Ring Of Fire

Geography in Action

Teaching geography in the 80s took a lot of imagination when I explained to the students about plate tectonic movements for it was difficult to visualise any possible movements under the deep, deep oceans particularly in the Pacific Ocean. When huge plates move it cause havoc beyond imagination, I used to tell them and they would look at me as if it were some tales that would never happen in our era. I also wish not to see them happening. I really wish that it is some stories concorded out of Scientists' inquisitive minds. But history has proven the facts of past occurrences except they are happening far too frequent of late.
Perhaps it is easier to deliver a lesson on tsunamis now. When I first introduced the term and told them it was a Japanese terminology because of its frequent happening along the Japanese shores, we would like to believe that they only happen there. Then we related tsunamis to the type of houses built in Japan - bamboo and light materials- I used to tell them that the Japanese are always on the alert and so light materials for buildings especially for homes would mean less danger. So it went on and on. But we established the fact that the term "tsunami" originated from the land of the rising sun.
The devastating tsunami along the north eastern shore of Japan yesterday confirm the reality of the term. Heart breaking news to see such major disaster. How to measure? How to understand? How ? But the tsunami has occurred again. Why so frequent?

My first encounter with real life situation was in 2004 when the tsunami hit another part of the ring ; the Indian Ocean. The family was on a cruise to the beautiful island of Phuket ; our first time on a cruise from Port Klang. We took Kong Kong and Por Por along the trip thinking that it would be a different experience for them. Of course we failed to reach the shores of Phuket. Frantic calls from all over to find out how we were showed how much many cared for us. How did I feel then? Right in the middle of where the action was. We were afraid ; but at the same time we knew that the safest place was in the ocean and not at the shores where the impact of the tidal waves would be the greatest. We floated although some nasty movements took some toll when we started to feel dizzy and experienced some vomiting spells. The vessel stopped at Pulau Langkawi the next day by which time things had already come under control. The cruise brought us home to Port Klang safely and would we be grateful to God?

Completely by the mercies of God.

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress." Psalm 107 : 6.

As a Geography teacher, I have always been proud to pronounce to the children Malaysia is a land of great favour; being free of earthquakes and always shielded by neighbouring islands. We are rich in natural resources , rubber, palm oil, petroleum and you name it. I would take out the map like the ones below and tell them about the location of our nation; so blessed with so much sun and rain making it possible for so many natural plants to survive.





Look we are not along the brunt of the fire ring albeit we may also face the sub consequences of major outbreaks of earthquakes but never the full blast. Many nations like Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan face the constant fear of being trapped under natural calamities. How do they cope with them?

To the Japanese people our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Last week a close friend told me that life is fragile after losing 5 family members in an accident and yesterday an ex-colleague said that she was humbled at the loss of lives in Japan. This morning as I ponder over the circumstances that are beyond one's control, I really feel that we must live life as if every moment is a stolen one ; appreciate and be grateful.

"Then they cried out to the Lord

in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their

distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were

hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their

desired haven."

Psalm 107 : 28-30

Acts of God

Hope

ADHD (attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder)

Dyslexia

Autism

You only have to have a handful of them in school and it will send the school reeling in circles looking after their demands. It's a stone's throw away and many have symptoms to a certain degree of the above mentioned...disorders. I am wary of this 'disorder' because it attaches a certain label to it. But yet it is important to recognise it as an early address to it can mean a world of difference. Cases above are real and counsellors, teachers and students help them through in their school life. The counsellors devise sessions for them while their classmates put up with their temperaments and exercise patience. Sometimes the friends also do not know why such cases behave in this manner; they only know they will be unkind if they tease them.

Yet, the main stream school has to find ways and methods to solve problems attached to such behaviour and seek the cooperation of parents. Such cases can never be solved without the full support and cooperation of fathers and mothers. There are proven cases that when the parents recognise the symptoms and work towards handling them with professional and medical help; the disorders will decrease in due time. I have seen it happening.

Today I witnessed before my own eyes a case of ADHD turning good.

