Teacher teacher... Y U Racist?

This evening I saw a Chinese music student practicing his flute vigorously in Msquare. Suddenly he just stops and puts his flute down at the sound of the Azan prayers. It got me to realize how I haven't seen such an act of respect towards others' religion or race for a while now, or how I myself might not been paying attention. Lately, all I've been hearing are complains about how smelly the others are with their incense burning and such. And all I've been seeing are flocks of the same races together in the cafeterias and the hallway - completely oblivious to the others' existence. Kalau tegur pun x, jangan harap dok makan semeja. If Malaysian teachers themselves do not practice racial unity, how are they going to cultivate this value among their own students?

In Melaka where I came from, or from what I observed during my recent visit to Sabah, racial unity was never an issue, and everyone just gets along well. Melayu, Cina, India, Baba, Portugis and all kinds of races can be seen just hanging out at the same kopitiam talking bout the weather, football and what not. We are after all living in a multicultural country, and fostering unity among all the people will ensure peace and harmony in our society. Please open your eyes people and look around, especially cikgu cikgu sekalian. Are we really as united and respectful of one another as outsiders perceived, or is this just a facade to cover the claws left in closed doors? What's the point of the education system then if the society we have now are products of straight As in exams but straight Fs in basic social values and mentality?

christopherism 1:7

"Once a teacher, always a teacher" - Professional Development Week 3 (christopherism 1:7)

This quotation has made me think about how the teaching professional is innate and that somehow teachers are born, not made. At least that's what I believe...

Many do not know about this, but I knew I was going to be a teacher since year 6 primary, ever since I made my English teacher Mrs Hong cry in front of the class. I was her favorite student, her 'walking dictionary'. However, being on top of her class has made me a mischievous and arrogant little brat. So what happened then.... I was just playing with my ruler and it fell off my desk to the front of the class, twice. She had to stop her lesson to pick it up and scold me both times. Then, on the third time, my ruler snapped! and so did she... There she was crying in the corner of the class... and this guilt that took over me was so intense and vividly haunting. It was experiences such as this that have made me  become more attentive and observant towards all my English teachers - from the little things that they say and do in the classroom and how they are with students out of the classroom.

After secondary schooling, all my close friends were all busy applying for matrix, or scholarships in engineering, medicine, accounting and more engineering! I never bothered. I just applied for teaching after I received my SPM results and with the grace of God, I'm now where I am today. I believed this was my calling and have never looked back on the 'what-ifs', or regretted arguing with my Dad who wanted me to do business. Similarly, I will not change this path destined for me and will continue to be a teacher till the day I die. 'Once a teacher, always a teacher'...

Amen.

Riddikulus!

Riddikulus! - a Harry Potter spell that turns the boggart into something ridiculous that the caster was thinking about.

And IF I were to cast that same spell... the boggart would have turned into the assessments of 'Linking Theory to Practice'.

Yes, it would turn to this:

Assignment 1 (40%): Prepare and discuss a lesson plan as part of a scheme of work.

Task a (10%): You will be given a scheme of work. Explain how the suggested teaching/ learning actvities could contribute to the intended learning outcome. Include an evaluative comment on the scheme of work and on the link between the activities and intended outcomes (250 words).

Task b (30)%: Choose and area from the scheme of work and develop a coherent lesson plan for that area drawing on principles of learning and teaching. Include objectives, rationale, activities and resource based on the prepared unit of the work above.

Write an introduction (750) words for the lesson plan explaining your thinking in developing the plan and drawing on relevant literature. Attach the plan as an appendix.

Assignment 2 (60%): Micro teaching, peer review and critical reflection.

Task a: Teach a component of your lesson (approx 10-15 minutes) followed by a discussion and feedback sessions (5-10 minutes) (not assessed).

