I remember vividly, I was having discussion with Prof Fatin in the car during our way back from an event. At that time, I was curious on how she can teach so well. It was 2015- and I did not know that she is from educational background. Basically, I just know her as my tajweed teacher and shes a lecturer in UTM.
However, I was astonished on her way of teaching tajweed class. To be honest, I never learn tajweed like the way she taught is. She makes it fun in her very own way, she tables out the reason why we need to learn tajweed, she ask what we have learn so far, she keeps encourage us to voice out our opinion, try to answer- even if its wrong. She also informs us to learn sincerely so that the knowledge will last longer. She incorporates mathematic (such as integration, differentiation in the tajweed- can you imagine). So, I have always wonder- how she actually taught us and make us wants to learn more and more.
She then explained that it is basically from constructivism theory. What? What theory? I am quite lost. She them explained it in the simplest manner on how she builds and construct the knowledge using bricks. She said, it is essential to construct the students’ knowledge by knowing their prior knowledge. To be honest, since that- I know the art of education merely to understand how people learn and then make the full use of it.
Fast forward on my journey in education, I was then being introduced with Engineering Education. Something that is very alien to me, since I am from Physics background- but I start to find the beauty in it. I have learned so many things, the philosophy of being a human. The philosophy as a Doctorate of Philosophy. I was taught on the need to use active learning, cooperative learning and problem based learning. (Well me myself, I use to complain on some of the way I was being taught during my degree- and I know very well- I did not like the way chalk and talk or known as sage by stage given by my lecturer). Hence, guide by side seems nicer- and later I realized- it is important to be meddler in the middle.
Being exposed to numbers of great educators from Schools of Education, Centre for Engineering Education, UTM Lead and etc have definitely help me to discover myself. With numbers of globally and locally – webinar, conferences and workshop attended- it definitely broaden my paradigm.
Being an educator- I need to be brave, I need to explore and see the world with numbers of hats. Before we ask the students to explore, we ourselves need to explore. However, the only things worrying me is to be the content experts in education. I have long way to go in ensuring myself as an excellence educator (but I wish I can be so).
I remember my conversation with Dr Nurbiha over the table in the YSN Conference back in 2019. (She actually conduct a workshop before that on thinking). I ask for her advice since I find i am not competent enough to be a competent educator. Her answer was simple, as an educator- we need to guide our students. Guide is the key. In the process of guiding, give them a high quality content- because that will shape our students. Never underestimate our student’s potential in the process of equipping them to face the real world.
These valuable knowledge that i have learn throughout my journey have definitely make me reflect on myself to improve and definitely motivates me to be a better and excellent educator
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