Venue: SM Foon Yew, Kulai
About 200 heads of English Panel from the state attended the first Action Research Seminar organised by the English Unit , JPN Johor. Principal Assistant Director of JPN Johor, Mr Shanmuganathan a/l Suppiah, the main force behind this seminar, delivered the opening speech and seven presenters shared their action research. They were Rani (SMK Convent, Batu Pahat), Ismail, Navinder and Noor Rahilme (group presentation from SIGS, JB), Maimunah (SMK Spg Renggam, Kluang), Azrina, (SMK Tasek Utara 2) ,Raja Zainon (SMK Tg Adang, Gelang Patah), John Daniel aka JD (SMK Teknik, Batu Pahat) and me.
The buzz word for this seminar was 'the thinking classroom', an idea that the JPNJ will pursue next year. What a co incidence! I truly believe that teachers must be thinking teachers first before you can have a thinking classroom hence I thought it most appropriate to share my blog , whose tagline is ' the thinking teacher' with the audience. The closing was officiated by Deputy Director of JPN Johor, Tn Hj Markom bin Giran. Peggy Loh from the New Straits Times was also there to cover the seminar. Met some old friends and FB friend like Rabiah from SMK Seri Gading. Good to meet some old colleagues from Muar (forgive me for forgetting your names- it has been many years since we last crossed paths). On the way home, silly me took the wrong turning (trust my bearing) and was on the way to Saleng ...I used to go to school in Kulai but how Kulai has changed..crrrazzy traffic! Well, a u-turn put me back in the right direction :)
The buzz word for this seminar was 'the thinking classroom', an idea that the JPNJ will pursue next year. What a co incidence! I truly believe that teachers must be thinking teachers first before you can have a thinking classroom hence I thought it most appropriate to share my blog , whose tagline is ' the thinking teacher' with the audience. The closing was officiated by Deputy Director of JPN Johor, Tn Hj Markom bin Giran. Peggy Loh from the New Straits Times was also there to cover the seminar. Met some old friends and FB friend like Rabiah from SMK Seri Gading. Good to meet some old colleagues from Muar (forgive me for forgetting your names- it has been many years since we last crossed paths). On the way home, silly me took the wrong turning (trust my bearing) and was on the way to Saleng ...I used to go to school in Kulai but how Kulai has changed..crrrazzy traffic! Well, a u-turn put me back in the right direction :)
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| Deputy Director of Johor Education Dept- Tn Hj Markom Giran closing the seminar. |
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| The Heads of Panel from the state. |
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| Azrina (right) gave an excellent presentation. Well-done! |
I can see and appreciate the phrase 'the thinking teachers' and 'the thinking classrooms' when they are seen separately. I look at them as I look at teachers and students. In the latter case I can argue that without students there is hardly any needs for teachers, hence, the students would seem to be the first needed.
ReplyDeleteNow having got teachers and classroom it becomes somewhat vague which should precede which of the two 'thinking'. Is it another chicken-and-egg argument? Do we need a seminar to expand the procss of thinking classrooms?
Do we not lose a lot of time by being too clever to think that seminars are worth the time and effort sacrificed? At the end of it all every one would say," That was quite a seminar .. So and so's views were well expressed ... bla bla bla."
I might have missed the point altogether in which case I have got it all wrong.
dear pakcik,
ReplyDeletesome provocative questions indeed! however to beg to differ. i don't think it is a chicken-and-egg question at all and why should the two terms be separated?
First, a thinking teacher is one who contemplates one's own thoughts, feelings and self-examines his or her actions, decisions in teaching. In order to teach learners how to think and learn, teachers must lead the way. they have to be thinking teachers so that they will practise self-enquiry into their own practices. the lack of self-enquiry will not lead to improvements and this will impact students' learning.
Second, action research is a classroom-based research that teachers undertake to reflect and improve their practice. no doubt some seminars are time-consuming, expensive etc. but u must have a platform for the sharing of ideas and what teachers do in the classroom. one way to do is via action research seminars! intellectual pursuits are an important part of a teacher's growth. am sure u will agree pakcik. it provides an opportunity for people like me to share what i do best- teaching!! :)
Good effort Mah! it's a way to get tchrs to think how they can get their SS to want to learn and use eng. Start a thinking situation in the c/room - hence the logic in coming up wth the thinking teachers and the thinking c/room. Believe it or not teachers in general love to feed their SS rather than get them to rationalise, enquire etc. Q&A is limited to readng/comprehension sessions. Tchrs excuse r they ve little time to thnk - what with expctatns to meet - let alone get SS to think for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI dnt mind seminars but it shld be able to cater for many, not just PH's.
