Let’s Write!

Be Creative with English

2019
Overview of the inaugural

ESSAY COMPETITION
for
Malaysian Government
Educators

a collaborative project between

Let’s Write: Be Creative with English Essay Competition 2019

CONTENTS

Message
Minister of Education Malaysia 3

Message
Secretary General of Education Malaysia 4

Welcome Note
Director of English Language Teaching Centre 5

Background and Information on the Competition 6

Judges, Stage 1 8

Judges, Stage 2 9

Judges, Finals 10

Winners & Finalists 12

Top 13 Essays 13 - 49

Acknowledgements 50

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 MESSAGE
MINISTER OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA

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MESSAGE
SECRETARY GENERAL OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA

I am pleased to be informed that the Let’s Write! Be Creative with

English 2019 competition was participated by many teachers, officers
and lecturers from the Ministry of Education Malaysia. I take this
opportunity to congratulate all the winners on their well-deserved
success and extend my deepest gratitude to Minconsult Sdn. Bhd for
conceiving the idea of pooling some of the best minds in this country
through a large-scale writing competition such as this. I also extend my
sincere appreciation to the management of Sunway University, the
Oxford& Cambridge Society of Malaysia and English Speaking Union, Malaysia, for this
joint endeavour. This collaboration speaks volumes of your commitment in supporting
MOE’s visions and aspirations. Last but not least, I wish to extend my sincere
appreciation to the MoE team who dedicated their time and energy into bringing this
competition to fruition.

The theme for this competition “Mutual Respect, Love and Happiness within the
Teaching and Learning Environment” is in line with MOE’s efforts in emphasising the
need for a more humanistic and value driven education. The competition has provided
an opportunity for educators to express their views and to share their thoughts related
to the theme that captures the essence of a truly ‘Malaysian education’.

The Ministry views competitions such as this as a catalyst for future collaborations and
partnerships as we strive to turn our ambitious vision of elevating our education into a
concerted reality. I hope that this competition will turn into an annual affair where more
teachers can come forward and share their stories. More importantly, we want to
encourage our educators to use this competition as a springboard to engage in critical
conversations and meaningful discourse within the teaching fraternity through the
power of writing.

I conclude this message with the encouraging words of Louis L’Amour’s for all budding
writers out there;

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned
on.”

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MESSAGE
DIRECTOR OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CENTRE (ELTC)

I would like to congratulate the English Language Teaching Centre

(ELTC) for successfully hosting the Let’s Write! Be Creative with
English 2019 competition that saw the participation of teachers, officers
and lecturers from the Ministry of Education (MoE). This competition is
an avenue for teachers to share stories related to teaching and learning
within our Malaysian educational landscape.

‘Mutual Respect, Love and Happiness within the Teaching and Learning
Environment’ was chosen as the theme for this competition given MoE’s efforts to
celebrate and instil good values as part of our vision to create holistic and well-rounded
learners.

Let’s Write! Be Creative with English 2019 competition has successfully provided
an avenue for teachers, lecturers and officers to share their views, stories and
experiences through writing. This year, we received essays that took us on an
emotional but inspiring journey as we read tales of grit and narratives of resilience from
the lens of an educator. Their stories are testament to how extraordinary and
rewarding this vocation truly is. My hope is that these stories can further inspire other
teachers and create a strong community of supportive educators who learn from one
another.

My sincerest appreciation to Minconsult Sdn.Bhd for the support given in organising

this competition. I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the management
of Sunway University, the Oxford & Cambridge Society of Malaysia and English
Speaking Union, Malaysia, for making this competition a reality. We hope that this
collaboration will continue in the future.

On that note, I wish the winners all the best!

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BACKGROUND

Let’s Write! Be Creative with English 2019 essay competition for teachers, officers and
lecturers at Ministry of Education (‘MOE’) was a collaboration between MOE and private
agencies, namely Minconsult Sdn. Bhd., The Oxford & Cambridge Society of Malaysia,
English Speaking Union Malaysia and Sunway University Malaysia. Launched on Teachers
Day, May 2019, the organisation and realisation of the Competion efficiently spanned only
three months. The ELTC, an agency of the MOE, with the extensive support of the Ministry
of Education, effectively coordinated the receipt and review of 214 of submissions,
shortlisting 30 semi-finalist works that were intensively reviewed and vetted, by three panels
of judges, to result in the selection of the Winners and Finalists essays included here. This
ground-breaking English language initiative for Government Educators saw the Ministry of
Education and like-minded collaborators working together to honour and celebrate our
educators. The awards ceremony was held on July 26, 2019.

“The role of language and in particular, English, has been vital in realising
Minconsult Sdn Bhd's vision of Engineering for Excellence in a Global Arena.
We applaud all Educators in their tireless efforts to create and nurture local
talent towards a better Malaysia.”
Dato’ Ir. Dr. Dennis Ganendra, CEO, Minconsult Group

“I have always considered Teachers to be the most important Influencer in a

student’s life, outside of the family. A teacher who fluently and effectively uses
the English Language will garner much respect in the classroom and inspire
students to emulate the teacher to impress others.”
Dr Elizabeth Lee, Senior Executive Director, Sunway Education Group

“Through personal experience of developing inter- and multi-disciplinary

cultural modules for over two decades, it has become clear that English
language proficiency correlates to professional success. Our Educators play a
vital role in the development of community conversance in English, and as
such, they and their ideas are deservedly celebrated through this MOE
Competition. Well done!”
Datin Shalini Ganendra, Cultural Leader

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 “The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia is really pleased to be part of
this inaugural event. We hope to support in promoting a culture of critical
thinking by tapping into the minds and opinions of the nation’s teachers. At the
same time, we hope that this platform can inspire and drive superior written
communications skills.”
Ms Chook Yuh Yng, President, Oxford & Cambridge Society, Malaysia

“This Competition encourages Teachers to express in English, the language of

the world. English should be mastered by every Malaysian, and the teachers
hold the key.”
YAM Tunku Dara Naquiah bt Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, Chairman ESU
Malaysia

OBJECTIVE

This essay competition was aimed at providing opportunities for MOE teachers, officers and
lecturers to share ideas, celebrate their stories and experiences, and also to provide a platform
to share opinions and views on the development of Malaysia’s education system in the 21st
Century through writing in English.

THEME

The theme of this inaugural competition was: “Mutual Respect, Love and Happiness Within
the Teaching and Learning Environment”, in line with the Ministry’s awareness focus this
year.

ELIGIBILITY

All teachers, officers and lecturers currently serving under the MOE were eligible to
participate in the competition (excluding the organising committee and their immediate
family members).

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JUDGES
STAGE ONE

1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabariah binti Md Rashid UPM

2. Dr. Florence Toh Hiaw Ching UPM

3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Megawati binti Omar UiTM

4. Mdm. Hayati binti Burkhan IIUM

5. Mr. Ahmad Sofwan Nathan bin Abdullah USM

6. Mdm. Afifah Quraishah binti Abd Nasir UPNM

7. Dr. Suhaida binti Omar UMK

8. Dr. Wan Jumani binti Paizi @ Fauzi UMP

9. Dr. Loo Shih Min UNIMAP

10. Dr. Rose Patsy Tibok UMS

11. Dr. Hajah Razianna binti Abdul Rahman BPG

12. Mdm. Anon Sham binti Che Din BPK

13. Mdm. Cheok Mei Lick IPGK Perempuan Melayu

14. Mdm. Malathy a/p Nadarajah IPGK Raja Melewar

15. Mr. Mohd. Ali Jaffry bin Md Zainuddin IPGK Raja Melewar

16. Mdm. Miziana @ Suhana binti Saboo IPGK Islam

17. Mdm. Hardeep Kaur a/p Darshan Singh ELTC

18. Mdm. Sarina binti Salim ELTC

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JUDGES
STAGE TWO

1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wan Zuhainis binti Saad JPT, MOE

2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ramesh Nair UiTM

3. Prof. Dr. Stephen James Hall Sunway University

4. Mdm. Margaret Hall Oxford-Cambridge Society of Malaysia

5. Dr. Dickson Fong Wen Jing MINCONSULT

6. Mr. Dinesh a/l Manoharan MINCONSULT

7. Mr. Lakshimiganthan a/p Jothilingam MINCONSULT

8. Mr. Noor Hayyi Haqq bin Sulaiman MINCONSULT

9. Mdm. Yashodini a/l Natarajan MINCONSULT

10. Mdm. Iris Tan The STAR, Newspaper

11. Datuk Azman bin Ujang ESU Malaysia

12. Mr. Chew Seng Choon ESU Malaysia

13. Mdm. Jagdish Bhain ESU Malaysia

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JUDGES
FINALS

1. Prof. Dr. Stephen James Hall Sunway University

2. Datuk Azman Ujang ESU Malaysia

3. Datin Shalini A. Ganendra ESU Malaysia

4. Mr. Danial Rahman Oxford-Cambridge Society of

Malaysia

5. Mdm. Emma Davidson Oxford-Cambridge Society of

Malaysia

6. Mr. Chandran Duraisamy Ponniah MINCONSULT

7. Mr. Nehru Isaac MINCONSULT

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 WINNERS
1st Prize: Ms. Teh Huijia
SMK Heng Ee, Pulau Pinang
“Respect, Love and Happiness is a Two-Way Street”

2nd Prize: Ms. Sarala Thulasi a/p Palpanadan

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor
“Not an Essay about the Dead Poets Society”

3rd Prize: Mr. Mohamad Faiz bin Mohamad Shakri

SK Balar, Kelantan
“From the Jungle with Love”

FINALISTS
In alphabetical order

 Azia Farzana binti Badduwie SK Sungai Sebatu, Subis, Sarawak

 Beatrise Fernandez a/p A.M. Fernandez SMK Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor

 Grace Phan Yiing Ling SMK (Tinggi) Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

 Emily Neoh Gaik Kin SMK Kota Masai, Johor

 Flora Tan Phek Yee SK Astana, Kuching, Sarawak

 J. Yasodhara Menon Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur

 Mohana Ram a/l Murugiah SMK (Perempuan) Methodist, Ipoh, Perak

 Nur Aisyah Chuah Jia Ni Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia, Cyberjaya

 Tan Pei Nee SMK Ave Maria Convent, Ipoh, Perak

 Tan Shu Hwa SMK St. Teresa, Kuching, Sarawak

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 THEME:
Mutual Respect, Love and Happiness Within the Teaching and Learning Environment.

