A Love Story

The Heart of Education is the ...


...HEART !

When you work and do things from the heart, it will surface and manifest in sincere success. Some work is done on the quiet side unseen by others but definitely seen by someone, someday. Not that we need to be appreciated all the time but even God deems it fit that the work done from the heart will blossom into sweet success. So after so many decades of being a teacher, I have seen enough to say that indeed when you educate from the heart, it leaves an everlasting legacy.

This is true of many aspects of SMK Seafield. Tucked in a little sub urban county, the school received some distinguised guests yesterday at the recommendation of the State Technological department to benchmark our humble Resource Centre.

She is Professor Lesley Farmer of California State University ; Vice President of International Association of School Librarianship...

... and he is Associate Professor Dr. Diljit Singh of Universiti Malaya ; Deputy Dean of Post Graduate Studies.


Why the Resource Centre? This is one of the love stories of the school. A love story because it is managed with much love and passion and right things happen to the place...

Behind the curtain is this lovely worker who diligently brought up the name of the school through her many years of toil ; and many times ; tears when she is stressed out in competitions after competitions. The Resource Centre has been recognised by the State Technological Department as a unit that is well managed and maintained ; ready to receive guests both local and international at anytime without prior warnings. This is the actual test - that you are ready to receive anyone at anytime. So when we were slapped with the mandate of allowing 2 library jargons to pay a visit, we could only abide. So what will they think of us? Are we anywhere near their expectation?



After a brief introduction of the Resource Centre by the Principal, we were asked questions pertaining much to the running of the center. Lesley is especially impressed with the training that was provided to the librarians when they carry out their daily chores. They are trained to process books, magazines and other reading materials besides being trained to manage the hard skills of getting the technical aspects ready for use by teachers. The afternoon ones come early and the morning ones stay behind till evenings... all ready to render their services. Hey by the way why do you think Esther is so computer savvy? She was a librarian trained and drilled till she accomplished under the nose of Madam Patricia ! So thumbs up. No wonder Lesley could not believe that this is happening to the school...such dedication.



Madam Patricia's kind disposition is not to be taken for a ride. They know when to play and when not to play with her. There is always a time for work... in the Resource Centre and a place for play... when she brings them out for her annual trips in Genting Highlands. She works from the heart and their love for her cause them to respond in positive gratitude. She has trained them against instant gratification but at the same time giving them sweet rewards for work well done. That is education from the heart.

Prof Lesley was charmed by the librarians as she is a trainer of librarians and kept asking if any of the them has become full time librarians . Madam Patricia can perhaps do a study on it.

Another unique expression of love is from the parents. There is this group of parents who have offered their weekly service and some help manage the library. They are called "the angels" and their presence has added value to the place. Some of them have stayed with us even when the children have long left the school. Madam Patricia's charm has enticed them. Lesley also found this impressive.

Next, the guests were brought around to see some spots of the centre...

The main reading area has built -in book racks. It saves space and gives the place a right look. Space is created to allow more reading corners and comfort.

Special rooms are created for teachers and students to allow more conducive teaching and learning. The rooms are efficiently maintained and used to their max as they are heavily booked. That impressed our guests too.

We dwelt on our reading programme and the Principal's aim of having a child read 10 books a year will mean a child reading at least 50 books before they leave the school gate . A sincere effort which caused the deputy dean of post graduate studies to challenge us to do a survey on the type of materials the students read. A post graduate man is a post graduate man...he talks about surveys, data and details that will lead to a post graduate study. Madam Patricia is sitting on a pot of gold...tremendous material for interested parties. Diljit gently persuaded her to pursue a post graduate program on library studies. She will make a perfect candidate.

At the end of the visit we were happy that Prof Lesley commented that we are on par and even better than some schools in California!!! Yea, yea, yea. Oh by the way, when people of the same faculty meet, they talk on the same wave length and guess what? Dr. Diljit and the Principal were old time classmates in the then Biology Department of the University of Malaya. What a small world...so they not only talk about books , they talked about so and so and so.

So ends the love story. A love story of the love of the teacher for her students, books, magazines, computers and her absolute devotion and dedication to a challenge given to her.

So her heart's calling has manifested in a success seen and felt by many.

God Bless You, sister.