Teaching Them a Big Lesson
Posted on: Friday, 16 May 2008, 00:00 CDT
By Rina De Silva
IN the age of entertainment and overprotective parents, teachers face a mounting challenge educating the future leaders of the country. Past Tokoh Guru recipients talk to RINA DE SILVA about their profession and what Teachers Day meant to them.
IT still brings tears to Puan Sri Aisha Shamsuddin to be greeted "hello, cikgu" by former students.
The 68-year-old grandmother of 14 left the teaching profession in 1987.
But the "cikgu" status is something the 2003 Tokoh Guru recipient will always cherish.
"Teachers are the only ones who get to be called `cikgu' long after leaving the profession or retirement, whether your students are menteris besar or a normal citizen," said the former headmistress of SMP Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.
She said teachers would boast if one of their students became famous.
Although it is regarded as a noble profession to educate future leaders of the country, teachers have a competitor in satellite television and the Internet.
Aisha said students disputed teachers' lessons based on what they had watched on television or read on the Internet.
Teachers should listen and tell students they would check on the information and get back to them the next day, she added.
"The last thing a teacher should do is to be defensive and tell the students off."
The former Petaling District education officer said teachers should keep abreast of students' interests and use creative ways to deliver lessons.
Former SMK Assunta headmistress Datin Paduka Sister Enda Ryan said although students could search the Internet to access the same knowledge the teacher was imparting, the human element was important.
"A teacher can leave an impression on students when he discusses issues and listens to ideas raised by them," said the 1990 Tokoh Guru Selangor recipient.
She said students were at an idealistic and impressionable age and needed guidance from a teacher to listen and supplement their ideas.
"It is an awesome responsibility for teachers to influence and instil values in students and that's why you need teachers."
She added that teachers should mete out punishment to students according to the students' character and the misdeeds committed.
"Sometimes, punishment brings more harm than good so it is important to know the characters of students before giving out the punishment."
She said that when she was a headmistress, a naughty student would be asked to change her uniform and wear a coloured dress.
"It was assumed then you had let your school down by your misdeeds and since you had disgraced the school, you should not wear the uniform," she said.
She added that this sort of punishment was rare and given out only for terrible misdeeds.
M. Thavasothy Pillai, a former history teacher and 2007 Tokoh Guru Selangor recipient, said most working parents took the side of their children and not that of the teachers, to make up for not spending enough time with their children.
He said parents and teachers would be in conflict on the issue of punishment for their children.
"If parents were to give more time and attention to their children, this conflict would not arise."
HE MAY BE BLIND BUT HE CAN SEE A SMILE AND HEAR MANY WHISPERS
THE prank may have been mean but M. Thavasothy Pillai, who is blind, took his Teachers Day joke in good faith.
On that day some years back, the SMK Taman Petaling class that Thavasothy was about to teach had switched with a class next door to fool the 56-year-old.
But the wise man could sense something fishy when he did not hear the familiar sounds of his students when they replied to his greeting.
Far from being angry, he laughed with them and told them their game was up.
"I was not hurt as I knew they were playing a trick on me but I guess I was too clever for them," he said with a laugh.
The 2007 Tokoh Guru Selangor recipient said he could tell if his sighted students were paying attention to him.
"I'll know if they are not paying attention if I hear them whispering. I would usually quiz them frequently during my teaching or ask them to read back what I had dictated."
He retired last month, having served as a teacher since 1980.
"Teaching was not my first choice of a job. I could not get a job as a researcher after getting my degree," said the father of two medical undergraduates.
He said society was not confident about giving the physically- challenged a chance to prove themselves.
"It is nice to hear society saying it should do more for the poor and underprivileged but saying something and doing something are two different things," said the holder of a Master in Special Education from the University of Tasmania, Australia.
Nevertheless, he enjoyed teaching his students, especially his favourite subject history, which many youngsters found boring.
"I always tell my new students `I'll try my best to make the subject as interesting as possible. I'll make you fall in love with the subject'," he said.
He even gave nicknames to students based on local historical figures such as Parameswara and Hang Tuah, which students would write down next to their names on their exam papers.
"I wanted them to be involved to show them that history is not a dead subject. History is important as what happened in the past is happening in the present," he said.
The widower said he never once took medical leave during his teaching days, more so when exam time was approaching, feeling he would let down students who may have had questions.
"I feel just as nervous as them during exam time because I would remember how I used to panic during my time."
He said he felt proud when his students produced good results as it made teaching a worthwhile job.
He added that teachers must come down to the students' level, learning their likes and dislikes as student life cannot just be focused on academics.
He said if teachers these days did not like their jobs, they should not show their hatred or frustration as it would be reflected in their teaching.
"Teaching is not an enjoyable profession as it once was; it is hard to keep students interested. Some are rebellious and talk back and show no respect for authority."
He said teachers must show authority the right way and be patient with students.
IT'S A TRADITION FOR ALL, JUST NOT ON THE SAME DAY
TEACHERS Day is celebrated throughout the world but not on the same day.
More than 100 countries celebrate World Teachers Day on Oct 5, which was inaugurated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 1994.
In some countries, Teachers Day is celebrated as holidays while others are during working days.
Malaysia has been celebrating Teachers Day on May 16 since 1972.
This date was chosen because in the same month in 1956, the Federal Legislative Council of the Malay States had received suggestions in the form of documents from the Education Committee regarding Teachers Day as the base of education in Malaysia.
The documents, known as the Razak Report, are the foundation of education in Malaysia.
(c) 2008 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: New Straits Times
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