The Winning & Finalist Essays

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FIRST PRIZE

RESPECT, LOVE AND HAPPINESS IS A TWO-WAY STREET

Written by: Teh Huijia

(SMK Heng Ee, Pulau Pinang)

A prominent educator in the UK, Sir Ken Robinson once asked his audience, “If you have got two
children or more, I bet you they are completely different from each other. Aren’t they?”. When it
comes to family, friends, or even identical twins, we won’t dream about treating two people the same
way. However, in a classroom with thirty-odd distinct and unique young human beings, sometimes
the educator forgets that they are all individuals in the midst of ever-changing education policies,
standardised testing, demands of the curriculum and daily school life, paperwork and the such.

On the bright side, people in education are aware that diversity and not conformity ought to be
celebrated. Unless if we are trying to turn our students into automated machines who consistently
churn out standard quality answers and behaviour, it is time to rethink the expectations we impose in
the classroom. Too often, a traditional Malaysian classroom still requires students to sit up straight,
stay silent while the teacher is speaking, maintain focus, remain on-task, and carry out whatever task
we ask them to, for the six to seven straight hours they are in school. It is highly doubtful that any
functional adult can tolerate, much less withstand the behavioural demands we subject our students to.
Therefore, it is categorically essential to foster a culture of mutual respect, love and happiness within
the teaching and learning environment to establish a kinder, warmer and ultimately better world for
both the learners and the teacher.

In schools, having students reminded and taught to respect their teachers and their peers is the norm.
However, the reverse, i.e. teachers respecting their students, is also crucial to be integrated into the
school culture. Even in a homogenous society, students come with different learning needs, styles,
preferences, hobbies, experiences and family backgrounds. Hence, in Malaysia’s multicultural
society, it is more imperative that teachers are aware and sensitive towards the differences that exist
within the classroom and negotiate an open, tolerant and respectful environment for every learner to
flourish. Apart from differences, teachers also need to respect every student’s ability to achieve, be it
in academic, behavioural or co-curricular aspects. When students feel that their efforts respected and
acknowledged, they will also be spurred to aim high and achieve higher.

On the other hand, walk into a coffee shop full of teachers and chances are, quite a few teachers will
be bemoaning the lack of respect shown by their students nowadays. Indeed, students today grew up
in a different world compared to their counterparts ten, twenty or fifty years ago. On top of that, with
the advent of information technology, students might be more knowledgeable and skillful in certain

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aspects compared to their teachers. Sometimes, there is a tendency for such students to believe that
they are entitled to act up and show arrogance in class. Besides, in a culture that is shifting towards
the celebration of individual voices and personas, respecting others have taken the back seat in
character building. Perhaps the way the world operates has redefined what respect means, but
certainly, teachers and students would benefit from exploring together the meaning of respect and re-
embedding it in the teaching and learning environment.

There is a decent chance that teachers might end up teaching the same students across different years.
When they graduate, for the teacher it feels like a compact cycle of seeing their own children grow
and mature, then facing the ‘empty nest’ syndrome on repeat. It would be ideal if all teachers loved all
their students equally, but in reality, just like children, it is near impossible to love them all the time.
However, teachers should also recognise that the students who are harder to love are usually the ones
who need more care and love. So long as teachers acknowledge this fact, they will realise that no
amount of ill feelings will last forever. Whilst teachers are capable of loving students unconditionally,
they usually do not demand that the students demonstrate their love. Nevertheless, teachers generally
are happy to receive a simple smile or greeting when they run into their students in the corridor.
Furthermore, in school, teachers are like students’ second parents, and with the long times students
spend in school, fostering strong, healthy, and loving bonds between teachers and students will go a
long way in forging a close-knit, understanding and appreciative teaching and learning environment.

When John Lennon was a kid, his mother always told him that happiness was the key to life. When
he went to school, they asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He wrote down ‘happy’.
They told him he didn’t understand the assignment. He told them they didn’t understand life. In a
capitalist society, life has started to resemble a rat race. On top of that, in this era where social media
has proliferated our lives, the way we perceive and discern our identities has also undergone massive
changes. As adults, teachers are more able to adapt to the changes. However, for students who are
barely teenagers yet already actively using social media, they might be the prey of insecurity,
comparison, judgment and unkind comments. Moreover, standardised tests, performance charts, rigid
curricula, tougher competitions have given rise to the number of students who suffer from anxiety as
they struggle to meet the expectations of their parents, teachers, peers and most of all, themselves.
Thus, teachers should be more sensitive towards their students’ mental health and take proactive steps
in the classroom to lead them to pursue happiness by introducing them to new habits, perspectives and
mindsets. That way, students can amalgamate the pursuit of happiness with the joy of learning in a
happy teaching and learning environment.

To have happy learners, it is vital to have happy teachers. With the increasing workload teachers have
to deal with on a daily basis, teacher burnout has become a pressing issue. Sometimes it is the endless
paperwork and grading; sometimes it is just the effort and energy needed to cope with five classes of

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thirty students all in a day. As teachers, it is also difficult to separate professional lives and our
personal lives, as they frequently bring work back home, sometimes physically, most of the time
mentally. Hence, self-care is an indispensable part in a teacher’s life. Teachers should not feel guilty
about their desire to indulge in a shopping spree, meditate, splurge on a spa and massage treatment, or
just occupy their time with something unrelated to school and students. When teachers take care of
themselves, they are happier, and that leads to a happier teaching and learning environment.

To conclude, teachers should acknowledge, accept and celebrate the fact that there is no one-size-fits-
all in the world of education. For individuals to actualise their potential, there needs to be a teaching
and learning environment that supports, nurtures and sustains meaningful growth and learning. To
make this happen, everyone who is part of the environment should know that respect, love and
happiness should be reciprocal and not a one-way street and cultivate a culture where there is mutual
respect, love and happiness.

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SECOND PRIZE

NOT AN ESSAY ABOUT THE DEAD POETS SOCIETY

Written by: Sarala Thulasi a/p Palpanadan

(Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor)

“Carpe diem! Seize the day, boys… Make your life extraordinary!”

As Mr. Keating’s dramatic lines of motivation echoed around the classroom, complemented with
outstanding background music and captivating cinematography, I swear I had goosebumps for a
second or two. But when I actually finished watching The Dead Poets Society, I was somewhat
disappointed because honestly, the teacher in me could not relate to the movie. It felt like a glorified
script written by a hippie with no absolute knowledge in course design and on how teaching in reality
works. And then, one day I looked up on Thomas H. Schulman, the writer of the cult classic.

He majored in philosophy.

Ah. That explains.

A lot.

It is not that I have anything against going all Hollywood and Bollywood (*cough* 3 Idiots *cough*)
when it comes to teaching. I just don’t think that making changes has to come in grand gestures to be
validated or presumed as worthy. Just as cinema influences the world view on pop culture, politics
and even the perfect idea of romance, it also preaches an unrealistic method of teaching that end up
making, us educators, look not good enough unless we are Robin Williams, Amir Khan or Richard
Dreyfuss.

We say, welcome to the life of 21st century teachers, where the kids are uncontrollable, the parents are
unreasonable and the public think that you’re lazy and overpaid. As I have been waiting for a long
time for such a platform to express my thoughts, I would like to take this opportunity to say that we
teachers, do show love and care to our students in our little but significant ways that we can afford
with our time and efforts.

As an educator who started from teaching some 7-year-olds to now supervising a bunch of 30-year-
olds, my journey has seen students from all walks of life who, ultimately, want to be treated with
dignity no matter what stage of learning they are in. Teachers often forget that they are learners too
and it takes a reversed situation to remind them how exhausting learning could be. Just like how I
wish my daughter could have been kinder to me when she was teaching me how to set up a Netflix

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account without her wanting to drive up to an empty field to scream her frustration off, I am sure
students would want us to respect their attempts as well, especially when they are trying their level
best to live up to our expectations. Over the years, I neither neglected the slow learners nor celebrated
the fast learners. I did not have to break into a song with a hundred backup dancers to show them that
I value their efforts regardless. I just had to be fair to them so that in return they learn about respecting
everyone equally as well. Mutual respect; check.

It is undeniable that sometimes we have some young students who might latch themselves onto the
teachers. I understood sometime later in life that most of them come from troubled homes where they
do not get enough love and attention from those who should be showering them with. It broke my
heart to realize how love-deprived could they have been to mistake the slightest attention for love. As
a young teacher, I used to feel smothered by some of them. But over the years, as I was raising two
girls of my own, I realized that nothing is easy for anyone, even the for children. As we adults have
learned a thing or two about coping with hardships, the young ones are just only stepping out of their
comfort zones and are still in the trial and error stages of how to deal with issues they face.
Sometimes, the thing a student needs most at this point has nothing to do with what is on the lesson
plan! Hence, I started to actually listen to what they wanted to say and shared some insights with what
little I knew about life when they opened up to me. Of course, I made sure I had my limits and never
let emotions interfere my work but at my own capacity I tried to be an older friend who can comfort
them whenever necessary. The result of throwing around care like confetti, is that even till today, I
would get text messages or weekend visits from my ex-students bringing me stories of their successful
lives and even their wedding invitations! Love; check.

