Teacher's Day & Birthdays

'A Great Teacher

Never Strives To Explain His Vision

- He Simply Invites You To Stand Beside Him And See For Yourself'

~ Anonymous

To all teachers all over the world; be it kindergarten teachers, primary/elementary school teachers, secondary/high school teachers, college and university lecturers and professors, home/personal tutors, parents and guardians: Happy Teacher's Day to y'all.

Today marks the teacher's qualities in many of us (whether by training or by nature) that need to be celebrated and remembered. Parents teach and nurture children in many ways, though mainly through informal way of educating and without proper syllabus but the lessons become embedded in the children's life forever. Some improvise the learning and nurturing with the changes in today's life. Some see the improvistion as necessity whilst some embrace the old-fashioned way. Whichever it is, it is lessons that make us who we are today.

I for one, would love to retrospect about my English teacher, Cikgu Salbiah Isa. She taught me way back in 1976-1978 but the memories we shared live in me these many many years. I have lost her track and don't know her whereabout.

When she first came to the school, I was in Standard Two. As a newcomer, she was observed with many sceptical and pessimitic thought. Being and living amongst the hardcore Javanese villagers, it was hard to make the students had a good grasp of the language understanding, mastery and proficiency. I think, it is still hard for all the English teachers teaching in rural areas. But we were all oblivious to her teaching style which until today played a significant role in improving our level of english proficiency especially my public speaking and communication skills as well as my reading habit.

She knew who were talented in school. Now, I'm not bragging here but I was selected to represent my school - Sek Keb Labohan Dagang in the English story telling competitions for the 5 years straight and each year we bagged at least the silver medal. It's not bad considering that I still have the Javanese slang and intonation that tied to my tongue, you see... Don't get me wrong, I'm not shy having that quality. At least I don't try to be someone else I'm not and sound so weird... At least what's spoken was and is understood...hehehehe

Okay back to her. She was hard on me. Not giving an inch of my day to play during recess or break time. At any free time, I would be called to the teacher's room and sat next to her. Either to read English book or helped her with her work. Partly she asked me to detect the spelling mistakes of the certain works she gave her students. She would give an English story book to finish within a stipulated duration like every 2 weeks like that. It was a good drill to cultivate the reading habit in me. I don't know without her if I could have that 'wanting' to read everyday now.

With me, at any time in school, she would always spoke in English and pinched me hard enough on my chest if I answered in Bahasa. Imagine that! Did I complain to the school? Never! I didn't know why but over her short stint (she left when I was in Standrad 5), I felt in love with her - literally. I adored her that we spent most evenings in school. I remembered Bapak used to throw my bag (full of my clothes) and asked me to stay in school forever since I forgot to be back for lunch one day. The school was my second home and I just loved to be around my teachers, especially Cikgu Salbiah.

Cikgu Salbiah had a sexy and svelte body. Her long hair was admired by many. She was a fair-skinned lady, still single at that time and spoke with one kind of gentleness yet she's scared by many students because she was a fierce English teacher when it comes to classroom teaching. Her shrieking voice when she yelled in the classroom would just break the window glasses, we thought. No body dared to sleep in her class. Not even one could even blink the eyes I thought. Being close to her, I always received an exceptional treatment. No, it's not red carpeted type... It's the worse yet I knew it was because she had put her high expectations on me for me to perform above the rest. My penalties would double those of my friends'. But I never complained nor compared.

She was also talented in the traditional dances and being a Negeri Sembilaner (is it correct?) she was darn skilled in many Minangkabau dances. She even taught us the Endang dance and until today, I can just sit still in front of a presentation of the Endang dance! She coached us for many traditional dancing competitions and we won many trophies too. Now that may sound like the school didn't have many talented students that my name kept on coming up representing the school in many aspects but hey, I was never a sports person so I never represented the school in sports. Fuh! At least there's a an area that I didn't get invloved in. Hehehehe....

I missed her so much. It has been my wish to keep track of her whereabout now. If she is still alive (she was 28 when she came to my school and how old will she be now?), I just want to hug and kiss her for partly making me the person today who sees the importance to understand and to master the English language. Without her dermination teaching me, I won't be able to step my feet in the USA for my MBA, I believe. Part of the strong will I have today came from her too. She kept on telling me not to give up easily in my endeavours.'Be persistent though it's a little effort' was her key that I embrace until today. If she's no longer here with us, I just want to visit her grave and extend a little prayer for her.

To Cikgu Salbiah and th rest of us who have the teacher's qualities in us: here a toast for us(syrup drink okay?) Kudos! and being a teacher is a noble job, may God reward us all with Jannah. Insya'Allah.

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Today is Bro Mat Salo's princess birthday: Happy birthday princess Michelle...Now you are 2 years old...and you are already stealing so many hearts and melting hearts away.... God bless you.

Note: Aunty D doesn't have daughters so aunty will normally share joyous moments like this with close friends' daughters if you wonder who is aunty D and why aunty D wishing you the Happy birthday wish in her blog....hehehehe

Tomorrow will be AdamZ 13th Birthday.... Ouuchhh! Last nite, I just looked at him while he slept and I got choked looking at the baby I cuddled 13 years ago is now becoming a man... The journey to bring him out my womb was historical to our life... Remembering it still bring tears streaming down my cheeks.

Happy Birthday Abang!

Semoga Abang sentiasa menjadi anak soleh yang taat kepada Allah dan RasulNya, anak yang tinggi budi pekertinya dan bijak memimpin adik bersama mencari sinar iman dalam kehidupan. Semoga juga Abang dilimpahi rahmat dan kasih Allah yang melimpah ruah dengan nikmat kesejahteraan, kecerdasan akal fikiran dan berjaya di dunia dan akhirat. Semoga Allah perkenan do'a Mummy. Amiiinnn.