Commercial Break: The most recommended by researchers on acquiring foreign languages are best through Experience. In experience it will be awesome to includes all the 6 senses. In methodology, in teaching English Language as a foreign language: We mainly focus on several components, which are Reading skills and its verbal and written communications skills (such as writing, listening, speaking, and body language responding). And if you turn this equation around, these components that you and I refers to as skills are easy access for gaining experiences, thus learning takes place.
When teaching English, we are not only introducing them the English words/vocabularies, but we also includes the rules, which is famous to us all by the name “grammar”. In this 21st century, we are not only teaching the pupils to learn and gain knowledge, facts or instructions, but in between we are also helping them to bloom the necessities skills. Skills are best matured through participating activities. Make the activities fun, exciting and worthwhile! Most of all, relates the learning what they already experience.
In psycholinguistic, always end the lesson after clarities are done; which is repeating the consciousness such as the words pronunciation and its language structures of the day. While on the other hand, the unconscious would includes all the “English/Language errors” they did along the way. Teachers need to “rise” these errors and respond with a proper instructions(to its rules a.k.a grammar).
9th October 2010 is my 1st anniversary to step to Temburong District, Brunei. While 10th October 2010 is my 1st anniversary to be working as an Elementary Teacher in a government school.
(L to R: Adi, Hasanal & Halejan at 1st Teacher Anniversary in Temburong)
A Year Ago..
While in thought thinking to blog this meaningful dates, I also thought that the most meaningful event in my life should be, is during my 1st year being an official teacher. Its a year filled with fresh experience that conquered my life. There are plenty to share about my 1st year; the awesome events and the not so awesome events. We may say that the hardship through our life journey is the most things we cherish more than the good times, but for now I would like to share the most awesome events that I could wish not or want to forget.
In a year, I survived to stay alone at the teacher’s housing scheme at Puni Village. I bought my own entertainment set, such as my TV and my BluRay player accompany by dozens of DVDs and BluRay Disc from Amazon or local retail shops. I also achieved to install a satellite subscription channels: “Astro” – well with the help of a friend name Halejan ;). Not to forget installing my air-conditioner for my bedroom and water-heater for my bathroom is the most essential stuff I could ever please ( wait – plus my Kitchen Gadgets! haha).
Meeting with my 1st year colleague in Sekolah Rendah Semabat, Temburong is awesome. The mutual bond should be highlighted here. I present their names as Hj N, Wii and Die are people I like to brag their names everyday. And I thank the Almighty for meeting me with the rest of the teachers here, especially fantastic Principal for being a fantastic leader.
While being here, I also get unique opportunity that I could highlight. The biggest opportunity was being enrolled to a 3-4 months School Leadership Program, organized by the Action Learning Association, from USA with ILIA, UBD. I think I could brag more about this, I was the youngest participants, and should not be in the group. Most of the participants was seniors teachers, who have been teaching in Brunei schools for more than a year (hehe). So I was lucky, and thanks to my Principal for selecting me for this such opportunity. It really improved myself as a leader, and indeed a lifetime experience and knowledge. I’m currently missing the AIA Team: Mr Bob Robert Knowling Jr., Evan Unger and Judy (+ Don Przygodski and Dr. Noel Tichy).
Other than that, opportunity to present in training or workshop such as for the SPN21 subjects especially: Science Subject and being one of the facilitator for Science year 2 are also one of those delightful moments (oh yeah maybe I’ll be the Year 6 Science Facilitator too, if the Science CDD want me hehe). Also, being in this training or workshop I met new people and made new friends; It’s fun and I really like it.
Being in school, the main objective is for sure about the children. Alhamdulilah.. even though I’m not yet at my absolutely best and still at my due diligence on teaching them, but I still see the improvement from one child in time. I’ll improve more once I get older in this field. It is clear, my head is still trying to understand the admin work that attached with me for the rest of my life, while at the other side and on the same time trying to improve and applied the best practices in teaching.
(L to R: Mathius, & Razif at 1st Teacher Anniversary in Temburong)
A year from now..
What I wish to accomplish last year was to be more as a listener then the one who like to talk and contribute. I would also like to maintain and continue that accomplishment. On the other hand, I also want to improve myself in term of administration and academic. Administration as in the admin work that needed to be settle down. While the academic work is to improve my teaching and care towards my children and their academic more.
Now, everyone is currently thinking about their inservice proposal. I have not yet planned on that yet. Maybe (just maybe) I am more ready after 4-7 years teaching here in Temburong. In other words, I’m not ready to leave Temburong yet. There are still a lot of things needed to improve or help. Simply saying, I like the teaching environment here. Its so peaceful too, and there are plenty to work on with the children here.
