List of Duties for 2013

   Well I've been out of sight for quite a well. The start of a new year is always action-packed, whether you're at school or in university or at school again, as a teacher.

   This year I've been assigned quite a share of responsibilities and duties at school. To be completely honest with you, I'm not quite sure I'll be able to pull it off but I will give it m very best shot and try to accomplish whatever there is to be accomplished. For now, I shall have to put any notion of continuing my studies aside just a teeny tiny wee bit. Just so I can see if I can manage well at school. I f I can, then Insya-Allah I shall do my best to go for my M.Ed. Yes!

   I thought I'd share my list of duties at school for this year. You never know, we might have a lot to share and talk about- just in case you also happen to have been assigned to teach Year 6 for the first time ever in your teaching career, giving you cramps and nightmares and panicky moments even at the start of the year. Or etc. Here we go:

Teacher Mayah's 2013 List of Duties at SKST

Pentadbiran (School Management)
-Penyelaras SPLG/LDP (Sistem Pengurusan Latihan Guru/Latihan Dalam Perkhidmatan)

Hal Ehwal Murid (Students' Affairs)
-Penyelaras Unit 3 K (Kesihatan, Keceriaan dan Keselamatan)
-Penolong Setiausaha Unit Kecemerlangan
-Ketua Biro Motivasi dan Kepimpinan bagi Unit Kecemerlanagan
-Guru Kelas Tahun 4

Kurikulum
-Penyelaras Bilik SAL (Self Access Learning Centre)
-Guru Bahasa Inggeris bagi Tahun 3 (KSSR), 4 dan 6 (KBSR)

Ko-kurikulum
-Penyelaras Persatuan Bahasa Inggeris
-Guru Penasihat Bola Baling (uh-huh)
-Guru Penasihat Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah (what??)


   That is as far as I remember. I'll come back and edit if I've left anything out. What's on your list for this year? Do share.

Delima Diaries : Of Pencils

   My pupils eat pencils. Figuratively, of course. Since the start of the year, I've gone through at least 7 boxes of pencils. Most of them never bring pencils to class, and if they do, they'd lose them in five minutes. They don't seem to have an appreciation for their own things. If they lose something, it's either borrowing from somebody else or simply buying a new one. And then losing it all over again.

   That's how 2 Delima is. In fact, that's just a tiny piece of what defines 2 Delima.

   My pencils either go missing. The ones that come back are either broken into two or three pieces, or are whole but with the leads inside broken, or split into two,etc. Some of them even look as if they'd been chewed on.

   You may say, why pamper these children? I should be strict and insist that they bring their own pencils. Well, I've tried and it doesn't work. I'm just not at the level where good teachers are yet. I feel that what's important is that pupils are able to do their work, and if it means I should bring pencils, then I will.

   A month ago, I stumbled upon twelve boxes of pencils sold at around RM 12.00 (less, I think). In exasperation, I bought the whole lot. 12 boxes times 12 pencil equals to 144 pencils. That should last at least three months, I thought.

   I'm happy to report that after two weeks, I've only has to use and am still only using one box of pencils. All twelve pencils from that box are still in good condition. None is missing. Only one has a broken lead but it's still usable.

   I guess 2 Delima has grown up a bit. Maybe I'm getting better. I don't know. What I do know is that in this profession, you should never, ever give up. Never. Ever. Your children need you. You need them too.

My Duties at SKST

   Assalamualaikum and hello,  everyone! I'm sorry that I have neglected this blog for so long. I've been meaning to post about so many things, but these days I don't go online much, and if i log on to Blogger I only manage to look at the list of recent posts by the blogs that I follow. I usually spend what time I have resting... hehe.

   Anyway, since I can't spend a lot of time here, I thought I'd share a list of my duties and responsibilities at SKST:

1. Teaching English to Primary 2D, 3Z and 5Z
   - Teaching 2D means following the latest syllabus which is KSSR. I'll be honest and say I still have not much of an idea of what to do
   - 3Z is a good class, but only a third or even a quarter are proficient enough to follow instructions in English.
   - 5Z is also a good class, and since they'e going to face UPSR next year, I have to really prep them up for it.

2. Class teacher for 5Z
   - recording the class attendance everyday
   - updating their personal files, which is quite a lot of work.

3. Supervising teacher for English Language Society
   - I have to help plan activities for this year. Help!

4. Supervising teacher for Pergerakan Puteri Islam Malaysia
   - also have to plan activities for this.

5. Netball coach (gulp)
   - So far there has only been 1 meeting, ,and apparently this school has never really had any achievements in netball- they're more into hockey

6. Penyelaras LDP (Latihan Dalam Perkhidmatan)
   - I was appointed by the Head a few weeks ago, but so far I haven't had to do anything. I'm supposed to be taking this task from another teacher, who said he'll explain what I have to do

7. Setiausaha Unit Keselamatan
   - I have to make a 'Buku Pengurusan' for the unit.


   There's more, which I'll add later. TTFN.

My Pupils - 2D

   I enter smiling.

   I leave ten years older.