While the other two points were more about the students, this is about me. To know that my influence
as a teacher can never be erased, it has given me an amazing sense of fulfillment in life. There is a
famous saying that “They may forget what you said. But they will not forget how you made them
feel.” I think this applies more to me as a teacher than for the students. Whenever I hit obstacles in life
where I feel unappreciated or that my efforts for something have gone into a waste, I just take a
moment to reminisce the ridiculous and hilarious stories that happened in my classroom over the
years. Sometimes, I tell them over and over again to my colleagues or family and we all share a good
laugh. These students have taught me to have good times even from something as mundane as a
reading task. Now that I am on a slightly different journey as an educator of lecturing and supervising
older students, I look back at those little moments and realize that they were not so little after all. And
that is what I tell my teacher trainees as well, ‘even when you’re super tired by night, you were still a
Super Teacher during the day! And the prize for that is a lifetime worth of memories you take back
home every day, well, apart from the loads of books to mark.’. Still, happiness; check.

I would like to end this essay by saying that this is my tribute to most teachers that I know, who have

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been changing lives of their students in little but significant ways. Kudos to you! Kudos to us! And
kudos to the future teachers that we have invested in! I hope that collectively, we continue to strive
against the challenging times ahead and still keep our hearts soft and minds sharp because we might
not be starring in an Oscar-worthy movie but we are still going to keep on walking into that classroom
with our heads held high as if the whole class is going to stand on their tables and welcome us with
cheers of “O Captain! My Captain!”.

On a second thought, The Dead Poets Society was a good movie, I think…

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THIRD PRIZE

FROM THE JUNGLE WITH LOVE

Written by: Mohamad Faiz bin Mohamad Shakri

(SK Balar, Kelantan)

Not long ago, we were hit by the news of seven Orang Asli children who were reported to have run
away from a boarding school in Gua Musang, Kelantan and five of them who tragically died after
being discovered. The social media exploded with speculations of what really went wrong and who
was to blame. I was teaching in Semporna, Sabah at the time so I did not truly understand what was
going on and bombarded myself with questions. What were the children running from? How could
they fear school that much to have decided to escape? Were the teachers really at fault? The questions
kept lingering until I got transferred to an indigenous Orang Asli school in Gua Musang to teach
English, struggled with the challenges, and transformed the scary and hideous place into a classroom
filled with mutual respect, love, and happiness.

The school is remotely located in the jungle. From the comfort of a city, we have to go off-roading
for hours through the jungle and pray that the pickup truck will not get stuck or break down along the
way. It caters for Orang Asli learners who are described as having English as a foreign language and
have little access to the outside world. I have been working with children for six years and trying to
redefine English language learning for young learners. My work and interests include instructional
technology, project-based learning, increased creativity, and digital learning that enhance authentic
pedagogical experiences and provide sophisticated ways to improve learning. Being naïve and proud
of my little experiences, I had high expectations and hopes.

I struggled in the first few months as reality bit me in the face. It turned out that the children were not
a welcoming host. There were cultures of ignoring the teachers, calling them names in their language,
and being disrespectful. They are not to be blamed for this. For most of them, school is a scary place
where they experience many things for the first time, including encountering non-Orang Asli teachers
who are considered as outsiders like me. There was an invisible wall that blocked my connection with
them. I faced many demons in my classroom. It was difficult to get the children to remain seated and
pay attention to my lessons. Unlike the norm, where they are usually outside most of the time, being
free and playful, the children have to tolerate being confined in a classroom, learning things that make
no sense to them. They were not bound by rules so they did not know how to follow instructions or
understand the importance of completing homework on time. Other than that, they did not think that
the lessons are significant so it was hard for them to remember what has been taught. Most Orang Asli
children, who are accustomed to being free and independent, may not understand the practices that are

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valued in school. There were times when students seem disengaged and uninterested in learning.
Some of them became disruptive to the classroom environment. To this point, this was one of my
worst teaching experiences. I dreaded being in the classroom, got angry, and became demotivated.

Orang Asli communities have only recently made the transition from an oral tradition to a literate
one. Thus, there are negative perceptions towards their tradition that many of us conveniently
categorize as illiterate. We tend to assume a deficit perspective where the lack of educational
attainment among the Orang Asli children is often attributed to their culture and community.
Therefore, rather than seeing their own their culture and community as a problem, I tried to rise above
by understanding my roles and responsibilities of as a teacher to provide my children necessary
support for meaningful schooling experiences and successful educational outcomes. Instead of letting
them experience fear when they have to encounter physical punishment or face abusive language, I
tried using the most powerful classroom management technique which is buiding a relationship out of
love with them first.

I encouraged love and respect through my efforts to helps the children. English writing is the most
challenging as stumbling blocks interfere with motivation. To inspire my 12-year-old students to
write, move beyond traditional practices, and help develop the 21st century skills, I started GoLab, an
initiative to bring project-based learning and 21st century learning into the classroom. Using my own
money, I bought ten computer tablets, a laptop, a projector, and other essential tools that assist
learning. I put them in a bag and bring the whole lab into the jungle. The kit has provided my students
real opportunities to cultivate the skills.

The implementation of project-based learning motivates indigenous learners to learn and helps them
develop sustainable literacies. The key to sustainable literacy development is their relationship to the
land and nature. Project English Hut is an initiative to build a green classroom made of recycled and
sustainable materials which is a learning hub for sustainability projects and lessons. The Photovoice
Project is a learning process by which the students reflect their community through photographic
techniques. The project involves going around the village, taking photographs, organizing ideas,
writing stories based on the pictures, editing the images, and digitising the stories into media
presentations. It is able to improve the students’ writing, literacy, and communication skills. In
addition, it motivates reluctant writers, promotes collaborative learning, and boosts their creativity.
The students were also involved in a vegetable garden project that has provided them agricultural
knowledge. Other lessons include creating a recycled mini book with each page depicting ways that
people can help to keep our planet healthy, nature scavenger hunt in teaching Science and English
vocabularies, and songs and poems of our Earth.

In conclusion, my experiences of teaching them with love have definitely given me a better insight
into how I can transform English language teaching and learning in an Orang Asli school and changed

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me as a teacher. I came to understand that they might not understand the language but they are
capable of understanding respect, love, and happiness. They have feelings and who don't want to feel
cornered. For Orang Asli communities, education is essential and is the answer to improve the quality
of life and possibly uplift poverty. Therefore, teachers in schools accommodating indigenous children
must avoid mainstream educational practices that may not suit them and explore how the present
education trends can accommodate their needs.

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TOP 10 FINALISTS

IRONIES I LEARNED AS A TEACHER

Written by: Grace Phan Yiing Ling

(SMK (Tinggi) Kota Kinabalu, Sabah)

When I was a child, I viewed the world through tinted lenses. If a person looked neat, wore smart
clothes and had an air about him, he deserved to be held in high regard. If a student were in a 'good'
class, she must be very bright. It was a narrowed perspective of how I made sense of the world.

My paradigm shift happened at the beginning of my teaching career when I was on my Biro
Tatanegara (BTN) course. I had a team mate who constantly sought my advice at a session when we
were discussing Malaysian history. I "generously" shared my answers, at the same time judging her
poor capability at remembering facts. The tables were turned when we were having a team-building
activity, which was similar to an obstacle course. She, being a natural athlete, simply breezed through
the course while all the time helping uncoordinated me, without a single complaint. I was humbled
and finally understood the moral lesson of the Aesop's fable, The Lion and the Mouse.

Everyone is different, and no one is more superior than the other, regardless of his or her academic
achievement, physical appearance or economic status. To honour and to love is not to treat everyone
as equals but as individuals; knowing that with our strengths and weaknesses, physical traits and
idiosyncrasies, each of us has our own dignity that deserves respect.

As educators, this is a challenge for us - to treat each and every student with respect, especially those
students who are the most difficult to love. And there is a greater challenge - to earn respect in return,
something that is lacking in our generation today. This is what many of us struggle with when
teaching the classes at the end of the spectrum, the low performers and 'troublemakers'. But I
discovered that it is in such classes that I had the opportunity to be the learner instead of the teacher.

There was a class of 28 Form Five students, many of whom had no interest in studying and
undoubtedly zero motivation to learn. They came to school only because they had no other choice. It
was clear that the majority of these students had no purpose in life. This class of students, who
believed that they were the worst of the lot, needed to find that purpose. Thus, I encouraged them to
help the less fortunate, to make them see that they too could make a difference. It started with charity
fundraising and one thing led to another until they were doing volunteer work. Their genuine
enthusiasm both amazed and moved me. I gave them esteem and encouragement but they responded
by selflessly giving their time, energy, money and their priceless respect. After two fundraising
activities, they managed to earn enough money to be donated to the earthquake victims in Nepal that

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year and also contributed to three local charity organisations. Sometimes we have to dig deep, for
some treasures are sunken and require our perseverance to find them. But once you find those
treasures, we will be rewarded tenfold.

People say that life is a mirror. When you treat others in a certain way, you are most likely to
receive the same treatment. For me, I believe in the Pygmalion effect. As a teacher, I have witnessed
this effect countless times. When you demonstrate high expectations from your students, when you
model the behaviour you hope to see, when you treat your students with respect, you will get the same
in return. That is mutual respect.

Jean Piaget (1952) explained this in his theory of the development of respect as evolving from a
young child's unilateral respect to a mutual one later in life. Unilateral respect occurs between two
individuals who have unequal status. For example, a young child understands the authority of parents
or teachers and obeys what they say. The child accepts the value of the adults' power. However, as
children grow, they become less likely to see themselves as inferior to others. This is when mutual
respect is needed based on a reciprocal relationship, "two individuals who recognise each other's
values and evaluate these values by shared norms" (Piotowski et.al, 2008). Therefore, respect cannot
be forced but earned. When teachers form a rapport with the students and respect them not as
insignificant people who need coercion but as humans with dignity, the students will reciprocate and
then does mutual respect occur.

