Jul 31, 2011

Alumni. What does it mean to you?


Not knowing what to do tonight, I flipped through papers and letters on the coffee table. Suddenly I saw this...

"Oh, a letter from Kyudai!"

Feeling so excited, I opened it harshly..
2 pamphlets on Kyudai News.

They still remember me! 
and they took all the hassle to send me the news (even when they can just send it by email?)
That's why I always say to my students- half of my heart is left there.

Alumni is a crucial platform for ex-students to give back to their school. But just giving back is not enough. The school MUST remember the ex-students as well, otherwise, they will forget their way "home".
It should be a GIVE and TAKE, and WIN-WIN relationship.

Come August, the September. Convocation is approaching and I can't help wondering what UKM Alumni does for its members.. 

Feb 1, 2011

When was the last time your teacher touched your heart?

This entry is gonna be long. It is a combination of experiences I had over the weekend that really touches my heart. "Touches" not "touched". It touches me every time I recall.

29/1 I went to SMAPK to attend our alumni meeting. After the meeting, we chit-chatted with the Principal.
She told us this.
"Kalau setakat mengajar dalam kelas, itu bukanlah dipanggil "guru", tapi pekerja dalam bidang pendidikan. Pelajar tak ingat pun apa yang dia belajar dalam kelas. Tapi dia ingat ketika gurunya membelikan sebungkus nasi lemak kepadanya . Apa sahaja yang menyentuh perasaannya. Orang yang boleh menyentuh perasaan pelajar dengan berbuat sesuatu demi kebaikan mereka, dialah yang layak dipanggil "guru"."

Her words struck me.
All the way home, these words kept on repeating in my head.
Reason being, today (29th), I was supposed to go to my ex-class teacher's house, to attend his son's wedding. I was very close to this teacher, because he was responsible of developing the foundations of  me, and I haven't met him since graduating from primary school; which is 23 years ago.

A brief description about this teacher:
  • He drove a red Volkswagen -- JG245
  • Sangat macho, kategori handsome yang berjanggut kambing.
  • He was my class teacher, taught us Maths and never failed to amaze us with his stories. 
  • He built that sprinter in me -- tiap-tiap pagi sampai sekolah je kena lari keliling sekolah a few rounds, berlatih sprint sampai penat -- but at the end there was always hot milo and biskut kering (syoknyaaa)
  • He was also one of our netball trainers -- like any other sports; football, badminton, etc.
  • He would listen to us. Fulfill our request to bring our "teater tepi padang" to the stage -- and still remember who played what role (aku pun dah lupa)
  • He wiped my tears and drive away fear of hurting myself during my first days training gymnastics.
  • He was the only teacher who had ever caned me (and everybody else in the class!) 


His name is Cikgu Rashid Mohd Salleh.

My mother, who attended the wedding, told me that Cikgu Rashid was really looking forward to see me.
Aku telah menjadi sangat tak sampai hati......
sebabnya...when I was at matriculation, I had a chemistry lecturer yang garang but so passionate.
After graduating from my first degree, I heard the news that he was suffering from cancer. Somebody told me that he wanted to see me, but I kept on procrastinating the visit.
Until one day, I received a shocking news that he had passed away....and I regretted for not fulfilling his wish until now....

So back to the story, after finishing the house chores, we drove home to Melaka. Soon as I arrived, I asked my mother the invitation card and saw Cikgu Rashid's hp number.

I smsed him.
"Assalamualaikum Cikgu, Shazlinda ni. Maaf tak dapat datang tadi, ada meeting. Kalau tak keberatan, boleh saya datang rumah Cikgu esok?"
And instantaneously..
"Waalaikumsalam. Jemput datang ke rumah. Saya mmg nak jumpa sangat. Esok datang pukul berapa?"
And so there I was in front of his house the next day at 12 noon.

It was so nice to see him in good shape after 23 years.

We exchanged stories about each other, reminiscing the past memories.



Cerita 1: Drama
"Pada Cikgu, zaman korang la yang paling Cikgu enjoy sekali. Geng Cikgu ; Cikgu Ramli, Cikgu Bahari, Abah awak masih ada. Budak-budak pun tak menunggu disuap. Sekali ajar dah reti buat sendiri. Saya ingat lagi kamu dan Linda datang minta izin nak buat drama. Nazlah, anak Cikgu Muharam, haa..dialah yang jadi permaisuri dalam Ulik Mayang kamu tu. Kamu ingat lagi? ....Patutnya si Lin anak Cikgu Zabidi yang pendiam tu kamu pilih jadi permaisuri..hahahaha"

