Kluang District Teacher's Day celebration in SM Sains Sembrong

Date: 15th June 2013 (Saturday)
Venue: Khalifah Hall, SM Sains Sembrong, Kluang

Alhamdulillah for another award from the PPD- Anugerah Guru Ikon (Kategori Akademik). Thank you to the PPD for awarding me this. I must say that I'm grateful for the acknowledgement and felt really ecstatic to receive it in my own school hall. Hard to describe, it just felt different and special :) How I wished my students were there to witness this special day...GC: KECEMERLANGAN BERTERUSAN!!

winners all!

with my principal. En Mohd Noh Mohd Yussof

thank you to the PPD!

The Thinking Teacher

Innovation Day, Kluang District

Date: 17th Dec 2012
Venue: SM Sains Johor, Kluang

Speaking in Bakti Hall, SM Sains Johor was something I really looked forward to as I taught in the school for 21 years. It brought back a lot of memories. I was invited to share my project conducted in SMK Canossian Convent on this day with headmasters and principals in Kluang. The project was "Digital Notebook: Integrating Web 2.0 in Pedagogy to improve Writing and Critical thinking." It was indeed an honour to be given the 'Tokoh Inovasi Daerah Kluang" award by the PPD Kluang. To be honest, I felt very humbled by the recognition and to a certain extent embarassed. I mean "Tokoh Inovasi" is just too big a title to hold...Still, I would like to thank Tn Hj A. Manaf Muslimin (PPD Kluang) and the selection panel for the award and may it inspire me to work harder.  
Alhamdulillah.

The Thinking Teacher

JPN Johor Innovation Awards 2012

Date: 6 December 2012
Venue: Dewan Semarak, JPN Johor

This prestigious award ceremony took place in Dewan Semarak JPN Johor. Despite losing my way a little bit, I made it in time for the ceremony. Insane this! All because I followed my GPS to go via the Kempas exit instead of the usual Skudai exit I normally take. My GPS was just updated and it gave me the wrong directions, would you believe that! Well, this sort of thing probably only happens to people like me. To be honest when I was suddenly driving in the Pasir Gudang highway (yup, that lost!) I nearly gave up and wanted to ask Sallina Hussain (principal and good friend of SMK Seta, JB) to receive the award for me in case I didn't make in on time but her phone was silent for a bit. I had to trouble another friend (Pn Ruzana from PPD JB) and finally found my way back to Jalan Datin Halimah...phew!! tells you a lot about my driving skills doesn't it?) Well, as I said before, I arrived at about 8.45 and people were still having breakfast. Relieved...

Tn Hj Mohd Nor A. Ghani (State Education Director) graced the occasion and presented the awards. There were many important people in the beautiful hall and I was ushered by this kind lady to a seat next to Pn Fuziah, headmaster of SK Taman Uda (2). She was also an awardee. I then realised that it was a Thursday because everyone was adorned in batik! Well, this being the school hols I conveniently forgot :) Thank God Adibah, my daughter ironed a batik dress (well I think it passed as batik) and I got rid off my coat as soon as possible! Only one person was wearing a jacket and he was the Ketua Sektor Pendidikan Islam in JPN. I certainly felt more comfortable not wearing one.

The objectives of the ceremony were:

(from the programme book)

• memberi pengiktirafan kepada hasil inovasi yang diperkenalkan oleh agensi kerajaan
• memupuk dan menyemarakkan budaya kreatif dan inovatif dalam cara bekerja uyang diamalkan
• memperkenalkan dan menyebarkan hasil-hasil inovasi yang boleh dicontohi untuk faedah agensi lain;dan
• menyumbang kepada peningkatan kualiti penyampaian perkhidmatan kepada pelanggan

The award categories were:

• Anugerah Khas Inovasi
• Anugerah Khas Juri
• Anugerah Inovasi Pengarah Pelajaran Johor
• Anugerah Inovasi Timbalan Pengarah Pelajaran Johor
• Anugerah Ketua Sektor
• Anugerah Kumpulan Inovasi dan Kreatif (KIK)