Thus, is the irony of life. When we let go of control and stop using intimidation, then only will we
gain respect. The other irony pertains to love and change. I once read that "trying to change someone
else is an act of aggression. Trying to change yourself is an act of love." (Bell as cited in Miller,
2017). In another batch of Form Five class that I was teaching, I was on the verge of giving up.
Teachers were commenting that they had never seen anything like it. These students would not listen;
they would not budge; they refused to be touched or moved by anything I preached. Yet that was the
point. I was merely preaching. I nagged and scolded and tried to motivate them. What they felt was
my frustration but not my love. In one last attempt, the famous adage came to mind, "When life
hands you lemons, make lemonade." It dawned on me that I was trying to make apple juice out of
lemons. So, I stopped trying to change them. Instead, I changed myself and my approach. Slowly
but miraculously, the transformation happened. People can only change when they feel loved and
accepted.

When there is mutual respect and love in the classroom, happiness is on the horizon. These are the
three key ingredients to success in the teaching and learning environment. Numerous researches have
shown a significant correlation between happines and academic achievement. Students learn more
when they are happy. Nevertheless, teachers should not stress themselves to make it happen. It has to
come naturally. Regardless of what happens to our education system, to the school, to our curriculum,

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there is one thing that will never change, and that is our passion in teaching.

As teachers, we meet students from all walks of life. It is our differences that make the world
special. Therefore, we should learn to respect and love others no matter who they are or how they
behave. After all, it is in giving that we receive. It is when we give to others that we find happiness.

References
Audley-Piotrowski, S., Hsueh, Y., & Cohen,R. (2008). Respect: A development
perspective. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 12(3), 207-211.
Miller, A. (2017). Radical Acceptance: The Secret to Happy, Lasting Love. New York, NY: Atria
Books.
Piaget, J. (1952). The moral judgment of the child. New York, NY: Collier Books.

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 I AM JUST A 'CIKGU'

Written by: Tan Pei Nee

(SMK Ave Maria Convent, Ipoh, Perak)

This year marks my 30th year as a teacher and I have had the priviledge to teach in primary and
secondary schools, plus in the rural and urban areas. I have also taught in co-educational schools and I
am currently serving in an all girls’ school. The teaching and learning environment in each and every
school can never be the same. I could be teaching the same form, same subject but I can never do
exactly the same in all the schools. I have to approach each and every school, each and every class
and student differently, in order to give them my best as a teacher.

We can have the students learning the same syllabus, sitting for the same examinations and be
involved in the same activities or competitions, but what makes it all different is the people in it. In a
school, our main stakeholders are the students, followed by the parents. Teachers would not exist
without students. Teachers would not have a job without students. How do we get respect, love and
happiness within the teaching and learning environment? I believe that it has to start with no one, but
us, the teachers! We are the catalyst of change for any schools that we are serving.

I started my teaching career in a huge felda school and the enrolment was more than a thousand
students. All the students were Malays except for 1% Indians, and I was the only Chinese teacher
there. As a teacher, I did what a teacher was supposed to do, I teach. I imparted knowledge to them,
shared my wisdom and prepared them to face the examinations. Initially, they see me as
someone different from them, even parents were unfamiliar with a Chinese teacher. As it was a felda
kampong school, parents could walk in and out of the school compound comfortably and in the
beginning, I noticed many parents were purposely walking pass my class to catch a glimpse of this
Chinese teacher. I smiled, nodded and acknowledged their presence and continued my work with my
students, feeling a little awkward as there were many eyes staring at me teaching in class. By the
second month, things were quieter and I did not get that much attention anymore.

Agreed, it was not easy to teach English in a community where English was more of a foreign
language, rather than a second language. I could not force the community, students and the rest of the
teachers to use English, but I tried to get them to know that English Language exists and the language
could be heard within the walls of the classrooms during English lessons. I have to respect them and
their views on the necessity to learn English, this is because to most of the people in this
community, it is not required for them to learn the language as they did not need to use English at all.

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I did not short change my students by teaching them any less but I tried my best to make them have
fun learning the language. As long as I respected them, and they could see my sincerity, I was happy
teaching them, even though I faced a lot of challenges. I learnt to be happy with the bare necessities in
that ill-equipped teaching and learning environment. There were no entertainment outlets or shopping
malls to hang out after school hours. There were no land lines in the school and in the whole village,
there were only two public phones which depended on solar power. Handphones were unheard of at
that time.

I remember how parents came to me, after they were more comfortable with this Chinese teacher and
they told me in their local dialect, “Teacher, you can scold or punish my child in whatever way you
think is necessary if my child misbehaves. Do your best to educate my child.” They trusted me with
their children. I believe that if parents trust a teacher, it makes teaching and learning easier and the
environment in the classroom between teachers and students would then be very positive. Students
learn best when they are happy and feel safe with the teacher. Teachers can put their best foot forward
when students are teachable and parents are cooperative. In all humility, I did my best to teach them
English and at the same time, I learnt from them too. I got to know the Malay culture better, and I
enjoyed a lot of simple but delicious kampong dishes. I could never forget how the students would
line up to ‘bersalam’ with me everyday when the dismissal bell rang if it so happens that I was the
last period teacher for that day. This is a culture practised by all the students in the school to show
their respect to their teachers before they go home everyday. I was happy that they regarded me as a
teacher, and not as a Chinese, and they showed their respect to me by including me in this
‘bersalam’ culture.

Our Education Minister, Dr Maszlee Malik said that his ministry will work towards instilling the
culture of happiness, love and mutual respect in schools and varsities in a bid to create a fun and
positive learning environment. However, the question is, ‘How do we go about achieving all these?’
We cannot push all the students and teachers into a ring and command: “Respect and love each other!
Be happy in school!” Thus, in order to see these three cultures inculcated and popularised among all
in the education field, there must be integration and understanding from all races, starting from young.
Children should be taught to see beyond race, colour and creed. As a teacher, we are responsible to
nurture this in our students. If we have the passion as a teacher, we would be able to serve our duty
with responsibility, no matter where we are posted to. We would be happy teaching and moulding the
young, innocent minds of our students. This is because as a teacher, we do it all. We have to and we
need to, across all ages, languages, ethnicities and subjects, teachers are, and need to be among the
most widely skilled people around in order to be successful. Great teachers motivate, inspire and lead.
We interact with the community to effect positive changes through our students and ourselves.

Therefore, in order to create a positive teaching and learning environment, there must be mutual

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respect between all parties involved in the education field. Most importantly, if we love teaching and
we treat it as a calling instead of just a job, we hope we can be a role model and a hero to our students.
We would be happy walking into any classrooms looking at the eager faces of our students, waiting
for us to impart knowledge to them. We would saviour moments when we enjoy a cup of coffee with
our colleagues in the staffroom, over a banter on the antics of our students and at the same time, busy
marking tons of homework given to our students. I have no complaints, this is, after all, the life of
a 'cikgu'.

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 HOPE IN HOPELESSNESS

Written by: Mohana Ram a/l Murugiah

(SMK (Perempuan) Methodist, Ipoh, Perak)

Dedication of a teacher is not how well he teaches but how well he has touched the lives of his pupils.
As teachers some students live in our memories for a long time; probably it was because of us, or was
it because of them?...............

A few years ago, I had a girl in my class whom I remember till today. She was tall, quiet and timid.
Her thick glasses and oiled – hair made her look as if she had walked out of her grandmother’s
wardrobe and melancholy was always written all over her face. The teachers in the school had nothing
great to tell about her. Her academic and co-academic achievements were nothing but shouted
mediocrity. Nevertheless, there was something in this girl that I noticed, her eyes would brim
with excitement during my English Language lessons. Never had I expected that a few moments of
kindness that I shed upon her would bring tremendous changes to that young girl........

Menaka came from a poverty-stricken family supported by her single-parent mother. Her mother
worked hard to feed three mouths. Being the eldest, Menaka was responsible for taking care of her
younger siblings. Being the sole breadwinner, her mother was taking up two jobs so that she could
support all her children. She had a lackadaisical attitude towards Menaka’s education and future as all
she had in her mind was their survival in the present.

I noticed that Menaka was a smart girl but she was lost in her own thoughts. However, she had always
completed her homework. Her work was the tidiest and most importantly she had an unusual ability to
write English Language essays creatively. Her essays were exemplary that I would always read
them out to the class, much to the amazement of other students. She was not a loquacious person and
only talked when she was asked to.

It was one morning; I entered the class. It was empty. I decided to wait for the students to return from
wherever they were. I sat down slowly, quietly thrilled at the novelty of being alone. Hesitant and
polite droplets of rain filled the warm ground. It was a comforting rain. My shoulders relaxed, my
mind quietened and I sank deeper into my chair realising that was the only thing I wanted that
morning. Just then, Menaka walked in. I corrected my posture.

I was informed that the other students were being taken to the Principal’s room for not completing
their homework.

“Congratulations on being the one and only one to have completed your science homework!”

I said, feigning the excitement.

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Menaka smiled with a sense of pride which did not last long, with much hesitant she approached me,

“Mr Lopez, can I have a word with you?”

I was taken aback and had a quizzical look on my face, but I let her talk.

“Yes sure, what is it?”

Her hurrying thoughts clamoured for utterance, and then with a soft intonation of profound sorrow,
she started….

“You know Mr Lopez, I really like your English Language lessons and wish I can be a teacher like
you but that’s impossible as I won’t be able to further my studies after SPM, I’ve to look for a job and
help my mother to support my siblings and my mother will not be interested to send me to university,
she doesn’t even care about my grades. I failed maths and she did not do anything about it.”

As I listened, I felt my heart cracking like glass, spreading its pieces throughout my body. I could feel
that her voice was filled with disappointment thinking about her dark and relentless fate. I was at lost
for words, but tried my best……..

“You see, you are a very bright girl and I am a fan of your exquisite essays”.

I could see her face brighten up, she looked at me incredulously and I continued…

“You don’t have to quit studies after SPM, there are plenty of scholarships and educational loans that
may help to fund your studies, provided you get a good result in your SPM. I am very certain that you
will be getting an A+ for your English Language. All you need to do is, put in extra effort to do better
in other subjects. Menaka, it’ll be a waste if you don’t go to university.”

