Every Child is Special

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

Children are born with different talents, abilities and skills to help them survive the world when they grow up. Their unique personalities make them special in their own ways. Thus, it is crucial to understand that when these children go to school, no one is actually better than anyone else. As good and sensible citizens, we should not belittle and discriminate students who do not excel in examinations. Parents and teachers too should stop comparing one child with another. If this happens, the child will develop inferiority complex and it will kill his or her self-confidence. Clearly, this doesn’t help the child to polish their hidden potential buried inside.

With national public examinations just around the corner, UPSR, PT3, SPM and STPM candidates are struggling hard to reach the target set by the school. Remedial classes and academic camps are making students’ schedule packed just to ensure that they will score the maximum number of As in the examinations. In consequence, the pressure takes place and the fun in learning is slowly washed away. This is the reality the students need to face to satisfy every hoper and well-wisher.

            I remember watching “Taare Zameen Par”, a 2007 movie directed by a true talent Aamir Khan. It was about a dyslexic eight-year-old boy whom parents felt embarrassed as he flunked every test unlike his top-scoring elder brother. The parents failed to identify their younger child’s cognitive problems. He was then transferred to a boarding school just to meet an art teacher who managed to apply effective strategies to activate the boy’s intelligences. The teacher discovered that the boy was gifted with visual intelligence that allowed him to develop his artistic skills brilliantly.

            According to the book “Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences” published in 1983, Howard Gardner proposed the idea of Multiple Intelligences with seven distinct intelligences to highlight; Visual, Linguistic, Logical, Musical, Kinesthetic, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal.  Children are believed to possess all the intelligences and they are likely to be prone to some intelligences that determine their learning styles and ways of thinking. In this case, I am proud of the teachers who vary their teaching methods as it shows that they are concerned about the students’ needs and learning preferences. This will make students enjoy the learning session even more.

            As an English teacher, I am usually assigned to teach last classes of both lower and secondary forms. Majority of the students are not well-off and their social background affects their view of education and their interest in learning. They are perceived as a bunch of rule breakers who would only tarnish the school reputation. Problematic learners always agree that rules are meant to be broken but they forget that determined teachers are always there to fix the broken pieces. The responsibilities are undoubtedly heavy and the tasks are challenging but it’s time for teachers to do some homework. This is the opportunity for teachers to take teaching to the next level by experimenting new tricks and techniques in the classroom. If there’s no pain, there’s no gain. Teachers might have to endure heartaches and headaches along the way but eventually, the passion the teachers build will result in the satisfaction money can’t buy.

In my humble opinion, obtaining good grades for primary and secondary education does not guarantee the students to maintain the outstanding achievement in their tertiary education. Failures are not losers. Thomas Edison, William Shakespeare and Bill Gates prove it all. They are perfect examples of successful people who didn’t make it during their school days.  

            Students should be encouraged to learn, not forced, to get straight As. Let them burn the midnight oil willingly. Motivate them the right way and the seeds of inspiration in them will grow naturally. Do not blame the gradual process, because Rome wasn’t built in one day.

Teaching is indeed a bittersweet journey. True teachers do not just teach. They learn from their students too, and the more they learn, the better they will become.

How HEALTHY Are Our Children? (An Article Made for New Straits Times)

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

Health is wealth. A healthy lifestyle is a contributing factor to students performing well in their studies. Thus, it is frustrating that many students in both primary and secondary schools are taking this matter lightly and that, they even enjoy leading an unhealthy lifestyle. I am currently serving my third school of my teaching career and this is what I observe every day.

The classroom environment is not motivating students to focus during the learning session and to build interest in subjects. Rubbish is everywhere. Tables and chairs are not neatly arranged, and the notice boards are not informative or properly utilized, let alone, decorated. Children will engage in the lesson less effectively to result in their low achievement in examinations. Filthy classrooms are not conducive to learning and invite boredom. In short, this is unhealthy.

When they go for a break, they tend to choose unhealthy food over balanced meals. Junk foods, crackers and carbonated drinks have become students’ daily fare in many schools. Even though they have been exposed with bad effects of consuming unhealthy food through motivational talks organized by schools, the useful information unfortunately falls on deaf ears. It is a guilty pleasure for them to indulge in those unhealthy snacks with artificial food additives and soft drinks that are high in sugar. Little do they know their frequent consumption of the unhealthy foods and beverages can cause more health problems that they ever realize.