In his address, the director mentioned a few important pointers: 

• the need to change our work culture- the emphasis should be on outcome and they must be impactful
• civil servants need to enhance their professional competence, provide client-friendly service, change their mindset and focus on feedback and complaints from clients because these are indicators of our effectiveness, be innovative and creative in the delivery system and give the best service with integrity and accountability

Alhamdulillah, I was awarded Anugerah Khas Inovasi (Kepimpinan Inovasi, Kumpulan Pengurusan dan Profesional). Initially I was rather reluctant to take part when the PPD Kluang nominated my name. However, some good friends and ex-students encouraged me to give it a try. A special thanks to Tn Hj Ahmad Yusof of PPD Kluang for norminating me and the selection panel of course. The emcee mistakenly announced that I was  "Pengetua SM Sains Sembrong" and then corrected himself :) A nice way to wrap up 2012!

The Thinking Teacher

Kluang celebrates Teacher's Day...

Date: 18 May 2012
Venue: Dewan MPK, Chamek, Kluang

I received the District Innovative Teacher award from the honourable YB Hoo Seong Chang (Paloh Assemblyman) who was the official representative of Dato' Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Onn today. This happens to be the fourth such award and I feel blessed. I hope the award will motivate me to work harder and to continue experimenting innovative ways in teaching. I will be sharing the innovation in MELTA 2012 next week. Thanks to Mariana (GKMP Sasem) for taking some photos. 

YB Hoo, Tn Hj A. Manaf Muslimin (Kluang PPD Officer) and yours truly...

The Thinking Teacher

Quality Awards, PPD Kluang

Tn Hj Mat Kassim  from JPNJ- oficial representative of the state director

Tn Hj Shaharudin- Kluang PPD (4th from left)

Me after the ceremony

Winners Group Photo

Date: 21 Nov 2009

Venue: Main Hall, SK Chong Hwa 2

Today I received the Anugerah Khas Program Inovasi (Guru) for the Tuesday's Date with PS Programme. When I first mooted the idea to the panel, I was quietly thinking that if it were to win anything, I'd like everyone in the English panel to go up the stage to receive it as a group innovation. However, this was considered for the individual category and so I was all alone on stage. Still, I would like to share this award with all the members of my panel- Puran, Dr Rekha, Sarojini and Anand. Hey! We won guys!!

This has been quite a year for me- a mix of good and bad really but winning seven awards in a year is beyond my imagination!! Alhamdulillah. I don't know if this lucky streak will continue but suffice to say, I am thankful to everyone, especially my principal  Madam Tan Tong Yar for her support and encouragement. Without the support, it wouldn't have materialised.

It's that time of the year to take stock of things and to move forward.- to soak in the good and to leave out the not so good. Sometimes we need to embrace change in life to bring out the best in you. Moving to my present school was that big change and I have no regrets. I have always believed "Rezeki ada di mana-mana." Winning awards is just a bonus  after the hard work is done. At the end of the day, it is not the awards that matter, it is taking action and doing something for your students that matter. This is my third year in SMK Canossian Convent, Kluang and two promotions and seven awards later, I still can't believe my luck!

GC- Kecemerlangan Berterusan!

Dr Basil Wijasuriya Award, MELTA 2009

sallina and I

my session in progress...

Dr Basil, me and Dr Ganakumaran

Carol- story-teller extroadinaire

The 18th MELTA (Malaysian English Language Teaching Association) International conference came to a close yesterday in Puteri Pan , Johor Bahru. We had a plenary by Carol Read and I enjoyed her session very much. This time around I managed to follow the conference till the end and it's kind of sad that it had to end. As is usually the case with conferences, you must pick your sessions carefully because sometimes you may end up disappointed. I had two such sessions! I didn't really want to go to Dr Malachi's session but the Mutiara room was located on the second floor so I decided to stay put- what this meant was I had to listen to Dr Malachi's unsymphathetic comments about teachers not doing what they were supposed to be doing in the classroom! Mind you , I have attended a few of his sessions and the slant and tone were always the same-that we teachers are not really doing our jobs!! Well, that's food for thought for you out there. We've got to ask ourselves whether this is really the case. However, I think it's so easy for someone who has a PHD to make such comments because you are not there on the ground to go through the motions of teaching in schools. Perhaps he had a stint in school (and left for greener pastures...) but it's not the same as being there through and through.

