Program Ziarah Cakna [loosely translated as Endowment visit programme]

This is the initiative of the Ministry of Education for schools to conduct Program Ziarah Cakna [school will identify students who belong to B40 family (asnaf) and those who lost their father (yatim).  This has been an annual programme for my school which I witnessed it myself last year.  It is just that teachers did not go to the student’s house to give the goodie pack (basic essential like cooking oil, flour, sugar, bee hoon, soy sauce etc. and duit raya).   This year, it is different.  The teachers have to go to the students’ homes to give the goodie pack and some of the teachers sent the students back as well because coincidentally, they have to go back for eid celebration (school holiday)].  

All of the teachers are assigned to one student except those with administration post.  They are assigned with two students.  Unlike any other programme, this programme will include monitoring of the students’ academic performance as well.  So, the assigned teacher would be the student’s mentor as well. 

I know that it could be perceived as another additional task and responsibility to teachers but I think this would be a good move to create special bond between teacher and student.  After all, education is all about human relation and highly depended on human interaction regardless of whatever tools available to enhance students learning experience.  Nothing can replace a human being as a teacher no matter what!  You cannot learn empathy through AI or a robot.  It requires “human touch” to learn about being emphatic and how to be “human”.  

(Note: The first picture was taken by me and thus for obvious reason, I wasn’t in the picture.  I went to Felda Ulu Tebrau with Teacher Ita.  The second picture shows Nadzirun’s house in Yong Peng.  Ustaz Hazim (the one wearing batik shirt) was on the way to Malacca (his parents’ home) and he dropped by to send Nadzirun back as well as pay his family a visit. Kudos to all teachers of SABK Madrasah Alattas Johor)

Publish or perish_Part 2

One of my highly esteemed senior colleagues, Prof Hamdan Said shared this newspaper article with us.  I admit that what the author wrote is happening in UTM.  As an example, I find it time consuming to conduct SOTL research and “produce” papers related to teaching and learning.  To see an impact or changes of any learning activity takes time.  It is quite difficult to see any “major” change within a period of 14 weeks (for normal semester) unless you have the same batch of students and you use the same learning activity in classes that they have to take in the subsequent semesters. 

In my case, if I teach a batch of students who are in their first year second semester i.e. Educational Psychology class, it is quite difficult for me to have the same batch of students in the following semester because I only teach few undergraduate classes (other than Educational Psychology, I also teach Fundamental Pedagogy and Research Methodology class.  But since there are enough instructors to teach the other two courses, I only end up to teach only Educational Psychology class on regular basis).  Thus, how can I conduct a SOTL research when there would be limited opportunity for me to try out new teaching and learning strategies and do research on that?  The point is, it takes me longer to collect data from my own teaching practice.  It is not easy but not impossible to do.

When I was at school for my LI, I collected lots of data (from my token economy planner/table, students’ reflective notes and my own daily journal notes).  I find it challenging to have solid quiet time to analyse the data.  I admit that I should prioritise some of my works according to its importance.  As a lecturer, teaching at a university, it is important for me to publish, but at the same time I know that I need to improve my teaching.

Now, it is exam period and I am being bogged down with tonnes of marking assignments, exam scripts and whatsnot.  When will this end?  It will never end.  This is one of the common cycles that I have to face as a lecturer at university.

So, it is a little wonder if some might resort to “short-cuts” of publishing even though they might compromise the quality of the paper.  It is a challenge to be “the slow professor” who professes, rather than “an empty shell”.  It is a paradoxical phenomenon indeed.

 

Al fatihah to the late Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (Pahang)

It was my masters degree convocation day.  He gave out our diploma/scroll.  The year was 2004.  It has been 15 years since I met him in person.  Even though I never had any chance to know him better but I know he is a good guy.  His name was commemorated in IIUM Gombak Campus mosque (Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah mosque).  I heard about the news of his passing on the radio, on my way back home from UTM.  

May Allah Bless his soul.  

 

First examination….. after LI

I have 55 students in this section.  TEASLIANs.  They are fun, quick-witted and some of them are serious and studious.  Some are playful but of course, they are among the selected ones to be in this programme.  Since it was conducted in a big examination hall at Rahman Putra College (KRP), I was thinking that perhaps it would be better if I put the best wishes card on their table and thus, it will differentiate my students from other students in different sections.  Attaboy!