 Apart from cleanliness and wrong food consumption, students are also unhealthy in their speech. The use of foul language becomes increasingly common among students when they share stories and discuss homework, and this is worrying. Teenagers are apparently more comfortable using swear words to their peers. If this continues, the next generation will grow up as people with bad manners and decency will become extinct. Worse comes to worst, Malaysia might be ranked lower when a research on politeness and courtesy is conducted.

This issue needs to be taken seriously to avoid having grown children following the trend. With the launch of Malaysia Education Development Plan (2013-2025) and the approaching 2020, we are responsible in helping our Malaysian students strive for excellence not just in their academic performance but also in terms of morality and attitudes. Parents need to practise smart parenting as they are the main educators of their sons and daughters. School authorities should brainstorm on effective strategies and plan special programs to decrease the number of students with unhealthy habits. The media also should attract students’ attention by promoting and encouraging healthy lifestyles on online platforms. Together, let’s do our part in producing quality individuals for the sake of our country’s future as that’s what a caring family member does.

        

 August 18, 2014

57 Years of Glory (Malaysia, Where Love Grows)

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

Malaysia is celebrating its 57^th Independence Day this year and it is special in its own way especially when the number 57 coincides with the year the country was declared free which was 1957. With the theme ‘Disini Lahirnya Sebuah Cinta’ (Malaysia, Where Love Grows), it lifts up the patriotic spirit among the citizens from all walks of life. The theme is meaningful, significant and most importantly close to the heart and it is undoubtedly perfect to promote love between the people and for the country.

For a long stretch of time, Malaysia has been praised and remembered for its beauty and the people are described as friendly, polite and helpful. The unique and colourful culture has attracted tourists from many countries and continents to choose Malaysia as their destination for holiday trips. The picturesque views of beaches, islands and mountains have made avid travelers leave the country with unforgettable experiences and happy memories. Our high profile landmarks too have become our signatures that are among the best in the world.  We even have world class athletes that make us feel prouder to be Malaysian.

Everything sounds wonderful but have we ever asked ourselves what we are still lacking? 2020 is just six years away and Malaysians need to be well prepared to face the long-awaited moment so that the plan our dearly former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad tabled during the 6^th Malaysia Plan in 1991 will result in great success. Thus, we need to start reflecting ourselves when there is still time.  The 20 aspects highlighted below hopefully would open our eyes and help us answer the rhetorical question. Let us all be smart Malaysians in making the country a place with beauty and brains. After all, isn’t it what everyone votes for?

1)      ATTITUDES:

With right attitudes, Malaysia would be pollution-free and discrimination-free.

2)      MINDSET:

Malaysians should develop some maturity in setting minds because a mindset could affect the whole country and the entire generation.

3)      CONTRIBUTION:

Ask ourselves about our contribution for the country or haven’t we done something to correct what is wrong and to improvise what is satisfactory?

4)      ACHIEVEMENT:

Achievement is not something to brag, it’s something for the citizens to remember, be grateful of and be positively proud of.

5)      UNITY

Every Malaysian is a family member of another Malaysian. Thus, the unity should remain as one happy family through support, tolerance, patience and various cultural celebrations.

6)      DEVELOPMENT:

Being a developing country is good but being a forever developing country is bad. It shows how effortless Malaysians are in working just a little bit harder.

7)      SOLUTION:

Malaysia is quite famous for searching for a new problem for an existing problem. It’s not about pointing fingers to individuals. It’s about coming up with a mutual agreement as a solution.

8)      EDUCATION:

Education is a general term that enables one to think about what is right and what is not. Educated people give judgment in a form of either excuses or reasons, and sadly more Malaysians fall on the former than the latter form.

9)      HAPPINESS:

Being free is about being happy and many of us smile cynically than making it sincerely.

10)   CHARITY:

Charity always begins at home and Malaysia is our home for all of us to help the needy. That’s how we become an effective solution for their problem.

11)   BRIBERY:

When we develop our country based on bribery, it will work but only temporarily. Always remember that nothing is as easy and please don’t take things easily.

12)   COURAGE:

Courage is what makes both the country and the people in it, strong. Confidence is crucial to develop our determination and risks are to be taken in producing a nation with quality.

13)   MANNERS:

Manners are seen in behaviours and they are what everyone sees and notices. Now, look back and think on how well we have done in our manners subject. Is it an “A”, a “B”, a “C”, or worse?

14)   RESPECT:

Respect is not only paid during funerals. More importantly, it is needed when somebody is still alive. So, do we practice enough respect?