The year was 1999? Sam was in Form 1 then. We teachers were afraid for him. He would burst out and wail in despair tearing his hair. Then he would sometimes go to a corner and talk to himself. We were afraid he might lose control and hurt himself unknowingly. When such times happen, the students were advised to keep themselves away from him so as to not add irritation. Classes would be disrupted as the teacher had to attend to his needs.
The greatest fear was when we saw him cycling in the school compound heading towards an oncoming car. He was not afraid of any consequences. He seemed to be oblivious of the danger he was in. That was the limit for us. The mother was called in and after a long discussion we wanted the mum to seek proper treatment and address the problem. Sam was asked to take leave because we felt inadequate to handle him.
Sam's mum was cooperative. She took our advice and sought medical help. Sam underwent proper help and after 6 months came back to school. We were glad to have him back but we knew we had to be careful with him. He was treated with great care. Friends and teachers took effort to leave him to do what he was comfortable with; not to arouse any unnecessary hurt.

He stayed with us till his SPM year; age17. Then occasionally he would drop by to say hello albeit sometimes still displaying some tantrums. But today after so many years, he came by to pick a sibling. I stopped him and asked for the latest. He told me that after he left school, he enrolled in a hospitality course and later to switch to another college to do a higher diploma and finally a degree. He did it ! A case when we thought was difficult. But he achieved it with the help of supportive parents who knew how to chart his career path. I believe the parents are only interested that he has a vocation that will earn him independence and self sufficiency in life.

Out of interest I asked:

Me : Do you still go back for medical help?
Sam : Yes. I visit the doctor as she is keen to see my progress. I talk to her and I like visiting her. The visits are just routine exercises.
Me : How about the work place? Can you adjust yourself well?
Sam : It was difficult in the beginning. Being a junior chef, I can be under tremendous pressure and I do get upset at times. But I also know the expectation is for my good. I now strive to do as well as I can.
Me : Have you got a girlfriend?
Sam : No, not yet.
Me: Hang on; you will one day.

Sam left me for his sibling who was feeling unwell. Now his parents trust him and believe that he is capable of taking care of someone else. That is marvellous. After all these years of teaching, it is rewarding to know that there is hope when you thought there was none.

There is hope.

We will continue to work on such cases.

Being Wise

The Temptations

It has been more than 9 months since the family made a tour to China ; Hangchow-Shanghai to be exact and there are still some matters to be shared.

Before we signed up for the tour we requested for an English speaking tour guide as we were afraid that we might not understand the local lingo. I must confess it was a total shame that we are Chinese and cannot speak the language; not me though...the girls. At some moments I was embarrassed that the tour guide knew our inadequacy and had to bilingually explain everything so much so that by the 3rd day he had already lost part of his voice. Young he may be, he is an ambitious guy already owning an apartment worth 1.5 million ringgit in Hang Chow. An only child, he told us that he sees his parents very few times a year due to his tight schedule. His mum will know when to visit him as her instincts tells her that it's time to clean up his apartment. He feels sad that his parents travel by train from the village to visit him and then he disappears before any meaningful time is spent. There is a price to pay for everything.

He introduced us to the famous 'siew loong pau' where the queue was a mile long. But it was out of the world.

In a village he introduced this fruit which for the life of me I cannot remember its name which sent dad to the toilet the whole night through. We kept ourselves away from it after the episode.

You don't have to buy ... but when he brings you to a factory outlet and you see live silk worms yourself you lose your discretion and just buy...

Everyone of them carted a silk scarf away which I believe is dumped in the closet now ... of no use anymore.

After losing his voice on the trip, the guide told us that the greatest remedy for the situation is to drink tea ; the longin tea. You don't have to buy too if you are disciplined. We were too mesmerised by the special performance on its goodness so we bought...in the thousands. No discretion again.

Wow when you see how they peel the oyster and you see for real the pearls... the womanly vanity in you cause you to lose mind and heart and you just forget its price ... you lose discretion and buy again. Hey, don't buy if you can...for the pearls will probably land in some drawers and you forget to wear them.

Busy fixing ... thinking the world of it ; very little discretion. You wanna buy the best and you think you have got the best...use your discretion.



Who can resist? Listen to me...resist.