   2D. Everyday after leaving their class, I'd sit back and stare into the air, thinking of how and what i could possibly do to manage them. They are a handful. No, I take that back. They are a hundred handfuls! (If that makes sense). I'm too tired to write a detailed story on them, but here's a few details tat might help you picture what they're like:

   1. They walk on the desks. Yes. When I'm in class. I can't chase them around in case they trip and fall. They're nimble too. They run around on the desks as if it's what they do everyday. Wait. They do do it everyday.

   2. One boy (WMDA) treats me like... well, like I'm not his teacher. He hangs on to my hands as if they're branches. He just will NOT listen to what I say. He likes to pretend that he's sick and exaggerates and puts on acts all the time. Sometimes it's funny. At times.... arrrggghh!!!! His books are clean as slates. He has done any work at all. He cheeks me.

   3. One girl (H) is a bit strange. Some teachers call her 'special'. Well, some of the special things she's been doing in my class:
- going through my stuff without asking for permission
- walking on the desks, and running away from me (nimbly too!) when I try to catch her. I'm just afraid that she'll fall and hurt herself.
- following me around after class, and when I tell her to go back to class, she sticks her tongue out at me
- these few days, she's been dabbing paint on her hands and going around trying to dab paint on everyone else. One day I caught her going around the class, intending to dab blobs of paint on every desk. I caught her before she managed to complete this interesting ritual. Every time she dabs paint on her hand, I have to drag her to the toilet and help her clean them off, because she also puts them on her lips and I'm afraid she'd swallow them. She gets paint on her clothes, tudung, kain. She seems to enjoy the ritual of dabbing paint on her hands and having me to take her to the toilet to help her wash them. Every time we go to the toilet, half the class would tag along. This morning, I ended up singing "This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands" with them. At the girl's toilet.
- She hasn't quite developed... well, any embarrassment. She lifts her kain, showing her (thankfully) shorts underneath. Thank goodness for her shorts. She keeps pulling off her tudung too.
- For the most part of my classes, I run after her. During the last fifteen minutes or so, after I've manged to 'catch' her, I'd make her read or write or do something, and she does them all surprisingly well.

4. As soon as they see me come in, they'd either ignore me or start running around. They shout, kick each other, jump on the table at the back of the class, play with the brooms, and they find it fun to kick just about everything they can get their hands on. Crushed tin cans (new ones everyone I enter), bottle caps, erasers, even crumpled up paper.

5. There's no table for the teacher in their class. instead, there's this trolley with a vase on it. Today, they climbed up ad began pushing each other around.

6. While I'm teaching or looking at some pupil's work in front, half the class is either running around at the back or running in and our of the class.

7. I've tried the Silent Treatment. Only worked for a few minutes. I've tried shouting, scolding. They're not afraid of me. I try coaxing, bu I have to do it pupil by pupil. It works, but while I do it, they others kick up chaos around the class.

8. Nearly everyday, at least one kid will cry. They don't cry silently. It's usually an all-out, I-want-everybody-to-know-that-I've-been-wronged sort of crying.

   And yet, even with all that, I still want  to find a way to make them interested to learn. I've found some to be such sweethearts, and in the two weeks  that I've been with them, most have started doing their work. They still run around and fight, but at least I go back with books filled with some written work. At least I know that a few can read. They're just kids, most come from difficult family backgrounds. They need my help.

   I didn't write all of this with the intention of complaining. I just want you to know that being a teacher, especially when you're just starting out, is not easy. If you're going through difficulties in managing your class, know that you'e not alone. Know that other teachers face problems too. Know that you will one day work them out, though you may have to work (really, really) hard to do it.

   I have such a long way to go. I don't know how I'll manage to cope with 2D but for now I won't stop trying. I want people to stop saying, "2D? Ahh... they've always been like that." "Unmanageable." "Hard to get through to." And the lot.

   2D.

   *collapses in exhaustion

RULE NUMBER ONE: Teachers MUST Like Their Pupils

   So begins my life as a teacher.

   I have spent 5 days in service at SKST. There is so much that I do not know. So much that I must learn.

   I received a temporary timetable on the second day I was here. Apparently, I was sent to SKST because I was supposed to fill in an empty spot left by a teacher who was supposed to report here earlier this year, but never did (she got a transfer to another state). Mr L's words were, "We are so happy to get an English teacher. We need another female English teacher." I feel wanted. Hehe.And needed.

   I was assigned to take over the classes which were supposed to be taken by the Teacher Who Never Came. Three Classes. 2D. 3Z. 4D. You'd better remember them since I predict i will be talking about them a lot. A LOT.

   Each grade is streamed into two classes- the Z classes for the higher ability pupils and the D classes for lower ability ones. You may have noticed that I go two D classes. It's all right! I thought It is best to start with the more difficult classes. You learn and gain more experience that way.

   I want to talk 2D.

   2D.

   The first time I entered their class, they managed (or I managed to make them) stay in their seats. New teacher alert. (Nearly) all was good.

   The second time I entered was two period before the final bell rang. They were already wearing their bags, ready to go home. They yelled, kicked, ,banged the desks and simply ran amok. The Silent Treatment did NOT work. I began to get a foreboding of doom. Grey clouds. Heavy rain. I was determined. When I next entered, I would be strict. Garang. These children need to learn that I was in charge. I prepared for battle.