When I announced it to the students before they entered the exam hall that my students would get a card on their table, I noticed that some other students were sighing because it is as if I am treating my students favorably as compared to their lecturers.  This is one of the things that I learn when I was at school: Always make your students feel special even though you are assertive (tegas).  Jim Henson (the famous puppeteer and creator of Sesame Street) once said “Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them but they remember what you are”.   On top of that, taking examination could be stressful to some students and one of the things that can decrease stress is to change the emotion into positive one.  When you get something from your lecturer i.e. a card whereas the other students from different sections get nothing, you feel special.  It is important to make others feel good about themselves.

[Note: Of course this makes the other students who belong to different sections feel envious because they don’t get any best wishes card.  I apologise for that.  I don’t know them though because they are not my students even though they are the School of Education, UTM students 😀]

Feeling special makes them feel happy and this indirectly will decrease their stress.  When they got to their seat and looked at the card, I saw that majority of them smile.  They started to loosen up a bit.  Some of them looked at the back of the card, checking if I wrote something else.  Well, to tell the truth, I didn’t have time to write for each and every 55 cards that I would give them.  I just got the cards last Monday (two days before their exam).  

How to make your student feel special at the same time being assertive? This is not an easy task.  But I believe in the small things that you do which matter.  You have to show your concern in various ways.  You can make students feel special in many ways.  Of course, if you give them a card, it means that you need to invest.  But, it is not that costly.  For 300 cards, I just spent less than RM100.  The card is color printed and to make it extra special in which they cannot find it elsewhere or at store, I designed it myself using Canva.

I admit that there are times when I lost control of my emotion in class (when I was doing my LI), but at the end of the day, I want to let the students know that I care about them.  I got mad not because I hate them, but I hate their attitude such as being lazy, or not taking serious thing seriously. 

Alhamdulillah I never blew off my steam with my UG students this semester.  Attaboy!  Because I see unlimited potentials in them regardless what they do in class (even though some of them fell asleep, went out for a while to have a break by eating lunch while I was teaching in class, colored their hair yellow, brunette, purplish shade etc.) .  Of course, I just observed them from afar because I know that as adult learners, they are responsible for their own learning.  I guess I am using the examples that were portrayed by my former mentors when I was in IIUM.   They were relax and cool.  I enjoyed being in and taking their classes even though I knew that they couldn’t teach all the courses that I have to take in order to complete my degree.  

As a teacher/lecturer (you name it, it is just a term but basically what I do is still the same – teaching), you always want the best for your students.  I know that it is not easy to create an ever lasting bond with my students.   But, I hope that they would remember me for who I am and they would remember the warm fuzzy feeling they feel on the day they took my examination due to the card  I gave them.  Perhaps I am the only teacher/lecturer that ever would give them a best wishes card before exam (tongue in cheek remark!).   

P.S: If I teach the same students in another course, I guess I have to give them different things, not card.  A best wishes bookmark, perhaps 😀

Teaching to the test…. NOPE!

A student’s representative messaged me asking me if I have the answers to the last year exam questions.  My reply: “I was not around last year so I don’t know and don’t have the questions and answers.  I was at school.  One whole year“

I vividly remember the class which I took with Joe Denver (nickname that Dr Joharry Othman uses).  One of his class assignments was to research about the examples of teaching to the test practice.  Since knowing the impact of teaching to the test on students i.e. it makes students “good test takers but lousy learners“, I determine to minimise any learning activity that would lead to that.  Of course, sometimes in a good faith you give students learning activities to enhance their understanding but giving too much questions like quizzes, past year exam questions etc. might lead to “teaching to the test” phenomenon.  

I don’t want to be an advocate for this practice in honour of what Dr Joe has taught me.  I would disrespect him if I go against what he has taught me before.  I don’t want to do that to my teachers.  So, I will not give too much questions that students can practice through drill-and-grill method.  NEVER!  In sha Allah

How to make an impact in your students life?

I have had this conversation numerous times with my colleagues (different people) over the years about making difference in other people life especially the students that we taught and teach.  The recent one was last week on Thursday (16 May 2019) 

When I was at school while undergoing my LI, I could see that many former students came to visit their old teachers.  This gives me a warm fuzzy feeling and even though there are some students who came visiting me before after they finished their study but they are few.  At school, I even saw some of the students who came to visit their former teachers brought the latest new addition in their family i.e. children.  I never had that experience before.

I racked my brain to think about what else could I do other than interacting with the students in class.  I started to google few quotes for the posters that I have promised to give to my English panel colleagues (at school).  While I was browsing Canva, I had this idea to give a best wishes card to my students.  But what should I do with the rest of the cards if I only use half of it (because I was thinking to give it to the school kids that I have taught before)?

