When I was in Standard 1, in SK Peringat, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, my class always received visits from the Standard 6 pupils. They will come to our class during Bahasa Melayu class. They were still unable to read and the literacy rate was very low then. One of them is a close relative of mine, his father was a mechanics. He comes from a poor family , his brothers are all mechanics until now. I have not seen him for many years. Those pupils will come to our class and few of us who were already reading fluently will help them learn to read.
When I was in my 2nd year in UKM, I was already teaching communicative English for adults in one of the private tuition centre in Ampangan, Negeri Sembilan. One of the students was my fathers’ friend, a policeman. He decided to skip the class when I was conducting the class he said he felt shy because I was too young to be teaching him.
In the 001 card in secondary school, I only have three professions that I want to be when I grow up, lecturer, lawyer and doctor. In the beginning of the year, the teacher will ask us to update the column. The three professions remained across form 2 and form 3. When I entered form 4, I dropped lawyer from my list for I don’t find the profession in line with me being a good muslim . I wrote teacher in exchange. When I was in form 5, doctor was dropped from the list because I know my capabilities, I am not good in Mathematics, I didn’t take Additional Mathematics, I am not doing good in all the science subjects. Physics was not meaningful to me. I put banker instead.
When the 1987 SPM result was announced, I immediately enrolled into Form 6 in KGV Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. I filled in the UPU forms and UITM forms. The result for UITM came first , I was accepted for Banking Studies Course. Papa said to me, “We don’t have a lot of money in the bank, when you graduate later, no banks will give you a job. Moreover, I don’t have money to support your studies”. I understood and continued my form six. It was nearly a month or so in form 6, the offer for TESL came about. I was already contented with form 6 and doing fine. It came with a scholarship and I grabbed it.
I still remember the interview, it was in Bangunan Bank Pertanian in Kuala Lumpur, when there with a friend, Zahanim if I am not mistaken, she got the same offer but she took another offer of doing law in UIAM. I didn’t even ask Papa to take me to the interview.
That was the start of everything, from then on, I was on the journey to become an English teacher. I was the second intake, I don’t care… what matter was I was there. I never look back, Alhamdulillah, things went well smooth sailing.
I guess I am meant to be a teacher. From young I was exposed to teaching. Alhamdulillah it is a good profession for me.
Remembering Teachers Day, I will always remember the days in SK Peringat, me in primary school. I was in Standard 5. She was a beautiful Chinese Training teacher from Maktab Perguruan KB, she was doing practicum for 12 weeks. She was teaching English Language, my favourite subject. I was so excited on teachers’ day that I would be able to give her a teachers’ day present.
Teachers’ day in school is always a day for party. The teachers will always tell the students to bring food and drinks from hope. We never fail to have parties every year. Mummy will prepare something for me to bring to the party.
Teachers’ Day 2012 .
This year is my 18th year of teaching. I have enjoyed every bit of it. Tasting and savouring the sweet and sour of the teaching profession. I don’t care much of the appreciation by others about it. Enough with the undying love for the job, so that I am rest assured that I can do this forever.
I would like to thank you all my teachers, from preschool to the university, without teachers I would not be here.
Now I am continuing the legacy, sharing the bit of knowledge that I have so that others can benefit as well.
To Teacher Hasnah, Tynah’s mum…Thank you teacher, for being my inspiration to be good in the English Language. Teacher Hasnah taught me English Language when I was in Standard 5. I knew that teacher Hasnah has a daughter and later her daughter went to STF. Later, I met her in PPP/ITM Shah Alam, Tynah was also in the same TESL program. What a small world. Thank You teacher, I learn English because I want to be your daughter.
I am seeking for Allah’s blessing in everything that I do. There is nothing else a person would do in this world but to make merry to this earth. Allah would like it so much when we follow what He had commanded in the Al-Quraan. Al-Quraan & Sunnah are our reference in everything that we do. Let’s not work for appreciation, better pay or recognition, work for “Redha Allah”, Insya-Allah.
Selamat Hari Guru kepada Mohammad Riza bin Ahmad Hambadley yang masih lagi tiada henti mengajar saya. Terima Kasih Sayang.