Task b (60%): Critical reflection

Drawing on your micro teaching experience, the feedback you received and relevant literature, write a critical reflection (2000 words) including the following:

• what you chose to teach in the session and why
• the actual experience of teaching
• a summary of feedback by other students (and staff) and your response to this feedback
• an evaluative comment on the value of the process of peer feedback
• what you have learnt in the process of planning and teaching
• ways to improve your lesson plan and teaching
• a plan for developing your teaching in relation to the issues that have arisen through this exercise

Appendices:

• Materials used in your microteaching
• A completed feedback sheet on another student's microteaching

Now, what's wrong with it?

Think about it before reading the next part.

Done?

Let's look into why I think these assessments are poorly designed.

What are they really assessing?

1. The first assessment part (a) basically requires us to look into the scheme of work to explain and evaluate the linkage between suggested teaching/learning activities with intended learning outcomes. The problem is that the scheme of work is over a semester or a year's period which comprises of many suggested activities and intended learning outcomes that varies. However, the weighting of this piece is 10% and we are only given 250 words to write about it. Which means that we are expected to make generalisation of the activities in the scheme of work and the intended learning outcomes. In my opinion, cramming these much content (and possibly a full critical piece) into 250 words doesn't promote critical thinking on our part and to a certain extent, pointless.
   
   What could have been done to improve this assessment is either to focus on a small area in the scheme of work or better yet, to further develop the whole question and make it a major assignment of a minimum 2500 words that requires us to make links and justify the activities by drawing on relevant literatures. This would then ensure that the learning outcomes of this assignment is truly achieved, and not just be another assignment done for the sake of it.
   
   Task (b) is actually reasonable as it challenges our theoretical skills and how we adapt it into creating a lesson plan.
   
   
2.  The micro teaching and critical reflection in Assignment 2, although it is well designed, the instructions are poorly clarified. As the assignments were explained to us, the lecturers from different classes were not in sync with the instructions of the assignment and they each have their own interpretations of how things should be done. So the instructions became made up as they go. It was evidently a lack of organization and discussion on their part. And as a result, students were quite confused about it. These are some of the 'spontaneous' modification done towards the assignments:

• peer evaluation is written on a piece of paper to be given out to the presenter by the next day. (*updated: The students have voiced out that a more organized and standardized peer evaluation form should be provided. The sample peer evaluation forms has been obtained from Macquarie Uni and would be used for this assignment. Thank God for Hafiz.)
  
  
• In the appendices, it has become compulsory to attach all the peer evaluation form that is given to you, as well as ALL the peer evaluation form that we have written to others. That means we would each have 36 pages or more in our appendices. I think this is uncalled for and too much of a modification of the instruction. Plus, we are really wasting papers! The lecturers should instead just trust us to be critical evaluators as we have already experienced the exact same assignment twice in Macquarie and once in our first year degree. (which also makes this assignment repetitive and redundant). Besides that, 'how well you evaluate your peers' is not a part of the marking criteria of the assignment and therefore we should not be forced and supervised on documenting our feedback to others which should be respected as confidential in the first place. But rather the assignment instructions should just be maintained because it already has a clear focus and that is on how critical we synthesize others' evaluation and adapt them in our reflection piece.
  
  
• They have decided to change the marking criteria. Now, our appendices are marked...
  
  
• Another instruction changed is that staff's feedback on the micro teaching would not be given till the end of the assignment.

Comparing to the micro teachings we did in Macquarie uni, this assignment has inconsistent goals and the evaluators themselves are not sure on what they want before they issued us the assignment. This has also made us question whether the assessment measures what it's supposed to measure. I have gotten some feedback from my peers on this and they have commented that the assignments have been made "more complicated as it should have been" and quite "cincai".

