Well, lama tak update, idea dtg mencurah2( recalling mood overflowed), tapi sebab broadband di pinjam anak, umi lay low dulu le. now i am back with hopefully more interesting memories. This time, umi nak regale u all dgn kisah susah payah umi semasa buat internship kat sana dulu. Umi kena pi practical 2 kali.....Allah saja yang Maha Mengetahui perasaan umi masa tu, tapi syukur, berjaya juga, walaupun sakit, sebab ada unsur2 prejudice yang terpaksa umi hadapi.
First, for my debut (hehe perasan macam artist), i had to go to this school in Outremont..a primary school in a remote area....i had to endure the freezing winter for almost 3 hours before i managed to locate this school..a school for mostly immigrants in Canada. I was French-blind, so my only command of language was English and the bus driver, yes i took a bus...only understood french so....macam ayam patuk la....i told him the school and he just did not know and only God knows how i finally arrived there.
The principal was kind enough to greet and take me around the school....but what made my life miserable was this master teacher( i was under her guidance)Ms. Finnigan, an Australian, who claimed of spending 3 months in hospital because of her unruly students. She was not happy to accept me, and i was not please-take-me either......but work must be done.......and miserably done actually. My 2- week stint there was a desperate, rough sail through despicable,cruel sea......
Once i had to handle the class when she was not around...and those small mischievous kids were practically jumping from wall to wall( i tambah effect skit le)...and i was caught in the chaos....so i accidently ( sengaja pun ada) pinched one boy, Raslan Ibrahim ( jangan ingat budak Muslim tau...ini Russian immigrant).....nak buat gena, dia nakai sangat.....you all know what happened? the next day, the father called and i was lucky coz i was absent that day.....i did not know how the principal dealt with the father.....if not, mampuih i....see.... they could do to this extend, especially knowing i am a Malay Muslim....syukur nothing on toward happened.
Finally, Miss Finnigan just asked me to teach one Chinese girl who just arrived in Canada, and of course English was Greek to her....so we formed a close comradeship together.......When the practical time was over, i was so relieved....i could have jumped to the sky....but the lesson was priceless.....tak ramai orang ada pengalaman gini kan. so to cikgu-cikgi di Malaysia, bersyukurlah......
However, my second internship period was very happening....i was sent to Ecole Notre Dame...a private school for girls......it was a very welcoming change...the master teacher, Monique Be'dard was a mother-figure to me...very nice, and accommodating. Other teachers were also friendly. the students were a bless. ye la...anak2 orang kaya, cantik tapi baik. i have pictures of them throwing a special party for me, but i just dont know where i put them...nanti i cari no.
I taught them by using songs and once, i used Stevie Wonders song...I Call to Say I love You. It was a success, but when i tried again when i was observed by the Head of the ESL Department ( Nancy ....)they were so quiet...they just clammed up....what happened??????i thought they wanted to show that they were so well-behaved and as the results, the lesson was hambar.......so how to sing the song??????? i almost cried because Nancy was of course not happy with that, but what to do?????
Before i left the school, i presented Monique with a kain batik and she was so excited. I can imagine her wearing that sarong by the swimming pool.....that was what she told me....another teacher also requested one, but i was so sorry coz i did not bring enough...takkan nak bagi kain basah kat dia kot......
All in all, the experience teaching anak mat salleh was really a life-long memory. I promise not to become a teacher who is prejudiced against students and alhamdulillah, i still keep to that promise.......