This gives me an idea to give the card to all my students at university that I teach as well.  I know it is kind of unusual to do this and I had never have any lecturer or had seen any senior who has done that before, but what a heck, there is nothing wrong to give the students a best wishes card.  Let’s start this tradition!

Am I making any impact in my student’s life by giving this card?  Only Allah Knows best. 

My motto: Do the best, pray for the best, leave the rest to Allah and always be thankful with the best things that happen in life even though we might perceive it negatively.  

P.S: I can’t wait to see their reaction seeing this card on top of the table before their exam.

Jack of all trades, master of none

Which is which?  To be a generalist and well-rounded person with versatile and adaptable skills or to be an expert in one specific thing and is really good at it?  It is a conundrum, isn’t it?

But even though it is highly applauded to be versatile and adept at many things yet there are cases and instances when being an expert is better than being a versatile individual.  In what case?  Especially, in a case of dealing with human life.  For example, an expert in engineering cannot claim he/she is an expert in psychological disorders.  To know the differences between one psychological disorder are not easy because there might be similar symptoms of one psychological disorder with another.  For example, layman might use to the term “depression”.  Depression is a symptom of various mood disorders.  Meaning a person who is depressed could be diagnosed as a person with depressive disorders or bipolar disorders or obsessive compulsive disorders (just a few examples).   So, in each different mood disorders, there are many symptoms that might be similar to another psychological disorders such as anxiety disorders.

When a friend approached me to be her supervisor, I asked her about her research interest. When she told me that she wants to do something related to management disaster (which has nothing to do with school or education in specific), I told her that she better searches potential supervisors from School of Human Resource Development and Psychology, not School of Education even though both schools are under the same faculty, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.   She sounded worried because she is hoping that I could be her supervisor.  I told her, as much I wish that I could have her as my supervisee, but I firmly asserted that I am not an expert in management research or human resources.  A simple google of Journal of Management Studies would point out school/faculty of human resources and management or industrial and organisational psychology (I/O psychology).  I would never think that I would do any research and later on publish in such journal.  Never in my dream.  Even though education is still considered as humanities or some considered it as social science, yet it is different from I/O psychology.

In addition, earlier on when she asked me if I can help with the analysis of her project, I was thinking that she has the data already.  When I asked further, apparently she is planning to collect the data and thinking about the instrument/tool to collect the data.  Well, data analysis is still a long way to go because there is no data yet at this point.   Man, this thing could take years to complete.  Indeed.  It is not easy but it is worth the trouble.

While writing this post, I received a message from her (she was in a meeting with the Dean of Faculty of Science, Prof Dr Abdul Rahim about management disaster).  Around 12pm, the meeting ended and I sent her back.  I asked what were the things they discussed if it is not confidential.  Well, because it is confidential, she only said that they were discussing about technical stuff on disaster management.  Some of the things discussed are over her head.  Jokingly I replied “It would be disastrous if I am your supervisor because I am not an expert in disaster management.  Instead of helping you to understand how people management disaster, you will become the disaster yourself“.  LOL 😀

Waiting hurts. Forgetting hurts. But not knowing which decision to take can sometimes be the most painful

Waiting.  I am waiting for my students to submit their assignments, take their second test etc.  I know.  It is my fault for giving them so many chances to improve in a way that I could not give them the finalised marks yet.  I only gave them probational marks.  I don’t make it as carry marks though because they can count for themselves the marks that they get on probational basis.  

Some of the students take this opportunity to improve but some others, they just wait for their final exam to give their very best shots.  

Argh, I hate waiting.  Indeed it resonates with this saying “Waiting hurts. Forgetting hurts. But not knowing which decision to take can sometimes be the most painful” – Jose N Harris from his book MI VIDA: A story of faith, hope and love.

Publish or perish_Part 1

I checked my email today (20 May 2019, Monday). My former student sent me an email letting me know about his paper has been published at a journal.  Alhamdulillah.  To know more, you can go the Jurnal Kemanusiaan

It is about the experiences of teachers using Frog VLE

It is made compulsory for all teachers in Malaysia to use Frog VLE as a part of their teaching practice.  It is similar to UTM elearning but the features are slightly different.  If you are not a teacher, parent or student, you might not be able to use it because your account will be inactive because there will be no interactive activities that you can link to parents and students.