Cerita 2 : Pontianak
"Kamu pernah nampak pontianak tak?"
"Err~tak pernah Cikgu. Kat mana,kat sekolah ke?"
"Ha'ah, masa tu kami buat perkhemahan kat sekolah"
"Cikgu sendiri nampak?"
"Yee~saya nampak dia melompat dari pokok ke pokok. Tapi bukan pontianak la, penanggal.."
"Haa! Penanggal? So Cikgu nampak la tali perut dia?"
"Nampak~ berjurai2 bermanik2"...Alhamdulillah, dia tak masuk kawasan khemah kita, dah "dipagar" siap2"
"Huuuuuu~"

Cerita 3 : Cerita
"Balik2 pada cerita Lin anak Cikgu Zabidi. Bapak dia SK Tedung, mak dia sekolah ...(aku xingat)..
Mak dia dok fikir kat mana nak sekolahkan..akhirnya dia dia masukkan SRKM2.
Si Lin ni diam je, saya pun tak tahu dia ni ok ke tidak ke...Mak dia pujuk dia, kata lepas seminggu kalau dia tak rasa tak selesa, Mak dia akan tukarkan dia"
Tapi, biasala, saya rasa saya tahu ubat dia."
"Apa dia Cikgu?"
"Cerita! Kamu taulah Cikgu kan suka bercerita. Si Lin yang diam, tunduk je tu, bila time cerita, bukan main lagi mendengar. Dan lepas seminggu bila Mak dia tanya balik, dia kata; tak payahlah tukar sekolah--sebab nak dengar cerita Cikgu!"
--Hah korang, dah Darjah 6 pun ternganga dengar cerita cikgu!--
"Mmmphh, jangan kata Darjah 6, Cikgu,  dah naik U pun, kalau time cerita--ternganga juga!"

Cerita 4 : Rotan
"Saya ingat lagi, cikgulah satu-satunya guru yang pernah rotan saya :). Tapi sebenarnya saya taklah takut sangat pada Cikgu. Saya lagi takut kat Cikgu Ramli"
"Hahaha~Cikgu Ramli tu garang sampai habis. Kalau saya, garang tu garang juga, tapi lepas pukul tu saya pujuk balik.  Awak dan kawan2 awak pun saya dah anggap macam anak-anak saya sendiri.. Alhamdulillah, anak2 murid saya semua jadi orang."
"Sham, kat mana awak jumpa si Lin ni?"


"Abang nak bawak balik tak kucing ni?"


Family + Cikgu


"Takpe ke Cikgu pakai camni aje?"
"Lepas ni ajak kawan-kawan semua buat perjumpaan kat rumah saya"
I was so happy to see him happy. And he even said that he is gonna find my house in Nilai the next time he travels to his relative's house in Bukit Mahkota.
(Tapi Cikgu kena bagitau awal-awal ya sebab kadang-kadang saya kena pergi bengkel---padahal dalam hati nak selamatkan rumah yang macam tongkang pecah sebelum Cikgu tiba!)


Jan 30, 2011

What I did on my 35th birthday

2.30 am : Woke up to check FB posts and open birthday presents from my students :)
Thank you Iffah!!
  
Thank you Shafika & Wanie!!

3.30 am : Solat Hajat sempena birthday
4.30 am : Drafting final QM exam questions while sipping a cup of hot coffee
6.30 am : Solat Subuh + took a nap
8:00 am : Woke up and prepare kids for taekwondo
9:00 am : Breakfast @ mamak and went to the wet market
9:50 am : Played badminton with husband
10:15 am : Fetch the kids from taekwondo
11:00 am : Left for SMAPK Alumni Meeting @ SMAPK
                 Nominated as Vice President 2
2.30pm  : Left SMAPK for home +Zohor
5:00pm  : Watched Spongebob with kids while having kuetiaw goreng yg dimasak oleh Ustaz Wan Akashah.      (Sedap giler!!) + Asar


8:00pm : Maghrib + left for ALPS Electric (M) Sdn Bhd
9:00pm : Left for Melaka
10:15pm : Arrived in Melaka
10:30pm : late dinner + borak2 dengan Mak + online till now

Tomorrow I will be meeting Cikgu Rashid, cikgu kesayangan aku dulu yg dah tak jumpa for about 23 years.  

Kesimpulannya, my 35th birthday was just an ordinary day of which I would run around doing things. Tapi aku bersyukur sebab Allah masih membenarkan aku hidup to read bedtime stories to my children and hug them whenever they need it. I know that I am created for few good causes, if not many. 
And to my husband who is always understanding (although keep forgetting my birthdays hehe, but not this year), I am glad that I have you.
Lastly, this is a song I love to listen during birthdays. From my  favourite star, Koji Tamaki --HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Enjoy :) 



My Cat's Video