Monday, November 9, 2009

Teaching is the absolute "coolness"

It didn't cross my mind that one day teaching is something that I would enjoy doing very much. Be it formally or informally. I just loved the idea of imparting and sharing knowledge and information with others. To those who knew me since childhood would somehow cast dispersions on my ability to teach. Not to say that I'm good at it, to be frank, I am terrible at teaching. Most of the people I'd teach would end up more confused or lost. Even though I am a communication student, but still I lack the basic skills that are needed to teach. Very often I stutter when I am standing in front of the class.

I've had experienced tutouring my fellow faculty mates regarding subjects they did not understand. Tutouring was okay for me somehow, just because it was one to one. Yeah, most people wouldn't call that teaching. Hence the term "helping out" a fellow course mate. Despite that, I don't mind. They have their God given rights to their own opinions. I'll take that in a positive way. It's like people's dispersions gave me that needed psychological drive to be better in my teaching.

My first class was actually based in Kampung Sungai Buloh. Well, actually its my cousins place. She turned half of her house into a learning centre for underprivileged kids. In this centre we teach Mathematics and English. Because these are the two basic subjects that students both primary and secondary find it very hard to deal with. At first I was very doubtful of myself. Because I have never teach before. This would be my first time teaching. For the first time, I will not be handling people who are my age. I'll be handling school students. Which I have no experience in handling. I fear that they will get more confused if I have a sudden stuck for words. But my conviction to teach was more stronger than my fear of teaching. Looking at these kids, they remind me of myself when I was schooling. I was having trouble with Mathematics. It was not until quite recently that I have been able to finally grasp the fundamentals of Mathematics. I thought to myself,"O Allah, you have gave me the understanding of this once impossible subject. Now, I figure it is my responsibility to share my knowledge with whomever that seeks my help or assistance.

I was offered to teach Mathematics and English. After a long thought, I've decided to accept the offer. Teaching a whole new crowd was actually very interesting. Through my six months of teaching, I've learned a lot. I was shocked to discover that the immense amount of potential those kids actually have. But sadly, there are nobody there even in their school to guide them through. My class consists of 40 students. The most difficult part in teaching Mathematics to them was to teach them to visualise. In Mathematics your visualisation is very important. The dilemma of most Malay students in understanding any Mathematical concepts is their problem in differentiating from memorisation and understanding. You can memorise all the Mathematical formula all you like. But in the end it's all about application. So its mighty perty important to understand rather than memorise. To master Mathematics all it takes is practice and practice and more practice (insyaAllah).

One more important factor why rural students are more at a disadvantage with Mathematics and English. The first important step is to teach these students to understand and master their own mother tongue. Because, if they understand Malay better, then it'll be no problem for them to tackle any other subject insyaAllah. You see, when you are trying to teach English in Malay, you must first make sure the students are at least above average in mastering their own mother tongue. As this will ensure maximum understanding of that particular subject. I worry for them, when they come to ask me question regarding Mathematics for example. The first thing they seek clarification is to what the questions/instructions wanted them to do. Most of them find it very difficult to comprehend what the questions/instructions wanted. Only a few have some basic idea of what the questions/instructions wanted.

All in all, everything about teaching is very EXHILARATING! Try it for yourselves if you don't believe me. I'll stop my ramblings here. I will write some more insyaAllah but not today.

Assalamualaikum and toodles