The guide again brought us to a KFC outlet in Shanghai and told us that Malaysian KFCs don't serve egg tarts; so true. He confirmed that they were the best ever; even better than those in Macau. So we ate egg tarts in a KFC outlet. Not too bad.

But he's wrong now. The egg tarts have arrived at the Malaysian doorstep ! Now is the time that you need no discretion ... buy and eat.



How about this for good discretion? Sara wrapped herself to keep herself away from the dust and mite and lamented all the way about crowds. She has very strange manners in handling problems. But her ways can be revolutionary and practical at times too. Missing her.

So much for good buys. How is it each time we make a trip somewhere, uppermost in our minds is to buy, buy, buy. I have told myself again and again to resist but it fails. Nevertheless, I will still attempt to use more discretion the next time I travel and exercise more discipline.

But, but, but... I will still pamper myself whenever I deem fit and forget about discretion !

Teachers for Parents

The Feeder School

A staff strength of more than 130 will surely hit many of us with school-going children right from pre to primary to secondary years ; albeit some being in university stage.

A daily observation at the school canteen during lunch hours cause me to see the role of responsible parents in the upbringing of children. Many of us are not only on a pay roll but also having to look after the well-being of spouses and school- going children. Geographically SMK Seafield is positioned next to a primary school and that's how they have become our feeder school .




Therefore, slowly but surely we find most of our teachers enrolling their children at the school next to us. It is only a physical gate that is dividing both the schools. Back in the mid 90s the plot where the primary school stands now was part of our premise but alas it was taken away from us for another cause. A cause that is recommendable but at the expense of us not able to set a 400m track for sports.

It is encouraging to see both male and female teachers fending for their young ones when the children are dismissed from school each day. The young ones have been trained by their parents to take the following steps :

• as soon as the bell goes for dismissal, they are to trudge across the border by going through this small little gate.

This gate is under lock and key to be opened at certain times of the day and then to be locked back immediately for discipline purposes. Ladies and gentlemen, this little gate has also been the 'gateway' to many successful stories of children faring extremely well in public exams like the UPSR , PMR and SPM. It is the gate that has connected both schools, children and parents and has made it possible for practical living and survival. Thankfully this situation has made it possible for teachers to dispense their duties well in their jobs and private lives. Parents too can run to them when a fever or other wants happen. Most grateful to this physical arrangement my teachers are.

• After crossing this little gate they will dutifully make their way to the school canteen to have their meals.


• They will pick their favourite, look for a seat and quietly consume their lunch


• Then they are to wait for their mothers or fathers if and when they have meetings in school


• Some even complete their homework and attend religious classes


• They will finally go home when all is done by their parents and the cycle repeats itself the next day
  

Personally, I feel this is discipline by itself. Good parents bring up children the good way. Somehow, somewhere these commendable attributes will arise in the lives of the children.

Today I witnessed some touching moments between a father and daughter in the canteen.

Little girl : Auntie, itu apa? (what's that?)

Me : Ice Kacang. you want too?

Shyly but surely she nodded her head. She wanted to have a taste of the sweet drink.

Later the dad walked in and commented: Oh ice kacang. Did you trouble the aunt? I assured him that she did not and that she has been a good girl. I noticed the way she consumed her meal with her clean fingers and by the time the meal was over, the plate was spick and span. So neat and tidy; a result of proper care. Next, I asked the dad when the next child is due and the girl quickly replied : soon. She is bright, chatty and well-mannered. Of course I will proceed with the next inquiry. Is it a boy or a girl? She jumped the wagon and said "boy"!

By now dad was beaming and interrupted "how do you know?" "I heard the doctor telling mama that it's going to be a boy!" Gentle dad was patting her head lovingly and every word and sentence was spoken softly and with a smile. Such gentle demeanour will surely encourage an environment of security and supreme love in the home. Lucky little girl. I am sure she will grow up to be a wholesome being bringing much joy to everyone around her. The father treats her with such tender loving care and the fruits of his action will be seen and felt. If all fathers allow such moments to thrive in the home, then we will have fewer problematic teens.

I went away feeling happy and recalled the days of my children in their primary years... tiger mum !