15)   RESPONSIBILITY:

No one lives without responsibilities. Carry ours well and we’ll have nothing to worry about for we know that we’ve done our portion.

16)   GAME:

We love to play safe. Yes, we won’t lose but we won’t win either. So, stop being afraid about losing and start planning on strategies to be the real champion because we’d love to drop happy tears for our victory.

17)   LOVE :

Love is not individual but mutual. It is to be shared and to be spread, not to be kept in a dusty box that you’ve even lost the key to unlock it. Hatred is unfortunately better loved by us.

18)   SENSITIVITY:

Sensitivity is a feeling that Malaysians lack. It happens when we include others in our own world to be considered and thought of. It’s important giving our country two words all countries around the globe always want; PEACE and HARMONY.

19)   CIVILIZATION:

It’s quite a frustrating fact that the old generation seems to be more civilized than the one living today. There might be the Age of Modernization but Civilization, never ages.

20)   PUNCTUALITY:

Malaysians have been left million miles behind for hardly being punctual in life, and we ‘manage' to uphold that ‘tradition’ until now. Think about it. Please.

I Am Proud To Be Malaysian (A Patriotic Poem by Muhamad Solahudin Ramli)

i am proud to be malaysian

 

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

it was on this land

i started my life without a single friend

to be together with me to stand

till the moment He prepares me an end                                   

it was here

i know the alphabetical order

i know how to lead my life to the better

i know how to see the world clearer

to teach me how to be stronger

and how to live my life happier

relying on each other

respecting one another

recollecting the days i have drawn                                       

from the glorious morning I was born

till the grievous mourning when I am gone

there was nothing for me to yawn

nor to have a cynical scorn

for it’s the greatest place i have ever stepped on

Originally written on 5th August, 2008

Publicised on 7th August, 2014

Lost: A Short Story by Muhamad Solahudin bin Ramli

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

She was lost in her thought, again. The pouring rain outside the window sang her a song of reminiscence that made her go down memory lane. This time, the picture was so clear and vivid as if she had finally given the priceless chance to be a time traveller. She was smiling with the hope that her mind would choose glorious days as its destination instead of those grievous moments she once had to endure. The sudden sound of thunder made her eyes blink and a happy girl with a paint brush in her hand appeared on her mind. The girl dreamed to be like Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Michelangelo. This ambitious daydreamer always looked forward and aimed high. This girl was her.

                Painting was her passion and she could never live without her palettes and painting boards. Imagination helped her forget her worries and weepy days as she could venture into a special space of her own creation. Fantasy made her build her desired world full with merriment and excitement. That was one of the few reasons a smile was flashed on her face. Deep inside her heart, she knew that the wonderful images lingering in her mind would not happen in reality and she would come back to being a quiet girl who kept all the untold feelings no one could unfold. Still, she never stopped hoping that she would be blessed with a new day when somebody could find her to listen to her stories of life. All she needed was empathy and not sympathy for she knew that the latter would just make her feel worse.

               

A lightning strike had surprised her as she was recollecting her past. Out of the blue, three friendly and familiar faces joined her recollection. They were her joyful and helpful friends who changed her life for the better and she could never be grateful enough for the three blessings she was given. God had listened to her prayers and her wishes too had been granted well. Sarah, Siti and Orkid were her laughter when she was down and moody. They were her medicine when she was not feeling well, and they were her solution when things went wrong. She personally loved the fact that Orkid was named after a beautiful type of flowers she truly admired and perhaps that was why she was closest to her.

                Their friendship was so strong that it just grew stronger on any day unlike the decaying leaves and melting snows. They never gave up and lost hope as they believed in the line, “Together We Stand, Divided We Fall”. Although all of them came from different backgrounds, they still managed to develop chemistry and camaraderie just like other close friends. Their great level of maturity and sensitivity had taught them that everyone was special in His eyes and there was nothing wrong to do something right. They understood that everything that happened to her in the past was not her choice but a fate she had to undergo. As true friends, they kept supporting her to go on with life and to survive the days with confidence and hope.

                She was surprised by another sound of thunder when her mind brought her back to her childhood days. She was a 4 year-old little girl who loved to sketch and read fairy tales. Everything was so perfect and wonderful until this traumatic tragedy occurred right before her eyes. Her family was a victim of breaking and entering and the horrible looks of the criminals were her nightmares for many years. Her mother was brutally hit by one of the three men and her father was stabbed seven times in the back when he was trying to save his struggling wife.