There are two things I want to share. First, I won the Basil Wijasuriya Award as the best teacher presenter in the conference! This was something totally unexpected as I came with the intention of only sharing my action research with the participants. In the midst of my presentation, I suddenly coughed and a gentleman sitting in the front row handed me some lozenges (the original fisherman's lozenges mind you. What could have been better for my itchy throat!). It was only when I returned the pack that I saw his name tag and knew that he was Dr Basil! He had come to evaluate the session obviously. Well, I took home RM500 and a certificate from MELTA. A special thanks to Fiza @Pizza (a good friend who's pursuing her PHD now) for taping my session and to all friends who came to my session. Second, a teacher from Johor Bahru (she won first place in the teacher's showcase competition) approached me to tell me that I had inspired her to take part in the competition. By chance she stumbled upon my blog and was inspired by it. That's really great isn't it? That's what teachers should do- be inspired to do something they have never done before and to go to unchartered territories. I feel deeply humbled if I had inspired her through what I do and write in my blog and I hope to inspire many more. On top of this, I also met old friends, Dr Zahariah Pilus and Dr Nuraihan Mat Daud from UIA after 20 years! This MELTA is definitely something I will remember for a long time :)Thank you God!

Teacher's Day, Kluang District, 28th May, 2009

Today, I received the first prize for the District Innovative Teacher Award (Secondary Category-individual) Teacher's Day Celebrations in Tunku Ibrahim Ismail Hall, Kluang. This is my third award at the district level. Someone joked that I must now go national. Well, that's the next challenge eh? Easier said than done. Congratulations to fellow recipients.

GC Installation Ceremony, Pearl International, 30th Oct 2008

Salam and hi,

 

Got back from Pearl International KL at 6pm after a nite's stay for the installation ceremony of GC's who were promoted recently. I've got to say how happy the recipients and I were to receive our appointment letters from YAB Dato' Seri Hishamuddin himself. The best part was all of us in the DG52 rows clapped loudly as each and everyone of us went up to shake hands with the minister. Each and everyone of us rejoiced for the other without fail! The feeling was indescribable. There was certainly a celebration of success in the air.76 of us were promoted to DG52 from all over the country. I tuly felt proud and honoured to be among them. Yours truly managed to get Dato's signature!! Might be worth a million in future who knows hehe. Nite everybody.

State Level Action Research, Kota Tinggi, 16-18 Oct 2008

Salam and hi to all,



Been some time since I blogged.. hope everyone is fine and doing well. Last week I was in quaint Kota Tinggi for the state level competition. The venue was Mara Professional College, just 6 km form Desaru. It was a long drive but the greenery and the crisp morning made the drive a pleasant one although at some point it seemed endless. The lack of signboards made it a little adventurous. Arriving on the second day at 8.30 a.m, I noticed many young teachers who were either the participants or the audience..felt a little old hehe!! Luckily the participant from SM Tun Iskandar Mersing was rather senior too. Anyway, frankly I wasn't so excited to be there as my mom is ill. My thoughts were with her and if it wasn't because I was representing the district, I would have been in Batu Pahat with her.

However, as God would dictate, I won the secondary category! The feeling was indescribable. Up on the stage, the State Education Director, Tn Hj Sufaat congratulated me and asked whether I had received my promotion letter. It really felt great to receive the trophy from the Director himself (felt like a schoolgirl again if you look at the kind of trophy I won!) My bluetooth connection is experiencing some problems and I dropped my camera during the open house so..no pictures at the moment :<>