Be Creative

Thursday, April 25, 2013

My first experience as a teacher

Assalamualaikum

I have been teaching from 1999. I still remember my first experience in a class full of 15 years old. They were very quiet and well-behaved. That was their first class of the day and none of them arrived late. Some of the students had their English textbook ready on their desks. To be honest, I was very nervous. I never had any teaching experience and training when I was studying in the States. I was not   studying how to be a teacher. I only had the knowledge of American and African American Literature and Sociology.

My sponsor did not ask me to study how to become a teacher but expected me to come back to Malaysia to teach. I took the first challenge in that first class. I remember the students who were sitting in the front row. There were six of them. Three out of six were quite nerdy-looking. Those girls were the ones with the books on the desks. The second row of students were the girls with smiles on their faces. No nervousness were traced in their eyes unlike those who were sitting in front. The second row ones were more 'comfortable' I should say. The rest of the other 2 rows were boys. Smiling from ear to ear they looked excited. My guess was, they might be seeing the first red-haired English teacher in Gerik, a rural area north of Malaysia. Unlike those boys, I was as nervous as the girls who were seated in the front row.

I used of the white board and to make matter worse I made my first blunder. I wrote my name on a black permanent marker pen which I didn not know it was a permanent one. I could not erase it. I wasted 10 minutes trying to figure out how to wipe it off the white surface of the board. The boys started to make noise and I heard the girls giggling. A boy came to the front of the class bringing another marker with him. He started to trace the  words that I have written on the board slowly and attentively. He started with S, I, T, I Z, .... and the rest of the alphabet. I wondered what he could be doing. What I remember the most, he was very patient. He then took the white board eraser and started to wipe the words off. Like a magic show, my name was erased! I thanked him and told him that his action saved my life (this is an exaggeration). He said "That's the best I could do" proudly.

Rosazalan was the name of the boy. He then became one of my debaters. He was a good orator who won lots of prizes during language fest all around Gerik and Malaysia. He was a kind student who liked to help others and he was the hope of his parents. He was studying engineering and was in his final year when he met with an accident that took his life. The motorcycle he was riding from his university to his hometown was hit by a careless driver. He passed away. I had not seen him since he left the school but we kept in touch. The news really hit me. It told me that life is short and I have to make the best of it. So, Rosazalan my boy, thank you for making me less nervous on my first day at work and thank you for being the kind student that all teachers loved. Al fatihah for him. 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

It has been years

Assalamualaikum

I used to use this blog to help me teach my students. Not only that, I also utilized this blog to learn from my students. We used to share lots of ideas and opinions here. So, after leaving it unwritten for many years, I revisited it today. It looks kind of lonely, untouched and abandoned. I then told myself, why don't I use it again?

Here I am writing my first post since I moved to a new working location, IIUM Gombak. I was stationed in Nilai campus for almost three years and that was when I created this blog. I taught students how to write using it. I even based my master's thesis on it. Alhamdullilah, I finished my master's degree and now pursuing a higher one. Nope, it is not on blogging anymore. I changed my track. I no longer am interested in instructional technology. Facebook came, that was why I left this blog.

Facebook is faster and more user friendly. Everyone 'facebook' (I think it can be used as a verb now). So, I was thinking if I can link my students' groups to this blog, I can still make full use of both. But hey, it is only going to be an experiment. Let's see if it works.

I was stalking my 'police officers'

Monday, June 27, 2011

The Final Exercise for Section 7 LE0620

Assalamualaikum Brothers and Sisters...

Here's a website that I would like you to check out. There are some possible topics to be discussed. Choose one topic from the page and give two points why you agree or disagree with the topic. Leave your ideas in the comment box below. How to do that?
1. Firstly, choose the topic from the website.
2. Secondly, copy the topic and paste it in the comment box.
3. Next, start typing your points in the comment box or you can also use the Notepad to type it first.
4. If you use the Notepad to type your ideas, copy and then paste it on the comment box after you are done checking your sentences.
5. Lastly, don't forget to type your name under your comment i.e Written by Jasmine.

You are also adviced to check your other friends' work and give your comments. You are also encouraged to give additional information on the topic that your friends have given. Being critical is good.

I will be checking from time to time.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: NO CLASS

Assalamualaikum
This is not my choice not to have class this Monday 10th of January 2011. However,  here is an assignment for tomorrow. Here are the instructions:

1. Write an essay based on this statement: The trend towards smaller family units and households is a positive development. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

2. Submit the essay to your Dropbox by 1PM, 10th of January 2011. I will have the dropbox open for you to do the submission of your essay from 11 AM to 1PM only. 

This week is also the Project submission week. Use the time to finish the newspaper. Thursday is still the submission day.

Have a good day students....

Monday, January 3, 2011

Yeay! No Class Today!

Assalamualaikum

Yes, I can't come to class today. It is my daughter's first day of school. I am sure some of you remember her. HOWEVER, yes, there is a however for today. Include one more section in the newspaper: AN INTERVIEW column.

Below are the instructions:

1. Discuss with your group members what would be a sensational topic to ask residence of Nilai (can either be one of the students, the guards, the teachers or just anybody).

2. Ask that person some questions regarding the sensational topic of your choice.

3. Record the conversation as it will be easy for you to transcribe (find the meaning of this word in the online dictionary). Make full use of your hand phone (the one with the camera and voice recorder)

4. Include some pictures of the interview: the interviewer and the interviewee or the interviewee only. It is really up to you.

Before the holiday, I have asked each group to complete at least 80 percent of your newspaper project. Therefore, this Thursday, I would like to see more than 80 percent ready. This should include the interview column. This should be interesting. And thanks to Fathi for helping me to inform everyone that there is no class today but there is a mini project to be done!

Can't wait to see your project and make sure bring laptops to class this Thursday too.. I am planning to replace an hour of today's cancelled class this Thursday, like always.

Your teacher who is excited about sending her kid to school for the first time,
Zubaidah


Ps: Be wise in choosing the 'sensational topic'.Feel free to drop any questions in the comment box. 

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Assignment for LEM 0620 Section 819

Assalamualaikum
I have a reading assignment for you to do. For those who read this please inform your friends who do not have access to the Internet. It is a vocabulary exercise 1, 2, 3 and 4 in your "The Complete Guide to the TOEFL Test Reading" book page: 188-196. We shall discuss the answers tomorrow in class.

One tip: Do not use your dictionary to get the answers.

Have a nice Sunday!