   Every time I talked to my friends or other people, I would describe the horrors that these children had presented to me. 2D this. 2D that.


   The third time was yesterday. I'd received the permanent timetable and I was ready to rock these kids' socks. In short, it was a total flop. A huge disaster. I went back to the staff room and brooded at my table.

   Mr L happened to be there, so I started talking to him. He's my mentor, so I told him all about it- how my planned activities never got carried out because the children would not listen to me... and so on. We talked about it for quite a while. I was down in the dumps and not ready to climb back to the top. Though I nodded in agreement to what Mr L said, the words did not enter my heart.

   Then, Mr L said something that struck me right at the core of my heart. It was such a simple statement, but it shocked me right back into existence. He said:

   "You must enjoy (being with) the children. Then you will enjoy the class."

   Realisation flooded into me. I was dumbstruck. Just with those words, I began see things clearly. It was as if a door had been unlocked and I was walking out of it, meeting sunshine and fresh air and all good things.

   I had made a mistake. When I was at SKP, however bad things were, I knew that I loved and cared for the children. They were special. I did not only want to teach them and help them learn, I also wanted to be their friends.

   With 2D, I had fallen into a trap I fell into the Teacher vs. Pupils trap. It was me against them.

   It should have been me AND them. Teachers and Pupils. I had set myself apart, and I did not try very hard to remember all their names. I did not even think about  whether I liked  them. Whoever they were, I just wanted to teach. It was wrong. I was wrong.

   Today, I entered and smiled. I joked, and laughed and teased. I began to learn their names, and I could feel that I liked being there. Let me tell you it was no a total success. We're a long way from there. However, I think whatever happens, I won't want to stop trying. These children are special. They need my attention, and my help. I want to look forward to going  to class. I don't want to dread the thought of meeting them every day. In order to execute change, I must change. It starts with me.

   2D, let me be your teacher. Let me be your friends. Let me into your world. Let's make learning fun, shall we?

Posting: More on JPN Briefing

   After spending 3 days at school, I am back. At home. Yes. Yes!

   Anyway, to continue the news on posting, I thought I'd write with more details on the JPN briefin. you people who hope to be posted to Kelantan may want to take note since the procedure and all might just be the same.

   The briefing was held at Dewan Bestari. Pink building. Next to an orange building. Ground floor. We signed our names before going into the hall. They did not ask for any documents. My friends Shima, Ipah and I wore blazers, just in case, but it wasn't really necessary. Parents were allowed to go into the hall, so my Mum sat with other parents at the back of the hall.

   The briefing started off with a long introductory speech from some important person. He spoke of thigs like how important our job was, how lucky we were to be placed in Kelantan since it's  so hard to get in, you get the idea. He also put a lot of emphasis on how ENGLISH teachers were placed in ONLY RURAL AREAS since we were needed there. He mentioned it a few times. In fact, pretty much everybody who spoke in front mentioned this little interesting fact. The first place they filled up with new teachers was the 'jajahan' (district) I was sent to. GUA MUSANG. Yeahhhhhh. Yay for me (coughs).

   The second speaker also spoke about similar things, after which he officiated  the ceremony. We were like, what??? Baru nak rasmi? Bila nak bagitau dapat sekolah mana ni? The secondary school people already knew where they were posted to, since the name of the school was listed beside their name when they registered. W primary school people fidgeted an sat on the edge of our seats, giggling nervously.  Thank goodness nobody went hysterical.

   Finally, they started calling our names. We went to the front, received our placement letters and our fates were sealed. From the 9 TESL girls from my training institute, 2 were placed in Gua Musang (guess who one of them was. I'll give you some sweeties if you get it right), 1 in Jeli and the other 6 in Kuala  Krai.

   After that, they called out the names of the schools and the Heads of each school came out to meet their new family member(s). Two of my friends were posted to the same school! Lucky them. My Head didn't come (okay that sentence makes me wanna crack up), but the PK HEM (Senior Assistant Teacher for Student Affairs) did, and he was (and is) a very, very nice man. He's in his fifties, and is going to  retire in about 3 years, I think. Mr L. Mum came and sat with us, and he kept telling her not to worry, that SKST (my school) was the safest, most comfortable school there is. He said, "Oghe2 situ jughus2 blako." (The people there are nice people). Did I mention that Mr. L is Chinese? And that he speaks using the Kelantanese accent when he speaks in Malay? Yeah.

   There was also a short briefing on Badan Ehsan or Ihsan, but I couldn't hear much because the hall was so noisy, with everybody being excited on getting their new schools. What I did hear was that new teachers should register, because they have some sort of donation(?) for new teachers who are posted to places like Gua Musang and need money and stuff. I'm not sure if I heard  about this correctly. I will try  to find out more and share with  you.

   One more briefing was on the Plan Pembangunan Guru Baru. This was some new programme they came up with in order to get new teachers oriented to their school, as well as to monitor them to make sure we're doing our job. I still don't know much about it, but when I do, I will tell you more about it.

   That's it for now. TTFN!