A short pep talk that I had with my UG students after a short quiz that I gave them, left them wide awake for the rest of the class. It is quite unusual for me to begin my class with such a short pep talk about life in general. I began my pep talk with a statement:”Tidak semua orang dari kita mampu menjadi tukang penggali kubur. Walaupun nampak kurang bermakna dalam hirarki strata masyarakat, kita memerlukan mereka untuk urusan pengebumian kita sementara menunggu hari untuk dihisab segala amalan kita”.
One of them asked me why I made such statement without waiting me to explain further (yup, I have lots of impatient and lack of reflective thinking students off lately. Urghh…. what a generation gap!!!)
I tried to relate it with the topic of discussion “Individual differences in education”. I explained that not many of us can be the next Einstein, Usain Bolt or Picasso because of our ability, but as teachers, it is our responsibility to see the differences as potentials. Potentials to make a difference and contribution in our own way. If we start to view things in hierarchical order, we will value more certain things in life and devalue other things which are equally important. On of the current trend that I find among PG students is, they perceive “having a master or PhD degree will ensure better employability”. Such view is inaccurate. Years ago, I hold similar view but things changed when I met wonderful mentors along my journey of MED and PhD.
I have no issue when it comes to STEM or religious education or inclusive education, but it should be boiled down to the purpose of being created in this world. Do what we do in this life will end with the end of our lives or is there another life which is eternal and should become our main focus? Like always, I ended my pep talk with another question for them to think [gosh…. I am becoming more like Yedullah Kazmi as time passes by. He should be proud that his stupid student is still stupid and passing down some wisdom which she learns from him]