Gender Equality (The "Weaker Sex" Work Hard to Prove Their Worth)

Emma Watson during her speech on gender quality.

            Last month, United Nation Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson delivered an inspiring speech on gender equality. Her professional approach to invite more men to support feminism – the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities – was something to be proud of. The speech should be a wake-up call to all. I salute women who can control their emotions even when discussing civil rights violations, as many men fail to stay calm when trying to stand their ground.

There were the days when women were only allowed to reach a certain level in their education as they were expected to live their lives serving their husbands and taking care of the children. 

A scene in Mona Lisa Smile

This conservative idea is portrayed in Mona Lisa Smile – a film set in 1953 in Massachusetts. In the movie, all Wellesley College female students are trained to be a good wife after their graduation (despite their potential to go further) as the school believes that the grade that matters most comes from their husband. Those days are gone, except for some countries in Africa, where some women are still denied the right of going to school.

Nicol Ann David, Malaysia's precious diamond.

In Malaysia, there are women who outperform men in school and at work. In squash, Nicol Ann David is the world No.1 for eight years. Siti Nurhaliza is a star in the music industry. The top student awards are conquered by female achievers. Their hard work, strong will and positive attitude makes them who they are today.

In the corporate world, women who break the glass ceiling are lucky. This is because some other potential female employees are left unnoticed, and they could only watch their male colleagues take the glass escalator. In Japan, only 10 per cent of the managerial positions are represented by women, according to Mutsuko Murakami in her column, “A better future for Japanese women?” (New Straits Times, Oct 6). These women do all it takes to produce the best quality of work and they deserve fair treatment from all.  

A man supporting HeForShe Campaign

Most of the time, men forget that actions speak louder than words. Some men claim that they are the superior gender, but they do not walk the talk. Women, on the other hand, strive for excellence to prove that they can be as excellent as their male counterparts.

Every year, girls face great competition before they are selected to join a university while male applicants experience a contradictory situation.

Some boys agree that books are for girls, so, to grab one and read would make them less manly. Those immature boys will finally involve in crime instead of studying.

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

Men should stop labelling women as the weaker sex because the stereotyping is no longer relevant. Men and women need to see eye to eye and work hand in hand from now on. To all men, we need to wake up and be true gentlemen.

Courtesy to New Straits Times,

8 October 2014

Reading Habits (Literature Is Not Boring)

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

            In 1925, Alfred North Whitehead wrote: “It is in literature that the concrete outlook of humanity receives its expression.” With violence and inhumanity becoming the cup of tea for the heartless, it should be the utmost concern of parents to ensure that their offspring grow up with sense and sensibility. 

           

Alfred North Whitehead,
Philosopher (1861-1947) 

From the ruthless episodes of wars around the world and the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, to the physical assault on a New Straits Times photographer, it seems like brutality and aggression have no plans to slow down. These phenomena take away peace and the beauty of life, and we should regain what we have lost, through literature.

            

             When a child is born, it means the world for the parents to hear and witness the first word uttered by their little sweetheart. To encourage the child to speak more, parents buy books and flash cards. This is the first exposure to literature. 

Reading materials for children.

          It is a smart move for parents to inculcate reading habits in children beginning from when they are toddlers. Fables and fairy tales are perfect for children’s imagination and enjoyment. To engage interest in these young readers, excellent illustrations help. As they flip through the pages, children will build their curiosity and emotions. One way to keep them close to the world of literature is by reading them bedtime stories. In the process, they will develop their emphatic feeling to help them become a selfless person later.

My book collection.

            In his column, “Beauty in words immeasurable, but real” (New Sunday Times, Sept 21), Wan A. Hulaimi suggested that children needed to learn literature and poetry as logic would not give them the answer every time. It was a good decision by the Education Ministry to include literature in the English syllabus. Unfortunately, students pay attention to details in short stories, poems and novels only for obtaining good exam scores. 

Literature is not boring. It teaches us lessons. It makes us justify our words and actions. It makes us think about others. It helps us weigh the pros and cons before finalizing decisions. And finally, it gives us a good heart.

Courtesy to New Straits Times

4 October 2014

Jihad (Understand the True Concept)

            The trick strategy of the Islamic State (IS) uses to recruit members from all over the world, including Malaysia, to join the organization has made many fall into its trap. It has lured many naive youths to become members to fight in Syria and Iraq. These extremists think they are jihadists, but are they really?

            First, let us be clear with the concept of jihad. "Jihad" is an Arabic word that means “struggle” or “resisting”. Its definition is wide and the seemingly most common one - that of going to war, wielding a sword, and finally being declared a "martyr" - is only one way of looking at this concept.

During the early history of Islam, Prophet Muhammad once returned from a tragic war and told his dear companions that the war they had just fought was only a small jihad, and they needed to prepare for the bigger one- resisting desires and temptations. 

In this modern era, humans are tested with greater challenges that make it hard for them to say "no" to their yearnings. They prioritize their wants over their needs just to make them the next greedy person. This is the jihad they need to win before they sign up with a jihadist group.

Learning is also another way to show our jihad. Knowledge is power. To spend our lifetime feeding our curiosity and sharing the answers with the rest is a noble act of jihad. Learning is a lifelong process that helps us become wise, knowledgeable and respected.

Knowledge helps us fight for truth and justice to end the oppression and to emancipate the innocent. The pen is mightier than the sword. Intellectual jihadists are courageous and confident warriors who should stay humble. The knowledge we gain should guide us towards the right path for us to make justified decisions. We seek knowledge for the right reasons and not for recognition.

Negativity is a silent killer that makes life meaningless and worthless. It is also a sinful pleasure we indulge in but to restrain ourselves from eating the forbidden fruit is an achievement and a jihad. When we stay away from unhealthy habits like smoking, overspending, gossiping, clubbing or being hardly punctual for an appointment, we have succeeded in our jihad. Those who cannot put a stop to their immoral activities just because old habits die hard should take this as a challenge en route to becoming exemplary individuals, who are faithful to their religion. 

More than 20,000 Malaysian pilgrims are performing their Haj in Mecca and these devotees struggle to earn the Haji Mabrur - an ultimate success every pilgrim dreams of. 

Now, that’s a jihad that deserves congratulatory greetings.

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

2 October 2014

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