I showed her list of scholarships and loans available in Malaysia for outstanding students from my
mobile phone. She looked at them with uncertainty.

“There are so many opportunities and you shouldn’t let anything to stop you from chasing your
dreams. Talk to your mother about this. I'm sure she'd want you to be successful and lead a better life
in future.”

And I told her that I’ll be having extra classes the following weeks and I'd be able to help her with
some of the subjects if she wanted to. She did not immediately say yes, but she told me that she would
consider what I had said.

The very early next morning Menaka walked to me and said cheerfully,

“I talked to my mother and I think I will be able to attend your extra classes.”

“Mr. Lopez, thank you.”

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I could see the ray of hopes on her face. I smiled.

Since then we got to know each other quite well and Menaka never missed a chance to see me with
questions and doubts. She also started seeing other teachers more often and they did all they could to
help her. She never missed any of my extra classes and wrote better essays and won a few notable
creative writing competitions too. She was more confident and I was certainly witnessing her
blossoming before my eyes. Menaka became one of the most popular girls in the school by the end of
her fifth form.

On the day she sat for her SPM English Language paper, I found a note on my table……..

Dear Mr Lopez,

I would like to thank you for everything that had happened to me for the past two years if it wasn’t
for you it wouldn’t have happened. I am glad that you became my English Language teacher and I am
even gladder that we had the twenty -minute talk last year which gave me a new direction in my life.
Menaka

When the SPM results were announced triumph assailed her in waves as Menaka passed with flying
colours with an A+ for the English Language. She was then offered the Malaysia – United Kingdom
twinning programme in TESOL with scholarship. I was incredibly proud and infectiously joyful that
she had made it. Today, Menaka is promenading in the path to success and we are still staying in
touch.

I've often wondered what would have happened to her if we never had the twenty - minute talk. I
never knew why she chose to talk to me and I never asked. Perhaps it was set by destiny.

At times when I feel like giving up, I'd think of Menaka and instantly be on my feet for I would never
know when the next Menaka will approach me…………

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 THE REAL ESSENCE OF A TEACHER: A PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW

Written by: Flora Tan Phek Yee

(SK Astana, Kuching, Sarawak)

“Teaching is the best profession. There are many holidays in a year!”

"You have the best working hours. You don't follow the eight to five window."

“A primary school teacher? That’s a piece of cake!”

Do those sound familiar? Almost one in every ten people would utter something akin to that regarding
the teaching vocation. While people may view and profess that teaching is a noble profession, the way
they talk about it over a meetup seems to dictate otherwise. Here, I would like to put my foot down
and say that teaching is an extremely tough but very rewarding process. I would not see the fruits of it
in a short span of time, but I know the effect of it lasts forever, as long as these three elements are
included and embodied in the teaching and learning process: mutual respect, love and happiness.

The first thing that I want to highlight is mutual respect. From the word mutual, it entails that respect
must go both ways. Usually, it is deemed that students should respect the teachers because the latter is
regarded as more advanced in seniority and knowledge. Therefore, when students do not show
respect, some teachers take offence and this naturally affects the teaching and learning process.
However, majority of teachers fail to see that respect must be mutually done and given. If we want our
students to respect us, we need to also respect them as individuals. We need to learn about their
worlds and view them as how they see it, unlike the usual, insensitive way of just tossing them out as
garbage. Not only that, mutual respect also means we as teachers believe in our students’ talents and
skills by grooming and supporting them wherever possible.

Here, I would like to commend one teacher’s effort in respecting a student’s talent. This particular
student has just been transferred to the school and showed an excellent attitude in the classroom. A
few months later, he was asked to emcee the school assembly. Unfortunately, the moment he started
speaking, a few teachers raised their eyebrows in surprise and some even snickered because this boy
had trouble pronouncing words with the ‘r’ sound. No one took note of his confident stance while
speaking with the microphone. No one noticed that he emceed the assembly well. Many teachers and
even some students picked on the ‘r’ sound, and the boy knew it.

When this particular teacher realised it, she decided to do something so that the confidence would not
be killed. She only asked him a simple question: Do you like to sing? The boy replied yes, but he
hesitated and said he would rather not due to his pronunciation problem. She acknowledged it but
mentioned that it should not be the reason to stop singing. From then on, the boy was trained to sing

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under her guidance and he could perform a solo song presentation, which earned him the comment of
“He is a good singer, really talented at such a young age”. From this, it is clear that the teacher
respected the boy by accepting his flaws yet deciding to work on it with him because of his passion.
The boy, in return, respected the teacher by following her advice and showed determination by doing
his best. Mutual respect, going both ways, resulting in something beautiful.

The second element is love. This definitely goes without saying that teaching without love is like
growing the plants without proper pruning. Not only will we be exhausted and give up easily, we will
tend to only do the bare minimum and not go the extra mile. Love in the teaching and learning
environment means showing genuine care beyond the examination. This type of care touches the soul
of students and leaves a lasting, positive impression in them. Although in today’s world, examination
results still play a role in getting into the top universities or the most ideal jobs, it should not be the
end goal of a loving teacher. What is the point if a generation passed the exams with flying colours,
but they do not know the first thing about having good attitude? A teacher who has love will never
allow an A student’s wrongdoing be left unpunished. However, once punishment is given, he calls the
student and explains the reason. That explanation depicts genuine care, which probably a lot of
students thirst for but are malnourished of it from home.

Another teacher that comes to mind regarding this is a Mathematics teacher. This particular boy was
mischievous and could barely read the Malay language. When mathematical questions were given to
everyone, he would try his best to do it until he reached the problem-solving questions which he just
surrendered and put down his pencil. The teacher thought that the boy was lazy, thus punishment was
rendered. Later on, when the teacher called him, she found out that he could only read the syllables in
isolation. Although this was beyond her call as a Mathematics teacher, she decided to help him with
the Malay language. She bought a simple exercise book and guided him to spell numbers in words.
Also, she paid extra attention to his mannerisms in class. When he did not have money for recess, she
gave him some. These simple actions spurred a change in him; from surrendering into attempting to
read and solve mathematical problems. Simple and little acts of love which do not cost much but leave
a profound mark in an individual’s life.

The last element is happiness. Let’s face it: everyone wants to be happy. For the students, school is
probably the second ‘home’ where they spend most of their time in a day. Hence, the school
environment needs to be a place where they can find joy. One definite way of this is through extrinsic
motivation. We cannot run away from this as rewards work wonders, especially with primary school
students. We do not need to reward them extensively; most are delighted with simple gifts as long as
they are useful and they know that their teacher loves them enough to spend some ringgits on them. I
remember a teacher who rewarded his students for showing great effort in preparing for a simple
topical assessment. After handing out the extra rewards to some outstanding students, the boy who did

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not get it said that he would work harder for the extra gift. In this case, both parties find happiness as
the students bask in the gifts and the teacher steers his flock to work harder.

Mutual respect, love and happiness are crucial in a teacher’s life. They need to be engraved in every
teaching soul before true transformation can be seen in the teaching and learning environment. Of
course, a teacher can still teach without the three elements as they have obtained the head knowledge,
but the heart knowledge is not something acquirable through textbooks or pedagogical workshops.
The golden question for teachers to bear in mind each day should be this: What kind of generation
would I like to nurture; one that respects, loves and feels happy or otherwise? It is your call.

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 FINDING HAPPINESS, LOVE AND RESPECT IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT.

Written by: Beatrise Fernandez a/p A.M. Fernandez

(SMK Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor)

Teaching is an art perfected by those who love teaching. Why did I become a teacher? Is it because of
my passion for teaching or because of job security? A little bit of both, I think. I used to give tuition
to my neighbourhood kids and enjoyed it. I wanted to pursue a career in law, but my parents thought
that teaching was a good profession for ladies, and being a dutiful daughter, I complied. However, as
the years went by, I realised that I truly loved my job. It didn't feel like I was going to work, and I
loved going to school, meeting my colleagues, and even missed my students during the holidays, or
when they were absent. Something that I thought was impossible. From being a chore, teaching
became my passion. How did that happen? The change happened when I started looking at my
students as people who needed my love and respect, and I started treating them with the respect they
deserved. There was mutual respect.

Mutual respect is the feeling when someone feels valued and important and it is shared between two
or more people. I began to see my students as people who were to be respected and valued. Teaching
was no longer about imparting knowledge but about building their characters and caring for my
students as individuals. Just like I had my bad days, they too had their bad days. Days when it was
difficult to concentrate in class. I learnt to give them the space they needed on those days, and to let
them be. If they wanted to talk about it, I would lend a listening ear. If not, it was fine with me.
Bruce Lee said "Knowledge will give you power, but character respect". I chose to give my students
respect.

It was no longer a one-way communication where I told my students what I expected of them, and if
they could do the tasks given, I considered it an accomplishment. Now, if they enjoyed my lessons, I
considered it an achievement. I started asking them what they expected of me. They wanted a
teacherr who respected, loved them and gave them the pace to grow. They wanted a learning
environment that was fun, not chalk and talk. On my part, daily I began to learn from my students.
To not judge them, but to walk in their shoes. It is hard being a teenager. I should know, because I
was a teenager many moons ago.

Being Aiman's English teacherr was no easy task. I was annoyed to see him dozing off at times
during my English lessons. I tried to make the lessons more interesting, to play-act, to involve him in
the lessons. Things got a little better, but still he used to occasionally sleep during my English
lessons.

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One fine day, I bought him breakfast and during recess decided to take my break with him. We
talked. "Are my English lessons boring?" I asked. "Is that why you sleep in class?". His answer
shocked me. He told me he liked English, and that was why he came to school daily. He slept during
all other lessons, but tried to keep awake and focus during English. Aiman then told me that daily, he
helped his single mother sell burgers from 5.00p.m to 1.00a.m. He only came to school because he
knew I would look for him and call him if he was absent from school. "You respect me, teacher. You
don't nag at me for sleeping or laugh when I speak in English. I want to pass my SPM English paper
because you constantly tell me that I can. I want to make you proud of me, but sometimes I am just
too tired. I come to school because I know that you care whether I come to school or not".

