Day 1. It's a new year.

School holiday!

***

Gave extra classes to 14 Form 2 students and a Form 3 class, yesterday and today. Most of the students in this Form 3 class failed their Science paper last year. What can you teach in one hour? Only one concept.

.

I am a class teacher of 1 Zamrud, the 3rd class out of 5 classes. I teach them History. In their 1st monthy test, 1 student got 80%, half got 70% and above, the other half 60% and above and about 3 students got 60% and below(1 failed). This is the 3rd cleverest class. So is this a good thing or a bad thing?

.

I teach Science to 2 Intan, the last class. One boy got 70% and some got quite good results! So I tried comparing their answers and I noticed that they do not tally. They made mistakes at different questions. So it's either they've remembered what I've drilled them or they had a Science book underneath their paper...Sigh..

It needs to work too.

Why did I chop off its tail? Ish. But..not bad for a Point and Shoot camera, right? I am surprised with what Canonite The Camera can do sometimes.

Courage!

Pooch.

6.00pm - 7.00pm

Morning, Evening, Night.

(Exposure time-6 seconds, I set it on timer and laid the camera in the floor...hehe)

(Exposure time-15 seconds, on timer and again I laid the camera on the floor but facing upwards)

***

I was asking God how, how, how am I going to be involved in the school choir (wasn't sure there was one).

And then, she asked me whether I was interested to join Kelab Kebudayaan and train the kids for choir. Prayer answered!

But, afternoon supervisor for tennis?!

I'm also the afternoon supervisor for the Alat Pandang Dengar Room. Easy Smeasy. Just make sure it's locked everyday and it's always in good condition.

Come shine on me.

***

So, I've been teaching at Mangosteen school for one week. Here are some of my observations, thoughts and also happenings that took place last week.

I have learnt to accept My School but there are still new(sad to say) surprises each day. There are so many things that can and need to be improved but I guess some people are just not bothered.

I feel that all TESL students (especially the good ones) in the universities should seriously consider teaching in government schools. It's sad to see many good ones opting to teach elsewhere or not to even become a English teacher. The bulk of students comes from these schools (rural and urban) and they are the ones who will end up serving the country (not students from International Schools and elsewhere).

We are short of good English teachers.

If only the academically challeged students realise that there is a world bigger than their own coconut shells. If only they realise that there is more to life than running around like hooligans. If only they realise that the are more important things in life.

I still thank God for my posting. Some things don't just come to me. I don't even need to ask. It just comes. A teacher from my school asked me whether I could give Biology tuition to her daugther and her friends. I was thinking, I could start now, if not when? So I said yes.

I am a class teacher of 1 Zamrud and I am so glad they are more well behaved then the other 6 form 1 classes which I'm teaching Sejarah. I reckon they are afraid of me after giving them a list of class rules to follow. Good! Good!

Three form one boys in the 2nd last class cannot read or write in Malay.

How in the world am I going to teach them History?

I think Indian boys and girls look very cute when they smile or laugh.

Oh, but they're real devils when they're naughty.

I went to the last Form 1 class to teach. This classroom is located in one god-forsaken corner, far, far away from all the other classes. Oh, I didn't teach because NONE of the students were in the class. I waited for almost 20 minutes and went back to the staff room. I have never seen such a terrible looking classroom in my 13 years in school. (I taught they were playing truant, but our dear school counselor had no courtesy to inform the teachers that she was having some program maju diri with them.)

There is always an opportunity to improve and I am going to make myself useful (and better) to the school...and to my family.

Inspiration.

More pictures here.

***

I am not a spoilt brat.

Can you imagine, I have to teach History to all the Form One classes in my school?

11.14pm. 2010 soon. Happy New Year!

Playing with Shadows.

***

I have reported at Mangosteen School and I am now officially a teacher. Today we had our first staff meeting (3 hours!). Frank McCourt would love to teach here because only 39% passed all subjects in PMR. Only 12 Form 1 students out of 163 and 31 Form 2 students out of 163, passed all subjects in their final exam

This is officially the worst school in My Town.

Although my options are Biology and Maths, I am required to teach Form 1 History, Maths and PJK. (grrr...) and I am also a class teacher.

Nevertheless, I am SO grateful to God for getting a placement in a school that is so near to Home although it took me some time to get used to the news. Everything worked out so well. It was a surprise because most teachers were not posted back to their hometowns. To those who know me well, you'd know that it would be rather difficult if I were posted far away. (If I didn't get It, I would have applied for Sabah and then I'd be so far away from my Parents).

There's a reason and purpose for everything. (even if I have to live with It for many, many years).

2010's going to be a great year!

:-)

40 years together!

My Daddy and Mummy

20th December 1969