be on the right track. We do not want our grandchildren to lose their respect on us, do we? So, start instilling good values in our children today for they are our leaders of tomorrow.

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life a wonderful journey.

 9 September 2014

The P.U.R.E Way to Living in Harmony by Muhamad Solahudin Ramli

THE POWER OF P.U.R.E

           

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie makes life a wonderful journey.

I have been caretaker to hundreds of hostel students for four years. It is a great challenge for me to make everyone understand and obey the long list of hostel rules, so I come up with P.U.R.E (Positivity, Unity, Respect, Endurance). These significant letters simplify the tedious list and are four key factors that will help occupants stay harmoniously as one happy family. After a few months, I began to notice good changes in the students’ behaviours to result in fewer disciplinary cases. The hostel is now a home and the friends are now siblings. The idea works just to make me a proud father of 200 children. For this reason, I believe that Malaysia needs to put the same effort to produce exemplary citizens whose love for the country will grow stronger each day.

            An optimist agrees that the glass is half-full. Living with positivity is living in harmony. A positive mind can turn a bad day into a breezy one. It can make a moody person smile. It can even change a person's life. Thus, we need to stay positive when we are tested with disasters, catastrophes and ordeals. They are inevitable circumstances that may be a blessing in disguise. We just need to stop playing the blame game and start reflecting on ourselves.

The second aspect is unity. Although people are racially, religiously and ethnically diverse, we should stay united as one. We should care about each other’s welfare especially that of the needy. We need to help orphans as they too deserve our attention. Our little contribution will lighten their burden and brighten their day. That is how it should be. When one cries, the other should wipe the tears. When one is lonely, the other should be the companion. When one is down, the other should cheer him up. The continuous support will eventually strengthen our bond as brothers and sisters.

            It’s undeniable that respect is an important ingredient for a harmonious community. One way to show our respect is to mind our manners. Wherever we go and whoever we deal with, we should always behave ourselves and keep our right attitude. Treat everyone nicely and avoid using vulgar words and ironic remarks to convey a message. Know our limits and respect others’ privacy. Crossing the boundaries will just cause quarrels and conflicts. We also should respect the opinions, rights, beliefs and decisions of others. People have different ideas to propose and they see things in different directions too.  

            Finally, we must learn to build mental and emotional endurance. Do not let our tantrum govern us. When there are issues, we need to respond appropriately by sharing our thoughts and giving recommendations for solutions. There’s no need for us to overreact as we will just make the situation worse. When there are changes or new policies to be implemented, we should not question its relevance and prejudge its effectiveness. If we choose to disagree, we need to go through proper channels to suggest new ideas. We have to be sensible and professional to avoid grave repercussions.

            It has been 57 years since Malaya achieved freedom. Despite all the trials, tribulations and afflictions that leave us clueless, we should continue being grateful for what we have today. Let us maintain our beautiful camaraderie while we pray for Malaysia to keep growing gloriously.