Thursday, January 25, 2007

Dalam Hati Ada Cinta(3)

Yes! Finally they are showing THE SHOT that I was waiting for. Yes, they showed the part where Alia and Wan parted. The camera focus on their hands which was locked together but release slowly to create that 'tak rela nak lepaskan' effect. This time, meleleh airmata air tak tahan tengok kekecewaan Wan dan penyeksaan yang ditanggung oleh Alia. Sebak hati Alia dan Wan seakan-akan dapat aku rasakan. Maklumlah, pernah mengalaminya dahulu.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Did I choose the wrong Elective?

One of the elective that I select is the Asessment on Performance and Progress. Asessment in the form of test and exam is very important to evaluate the performance and progress of pupils. To me, test and exam should be accurate enough to show these.
The importance of valid and accurate evaluation tools should not be taken lightly as it affect pupils' future. Many a time we were shocked when we received the PSLE results because what is presented is not what is expected.(usually better! Thank God) Actually, what we have been testing them all this while does not accurately show their progress. Normal exam, like SA1 and SA2 is still not considered as summative but formatif because the real summative examination is at the end of the primary school level, that is,PSLE. (Now I know..)

With this realization, I decide to go for the course. Today is my first day attending the course. The lecturer is very good, very entertaining, very clear and very patient (think God get very good lecturers). He was explaining to us how the standard of deviation (equation) was derived. I tell u, all mathematics term and law of physics come out. With only a Grade C in Mathematics during 'O' Level examintaion, I was afraid if I could cope. Already some of us are very apprehensive of the coming assignment. But the lecture Mr Lee OK (Ong Kim for short)ease my fear. Yes I learn things which I might not be able to understand back them when I was doing my A level. Im thankful for that. But I want to take this as a challenge. No matter how confusing it may be, I will persevere beacause at the end of the day, I hope to be able to set a valid assessment tools and this sacrifice is all for my pupils. Amen.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Rasa Bersalah Kini Musnah

It has been a week since I started my DDM course. Nothing much happened but the knowledge I gained can never match the whole 5 years of being a subject Head. I'm sure I will gain more in the next 16 weeks.

I will be doing a lot of reflection, journal writing and e-journaling. We are also encouraged to blog in the NIE portal. Lucky I have been blogging coz I don't have much problem expressing myself. Alah bisa tegal biasa. Indeed, it is good to keep ourselves updated on current norms. Bukan semua yang baru itu bagus tetapi gunakanlah kematangan kita memilih yang baik dan yang buruk. Yang baik tidak semestinya baik senantiasa. Yang buruk pula tidak tentu akan menjadi buruk selama-lamanya. Kalau anak murid cikgu tak faham, harap mintalah pendapat orang dewasa untuk menjelaskan kata-kata hikmah cikgu ni.

Kalau nak tulis tentang apa yang dipelajari, tentu banyak sangat dan panjang lebar. Namun aku akan menceritakan tentang refleksi diri tentang pengajaran aku di sekolah. Kekadang itu aku terasa bersalah kerana tidak membuat persiapan yang canggih seperti powerpoint slide, alat bantu mengajar dan sebagainya. Namun aku percaya yang anak murid aku tidak kerugian kerana yang penting bukan pada alat-alat ni. Yang penting adalah penyampaianku sehinggakan dpt menarik perhatian murid. Apabila melihat pensyarahku yang bernama Dr Ng Pak Tee, segala rasa bersalahku musnah kerana aku melihat diriku sama seperti beliau. Beliau tidak menggunakan apa-apa alat yang canggih melainkan Microsoft word untuk menulis soalan. Itu pun digunakan mana perlu sahaja tetapi sesinya amat menarik minat kita semua. Aku tidak pun rasa mengantuk. Aku rasa begitu juga para DDMers yang lain. Sepanjang 2 jam sesi beliau, dia dpt menarik minat audiencenya dengan cerita, humour, dramanya, lenggok badan dan suara yang ada intonasinya yang tersendiri. Melihat Dr Ng seakan menonton seorang komedian beraksi di atas pentas. Aku benar-benar mengagumi kebolehannya. Walaupun aku belum mencapai tahap beliau tetapi aku rasa aku sudah mempraktikannya di dalam pengajaranku di kelas.

Australia...Here I Come!

