Morning News Mist!

Guess what? It’s Saturday morning. And it’s only 7.36am when I started writing this. Instead of floating gleefully in the magical world of sweet dreams, I am very wide awake. Despite the fact I slept at about 3am last night, I am doing great writing this now.

Well peeps, this is the result of waking up early in the morning for the past one week for school. Be prepared to be a morning person, unless you get evening session school. Trust me on this, several of us are experiencing the same as I am too (you know who you are).

I believe the secondary colleagues are still waiting for the posting, right? Well, here’s an addition to those who haven’t had the chance to read our Cohort 2 senior, Jarod’s blog on the preparations a new teacher must give attention to.

1. Have at least 6 passport photos. You will need them for Borang Penamaan Waris, and also Borang Tapisan Keselamatan.
2. 3 copies of Surat Tawaran Pelantikan from MOE
3. 3 copies of Surat Penempatan Sekolah from JPN
4. 3 copies of your IC
5. 3 copies of your Birth Certificate
6. 3 copies of Akuan Sumpah – you can get this done now at the Commissioner of Oath
7. 3 copies of Penyata KWSP – you can get this done now, don’t wait till later
8. 3 copies of the first page of your Bank Account Passbook (for Maybank users, just photocopy the Passbook-less slip, or print out a page that shows your account details on your Maybank2u page)
9. Academic Certificates – I don’t know how many copies you must have for your school record, but be prepared. JUST ACADEMIC. Sijil-sijil penglibatan tak payah.
10. Surat AKU JANJI, Borang PENGISYTIHARAN HARTA, PENAMAAN WARIS & Borang TAPISAN KESELAMATAN – the school will provide you with these. Be prepared to get finger-ache for writing too much!

[N/B: No need to go for medical check-up yet. Don’t forget to hand in a copy of the Borang Penerimaan (blue colour) to SPP]

Fuh. That’s a long list. Now, it’s time to share a little bit about my school.

SK (1) Sultan Alam Shah, Petaling Jaya

No. of Students: 350++

No. of Teachers: 33++

No. of Class for each grade: 2 (Anggerik & Bakawali)

Average No. of Students in a class: 30

Overall English Proficiency: Very Low – Moderately High

I am very near to IPBA. Yes, I know. At one point, I felt like I lost an opportunity to experience the transition period teaching in the suburbs or rural areas. I never had that chance, yet. But most of the time, I am most grateful, I’m very near to my family and friends.

Back to my teacher stuff – I am teaching Year 4 Anggerik, 5 Anggerik, 5 Bakawali & 6 Anggerik. 28 periods a week. So can you imagine how much more we have to deal with when we are in school? So everyday, I have to face at least 90-120 students.

The real challenge is, teaching Year 6 students. Come on. Knowledge? I have. Experience? I don’t. I am moving quite slowly at the moment, still finding a streak of light to lit the dark. I am in the dark. Still crawling for help. I need experience. A person with teaching experience, who is familiar with UPSR.

Remember our lecturer always reminded us to find a mentor once we are in school? I found one. No. Actually, she found me. I was really blur and lost, she came by and asked if I needed any help. Before I could reply, she offered me to show the way, and even gave me the template for my LP! Alhamdulillah, some of us may need to work harder to find the ONE as their mentor. And some, had to be their own mentor. I wish you all all the best of luck.

Oh yes, get ready to face disappointment and frustration. You MUST USE the textbook, one way or another. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a way to un-chain the textbook-spellbinding! So it’s time for you to use your creativity to make the TEXTBOOK interesting.

Oh. One more. Literature. A big NO NO NO NO. How frustrating is that? Well, my advice, go with the flow, and gain some experience first. Get used to the system, get used to the students. When you have already gauged their abilities – LITERATURE, HERE WE COME!

Hey, it’s only Week 1. Till next time~