Do share your opinions here whether you agree or disagree with some of my stance or all of it. And do correct me if I am wrong. It's not that I want to bombard the assessments or the execution of it. But, I do believe that being critics of an issue makes us become analytical questioners. And as Mr Jamal's shared in his story, says that, "cikgu memang banyak soalan". Additionally, being able to 'mempersoalkan' evaluation is very important as it helps us to apply our own beliefs of evaluation and make us even better evaluators in the future. This skill itself would be a great blessing for all teachers to have.

christopherism 1:6

"Promote Intelligence, Nurture Talent, Advocate Responsibility (PI.NT.AR)" - christopherism 1:6

Simply love these 3 points. Thanks Mr.Jamal for introducing this simple yet meaningful concept of PINTAR and I believe it has brought us a step closer to understanding the responsibilities of being a teacher. Let's develop more from this...

J in JERI

27 lapse achieved!!! That's more than 10km of non-stop jogging today and I have never felt healthier before. In the midst of the 20th round or so, it just crossed my mind of how physical health or 'Jasmani' is one of the important aspects as emphasized in the National Philosophy of Education.

"...to produce individuals who are intelectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic..." (National Philosophy Malaysia) 

However, the reality in the Malaysian education system is, the importance of physical health is always placed second to the other aspects mentioned in NPE. Ideally, teachers would of course find a balance to develop students in all of these aspects. But how would one do so when the intellectuality of an individual has always been paraded by the system as the deciding factor to his or her success in life? Hence, the exam oriented education that we practiced and stillllll practicing now.

Here's a few questions to ponder:

1) Why aren't physical health test considered in determining how well a student achieves in school? (bringing in the importance of multiple intelligence and considering how students can excel in many dimensions besides intellectual)
 This leads to the second question...

2) Why aren't students streamed, or ranked in classes according to their physical abilities like sports achievements, and other aspects rather than pure exam results? (not that I'm supporting streaming or ranking but that's the ugly truth)

3) How can Malaysian teachers preach the importance of physical health when they themselves do not practice healthy lifestyles? (e.g: smoking, overeating especially if there's free food LOL)

As the word A.S.I.C.S (Anima Sana In Corpore Sano) brings the meaning, 'Healthy Soul in a Healthy Body', we must come to realize how health is relatively important to one's development of the mind and soul.

With this, I hope that we as Malaysian teachers will not turn a blind eye on the importance of J in JERI, and strive to develop our students to be holistic individuals. And the way to achieve that, is to start with ourselves...

christopherism 1:5

"Anima Sana In Corpore Sano" - christopherism 1:5

The acronym ASICS, branded by a popular sports company. It's actually a Latin phrase that brings the meaning "Healthy Soul in a Healthy Body".

Will be further explained in the next post..

It's All Relative!

It just struck me. One of the powerful things that I learned in Professional Development is to bring meaning into the lesson. An example that Madam Mariah gave was to teach measurement in a Math class filled with football crazed students by incorporating the width and length a football field as a reference. Relating student's interest to the targeted lesson not only engages them, but also ensures that the lesson 'makes sense' to them.

It is easier said than done, but I hope I would be able to make connections between student's interest and my lesson content, and ultimately bring MEANING to their learning. 



English football.... in English class??

Yes, it's possible.

christopherism 1:4

 "A doctor can kill a patient. But a teacher can kill a nation" - Ms. Letchumi Praba (christopherism 1:4)

Enough said.

8.15pm. Culture?

I was just having a professional discussion with my room mate, Farid and the question of teachers with piercings and tattoos popped up. I argued that if teachers in Western countries are allowed to have tattoos, why aren't we as Malaysian teachers allowed to.

"It is not our culture", he replied. "it's just not right".

Then what makes one culture right, and the other wrong?

christopherism 1:3

"Less expectations equals to less disappointments" - christopherism 1:3

I had to learn this the hard way in life. When a person is unable to fulfill your expectations of them, you will be frustrated, dissatisfied and exhausted in the long run. A good solution would be to come clean and have a talk with the other person. Lay out what your needs and expectations are and negotiate a solution. If they are still unfulfilled, you might want to rethink  the limit of the relationship, and lower expectations.

Does this apply to teaching and learning in the classroom?

