Selamat Hari Guru

Teacher’s day had just past yesterday. I completely missed it, only when I read an article from one of the online portals I realized Teacher’s Day. Today, I want to share my story to you, my favorite teachers.

To start with, I shall mention to you that I, among countless others back in my hometown (and state to be specific) never had the chance to enter kindergarten/pre-school/nursery classes prior to my Primary 1 back in 1990. Poveryt is one major thing, but among other lacking of schools, distances and expensive fees nip the idea of going to suck classes in the bud. I started without knowledge to write, read, but some basic counting skills (thanks to my mum who always charge me with counting her vegetables’ beds) on the day I first step to my old, dilapidated school (it was back then, and still is now). It was then, that I had a privilege taught by a very patience, caring and lovely lady, Mrs Aminah. With long curly hair, almond-shaped eyes, welcoming smile on her lips every now and then, clad with baju kurung, I fell in love with her the moment she called out my name sweetly for attendance, and memories of her still remained to this day. My first day at school was spent on coloring the drawing that she drew for me-my name. Looking back now, I feel helpless at the thought of losing that very precious drawing. It meant so much to me now, but an exhilarated girl of 7 years old had no idea of the future awaits her back then. I remained incapable of writing my own name, leave alone alphabets the first 3 months, only my math advances by leaps. Perhaps I shouldn’t be proud about it, but I must really tell you that I’ve got as far as sifir 5 in my head within that 3 months, sharp and precise (I cleared sifir 12 by the end of Primary One, but months of holiday got my brain rusty that I got to restart from sifir 5)!:P

So anyway, Mrs Aminah coached me to my writing and reading at the same time, I guess I’ve put lotsa energy to it, I was only troubled by writing S. So instead of looking like S, it looked like 2, hence my name spelt with “numbers” in it. I enjoyed being her tail. I go everywhere she goes, like when she needed to go to staffroom to get something, I’ll as fast as lightning volunteer myself to go there as well, always with the same excuse “saya mahu tolong cikgu angkat kotak/buku”. She becomes my mother at school, and sometime my mum will boil soups/desserts or pluck her fresh veges from the garden for me to bring to school and give it to Mrs Aminah. Such lovely times don’t last forever though, when I, 8 years old, shocked to find out that she’s transferring to another school, in another area, another part of Sabah. I remember I cried until I fell asleep the night after she’s gone. I’ve lost the world, I said to myself. Her words were still afresh “Belajar bagus bagus”, today.

After a devastating period of losing her, I eventually managed to pull out myself and able to go on with my “life” at school. Many teachers came, but none really I felt as close as to her. Most of them are good teachers, yet there’s something lacking between me and them: human warmth, the First Quality that a teacher/educator should have. Of thousand people that I want to meet before I leave the world, I want to put her on top priority, and I wish and pray that I would meet her, and hope that she recognizes me still.

That was my primary school life, lets embark on secondary school life-I must tell you that it took quite a long time before I fell for 2 teacher about the same time, yes-both are men!:P. Which one shall I tell you first? Since the 2 of them influence much of what I am today, I guess I start with my Physics teacher, Mr. Rohit. Very stern-looking guy, voted most muscular guy in the whole school (rumours had it that if you’re to touch his shoulder, you’ll feel stainless steel muscles!), exceptionally brilliant teacher (always-no notes, textbooks etc every time he entered a class, teach physics by heart!), and-ah yes!-I forgot to mention that most girls would trade the world to get his smile. So, what’s so special about him? Second Quality a teacher must have: Encourage stimulating thoughts in your students. Being in science school, with heck a lot of geeks and nerds (forgot to mention the beauties as well!), it’s easy to train yourself to excel in exams, but not so when it comes to revolutionizing your way of understanding of a subject. He made me realize this, that a stamped A on exam paper is no way of measuring how mentally challenged I am. So often, if I got any doubts over some however small, petty thing is, he’s ready to guide, but not spoon-fed me. Yes, he’s the reason why I so love physics, and everything about it. I consulted him with regard to my choice of studying further in this subject prior to my stepping to uni, and you bet that “stimulating thoughts” still kick in!

Lets move onto Guru, the one that I respect so much all my life. He’s a great narrator, a very convincing story-teller, with heart full of humors. To sum up: Know his stuff like the back of his hand, Third Quality a teacher must have. In fact my being here, apart from stroke of luck that govt decided to sponsor my studies, was actually a long-sought after dream that he planted in me. All the stories, and experience that he tell tale in the class made me wanting to create history, and add to his collection of outstanding past students whom, some I’ve known owned big brains and bright futures, studied under great gurus, recognized unis, highly acclaimed majors all around the globe.

Now, that I’m here, still in my uni life, I’ve found yet another exemplary teacher, that I reckon must be Fourth Quality an educator must have: Confidence. Prof. Howard (among his CVs that I happened to know from another prof here is that he’s chairman of theoretical physics in quantum optics in the southern hemisphere), had taught me for 3 years now, total up to 3 papers that I’ve been into. Quantum Mechanics 1-3. Not only his confidence in teaching the subject drawn me to fall into “Quantum World”, but also his assurance and guidance kept me on my path to understand, even more better of quantum world. To share one great mystery that excites the whole scientific community in the world with him is one thing, to exchange motivating, ground breaking notions with him is yet another thing, equally balanced and stick me into physics.

These are Quality of a teacher/educator must have to engage one into knowledge, I shall ask for readers choices of qualities that deserve to be invited into one soul that decide to become a candle in the wind, for I am one of those who is more than glad to teach.