What about her? After her parents convinced the robbers that she was away at her grandmother’s house, they stopped searching for her. Hiding herself in a room, she was too afraid to scream and all she could do was cover her face with a story book hoping that everything was just a fantasy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. She could feel the wet pages of the book touching her chubby cheeks. She believed she had dropped an ocean of tears that night. Her heart was palpitating and she could not stop perspiring in the dark room. After few hours, the men left the home with valuables and she was there, dragging herself out of the room in trepidation. She was breathless and helpless. Two dead bodies were lying on the floor and her eyes could only spot one colour. Red.

Starting from that day, red was the colour she hated most as it took away her loves. How ironical. Her heart had never stopped bleeding from the moment she saw blood flowing like a river during the unforgiving incident. After the day, she lived with her unmarried aunt whom she called Aunt Rose in a new house. With the help of her three friends, she continued her life with patience and strength until she became an artist. Her three classmates however ended up in different fields. Sarah became a teacher, Siti was a businesswoman and Orkid worked at a hospital as a nurse.

                One fine morning, there was an exhibition organized specially to publicise the work of 5 selected artists and she was thankful to have been chosen as one of them. She put on her best dress for the event and made herself look stunning in her brand new heels. It was her long time dream to display her paintings in a grand ceremony and she couldn’t help but feel overexcited about it. However, her euphoria caused her to get involved in a road accident when she was accelerating impatiently. Her car hit the divider before it crashed into a trailer.

                Her life was indeed a tragic tale. She was wondering why she was always denied life bliss when she was a step closer to it. She was now on her deathbed suffering from critical brain damage with severe injuries at other parts of the body. Siti and Sarah were still on their way to the hospital when the rain slowly stopped. Her eyes blinked just to drop final tears before she uttered her last two words, “Thank You” to me, Orkid.

The world had just lost a great artist but we, her three cheerleaders, had never lost her as she would remain in our heart and mind forever.

Written by,

Muhamad Solahudin bin Ramli

May 16, 2014

The Challenging Road to Blessings

The Challenging Road to Blessings

          I am neither a frequent flyer nor an avid traveller to be honest. So, when I planned to take a trip out of Malaysia last March, I was visited by many kinds of feelings that made me rethink about my decision. At the end of the day, I still needed to thank God for giving me a chance to finalize a right decision as I actually proceeded with the plan to go to Saudi Arabia. The original plan was actually laid out by my third sister and later, my parents and my youngest sister came into the picture. As we were preparing ourselves for the pilgrimage, my paternal grandmother finally joined our family trip of six to the holy land, Mecca.

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

          It’s indeed every Muslim’s dream to reach Medina and Mecca especially to get closer to God as well as to dear Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. But nothing is made easy. There will be great challenges that come and go throughout the process and everyone is given different ones to face and to bear. Since it is crucial and necessary for everyone to be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for any future circumstances, I was following the crowd in this case. I tried my best to be a better servant of God by remembering Him more and being kinder towards others. I kept my patience and positivity close to me and believed that God only tested the ones whom He really loved.

          Six weeks before the day of departure, I was stunned by my unexpected sickness that challenged me in every way. I had never felt this painful and torturing before and I knew that my time and turn had come. The test was so great that I almost cancelled my Umrah trip and if I were to do so, all other five family members would have to follow suit. The sudden illness had really affected my routine and career as a teacher. The effects were gradually felt day by day till the point that I needed to stop staying at hostel since my condition got worse. I went across districts just to seek for treatment to at least reduce the pain with the hope that one day I would be fully recovered. I began to take medical leaves for the first times in my teaching career and it was frustrating to accept the fact that things didn’t get any better. I wasn't even able to drive and my energy was slowly washed away as days passed. I was a helpless young man who was stuck and speechless in a world no one would want to venture into.

          After a few weeks, I finally made the decision to still go on with the original plan in spite of having to struggle with my health condition. I had no choice but to fight it till we finished our 12-day trip to the holy land. With my family members by my side, I tried to be strong and left the rest to God. It was difficult at first but I believed that He would never test His servant something unbearable so I kept my faith stronger.

          The journey to the Kuala Terengganu airport was a tough one. I suddenly lost my confidence but I didn’t mention to anyone. The airport was indeed full with family members and relatives including ours who waved us goodbye and wished us a smooth sailing journey. I couldn’t respond much as my head was not in a good state. The headaches came back and I lost my focus, again. All I could do was smile and they seemed to understand my uncomfortable condition. I just couldn’t stop praying that everything would be fine and God would welcome us to be His guests.