Teachers and Tattoos

This post was written in 2010 when I just arrived in Sydney. The openly accepted culture of having a tattoo there has changed my outlooks on what tattoo is all about. Having tattoos used to symbolize gangsterism or a form of rebellion. But now, the current western culture sees it as art, and a mean of expressing oneself. And some even for religious purposes. I have always love the idea of having art on my body since I was young, but going into the teaching profession has halted that dream...   

My best friend Cindy just recently got herself a tattoo on her back.

This...plus...

this...

= sexy back.

and my girlfriend Kim is getting hers next, probably some tribal wordings on her leg.

I've gotten one on my neck as well.

Too bad mine's a fake.

I've always wanted to get one a long time ago but to be honest... I have doubts. I still remember what my dad told me when I first got my ear pierced.

"Papa is ok with u piercing. But DON'T get a tattoo". lol...

That was way back when I was 16. As I grew up, the urge to get a tattoo grew too. It's mainly because I've always found a fascination with art on the body. Growing up learning from private art classes and to be an artistic person myself (ceh...not really), I've been drawing tattoos on myself and on my friends since I could remember.

At one point I was even making money from my inmates in National Service from drawing tattoos not only with permanent marker, but also homemade permanent tattoos with needles, thread and pen ink. It was an unruly sight with lots of blood gushing, gnashing of teeth and wailing to go with it. Muahahahaha...

Seriously...

As I went through that phase of my life and entered the teaching line, I now ask myself the ultimate question... which I would like to ask everyone else too...

What do you think about teachers that have piercings and tattoos?

It has always been a taboo for teachers to have piercing or tattoos as this profession upholds a certain image that we teachers need to conform to. At a certain level, I think that is reasonable..... 10 maybe 50 years ago. But time has changed and people's mentality especially our young children's has changed with it.

What is not acceptable years ago, is now a common practice in our daily life. I wonder...

If we can change from teacher-centred to student-centred

If we can change from rotan to no rotan at all

If we can change from blackboards to LCD projectors

If we can change from text books to laptops

and obviously,

If we can change from BM to English and back to BM again 0.0

So how many years more do we need to give to accept that teachers don't need to conform to an outdated 50 years ago so called "teacher image".

It's just the matter of time. But I'm gonna start now.

I say WAKE UP and accept that teachers are humans too. We curse and swear among each other (not to students of course.. but how far is that true). We enjoy lewd jokes every once in a while. We watch dirty videos too and also...

We are on FACEBOOK for goodness sake!

Anyways to answer my question, I googled up on other's opinions and I particularly love this response.

"I believe the outward appearance has no definition about the persons inside. The person could be the worlds best teacher and could be fully sleeved and gauged to 00's and that wouldn't affect their mind. I am 17 years old, I am about five foot inches tall and a slender (not bone skinny) frame, and I dress modestly, but underneath all my clothing I have three tattoos. Go figure. The person may choose to show themselves as a work of art for an artist of their choice and the art may represent their soul. You should be more worried about how the teacher teaches your child and how good of a person they are on the inside, not about how much ink they have in their skin and how much hole they have developed in their body. Self image is a free thing in this country and I believe that a teacher who is tattooed and pierced is just showing how more optimistic they really are. I believe it shows that they have more than just a square, closed mind. I believe if a person can open up their heart to try something different, it shows they are an even better person." - Pork Chop

That pretty much sums up what I believed about this matter...

and my dream tattoo is 2 rings on the arm. Something like this, but double it and nicer xD

What do you guys think?

Do you think teachers should just stay and conform to who the society moulded and not be who they really are? Why bother risk it just for this silly trivial matters? Why become a teacher if you want to get a tattoo?"

Then whatever happened to 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'?

Dilemma... dilemma...

christopherism 1:2

"The best person to judge you is God" - christopherism 1:2

This comes with the principal of being comfortable in your own skin and let no one tell you who you are or who you should be.

So should teachers be told how to teach, act, or dress in a specific manner?

