Recently (11 July 2019), I attended a sharing session with winners of awards from Minister of Education in teaching and curriculum design. I would like to share my takeaways from the workshop.
They are (on the most part) like me.
As I sat there and listened, I realized I am no different from them. I too have done some good things. I too can be better and do better things. It inspired me to crank up my creativity and just give it a go. Because I can.
Its OK to think wayyyyy outside the box sometimes
PM Dr Faridah from UMT mesmerized and motivated me with her attitude and ideas towards teaching a (according to her) very dry subject. She used plastic toys to teach her students about species classification. It was a fantastic idea, especially when she also introduced the Ultraman species to just poke a little on a very different species that the students may have never seen of. I am not a zoologist or biologist, but I found it to be a very creative outlook towards enhancing student participation and retention. Her personality and her methods have motivated me to be more creative and just leave the box behind.
What you did, for the sake of your students T&L and future is A-okay (even when the outcome is less than stellar)
Sometimes as educators, we feel a little under appreciated. Management and students (even parents) only want to see results. The grades. Our efforts were so easily dismissed as nothing when the grades a not ‘great’. When students do not want to participate, it is our fault. Students late or don’t come to class, it is our fault. It can be disheartening.
I was reminded that intent (or ‘niat’) is the most important. My intent is for my students to gain knowledge and perhaps be an atom if not a wave of change. I try my best with different approaches and activities to achieve such. Some may like it, some may hate it and some may just don’t care. I must stay true to my intent and move forward.
Learn from the past, make a better future.
Ask for help.
My background is Computer Science, not Education. But I must learn when I am trying to educate my computing students. Ask for help. From a person (face-to-face), from a paper/article, from a MOOC course – doesn’t matter. Just get help.
Assessment and evaluation are cousins – but not the same.
Assessments are more laid back and focuses on second chances and growth. Evaluation is the drill sergeant who expects you to perform the thing you have been taught NOW and be good at it. It is good to have a mix of these two in our courses, to give better outcome. I am going to research some more and try to adopt it (a little first) in my class.
Most importantly, be happy.
At the end of the day, this is a job. Doesn’t matter how passionate we are, students will come and go. We must be happy. Do not stress out. Have fun. This is also one of my beliefs. Learning (and teaching) should be fun!
Thank you for the sharing to all presenters (winners).