At the airport with my grandmother

          The journey finally began when we boarded the plane to Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) before taking the flight to Dubai on the next day. When we reached Dubai, we took a connecting flight to Jeddah and the real adventure was awaiting us there. The airport was crowded with people and the check-in procedures were slower than a moving tortoise. Everyone was forced to line up accordingly as they provided special lines for women and the elderly. A young man like me was instructed to stand in different lines for five tedious hours before I was allowed to pass through the first station. Some chose to be angry but I decided to be patient, miraculously. God sure had mercy on me that He gave me the strength I never knew I had. That unbelievable moment made me hope for the best and prepare for the worst even more.

          Before heading to Mecca, we spent three days in Medina as part of the overall plan. I was quite overwhelmed with the place as it was beautiful and peaceful in its own way. Masjid Nabawi or the Prophet’s Mosque was truly amazing in every aspect. People from many countries around the world filled in the area but you could still feel the calmness and tranquility deep within your soul. That made the place special and extraordinary.

After performing our first Umrah

          After three days, we continued our journey to Mecca to perform our long-awaited Umrah for approximately 8 days. We were lucky that the temperature wasn’t as high as it would be in May or June. But the place was a bit crowded with many devotees coming in big groups. Here, we had to be extra careful with our personal belongings as anything could happen when we were stuck in the ocean of people especially on our way back from Masjidil Haram to our hotel. Interestingly enough, it was quite a rare view for me to observe thousands of people of different races, skin colours, nationalities, ages and personalities to gather in one place to complete one similar mission. There were a million and one stories written on every strange face I came across. Some prayed in desperation while others stayed calm appreciating the golden opportunity only selected ones received.  

In front of Masjidil Haram

          Our days in Mecca were made more intriguing with the visits our group leaders planned beforehand. We had been given a priceless chance to witness many historical places especially the ones that told great stories about the lives of Prophet Muhammad, his family and his loyal companions. We were touring the city while sparing a moment to pay our respect to the great people who had gone before us. On our way back to the hotel, we passed by a few places where wars and fighting took place. It was like a dream for me to capture the moment with my own eyes as before this, I could only imagine the settings when I read the books and listened to the stories.

          After 12 days of travelling around the country, we were ready to go back to our dearly-missed motherland with the hope that we could slowly change into becoming a better person. The journey was fine until I slipped in the toilet in the Dubai airport that caused some uninvited cuts and bruises on the arms and backaches on the back. The challenge seemed to still continue and I was subconsciously blaming myself for committing too many mistakes previously to experience these ordeals now.

Aren't those camels adorable?

          Despite the injuries, I still enjoyed my flight with Emirates that provided the best service to their customers. The food was nice and the movies on the personal screen were not bad too. The long flight was indeed a treat and I hope I could board on it again in the future.

          After some ups and downs in the dark and bright sky, we eventually landed at Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Terengganu on a Friday afternoon and there everyone was. The faces we saw and the hands we shook before our departure were all there again for our arrival. They heaved a sigh of relief as their loved ones had returned safe and sound.

Standing between my father on the right and my roommate on the left

          The memorable journey has left its significant footprint behind and it sure has taught me new lessons to live this life feeling grateful each day. It was a long read but there were still missing details I excluded on purpose just because some truths are better left untold.

"The writer learns that some lessons in this world need to be earned before they are to be learned."

Sounds of Love: A Poem by Muhamad Solahudin bin Ramli

SOUNDS OF LOVE

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

Those mornings that woke me up

Those nights that kept me staying up

I had never given it up…

I remembered the worst lullabies I sang

That made me sleep before you rang

The time I would hear a bang

You would say something out of desperation

Explaining your bad action

I shook my head in exasperation

It was like a magic spell

You had grown up well

No more tales to tell

I sometimes missed the smell

When you were shouting like hell

But you rang me no bell

I longed for the lips

Landing on my cheeks

I longed for the body

Holding me close saying “Daddy”

I longed for those killing smiles

That drove me crazy

I longed for those healing smiles

That made me feel cozy

I needed neither Michaelmas Daisy on September

Nor a bouquet of red roses each year

I just wanted you to remember

Your words to your story-teller

Saying I would never leave you father

And I would love you ever after

Those words I would inspire

To live my life with no fear

Forgetting you, I never could

Even the moment I left for good

 "This poem was written in conjunction with Father's Day children celebrate each year."