When he first came to see me to discuss about this issue, I was worried because he might find it difficult to find relevant references relating to Frog VLE because it is fairly new thing.  This was few years ago.  But I told him, “Nazry, just go for it.  In sha Allah your study will benefit other researchers who want to explore this issue.“

He is one of the students who would be “the darling” of all supervisors.  He is hardworking, diligent, meticulous and resilient.  There were times when he felt to change the direction of his research.  I told him to stay focused.  “Nazry, it is not easy to get data but you have to be persistent.  Don’t give up,  It is quite a normal phenomenon to meet people who hesitate to be your respondents in your study.  But, you need to highlight their importance in helping others to understand any issue relating to the challenges that they face to use Frog VLE.  Doing a research means that not only you will understand certain issue better but you can help others to understand the issue better especially when you publish your work“.  When I said that, he seemed to be motivated to stay focused because this time around, he has another aim: to publish his work.

I always say the same kind of things to my research students, yet only a handful would like to take the challenge to publish their work.  Some are quite complacent to just finish their work and put their thesis on the shelves for display.

I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny, but we can have lots of good fun that is funny – Dr Seuss

We have known each other more than 20 years.  As our life start to unfold into different spectrum and colors, we keep in touch once in a blue moon while respecting each other space.  Little that I know our meeting would be a little bit different this time around.  She called to say that she was in JB.  To be specific, she was staying at Pulai Spring.  I was in a middle of a meeting.  I told her to give me another half an hour.  She called me again as I was about to leave the meeting.  I rushed to my room to pick up my purse and as it was inside my Ikea red foldable shopping bag, I just grabbed it.  I met her who was waiting in front of Canseleri Building.  Above all places that she can park her black Mercedes, she chose that special place!

She sounded chirpy than usual.  Or is it my imagination that when we met few years ago she sounded more serious?  I greet her with a hug.  Did we hug last time when we met?  I just could not help from thinking that she was a bit different this time around.

It was lunch time and I asked if she had her lunch.  She told me that she had her lunch at the hotel where she was staying.  She told me that she just want to have a chat with me.  To catch up with an old friend.  Yup.  We met at IIUM Matriculation centre in 1996.  We had many classes together since we both majored in psychology.

We decided to have light munchies and hot drinks at McD.  After we took our seat while waiting for our order, she had a quick look at me.  I was wearing a black jubah and shawl with flowery design.  Of course, she noticed my Ikea red plastic bag.  “Dij, you are still you.  You can afford to buy more expensive bag than that!  But, hey we are the same!  We don’t care about the brand as long as it is practical“.  She laughed after saying this.  Looking at myself, I laughed at own self too.  “I don’t have that typical image of a lecturer, huh?”  I asked her.  She said “No.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am glad that you are still like this.  You don’t change much, don’t you?”  I just laughed.  I have changed a lot, but there are some parts of me that still the same.  I told her that at this age, there are so many things have changed.  I told her that I start to have grey hair and I also have nearsightedness.  I am old. Age is catching up.  Both of us laughed again.  We have a good time to tease each other this time around.  I feel somehow our friendship has matured to different level.

We asked each other about the latest development in our life and suddenly she told me this “Dij, I am on medical leave because I have depression.”  I was shocked.  I was in the similar situation and I know it is not easy without intervention and professional help.  I asked her “Do you have to take any medication?”  She told me that a psychiatrist gives her some medication to take.  I didn’t know how to react.  She is a dear friend.  I know her family and siblings. I have met her mom and dad.  Her mom still remembers me.  Gosh, it is not easy to share this news.  Looking at how quiet I was, she assured me that she is ok.  She is in a better situation than before.  Then, she laughed.  “Dij, I am really ok.  I am glad that you still want to meet me even though I know that you are busy.  You know, there are some of our friends who don’t want to meet me when I ask them out to hang out”.   She updated me about her family and both of her parents are retired.  Alhamdulillah, both of them are well.  

Then she suggested that we should take a picture.  “I want to meet Dee on my way back to KL tonight and I want to show her our picture“, she told me.  “Tonight?  When are you planning to meet her?” I asked her.  “Around 7 or 8pm?”  she replied.   Dee is our friend.  A Mary Kay advocate.  She converts most of our friends to become MK users.   She is a business-minded type.  

“Did Dee approach you to use MK product?”  I asked.  “You?”  she asked me back.  We looked at each other and laughed.  That’s the answer!  We don’t have to say anything to know the answer.  Old friends can read each other’s mind quite well.  Indeed.

The lunch time was almost finished and she wanted to meet another friend before she went back to KL.  We had to say Goodbye now.  She sent me back to UTM at 2pm just in time for me to go for another meeting.  I told her that I didn’t have the opportunity yet to show her my office and faculty.  She told me “I guess we have to think about another meeting.  Perhaps you will show me around more“.  In sha Allah.

 

 

DD, thanks for your time!  I never thought that McD hot choc is quite delicious.