I fought back my tears as I assured Aiman that he would indeed pass his English paper. I hoped that
he would, because I was not so sure myself. From that day onwards, I began to encourage and praise
Aiman and constantly told him that I was a hundred per cent sure that he would pass. I prayed hard
that he would indeed pass. The day of reckoning came. The SPM results were out. I was optimistic
but my nerves got the better of me. I saw Aiman's face light up as he took his results. He ran to me
screaming that he had passed his English paper. He had failed his English in the PT3 examination. I
do not know who was happier - Aiman or me. He was beaming as he told his unbelieving friends that
he had passed his English paper.

It dawned on me that children live up to what we believe of them. I believed that Aiman could do it,
and he believed in himself. Together, with mutual respect and love, we were able to do it. In doing
so, we found happiness within the teaching and learning environment. I don't profess to be an
excellent teacher, and Aiman was not an excellent student, but together, we were able to create an
environment where teaching and learning was fun. By not judging him, and gently pushing him on,
Aiman realised his full potential. There are many Aiman's out there who have a story to tell, if only
we would listen. I believe that with mutual respect and love, we can create a happy environment
where both teaching and learning can be enjoyed. Just like we want to work at a place where we are
happy and respected, students too deserve to study at a school where they are happy and respected.

True learning takes place in a place of happiness. It is in my hands as a teacher to give my students an
environment of happiness and respect, and I now do all it takes to make learning a happy experience.
Was it not Albert Einstein who said "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative
expression and knowledge?".

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 THE HUMAN TOUCH

Written by: Tan Shu Hwa

(SMK St. Teresa, Kuching, Sarawak)

Remember: those who can, do; those who can't, teach.

George Bernard Shaw

In 1988, the recession was in full swing. Jobs were hard to come by. One day, a letter from a teacher
training college arrived and after an interview, I was duly accepted.

It never crossed my mind that I would become a teacher. At that time, it was simply about survival
for me. The allowances given in college (RM345) was about the same as my monthly salary working
in a supermarket. Lodging was free and the food was good. Teaching was for me then simply a means
to getting paid for doing a job or so I thought.

After being indoctrinated and armed with the various pedagogies, strategies, psychology and other
aspects of the teaching field, I was posted to a small town at the Rejang River Delta with no road
access. After 5 years, I moved to another rural school before finally coming back to my hometown
after 13 long years.

Looking back now fills me with nostalgia and fond memories. I am talking about my students. All
of them are dear to me and the few that I have picked for this essay are no means more important than
the rest. They are chosen because they taught me more about my profession as a teacher than all the
books and courses I have ever read and attended.

Ask any student about their favourite teacher and the normal pick would be the teacher they “like” -
one who is close to them, approachable and understand their individual yet different needs. I hereby
present to you these anecdotes and some of the lessons I learned from three of my students,
selected because they taught me about the most important aspect in teaching: the human touch.

(i) Sofian (1994)

It was one day before the assembly. I had been trying to collect the inter-divisional medals won by
the school chess team to be given out by the principal the next day. Everyone had handed in the
medals except for this tiny soft-spoken boy.

“Where’s your medal?”

“It’s around my neck. Here it is.”

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“I have been asking you for it since last Thursday.”

“It has been here (the neck) since last Wednesday.”

“Why did you not give it to me? I have been asking you every day.”

“Teacher, I have not removed it since Wednesday. I wore it even when I slept and bathed. I have
never won anything in my entire life”

Eureka! That was the day I woke up and realised how noble, how important and how sentimental
the job of a teacher can be. Teachers can never take things for granted. To me then, a medal
was simply a piece of plastic. I stared at him, stupefied. The boy was carressing his medal.

For students, any small success, be it in the classroom or outside, could be life-changing, something
that might motivate and propel them to greater achievements. This single event changed my entire
way of looking at my job as a teacher. It ceased to be one and became a calling. Gone was the guy
going through the motions and talking like an automated tape recorder.

ii. Hondo (2001)

Understanding, compassion and empathy are important ingredients when it comes to producing
teachers. Students will tell their teachers what teachers need to know. Children have the natural
tendency to trust us and their answers can be blunt. As an example, I once asked a group of students
playing football why they were not going home for the holidays. There was nothing to eat back at the
village. Living in the hostel, they had free food. Anyway, they did not have the money to buy the bus
tickets or pay the boatman. A teacher does play many roles. A good teacher will always try to
understand why students behave the way they do and help them accordingly.

Here’s another account that left me with red watery eyes (in the washroom, of course) after the
incident.

Being small, Hondo sat in the front row in Form 1G, that ever-present blotch of blue ink on the front
his white shirt. I was his form teacher.

“Hondo, how many shirts do you have?”

“One.”

“Put your legs up.”

There were gasping holes in the bottom of his shoes. Pink skin was showing.

(A week later)

“Hondo.”

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“Yes, teacher?”

“Have you received the new uniform, socks and shoes last Friday?”

“Yes, teacher.”

“Why are you not wearing them?”

“Teacher, I am keeping them for next year.”

iii. Amanda (2014)

“Teach…, I need help.”

“What?!”

“How do you pronounce this word?”

“Errr.. . Good question. Go home, Google it and tell me tomorrow!”

(Laughter.)

I remember this girl, Amanda. She would sometimes come up to me with her best friend, asking me
to pronounce certain words like logorrhea, milquetoast and nonpareil. I seldom obliged her. As a
teacher, I have long since learned that some students are much better than the teachers. In such cases,
most teachers that I know would go on the defensive and either ignore or change the topic under
discussion. When students are better than the teachers, they certainly know it. There is no place to
hide. In certain cases, the teacher has to make the effort to better himself or herself.

When exceptional students are involved, I believe that the role of the teacher has to change too. The
point that I am trying to put across is that we as teachers have to first accept that there exists geniuses
among students and react appropriately, meaning to guide and facilitate in whatever tasks they are
involved in. Sooner or later, they will appreciate it.

I can never be as good as Amanda when it comes to spelling. She was the winner of the National
Level Spell-It-Right Competition (three times!) and the runner-up in The Asian Spelling Competition.
In cases like this, the teacher plays a supporting role much like a coach in sport. Being old, I think she
looked up to me as a fatherly figure, having lost her own father to cancer at a young age. As for me,
watching her winning and being happy was more than good enough. Teaching is the greatest
profession in the world when you see the delight on the students’ faces every time they win and
achieve something.

Well, I have always wanted to tell the world about my students and today I did it. I have learned
much from them. Yes, I am proud of all my students and proud to have the privilege to be their

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teacher. The teaching profession has been good to me; being able to watch children grow up and
become useful members of society. It truly grows like a labour of love. The moments I share with
them will always and forever be some of the most cherished moments of my life.

A YOUNG TEACHER'S REFLECTION ON NURTURING MUTUAL RESPECT, LOVE

AND HAPPINESS WITHIN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Written by: Emily Neoh Gaik Kin

(SMK Kota Masai, Johor)

'I will be brave to myself. I will be respectful to others. I will be ready to learn.' My pupils recite this
pledge at the start of all our English lessons. The words are consistent but the tone and body language
may vary. Some days, they raise goosebumps with their enthusiasm and sincerity. On other days, an
unenergetic recital raises concern. As teachers, we would wonder, ‘Was there a fight earlier that day?
Did they do poorly on a test in the previous lesson? Have they managed to eat properly during
recess?’

I strongly believe that empathy is the starting point to inculcate mutual respect, love and happiness
within the teaching and learning environment. As teachers, we are in a strategic position to place
fingers on the pulse of the nation’s youth and detect if anything is amiss as early as during the class
greeting. All it takes is for us to open our eyes, ears and hearts. But what comes after that?

When we notice unresolved turbulence in our pupils’ social-emotional states, what is the first thought
that crosses our multitasking minds? Personally, I have been guilty of silently lamenting that our
lesson objectives would not be achieved. It may sound comical at first but when faced with an
onslaught of deadlines and audits, it is only human for teachers to reduce pupils to mere datapoints in
our key performance indicators and subsequently, sacrifice the humanistic values of mutual respect,
love and happiness in our classrooms. However, the paradox that we must choose either performance
or values at the expense of the other must be vanquished.

A case can be made for prioritising mutual respect, love and happiness in our teaching and learning
environment. It does not mean pupil attainment takes a backseat. Conversely, they are not mutually
exclusive and the former greatly enhances the latter. On a global scale, we have seen Bhutan measure
their Gross National Happiness since 2008 whilst international bodies like the United Nations have
produced the World Happiness Report since 2018. In a nutshell, happiness matters as a yardstick of
success. Additionally, from a brain-based perspective, neuro-imaging and neurochemical research
support education models in which learning experiences are enjoyable and relevant to students.

In the secondary school where I teach, I have managed to inject some joy into teaching pupils not to

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litter by coordinating Project: BFF or Bins for Fun, which was carried out in January this year. In this
school-wide competition, every class built an interactive dustbin so that pupils could have more fun
throwing rubbish into the right place instead of littering. It was heartening to see pupils laughing as
they aimed their litter through basketball hoops or participated in ‘This or That’ opinion polls using
two dustbins. It is useful to note that Project: BFF was enabled through a generous cash grant by
Accenture Malaysia, thus illustrating the availability of private sector support which teachers and
schools can leverage on to promote happiness within the teaching and learning environment.

For all its merits, a common criticism against fun learning is that frequently pandering to pupils’
enjoyment and interests would stunt their learning capacity for difficult or unfamiliar matter. In other
words, pupils may lack the academic resilience to digest new concepts or cope with more traditional
learning methods such as lectures and independent reading. This is where I beg to differ. Rigour is not
inversely proportional to fun. Instead, rigour can be achieved through careful and deliberate planning
of the learning experience. A personal example I can share is from spearheading the school’s National
Kindness Week project under the English Panel last April. In the interest of full disclosure, this co-
academic project was supported by a cash grant from The Star Media Group and S P Setia Berhad.
This is another example of private sector investment in fostering the values of love and mutual respect
in school.