The Teaching Profession Doesn't Suck

This entry was written in 2009 when I was still in my first year degree. It's very interesting looking back at how I was so passionate about the teaching profession and how I defended it in my own ways. Albeit, it was written in an immature manner, but yea, I was still a young enthusiastic punk back then. This post had 58 comments in which most agreed to my stand and voiced out their respect towards the teaching profession. I am very grateful that this entry has achieved many positive feedback - even more than what I had expected.

I never said enough, but I'm PROUD to be a future English teacher.

A teacher's job isn't at all easy and relaxing with less working hours and lots of holidays. I simply hate it when people assume that.

IT IS ACTUALLY NOT! We are dealing with children/teenagers who are fragile and still searching for their rightful place in the world. Dealing with one is already a big load of burden on our shoulders, imagine dealing with a whole class of different individuals. You have no idea...

One wrong move might destroy a child's future or even your own.

Any right move and you'll be thankful you've survived confrontation by the parents.

I know it seems as though we have lots of holidays. But our so called holidays isn't guaranteed. We still can be called out of the blue for courses, office work and extra school activities (which is quite often). There goes our family time and plans for the summer. Even going back after work, we are still bound to more work such as marking assignments, doing research and finishing up reports.

So you don't go around assuming that we are so free.

Just the other day when I went to a function with my mom. A few of her friends asked what am I studying? When my mom said 'teaching ', they actually tried to comfort me by saying 'Ok what... at least got long holidays'. This is the same reply for about 3-4 people who find out I was going to be a teacher.

Ok what...

Ok what...

Ok what...


OMG Annoying old cooks!

I didn't say it wasn't OK. You simply assumed that it's bad. I don't care if you're a successful businessman or a famous doctor. Just keep your judgmental stereotyping thoughts to yourself.

I guess this kind of ideas comes with being typical Chinese too. For a typical Chinese mindset, If you're a doctor or engineer, you're doing very well. If you're a businessman or accountant, it's common. If you're a teacher, you're a below average student who can't even make it to business.

CBF! I'm extremely proud of my course and I'm extremely proud to be the only Chinese guy in my cohort.



credits to Mr.Labu for the pic

Here's something to change your stereotyping minds on the teaching line, especially my course.

First of all, it's a degree which many still assumes it's a diploma (I'm not saying there's anything wrong with diploma, but this is just to satisfy those narrow-minded dimwits)

Secondly, my course is a total of 5 and a half years (1 1/2 years foundation and 4 years degree). So those aunties and uncles, stop making hideous faces to say "Waahhhh why so long wan....teaching only what..."

Thirdly, my course is a scholarship by the government which I have to apply and go through interview and tests to qualify. So sorry to say but it is NOT easy to get in but somehow I made it. I am thus, fully sponsored by this scholarship. This includes complete free courses, free accommodation plus monthly allowances banked in to our accounts.

I am really thankful as my parents don't have to lift a finger or worry about my expenditure in Penang and Sydney. They just have to worry when I come back to Melaka coz that's when I will spend money like water.

F.Y.I, my scholarship is worth approximately half a million. Yes.. 500k PER person (58 people) in my course - TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.



It's that much because we are the first batch of the TESL program to twin with a foreign university. Mine, with Macquarie University in Sydney Australia (7th top university in Australia). My course mates and I are already official students of Macquarie, and we will be leaving to Australia on this coming February 10th. (Huhu left one month here T.T)

Our scholarship even covers the course fees there plus a list of different allowances for us to survive there for 2 years. Even before going over, we are getting allowances such as clothing allowance (RM1200) to shop for our winter wear and other stuffs. After the 2 years in Australia, we still need to complete our final year (practicum) before we are posted to schools as teachers. For all of this, we are bound to a 5 or 7 years contract (around there).

That's basically why I'm very appreciative to be in my course. My father must has rubbed off some of his principals to me, which is never to take things for granted and always aim for excellence. That's why it's a must for me to maintain good results. It's for personal achievement rather than for reward or punishment.