Good work guys ! The thinking culture is dying in the eng c/room, hence we dont see SS questioning/rationalising. Tchrs shld start the thinking c/room as early as in the primary level. Easy to say, they'll say. That's when tchrs shld take it positively and start thinking if they've done enuf to get SS to want to learn and use the lang taught. Am i making sense here?
ReplyDeleteur making a lot of sense dib. i think teachers need to think and rethink what happens in the four walls of the classroom i whatever situation they in. i used to tell teachers in courses to 'let go'. seriously, malaysian teachers must learn to 'let go' and let ss discover things for themselves. do not underestimate our students. i will blog about this some time in the future.
ReplyDeletethe other thing i'd like to raise is the selection of materials that help ss think. too often teachers use exam-based materials (cloze passages, mcq etc.) which makes ss test wise but does little to improve their language and thinking. materials production and selection need to be reconsidered.
I have visited many teachers’ blogs most of which are in Malay. That does not matter at all. What disappoints me most is the subjects written, lacking in depth and seriousness. If I were to look for something to learn I would be greatly disappointed. Did I not compliment you on this point, the very reason I choose to visit this site?
ReplyDeleteProvocative indeed I was. But you see how I ended by saying: ‘I might have missed the point altogether in which case I have got it all wrong.’
Nevertheless even if I got it all wrong, because I come from different specialisation with different work ethics, I might still not wish to agree with everything.
I was taught that the difference among our ulamas in their appraoch in a certain issue is a 'rahmat' to ummah, no matter if they are right or wrong.
To discuss and dare to be different is what we ought to teach our pupils to be.
salam pakcik,
ReplyDeleteyes u did compliment me on my blog and i appreciate that very much indeed. i believe that dissent is something positive. not only does it have an intellectual ring to it (which means only those capable of intellectual discourse are able to pursue it) but also, only through dissent will the 'truth' or new knowledge be found as u rightly pointed out with the ulamaks. therefore to disagree with my opinions is perfectly fine. to be honest, this is the kind of discussion i have been waiting for from my blog readers! no, u haven't missed the point at all pakcik :)and yes, don't stop there. allow differences of opinions in the classroom. encourage critical thinking and justification of opinions.
i must say it is ur diverse background that makes u see things in a different light- opinions which teachers like me must put to good use- a welcome change. besides i can't imagine everyone agreeing with me anyway..
Dear Pn Rahmah.....I attended the seminar on thursday......of all, your presentation is the best, that's why, no one dare to ask you..for me it's a complete and excellent presentation, I've heard a lot about you from the senior teachers from muar.....and it is my pleasure to see and talk to you in person.....( I'm the one who wear blue batik n sitting next to you during the afternoon session)
ReplyDeletesalam mohamad,
ReplyDeletetx very much. ur very kind. i hope my presentation has benefitted many. perhaps one day i will watch u sharing ur research! all the best!
hi pn rahmah! just drop by to say that i also attended the seminar on the action research done by the jpn n believe me, i was truly grateful for having the opportunity to actually be there n be a part of it though i didnt do much xcept for listening. i was actually representing my school head panel (smk puteri wangsa, ulu tiram) cos she cudnt make it for dat day n dat i had to go on her behalf.. ive been teaching for almost 1 and a half year now n dat seminar was really an eye-opener for me who sometimes lacks the passion in teaching n sometimes, feeling burnout.. i was totally moved by ur presentation and INSPIRED! i pray dat i cud be just like u, a teacher who seems to have so much passion in herself thus inspiring students to excel too :) thanks for inspiring me n permit me for sharing ur blog with others k? :)
ReplyDeletesalam kamilah,
ReplyDeleteam glad i have inspired you! but one and half years and already burnt out?? this can't be true!! we need young teachers like you to keep the flag flying! :)
its sad and scary, ya i know.. but insyaAllah, im changing for the better and thanx for the recent post you've made, its a good start for me :) -kamilah bt. ahmad-
ReplyDeletebravo kamilah! that's more like it :)
ReplyDelete