Yes, the verdict is finally over. My group and I are going to Australia for the Oversea Trip. I elak punya elak agar dia orang tak pilih Melbourne. Bukan ape, kalau boleh tak mahulah pegi lagi Melbourne. Dah ada opportunity tu, free lagi, nak tengoklah daerah lain. But inilah yang dikatakan fate. Kalau dah takdir I akan ke Melbourne, be it. Mungkin ada Hikmah di sebalik semua ni. I tak cerewet. I have tried but my fate mungkin bring me to Melbourne again. Actually, my group has narow down to 2 states, Adelaide or Melbourne. Kita ingatkan nak pegi Sydney but the other group mungkin go there. Anyway, I bersyukur tidak pergi negeri-negeri yang ada masalah seperti, bird flu, rusuhan, bencana alam dll.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

News Update on DDM Course

Last Friday, I started my new life going back to school. This is like a break from the pattern of my life that I've never get used to. People say this course is like a long vacation leave for me. Well, I will find out later. I did not start the day very well as I was lost. Luckily I dropped at the correct bus stop. Instead of going to NIE, I went to NTU. I was looking high and low for Block 2 and LT 2. My feet felt like it was going to fall off as I've walked for quite a distance and almost slipped as it was drizzling and the floor was wet. Kalau malu sesat jalan. I memang tak malu. I ask a few students there but my mistake was I did not mentioned NIE. It was later that I happened to show a student the letter that he told me of my actual whereabout.

I finally made it for the registration on time. (Thank God) But iI cannot get my matric card because the word 'binte' spelt wrongly. What next! But at least the gift makes me smile. It was a wireless mouse. Just what I need at home. After the briefing, met one of my colleague, Juraida. Wat a relief. I thought Im going to eat alone outside later for tea break. The day ends better than I expected although the weather showed otherwise. No, not because I met Juraida but something else. It was indeed a surprise and a good one indeed. We were told that this year, we will be going for overseas trip during the 1 week holiday and guess what, it will all be sponsored by MOE. They have finally get MOE to sponsor the trip. Previously, participants have to come out from their own pocket money. CAn I say Im lucky again? Maybe the wheel has put me on top again after been down for a few years. We will be going as Singapore Ambassador to show the success of our education system which has already been adopted by countries like South Africa dan Saudi Arabia is interested too. Wow, apa yang dia orang nampak ni!. Kekadang kita fail to see the good aspect of our system as compared to other countries. Asyik nak komplen aje. So cant wait to hear the details on Monday and to meet my tutorial buddies. Yang tak syoknye, kita start from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm every day. Tak dpt nak join any school activities. Belum apa-apa dah ada homework tau. Jgn main-main. Not to mention a list of books to read. Maybe after this, I will understand my pupils better.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

New Perception!

After looking at the my parents wedding picture over and over again, suddenly I realize that these are the looks of almost all bride and bridgroom of yesteryear. Not a single smile on their face. Isn't it suppose to be the happiest day of their life or wasn't there anybody to make up some jokes to make them smile. I still remember during my wedding poses, there was this one guy who constantly crack jokes to make me laugh or smile. Thanks to him, my pictures had all of me smiling away. Actually, smiling comes naturally to me after practising for a few years during my dancing career back then. But after thinking over, I think I understand why they don't smile those days.

Most of them were matchmake. They don't know each other and thus shy. To make matter worst, they were presented on the dias for all to see. See what, see their happiness or see their uneasieness.

Monday, January 8, 2007

New Year's Tribute



Let me start the new year with a tribute to tis couple who are the reason why I am living and breathing on this earth. My mom and my dad is a funny combination of beauty and not so handsomelah, outspoken and almost a mute, extrovert and introvet. Mom, a beauty, was what every men would fight for. Her maiden beauty of a Malay and Chinese blood made her a much sought after by most of my dad's male counterpart. One by one they came to ask for my mum's hand in marriage. It was like a bad recurring dream that knows no end. When mum liked grandpa detest. When Grandpa liked, mum hated. But all tis got to end. It was dat point that when grandpa decided to accept any men that came thereafter that my dad came to ask for her hand in marriage.

Dad was a shy lad who never new her mother as she passed away when he was still hunger for mother's milk. Due to sympathetic womenfolks in the island, he was nursed by a few of them. In the end, dad could not marry most of the ladies then. (adik-beradik susuan they say). He was a quiet and well-behaved person whom every mothers would love to have as their son.



Alas, a growing shy lad began developing feelings for the opposite sex and it was none other than my mum. While most men of his age were busy trying their luck to ask for my mom's hand in marriage, he just waited patiencely believing that he was the one who will be married to my mum. And true enough when he got the gut to ask for her hand in marriage, he succeeded and the rest is history.