If you think the exams are easy, think again. Our assignment carries more weight than the actual final exam. However, our Australian counterpart will come down to Malaysia to discuss and vet our exam papers. There are known cases of people failing and re-failing. They have to get booted out of the course and of coz their scholarship is revoked. Additionally, they have to pay a hefty sum for the money invested in them by the government. This can amount to 100k, depends.. Thankfully and hopefully, none of these happen to my course mates.

Here's another reason why I'm proud to be a teacher. I like the look on other's faces when I tell them I'm studying to be a teacher. They simply can't believe it and laugh it out. Even one time when I was stopped by a police for not putting the P sticker, the police found out I was going to be a teacher and laughed.



I don't understand why...

Ok actually I do. I don't portray a typical image of a teacher. It's not that I want to rebel the system where teachers must have a certain kind of appearance. But I just think that the system is not effective anymore in this new generation.

My mom has a friend who comes to our house occasionally to play mahjong. She's a teacher in St.David's High School. She saw me with my earrings one day and gave me the cynical look.

"You in the teacher's college can wear that ar?", she asked.

OMG... You're a teacher, play mahjong and gamble can? Don't bite on your own tongue k...

Ok I didn't actually reply that. I just ignored her.

I believe that I am just being myself without succumbing to society.

However, the best that I can do is to tone down ... since I'm going to the pre-departure briefing by the Ministry of Education this Wednesday. It's an important briefing attended by government student teachers going overseas.

After all said and done, this post is really meant to stop society's stereotypical views on teachers. Here's my stand..

1. Being a teacher is not EASY.

2. Studying to be one is not either.

3. The teaching line is not LAME. It's frikking prestigious. Even more prestigious than doctors! (don't take it personally ya doctors, just a reference).

4. You don't need to be society's nerd to be a teacher.

If you want to bombard me with the contrary, be my guest. I will be responsible to entertain questions or comments regarding any of the matter mentioned above.

Final note: The Teaching Profession Doesn't Suck

christopherism 1:1

"Come and See"... - christopherism 1:1

Hello and a warm welcome to my readers.

2.0.1.2 - The beginning of a new year and also the beginning of my final year as an education student has inspired me to create this little blog in hopes to record and share my personal and professional growth as an aspiring Malaysian teacher. This blog also aims to initiate professional discussions with fellow teacher trainees, educators and the public in general. Additionally, my ideas, philosophy, interesting quotes, lesson, etc that I learned in life that has defined me to be who I am today, (hence christopherism, or my life bible) will also be shared throughout this blog for motivational and sharing purposes.

I shall roughly introduce myself here:

Personal Info:

• Name: Christopher (Federick) Lim 
• DOB: 18 Nov 
• Ethnic: Chinese - Peranakan mixed
• Hometown: Melaka
• Contact: chrisfederick.msa@gmail.com
  

Education:

• B.Ed TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) oversea twinning programme
  
• Full scholarship under the Malaysian Ministry of Education 
• Currently in final year degree
  
• 1st and 4th year in Institute Pendidikan Guru Pulau Pinang
• 2nd and 3rd year in Macquarie University, Sydney

Extra curricular experience:

• President of TESOL Cohort 1 Cycle 3 - 2007/8/9
  
• Social director of MSA (Macquarie Malaysian Students' Association) - 2010
• Vice President of MSA - 2011
• Emcee for Malaysian Festival 2010 in Tumbalong Park Sydney
• Organizing committee for Sydney Malaysian Students' Association's Dance Party 2010 and Ski Trip 2011 

What I believe differentiates me from other aspiring teachers is that I do not easily adhere to what the Malaysian society defines as a 'typical' teacher. Instead, I am constantly questioning and developing my personal beliefs on how teachers should think, act and look and generally what teacher professionalism is all about. Hopefully, with the progression of this blog, my ideas and experiences will help redefine myself as a future teacher of Malaysia.

Chris