What your student is thinking about your school? your lesson?

I had been attending a course on building a good in Hong Wen School, Singapore on the 16 November. Mr 李希贵 was presenting on an ideal school that did a survey on where is the pupils favorite places in school and the activities that they like the most. Sadly, classroom and lesson are not even listed in top 20. But how about your school?

The questions seemed to make me reflect as endless of question keep popping out of my head. What is the children think about school ? What strike them the most? Where they can feel comfortable, at ease, fun, excitement?

So what can we do as an educator? It is time for change . A small change in us can comes out differently just like the ripple effect. Come up and change.

Am I good enough?

I have been missing for such a long time that I even forgets that I have a blog. There had been an uncertainty going on with me. It sounds like " Am I doing a good job?" How I come up with such thoughts.

1. I felt that my pupils are not learning with me.
2. Disruption and misbehavior is a daily endless scenario.
3. Every teacher looks better.
4. I can't carry out what is suggested to be a better teacher.

The list may go longer. I am wondering, is it me or there is someone insecure as me. 

Despite having all theses thoughts, definitely discouraged but I somehow managed to come to the brighter side. It may be self comforting but I believe in God that any challenges that comes upon you is meant to built you up. So stay cool and find some ways for those who gives all sorts of excuse may not live a life that they want. I hope to hear from the others too.

Some of the ways to feel better in a practical way are

1. Set a goal that can be achieve by ourselves.
2. Don't expect a sudden becomes very successful . 
3. Take our time to find out the more demanding issues that need to be settled. I think prioritize is very important. Take one at a time. 

What other good advice that you have? 

Perbandingan LINUS dan LINUS 2.0

As a teacher, I think we are facing with changes with every moment of life from the simultaneous responses needed to be given to the changes in education policy as well as programme. One of the lastest challenge that I got was the LINUS 2.0 Literasi Bahasa Inggeris. Some of the teachers wonder what is the difference between the old LINUS and LINUS 2.0. Actually LINUS 1.0 was the new name for the old LINUS. The information was gained from the Bahagian Perkembangan Kurrikulum.  

Parents and Teacher

In the path of educating a child, a proper and effective communication is crucial. At times, I used to hide and fawn when parents approaches me. It was due to the trauma of being critized and complained due to some matter that arises. Though my colleagues help me and even accompany me to meet up with the parents. I am so thankful that they gave me courage as well as model on how to communicate with parents.

As times go on, I realized that gaining parent's cooperation in educating the child gave a tremendous help that  it was like blessing from God. Parent's that are concern about their child progress is appreciative to teachers that gave them feedback on their child's progress in school. They helped out to make sure pupils learnt at home. Sometimes, they gave the reason and some history that will help us in knowing the child better. Hence, we can modify our teaching method to promote pupil's learning.

I strongly believed that teacher need to build good rapport with parents. Despite having heaps of problems due to lack of confidence, I do hope that you can suggest some ways to help me out too.

Pencen Vs KWSP

What had you plan for your retirement? I guess this might strike some attention to those who might have a choice to choose between getting pension or KWSP. This happens to all the government servant. Based on the information gained from " Tawaran Opsyen Skim KWSP dan Perbandingan Skim Pencen Dengan Skim KWSP" by "Bahagian Perkhidmatan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia", I would like to give some personal opinion.

Pension is a scheme given to the government servant that entitle with some benefits:

•  The worker does not contribute to the pension 
•  It is a family pension scheme where they are entitle to a lump sum of reward ( 7.5% X duration of service X last pay) and the pension  ( 1/600 X duration of service X last pay). The benefits of pension are given to the worker as long as he live or if pass away shall be given to his spouse or the children if they are under 18. 
• Besides that the worker are given the golden handshake with the rate of  (1/30 X leave accumulated of maximum 120 days X last pay) 
• Medical benefits in and after service for spouse and children. Medical benefits for parents are entitle when the worker is in service.
• When the worker pass away the pension and reward shall be given to the spouse or children.
• The benefits of lossing ability during working period shall be paid as given rate depends on the level of disability
• If there are increment to the salary, the pensioner will get increment too.
• Those that are pension can be pension by the options of mandatory, health reason, the termination of the post, reorganizing the organization, due to public benefits, due to government demand as well as being appointed by some organization.
• No taxation on the reward and Golden HandShake.  

Meanwhile for those that chose the KSWP skim, they are entitle with benefits such as:

• The government need to contribute 12% while the worker need to contribute 11% for KWSP
• Entitle to receive the Golden Handshake
• Medical benefits only during in service and after retirement such benefits are withdrawed
• No monthly pension given
• They need to pay back all the loan.
• The family members will receive RM 2000 if the worker pass away or suffer from disability during work.
• Can quit the job at any time.
• May receive KWSP dividen
• May escape taxation by the limit of withdrawal RM5000 a year or depends on the current rules. 

Hence which shall I choose from. 

If you have any question you can try to contact 

Bahagian Pencen atau Urusan Opsyen KWSP

Bahagian Perkhidmatan at 03-88853000

or http://www.jpa.gov.my

Challenge

Recently, I was having a big slump in my teaching as well as writing. Hence, I would like to challenge myself to write my blog at least twice a week. The reasons are :

• To sort out and organize my thought and ideas
• To do some documentation
• To share my problem in hoping to gain some solution or
• Just to relax

Everyday I pass my school corridor looking at the similar quote. It makes me feel that no matter what challenge is ahead, make some effort. I might be as slow as a snail but as long as I move on I am just like the turtle racing with the rabbit. 

LINUS

LINUS is known to be literacy and numeracy screening that started off on 2010 till now the third cohort. The main objectives is to ensure that after pupils completed lower primary they are able to achieve the basic literacy and numeracy skills. Similar programme was held for upper primary named PROTIM.


Currently I was teaching Year 1 Bahasa Malaysia, it was challenging as it was my first time. Well there is always first time in everything. Basically, there will be 3 screening each year where pupils need to take oral and written test. For literacy, the pupils have to pass twelve construct on reading letters, sukukata, words, sentences as well as simple comprehension. Meanwhile in writing, pupils have to write letters, identify the sukukata, words, rearrange words into a correct sentence as well as writing sentences. 


I was stumbled by my lack of achievement as my emphasis was more to reading. As a result my pupils failed to score well in making sentences component. 


Some of the useful method that can be used for reading are:

• Using flashcard ( especially those that have different colours for the sukukata which enables the pupils to read easier)

• Covered word ( Teacher segments the words to let the pupils to spell out before reading out the word)
• I also used games where pupils read out the words in a list as I point. Sometimes, I would let the other pupils to point out the word to read. ( This was meant to be the final part after I have ensure that they can read, it works well as  a test too.)
• Matching game. Pupils are given different suku kata to be match and read. I used to come up with the idea of reading dices too. Games requires less pupils in the class or it would be out of control for me. I can comes in wheel of fortune too. 

Meanwhile, some of the methods to teach the writing part are:

• I teach the sentence structure. The simple sentence structure in Bahasa Malaysia mainly comprise of people, verb and things. After telling them the structure, I let them rearrange the words in arranging the words exercise on paper. Though I felt that, it would be better if the pupils can arrange in card and write down the sentence. Maybe I can try that for my next lesson. 

I hope to get a better result in next screening as I was way far behind the target. Wish all the best and give me some good input too.