Contrary to Project: BFF which targeted explicit habit formation, this Kindness Week project focused
more on values education which meant that by the end of the project, pupils must have
demonstrated extrinsic behaviour change, as well as developed the intrinsic impetus to become kinder
members of society. To achieve the former, we ran an Amazing Race-style challenge where pupils
competed to be amongst the first 200 to complete 16 acts of kindness on a checklist to receive a small
prize. The simple but meaningful actions ranged from thanking school custodians to making new
friends to cleaning the classroom without being told.

Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is characterized by personal enjoyment and satisfaction from
doing something, which in this case, is being kind. In order to nurture this, all pupils wrote reflective
essays to accompany the ‘16 Acts of Kindness Challenge’ and winners for this phase donated their
cash prize to charities of their choice. As a teacher, I strongly believe that we play an important role in
crafting learning activities that would facilitate our youth to make the powerful connections between
their actions and the positive feelings that they experience as a result of connecting with others and
creating a sense of belonging. Therefore, reflective and independent thought-based activities are
equally as important as hands-on, action-packed assignments.

In actual fact, nurturing mutual respect, love and happiness does not always have to occur through
additional school projects which run the risk of burdening teachers and pupils. It can also happen in
the day-to-day lessons which are a conducive space for values to flourish organically. The key here is

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to ensure that students’ thoughts are heard and acknowledged. This should become a classroom norm
and activities can be as simple as co-creating the class pledge. For example, whilst the teacher may
provide the overarching principles of ‘Be Brave, Be Respectful and Be Ready’, pupils are the ones
who will think about and define the specific actions that they would like themselves and their friends
to carry out under these principles.

In addition to opportunities for students to have a say in the teaching and learning environment, we as
teachers should also empower them with the tools to do so. These can include systems as well as the
language and vocabulary for activities such as giving peer feedback, managing group conflict or just
talking about their emotions to better articulate their educational and social needs. What this looks like
in tangible terms could be practicing the “2 Stars 1 Wish” format for giving constructive feedback or
even training pupils to be peer mediators who can ask neutral questions to get to the underlying cause
of any group conflict.

At the end of the day, teachers should not be aiming to foster mutual respect, love and happiness in
our classrooms only. Instead, we must desire to create learners who will embody and carry these
values into the various spaces they grow up to occupy in society. Finally, as teachers, we must be
willing to cultivate the right intention and mindset, that our classroom actions today have far-reaching
consequences for our nation tomorrow. Only then, can we begin to surmount the challenges of our
immediate environment in order to co-create a Malaysia whose citizens light up the world with mutual
respect, love and happiness.

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 NARRATING MUTUAL RESPECT, LOVE AND KINDNESS IN TEACHING AND
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN MALAYSIA THROUGH VUCA AND THE
AVENGERS:ENDGAME

Written by: Nur Aisyah Chuah Jia Ni

(Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia, Cyberjaya)

Introduction

“I love you 3000”, said a hologram Tony Stark while giving his final message overlooked by The
Avengers and his family, after his funeral. “I love you 3000”, was the same message echoed by our
Minister of Education, YB Dr. Maszlee Malik in one of his many addresses to the public.
Throughout YB Dr. Maszlee Malik’s tenure as Malaysia’s new Minister of Education, much attention
has been drawn with his fresh takes on driving change in the country’s education. Almost in all his
proposed ideas, a running theme seen is the importance he puts on values and humanity. For instance,
in introducing black shoes for students, he was in hindsight prioritising the parents’ ease from having
to constantly clean and “chalk” their children’s white school shoes. Where his predecessors have
predominantly made decisions on school policies by the book, YB Dr. Maszlee Malik dared to
challenge the norm by making a practical decision instead, one that any parents could relate to and
one that reflected who he is as a parent. As such, this essay explores how mutual respect, love and
kindness within teaching and learning environment in Malaysia can be narrated through the “VUCA”
concept and through characters from “The Avengers: Endgame”.

VUCA in Today's Education

Students from U.S Army War College introduced the concept of “VUCA”, an acronym that
describes the “volatile”, “uncertain”, “complex”, and “ambiguous” situation of the world after the
Cold War. It is now a familiar term used in the discourse of leadership whereby constant adaptability
to change is demanded for an organisation to survive in its industry. Likewise, in today's world, much
more is already asked of our education system. In one of Jack Ma’s talk on the future of education in
2018, he stresses that with the emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the “competition of
knowledge” is no longer relevant. It is now the era of competition of creativity, imagination, learning
and independent thinking. Indeed, there is a growing realization that academic excellence alone no
longer guarantees our children a good future. What is currently being taught in school, may be already
accomplished efficiently by artificial intelligence. Major shifts can be seen in the labour-market trends
analysed by World Economic Forum, whereby the continuous digitization and automation of
industries is creating a gap between what is required by employers and what is currently being taught
by our education system. Thus, as educators, we must ask if what we are bringing into the classroom
right now can address the needs of our children in their future.

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 The World Economic Forum also highlights the need for systemic change in education to bridge this
gap created by the VUCA world. This essay seeks to address this need for change through
propositions inspired by two characters from Marvel’s “The Avengers: Endgame”, whereby values
of mutual respect, love, and kindness are abounded.

Ironman's Touch of Love

Firstly, is the iconic Ironman. Our teachers should be celebrated like how we celebrate Ironman.
Teachers constantly make the decision Tony Stark made when he decided to re-join The Avengers,
albeit knowing that he may lose the family he has since built after the infamous finger snap by Thanos
that caused half the population of mankind to disappear. Although Tony was able to move on, he
knew half the population of the world had lost their loved ones and he had the chance to bring them
back through his Time Machine. Likewise, our teachers make the same conscious decisions everyday
to prioritise the nation's children before self, and this is a love worthy of celebration. Our
teachers assume multiple roles from being a classroom teacher, to a counsellor, second parent, nurse,
coach and many more with one Ironman costume.

Like how Tony Stark has the support and respect from his Avengers’ teammates, our teachers too
should be supported and given mutual respect throughout their profession. As noted by a background
paper for the EFA Global Monitoring Report in 2015, “the quality of an education system can exceed
neither the quality of its teachers nor the quality of its teaching”. Hence, we have a responsibility to
ensure our teachers are well-supported, professionally qualified and motivated throughout their
teaching and learning journey. By making teachers one of the nation’s major clientele and taking their
well-being and professional development seriously, we are empowering them to be the Ironman in
their classrooms. This is the love, kindness and mutual respect we should give to our teachers.

Why We Need a Villain LikeThanos

A second character to be highlighted is the much-disliked villain Thanos. However, this essay
wishes to argue that Thanos’s love, is the tough love that leaders of organizations including
educational institutions need to have.

Thanos possessed the ability to see things from perspectives that many may not have. He foresaw
the bleak future of mankind after seeing his own people on Titan become extinct. Consequently, he
believed the only solution to reclaim balance to the universe is through erasing half of Earth’s
population. Over and above, Thanos showed he had the courage to make decisions many will not
make after choosing to sacrifice half the population to counter the overpopulated Earth and its limited
resources.

Thanos’s decision may be unpopular, but he may not be all wrong because during the five years
after his finger snap using the Infinity Gauntlet, Captain America reported of sighting a pod of whales

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in New York; an incident that may have never happened in an overpopulated Earth. Given more years,
nature and Earth’s ecosystem will continue to flourish, and perhaps a cleaner and thriving world we
have always dreamt of will become a reality.

Parallel to this, we need a leader who is a visionary and has the bravery in makinh revolutionary
decisions in our education system. As Malaysia steers her way through the second wave of Malaysia
Education Blueprint 2013-2025, plentiful initiatives have been carried out and challenged by the
society. A tough love shown by Thanos may be what is needed by our educational leaders to survive
the constant challenges faced in driving this change agenda. The values of love, kindness and mutual
respect, from both sides, one which is executing the change initiatives and another which is on the
receiving ends, may be key to a successful education transformation journey, much alike to what
Finland has achieved.

Conclusion

In “The Global Education 2030 Agenda” led by UNESCO, one of the seventeen Sustainable
Development Goals outlined aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote
lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030”. Also, a leading author, John P. Kotter suggests that
leadership is about “setting a direction, creating a vision, empowering and inspiring people to want to
achieve the vision”. Noting these two, it is truly believed that as Malaysia heeds the VUCA world
and our educational landscape is undergoing massive changes brought about by the Fourth Industrial
Revolution, the importance in values such as mutual respect, love and kindness are the ones that will
ensure our children continue to thrive and grow in our country. To conclude, we must invest in our
educators, for they are the ones that will continuously sow these seeds of values for generations to
come.

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 REFLECTION

Written by: J. Yasodhara Menon

(Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur)

Dear Miss Suzy

My mother told me that if I am feeling mad about something to just take a pen and paper and pour
all my thoughts and anger there, not to keep it bottled away until it eats parts of me away. So here
goes…I am not a lazy child, I am not a stubborn or a surly, angry child who simply hates everything
and everyone as you told the other teachers today. Yes, I heard you talking as I came to see you to
volunteer for the class project. You told us that this project will give us a chance to help others and
that just about anyone could be a part of it, and for once I thought, yes, I can do this. Although in
class I sit at the back and do not pay attention or answer your questions, its not because I want to be
like that…sometimes I find it difficult to understand the lessons, I need more time…the words that the
teachers speak just swim around me and by the time I catch on, the bell rings and it is time to learn
something new again, everything gets jumbled up and it makes things so mixed-up and confusing…I
try Miss Suzy, I really do but then I drift off only to find the other students making fun of me and the
teacher scolding me. And I feel really ashamed but what can I do, I just keep quiet and glare back.
But did you know that inside of me I cringe in shame? I just want to slip through the floors and just
disappear when the teachers shout at me or shake their head as if I am a lost cause. Sometimes I think
I can talk to my classmates but then I see the looks that they give me and the words that they call me
behind my back…it just makes me sad. All these nasty words…I come to school hoping everyday that
someone will say something nice to me or talk to me. But it has not happened. Miss Suzy, no one
wants to be a shadow. All I want is for someone to respect me, for teachers and classmates to show
me a bit of love and understanding. Why doesn’t someone ask me, why am I like this? Talk to me, I am
here, I am not invisible…accept me for the way that I am…shouldn’t teachers love all their students
just a tiny bit, so why not me? Is this too much to ask for…or to hope?