See, the feeder school and her stories. Many, many more to be related.

Melting Pot

A Melting Pot of Food

Traditionally a Chinese cuisine, the Malaysian Chinese have long enjoyed Dim Sun for breakfast and even brunches. A wide spectrum is served including dumplings, carrot cakes, 'pau', siew mai and so on. Served with Chinese hot tea, a meal could keep hunger pangs away for quite a while.

Strolling along USJ2 last weekend, I was pleasantly surprised at this ! Even the local Malays are into this cuisine albeit with some variations in the preparation.

They serve chicken siew mai, fried prawns siew mai, fungus siew mai and sweet paus...




On top of everything else it has been endorsed by the halal department of the nation; thus the food is deemed fit for their consumption.





Oh I was amazed at the way the delicacies are served. So typically associated with its authentic way of serving! There is surely an amalgamation of culture in this land ; a very pleasant discovery.


Also traditionally a Chinese sweet and savoury display, the pau is also a familiar snack among the Malays and Indians ; and more often than not sold in school tuck shops.



Then there is this 'you cannot live without' meal of Indian heritage that is so popular among the ethnic groups and all walks of Malaysian life that has become part and parcel of the locals. Saturday mornings are made so exciting as dad will normally date me for breakfast at the usual store in USJ 18 and roti canai, roti plata, tosai will be the call of the day. At the store, you will be surprised that there are more Chinese and Malays with fewer Indians ! Oh it sure is entertaining to witness the scenario.

Last but never the least, the nasi lemak from the pasar tani in Taipan is dad's usual craving on Sunday mornings. When a Sunday passes by without nasi lemak, the day never seems to be complete. The Malay vendors who prepare the speciality beam from left to right as their customers are so varied and many.

The Malaysian food scene is definitely a melting pot of culture where everyone gets to enjoy the best of the best . Peace and serenity surrounds everyone as the myriad of local specialities gel and exude trust and gratitude. Grateful that we can get to taste the food in good fun and enjoyment.

Food and its magical influence. It's good to live in peace and harmony with food as the best ambassador.

The Alumni Call

It was just a call away.

Justin dropped by to say hello. But I saw the potential in him. Fresh out of school, he told me that Friday was a free day for him and he wanted to say hello. That was sweet of him. I took a further step and gently asked him if it were too much of trouble to gather some ex-seafieldians through the dynamic fb for the purpose of setting up an alumni.

I love his positive attitude and his willingness to help. He did not for a moment hesitate. That was a part of his headship training in school plus all the Pendidikan Moral plus all the Civics lessons grilled through him. Not bad. Putting lessons in action.

Not sure of the response from the public, he gingerly started a group site and began calling in his cronies. But it did not take long before the fire spread. We were overwhelmed by the hunger of the Seafieldians in all walks of life to want to come together and to have an identity connected to their alma mater. Of course the ones who have just left responded faster. But there were some older ones responding too.

Take Aaron Cheah for a start. I know his group of friends pretty well as I taught them in the late 90s... Chai Yen, Cherry, Baljeet, Jun Liong, Teik Chiang ...hopefully one day they will catch up with us and tell us of their stories.

Then Candy Moy, Low Pek Wan, Angeline Khoo and Kenneth Sim all in the same group as Nizar, Reuben, Anthony connected through this group call too. I am so glad to learn from Pek Wan that she is well and happy serving the church ; her highest calling.

After all these years they still have some feelings for their alma mater and hopefully when the alumni is officially established, they will somehow come in to assist.

I also see a potential in Keith Tay; our very own boy of 2007 ? One day when things are more settled we will invite him in too to head in some aspects.

The Alumni aims at not only gathering the old students for party purposes... but to continue the process of life long learning and making reliable citizens out of the protege of the school. We hope to see contributions in the field of education, social needs and maybe business if the group decides so. I was just talking to a group of Malaysian citizens belonging to a Japanese alumni AOTS who actually confirmed that they have a building of their own in town making tons of money through rentals. The school teaches from the core of education; that each and every child will endeavour to be responsible ones wherever they may be ; that they may me good seeds. The strings of As is not everything; it is character formation. This is confirmed through an article I read this morning in the NST when the IMU president Tan Sri Dr. Abu Bakar Suleiman reiterated that

... the essence of being a doctor is to serve. Just because you are a bright student doesn't make you a good doctor. You must have other attributes such as being interested in people, the desire to help others, patience and the independence of thinking and learning...

and added that he had come across cases of intelligent students not doing well in their medical exams because of a lack of interest.

