Why - a teacher? Part 1

Hello!

Don't blink your eyes, the title is not a question for you to answer. It's is something for me to explain. How can an engineering student end up as a teacher?

After I completed my master, I applied for a guru ganti post in my dad's school. I taught Mathematics to Form 2, Form 4 and Form 5 students. I was a guru ganti before but I taught Physics and Moral. All subjects are my forte. But, I am not fall in love yet.

When in school, I made new friends. I see the perspectives of a teacher (I know my parents are both teachers but I never see how they work.) I met students that are low and intermediate proficiency level. I grew up and studied in a boarding school where everyone know how to read, write and speak. 

I taught the back class of Form 5, all male students and failed in their PMR. Few of them can barely read English but baku (reading words in Malay version). For example, name as na-me, not "naime". I was shocked. Most of them can even read. How could I teach them Maths? Luckily the subject mingle with numbers, so it is easier to grab their attention because they do not have to understand the words properly as long as they know the symbols and numbers. But, I am not fall in love yet.

At night (for almost 4 months) I gave tuition to primary school students and I taught Science and Physics for Form 5 students. I taught 4 little kids and they are definitely adorable. 3 boys and a girl. The girl and one of the boys are twin. The girl can read but her twin cannot. I was like, "what??". How could this happen to him? I am not fall in love yet but it makes me start thinking.

What happen to our education? What does it serve till this cute little guy cannot read. What does it change till my Form 5 guys cannot even pronounce a simple word in English? What happen to Malaysian education system?

I started to search for the answer till I found a blog and there is a list of ways on how to be a teacher. There are 10 (if I am not mistaken) ways and I am not qualified / overqualified for 9 out of 10 ways. But, there is one last solution for me, whose not an education degree background. The last opportunity is Teach For Malaysia.

I Google-d about it and it kinda align with what I am searching for. Luckily at that time, they are open for application and I applied straight away. I went through phone interview, mock teaching and one-to-one interview and I passed!

There are several preliminary work that has to be done before I step in into a government school. I will share it in my next post. =)

pecah kaca pecah gelas,

jangan tunggu kalau malas.

xoxo,

Belle.