Your student,

Sadness ☹

I held the yellowed paper tightly in my hands. How could I forget the anguish behind the voice?
The pain of not being respected or understood, the feeling of not being loved everyday as this child
walked the corridors, sat in class and went through years of school life being an unknown child. This
child who captured feelings so openly on paper and yet did not leave a name. This child who did not
give the letter to anyone to read and just kept it hidden away from the eyes of those that actually

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needed to see it – the teachers and classmates. Who was this child? I rack my brain, shifting through
years of memories, looking for the pain that was deeply hidden in the recesses of my mind. Yes, it is
here still, the pain and hurt. This unnamed ‘Sadness’ is me – a student who did not fit in the system,
who was misunderstood and for years went through school bearing labels that no student should be
subjected to. This was me. Thank God, I was one of the lucky ones. Looking back now, I am not sure
what happened, did my parents catch on to how much I was struggling in school, did they find the
letter or did a teacher talk to them about me? They sat me down, spoke to me and sent me to another
school where I could start over again. Everyone was kind to me, and most importantly my friends and
teachers did not look through me when speaking to me, they looked straight at me and really listened
to what I had to say. For the first time in my schooling years, I felt respected, understood and loved. I
was happy and thoroughly enjoyed the remaining years of my education. I thrived in this caring and
loving environment and eventually became who I was today – a teacher, a vocation I pursued in the
hopes that no child should be subjected to what I went through. I was going to change the world. Such
lofty ambitions… people say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions; as I read and re-read
the letter that my younger self wrote, something shameful dawned on me. I was not ‘Sadness’
anymore, today, in this life that I had fought so hard for, I had become Miss Suzy. I represented all
those who made me feel worthless. Years of teaching, had made me numb to the voices of my
students. Today, I go to class thinking that I have a job to do. I have to finish this, this and that, prep
the students for assessments and examinations. I focus on those who are keen to study and ignore or
even put down the students who seem just not interested. It is not my problem if they choose not to
study, I just have too much to do – this is my job. I clutched the now crumpled paper and had to face
the fact that I have become the very person that I despised in the past, a teacher who is past caring.
Along the way, I stopped talking to my students, I did not ask them about their likes and dislikes and
most importantly I did not find out who they actually were on the inside. Well, all this is going to
change now. I went to school the next day with something different in mind. I walked into my least
favorite class and for the very first time in a long time, I really looked at them. The fact that I kept
silent and was not giving instructions in my stern voice was enough to get their attention. I asked them
to put away their books and just started talking to them on an equal level. I asked them to teach me
something new and, on that day, they became the teachers. I entered their world. I learnt about Korean
singers, gaming, Snapchat; all things alien to me. It was definitely not a perfect lesson and most
probably they were wondering what was wrong with me. But it was a start at setting things straight to
show my respect and love for them, that we both are the teacher and the student and to remind them
and myself that learning can be fun. This is something little that I can do to redeem myself for being
‘Miss Suzy’ and to honor the wishes of all students who were and still are ‘Sadness’.

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 WHEN WE TEACH FROM THE HEART, IT REACHES THE HEART

Written by: Azia Farzana binti Badduwie

(SK Sungai Sebatu, Subis, Sarawak)

“Look up and touch your heart.

My love for you transcends beyond the horizon of the blue, blue sky.”
A better world

If I were to be given a second chance in choosing my career, a job as a teacher is something that I
would still choose in less than a heartbeat. Being a teacher is not merely an occupation for me. It is
much more than just an identity, a job to keep, or a monthly paycheque to make sure I have enough to
eat. Education is something that is ingrained in my soul. No words can precisely describe the amount
of love and passion there is inside of me for it. To be honest, it is not so much about being a ‘teacher’
itself but rather the deeply rooted desire within me to make this world a better place to live in.

A world of ‘us’…
who allows more honest conversations rather than self-serving deceits,
who radiates with love, empathy, acceptance, and compassion,
who chooses peace over violence on any given day,
who values individual’s growth and worthiness,
who is willing to attend to the need of others,
who strives to become more accountable of our actions,
who is kinder to others and not forgetting, ourselves,
who is less selfish and more selfless.

Tell me, is this not a better world? A better world is not a world where you alone feel good. A better
world is a world where everyone feels good. How do we build this world? A world of love, respect,
and happiness is built on these exact, same materials; love, respect, and happiness. This is my
philosophy of education.

Not all classrooms have four walls

One of my Year 3 pupils fell down while running after being unintentionally pushed by two older
pupils during our random afternoon jog. He cried. Everyone gathered around him. What made me
smile was when a pupil came up to him, brushed the dirt off his friend’s shoulders, and said
empathetically, “You must be strong, okay?”

Then, the two pupils who caused the fall came up to me, admitting their mistake. They apologised to
the crying pupil and shook hands with him, like what I taught them to do whenever there were
disputes or fights during my lessons. “I am sorry.” “It is okay.” They made up, we did a group cheer,
and things went back as usual.

Before we went back home, two of my Year 6 pupils who witnessed the event told me, “Miss, we

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learned ‘Moral Education’ from you today.” I asked, “What is it?”. They answered, “Apologise if we
commit mistakes.” I laughed out of amusement. I was there only to facilitate them. Everything was
their own doing with their pure, beautiful conscience. Admit, apologise, make peace, reflect, and
learn. What a lesson that was. Who said education only takes place in the classrooms?

November, 2017

What is it that truly matters?

One of my pupils was disqualified from a high jump competition during our Sports Day. He was not
in my team but I had been supporting him for it since the beginning of the year. Upon disqualification,
I saw him sitting, head down, trying to hold his tears back. He failed.

A few minutes later, he approached me at the field, “Miss…”. He continued with a solemn voice, “I
did not win.” I looked at him, “Hey, it is okay. I saw your event just now. I saw you trying your best.
Wow, you can jump really high!” He looked back at me with teary eyes. “Did you have fun?” I
asked. “Yes, it was fun.” I grinned, “Good! Give me a high-five!” He smiled and gave me a high-five.

Sometimes, children cry not because they could not get what they want. Sometimes, the thought of
letting other people down is what weighing them most. Assure them, it is not true. Let them know,
their worth is never defined by their successes alone. Remind them, of what truly matters.

Winning is not everything but giving our full effort is. Winning is not everything but loving what we
are doing is. Winning is not everything but playing fairly is. Winning is not everything but learning to
become a better person is.

November, 2018

Education is more than just learning your ABCs

The day before we had our district cross-country event, my pupils and I went for a walk along the
event’s pathway. As we were walking, one of my kids spotted shards of broken glasses among the
pebbles on the road, “Miss, look.” His friend commented, “Won’t it be dangerous for the other
runners when they run tomorrow, Miss?” I replied, “Yes.” “We have to pick and throw them away,
don’t we, Miss?” he added. I kept quiet. I wanted to see their reaction and at the same time I was a bit
reluctant in asking them to pick up the shards as they might wound themselves.

Without hesitating, the boy picked up the shards of broken glasses one by one, placing them on his
palm carefully, and threw them away in the drain. His friends saw him and started to pick up the
shards, too. Smiling, I joined in, reminding them to be extra cautious of the glasses’ sharp edges.

Dear my beloved pupils, the world might only praise you for the things you have achieved and be
silent when you did not. Me, I will always cherish and value you for everything you already are. You

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are worth much more than just a name printed on a piece of nicely decorated paper.

January, 2019

Teaching is a work of the heart

I wrote a question on the whiteboard and asked, “Okay, who wants to have a go at this question?”.
Everyone was raising their hands and calling my name excitedly to grab my attention. Amongst them,
I saw a pupil whom I had identified as one of the below average language proficiency pupils, shouting
at the top of his lungs, “Me, Miss! Me! Me!”. Perhaps surprised by his uncommon behaviour, one of
the pupils said to her classmate, “Wow, this is the first time I see A wants to try answering a question
in the classroom.”

A lot had happened throughout these few years since my first arrival in this school. I witnessed a pupil
who kept quiet most of the time, participated in classroom activities cheerfully. I noticed a pupil who
never asked for my help despite not knowing how to do the given tasks, eagerly asked if what he was
doing was correct. I watched a pupil who despised reading and writing, gave all of his effort and
became one of the earliest pupils to turn in his work. I saw a pupil who refused helping his friends,
became one of my kindest pupils in the school. You see, this is why I do what I do. Teaching is more
than just imparting knowledge. It is a work of the heart. When we teach from the heart, it reaches the
heart. That is how the world changes to become a better place.

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 Acknowledgements
The Organising Committee of
Let’s Write! Be Creative with English 2019
expresses appreciation and thanks
to

YB Dr. Maszlee bin Malik

Minister of Education Malaysia

YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Mohd Gazali bin Abas

Secretary General of Education Malaysia

YBhg. Datuk Dr. Amin bin Senin

Director General of Education Malaysia

Deputy Directors General of Education Malaysia

Division Directors
Ministry of Education Malaysia

State Education Department Directors

Minconsult. Sdn. Bhd.

The Oxford & Cambridge Society of Malaysia

English Speaking Union Malaysia

Sunway University Malaysia

The Judges
and

All who have contributed directly or indirectly in making

this competition a great success.

Let’s Write! Be Creative with English 2019

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