Wow education has such a high calling. Now you not only prepare the students to have straight As to the delight of the stakeholders but you also have to make meaningful characters out of them.

So on most Saturdays, the gruesome task of drilling the students come in for perseverance and patience through the societies. Most who are leaders of such groups turn out to be leaders in their vocations; I am quite sure.

See, no play, play.

I was impressed that the seniors led the juniors... all attentive.

The Eco rangers had a camp yesterday and the responsible teacher tagged along seeing to their demands and making sure all is well... and when they go home the next day; the teacher goes back to school on Monday for duty again. We hope that the students will understand what it means to be helped by the sacrifice of a teacher. No weekend for the teacher all in the name of character building.

The boys and girls having fun ; a fun that will be etched in their memories and hopefully recalled one day. We teach and lead to see them lead too.


The supreme love and care of teachers are also seen here.

The removal of unwanted materials and garbage to make space for a new venture in the curriculum of the school for the next year done on a precious weekend.

The initiative of someone who cares will see to the culmination of the vision ; to set up a new culinary portfolio for the school...

So, the school is too truly a space for all forms of development...ambition, sacrifice, love and care, patience, perseverance and many, many more. We hope the stakeholders will also love us and make do with some shortcomings here and there.

The Alumni is targeted to gather all who have been a part of the school to make good the vision and mission of their alma mater; that meaning to life is brought to its epitome after all their learning here.

We will continue to work on the legalisation of the body till it comes true.

Another Landmark

History In The Making

5th March will go under the records of the history of the school.

Today I am very happy that the mandate to form a pro tem committee for the Alumni has been carried out. It has been like a stone on my heart for many years especially when I have to leave not very long from now and to find an association with past students not formed; not after 17-18 years with the school.



With grit and determination we managed to gather a group of students mainly from last year's final batch to get the motion going. It was with much persuasion as many feared commitment despite my assurance that the full support will be upon the shoulders of the school for the time being.



In support of the motion were 2 dedicated parents from the PTA whom with their wide secular experiences were here to help us formulate the terms and conditions of the referendum. We are blessed to benefit from their advice and vision. They voiced out clauses that might hurt the society and cautioned us against wrong statements. After a gruesome 2 hours on the clauses we finally came to terms and conditions accepted by all those present. We needed this group's decision for us to submit enough details for approval by ROS.

The Guidance and Counselling unit of the school was in full support of the venture and with dedication will somehow see the formation to fruition. The members though youthful were cooperative and knew the meaning of rising up to the occasion and extending the needed hand at crucial moments like these. Thank you ladies and gentlemen for your presence.

After a fruitful discussion we finally sat down for our favourite pizza... Dominos; a pizza brand that has made its name a household name in the school. Good marketing strategy. Someday this alumni may also have adventurous activities that may just launch into business enterprises ! Oh when dreams come true; but all achievements start from a dream.

So today we temporarily form a society under Persatuan Alumni SMK Seafield (PASS) and we will be submitting details for approval. We only hope there will be no hitches...but no fears. We will conquer all obstacles for the sake of the school.

Justin, the pro tem President texted me last night : Casual clothes will do right?

Me : Sure. Gelled hair also can.

Am I glad I do not have a say anymore...

PASS the good news on.

Oh Teachers !

What a mandate for us !

Living up to the expectation to the above call is a real challenge but it adds fun to the vocation. In class today again, I empathised with Ms Ong as she tried her best to catch the attention of her protege. I was in the class next to hers and heard her instructions so clearly. Poor dedicated teacher. How is it children sometimes just refuse to take plain instructions? They drive the teachers up the wall and their highly-pitched voices match their level of frustration.
What do we want from them? An obedient spirit and cooperative support so that together we can achieve the high calling.