However, I still wish to continue my study, and that is a must. How I wish I could own a Phd.. But in reality, I just hope in this life time of mine I could reach and gain the Master degree. I still can’t figure out what to pursue; there are areas of choice that I could learn more. My choice of areas are English Language acquisition, Early Childhood Education and Care (with reason to teach English Language for Pre-School), Elementary Science or School Leadership and Management + Counseling or the usage of ICT in School. That’s just my current choices, maybe by 4-7 years, my option is much more clearer and slimmer than today.
Last but not least, I would like to say congratulation to my friends who enrolled to school as a teacher on 10/10/2009. I hope we can make changes in Brunei Education to become more successful and sustainability country by our own human capability as resources. Thank You again to Halejan, Razif, Adi Asmiran, Hasanal and Mathius to accompany me to celebrate our 1st anniversary as a teacher last night. I wish Hadi was available to celebrate with us. All the best guys :)
Thank god, that I’m gifted with a “believe” for myself that I could do things that I think I can do. In short it’s called the power of self-confident. Some may less be fortunate, for they do not acquire these skills; well that’s just what the norms people would say. It’s strange, how you get older you want to do what you think will be right for you, well technically with your own little mind voice called desire.
I never thought I would want to become a teacher in my teen eras, but hey being in this Education fields it feels GOOD! REALLY GOOD! I really don’t want to stop at a Diploma Level (in Primary Education); I wish tu pursue to other areas of Education too. Sport or Physical Education will be great, because as a man, its a natural to have this masculine interest in sports studies (very debatable: women do have strong interest in sports too, hehe); I also would love to take minor Management and Counselling in Education, or English but now, what I think I could empower my education, (after my 4 month of teaching practice at school) is, “I really want to further my studies in Early Childhood Education”.
Yes, you read it correctly; Walid or Alid wish to take ‘Early Childhood Education course somewhere on this earth’. After going through many things in your life, all the sudden you want to do this and that. Its weird but what the heck, life is too short not to get what we want right? Now, that I think that, I wish the degree in Early Childhood Education were still open at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. I’m aware of the next generation course availability at UBD. But it doesn’t suite me because I guess I’m not the next generation hehe. The changes happened because Changes are needed I guess for a good cause for our country’s benefits and the people. Seriously I’m no expert on this Political Education System. Well I’m not a pacifist either. Well if I were a pacifist, wouldn’t I be cute? :) haha
So back to my Early Childhood Education interest, seriously I like teaching kids, I’m totality falling in love with them. But Alhamdulilah, I’m not a pedophile, I’m straight and normal! HAHAA. I believed the reason is both my pre-school cooperative teachers at Sekolah Rendah Pintu Malim (during my teaching practise), inspires me very deeply about their work and how to handle the young children, with care and love. At this point, there’s time when the echo of the small voice will sung:
“I want this, I really want to do this, God where do I start? I believe I can be an early Childhood Educator, well an excellent one”.
It’s not easy to request things when you get older. When you were just a kid, you could easily select the toys you want and buy it. But now, no way man. It is so damn difficult, so much for asking or saying to the girl you adore “I love you”.
With all do respect, sometimes a thought of a comedian act or drama in my mind, on how I could simply knock the Minister of Education of Brunei ‘s door, and ask kindly if he could help me to pursuit my Education Dream. Yeah.. Thats illusionary wooon’t really work in reality. HAHA
At this point also, I start to regret and I wish I did well in my Education, especially during my A levels. But maybe if I didn’t mess up with my A levels, I might as well wouldn’t be in this education field. So its all about fate in the end. So right now what I can TRY and do to pursuit it is by:
1) Hopefully got posted to a great school, with great Administration, thus a good negotiation will be applicable if I could take the Pre-Class/school with the principal consents.
2) In 3-5 years, given the opportunity to continue my education, Integrated Master in Early Childhood at UBD. And hopefully given the Early Childhood Course. And not Integrated Master in other than English, ECE haha.
These are just hope. On the other hand, I wish I could get a miracle too; like to be send right now to do a Early Childhood Course, maybe a degree or even an HND level . Preferable overseas hehe. Yeah! I LOVE that to happen. I wish. I just need about BND$90,000+ for an average of HND level for tuition fees and life expenses. That will be enough to carry my dream flying. So Oprah Winfrey would you like to give me the Oprah scholarship, I’ll be an asset to your Oprah School. or Andy Baldwin (US Naval Officer, Doctor, Humanitarian, Ironman Triathlete) I’m definitely be an asset with your volunteering program, oyeah i like the Got Your Back Network, I wish I could be involved; seriously by that! it reminds me I’m not a US citizen. Toing~ Oyeah Baldwin like kids.. just like me HAHA. I know I get Prasan sometimes. Dear Baldwin, Go get a great wife, marry once and have kids, I’m sure you will definitely be a great father. But when that happen, don’t questions me about your time management. He have this bunch of schedule for people.. he need to get his own quality time for himself. On other words he need to rest.
Ok, I’m signing out.. “everyone have dreams, and this is mine, this is part of it, and I’m very dedicated for it.”