Teachers are sports coaches, mentors, instructors... and love to have students who can just cooperate. They can be real angels all ready to give their best. If only, if it was a 2 way traffic all the way.
But oh yes some can be good children too ; like this afternoon prefect who will almost everyday do his duty at the teacher's car porch and will always help me carry my load to the car. He's a sweet thing as he approaches me each time and say " teacher, please let me help you "...

Teachers not only teach. They have many peripheral duties like making sure the school is maintained and building beautiful structures to create a good ethos for the environment. Many are tired but still silently perform their duties to their best. Some have fallen sick while others carry on as unsung heroes.

On top of everything else, with the help of the PTA annual funds are raised to improve facilities for the use of the children. Teachers work very hard to raise the funds too. That is why children should respect their teachers for all the hard work poured on them each year.

So, here comes the promise that is to be fulfilled after last year's carnival...what's cooking again?

Yes, what is the school up to again? More stories later in the next entries...

School has kept me so busy that I have forgotten to miss my children. But in the nights when all is quiet, I will still go their rooms and remember them.

Oh the blessings in disguise when you are kept busy.

A Good Leader

Samuel

In a class where one finds learning abilities of varying degrees, it is essential that the teacher groups the students appropriately for maximum benefits and learning especially when in an oral assessment.

In a research which I did some years ago, I found out that even the weakest of them all in a group discussion can be brought to his/her best if guided by a concerned leader. Every year especially this year I took extra pain to place a mixture of candidates for the group assessment and I would caution them against being free riders and not playing a participating role in the assignment. The children understood what it means to give cooperation and the leader has been told about turn takings among the players. When a participant is not given enough opportunities to speak, a prejudice can be formed against the candidate.

In class yesterday, I was very pleased with Samuel. He not only gave a lively introduction to a BGR topic but also boosted up the confidence of his group members by promptings and easing indecisive moments when the lesser ones spoke. He had the ability to ease awkward times when members forgot lines by asking questions and prompting appropriately. Even the weaker ones benefited well from his suave presence so that at the end of the presentation the group discussion sounded good and precise.

Samuel took the role of a responsible leader who was all out to allow the strong help the weak and I was indeed very pleased with him. He has shown to others what it is to extend the helping hand in times of need and from the onset reassured me that none in the group was a free rider removing my fears and prejudice.

I was especially glad that all spoke in the group with little fear although they could be the silent ones in class and not always ready to give the maximum rapport. But as the saying goes ; necessity is the mother of invention and when they had to sing for their supper; they sang.

They sang a beautiful tune ; a hand of applause to the considerate leader.

What Daddies Don't Know...

Morning Sickness.

When you have an ageing teacher population, the school is always busy and ready for retirement parties. But when you have a young , vivacious teacher population, you have a different set of activity.

Yes, the young teachers are also a lot that are in their prime age for baby production ! Just this evening while easing myself in the restroom, the all too familiar sounds of morning sickness filled the room. Echoes of vomiting followed by intense sounds of sighing make the 'victim' so pale and listless. I patted her and look at her with compassion. Poor young thing; not a day older than Grace but she was already on the way to be a mama. The would-be daddy will never get a chance to see how she suffers here. She has to be a career woman, a wife and a mama soon. No opportunity to rest at home as she has to fill her teaching duties.

You wonder how the changing hormones during pregnancy can cause one to collapse but they are here for real. You can never escape them. Some young expecting ladies have suffered so badly that they cannot get out of bed ; oh the all-upsetting hormones.

However, when the young expecting ones think of the babies who are to be theirs after 9 months, they will continue to struggle and hope the hormones will stabilise so they can enjoy the days there after. Papas will never know what it's like ; this thing call morning sickness. The aroma of cooked rice and garlic oil can also send the suffering mama up the hill. Then they become hungry at the oddest hours and crave for the strangest food. At other times, the brain refuses to work and you become sleepy all the time. How is it the 'morning sickness' also attacks one in the evening?

Oh papas must really love their wives for all the suffering the poor wives have to go through.

Hopefully the sweet young mamas of the school will be well and healthy.