Finishing School Day 2 updates

yesterday was the final day for the starting school program.
finally learnt how to write my own resume & cover letter.
madam Roxana really helped us through preparing for the mock interview.
ok..so i've written a cv for my self before. basic. the resume writing session was really an eye opener for me. like the thing one should put/xput in their cv..what to highlight..what to stay low.
so v prepared for the mock interview. had to go through the job seeking websites to get an advert on job openings. n wow..its extreamly hard to get any job that matches my qualifications & capabilities. everyone wants MANDARIN speaking staff..how la like this??? so i had to settle with the TOC's advert, CDC Admin Assistant..whatever that was..i just went through the job specifications & qualifications...it fits me..so HANTAM SAJA LAA.. the interview was fun. i was nervous ass hell.. yeah..my 3rd interview in my whole life..eventhough its a MOCK..i really felt like i was really going for the job. had to sell myself basically. was glad to hear Mdm Roxana's word after i was done with the interview.. "i have nothing to say about Nova, she excelled in everything" the truth is..i screwed EVERYTHING that i planned to say..n i basically sold myself during the interview..plus the grammar mistakes..dear Lord..terrifying!

then that was over. and as Mdm Roxana had promised..she will give the best group & best person award.
my team STYLO got the best group...n guess what I got the best person award. ^-^ i have no idea why. i was quiet, did what i was supposed to do, helped my team mates through. i did not purposely put myself in the spotlight. it was a shock for me, coz i though Kumar shines better than everyone else..i seriously though Kumar deserved the award. but whatever..im just thankful. its just one of those days when life tells you that it pays to just be yourself. ^-^

im glad that upm have such a program; resume writing seminars costs a bomb in the real world, n we got it for FREE! i used to grumble at the thought of finishing school; but now i am happy. it was NOT a waste of time.

Mountain Story - An interesting short story

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains.

Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"

He receives the answer: "Who are you?"

And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"

The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"

He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"

The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"

The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.

Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.

It gives you back everything you say or do.

Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.

If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.

If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.

This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;

Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"

-- Unknown Author

FINISHING SCHOOL!!!

cant believe it..i am actually going through FINISHING SCHOOL!

huh? FINISHING SCHOOL? you may ask..
k..let me brief you..
this not so brilliant idea of a program is made specially to cater to final year students by the UPM management... objective? melahirkan mahasiswa berketerampilan.
well..frankly...i'd say its just a program where the students gather..lepak..share thoughts..widen horizon..& work their buttocks off to speak in English with and in front of everyone else..
there are may plus points..IF your facilitator is cool enough...
the minus points are glaring straight to my eyes..but i'd rather not dwell my thoughts on that.

my group as a whole is lucky to have Madam Roxana Dev Omar Dev as our facilitator.
she speaks almost perfect Amerian English. i'm guessing she went to the States for the uni studies.
she is VERY ENERGETIC. SMILEY & all.
MOTHERLY! she even brought milo, nestum, & crakers for us for breakfast! she didnt want to start d activities with us feeling hungry & brain dead.
MOTIVATING. the words that she speaks seems to be very soft to the heart & head. i dont know why but today she had INSPIRED me much!
the best thing about her is that she ALWAYS looks at everyones' positive side & comments on that first..than uncover to us in which area we should work on..communication wise.

tomorrow is another day for finishing school.
will be focusing more on resume writing & job interviews.
im GLAD upm has such a program! n i thank God for sending me Mdm Roxana.
ok..my one & only job interview that i went for was like 5 years ago..for NURSING.
then there was my medsi interview..where i did nothing much but smile & answer the panel's questions & recited a poem for that one particular panel..whose face looks like Datuk K hheheee.
i seriously need to get serious on this job interview thingi. well..if i want to go and teach in the private colleges i do need too get through their demanding & gruesome interviews. :P
i've been writing cover letters for others' resumes.
i can only write a CV. never written a resume for myself before.
i cant believe im actually looking forward for tomorrow. nerd.

went for STARTING SCHOOL in the 1st semester..
now in FINISHING SCHOOL at sem 7.
my 1st DEGREE is ALMOST OVER!
4 years is a very long time... but im one step closer to my scroll everyday!

IMPOSSIBLE

impossible by Sheilz on Polyvore.com

KEEP CALM & CARRY ON!

LIFE is CRUEL.
but...LIFE is WHAT YOU THINK IT IS...& WHAT YOU MAKE IT TO BE.
surely LIFE had SLAPPED me IN THE FACE lately.
a RUDE SHOCK i'd say..but BETTER NOW THEN NEVER.

of all the things that i've done,
after all the things i've been through,
LIFE had taught me 1 simple rule...
KEEP CALM & CARRY ON!

the incident. KEEP CALM & CARRY ON.
the disownment. KEEP CALM & CARRY ON.
the accident. KEEP CALM & CARRY ON!

Keep Calm & Carry On by Sheilz on Polyvore.com

ALONE

BACK!

FINALLY! i have some time for myself..TIME TO BLOG.

ok i might right nonsense most of the time.

but i guess this is the only way for me to release the tension in my head n heart.

just to let go of things & take note of whatz happening at this point of life.

fact: VERY EMOTIONAL BEING.

yes i am. though i do look emotionless most of the time. ive mastered the trick of the trade. i know well how to put a fake smile & pretend like everything is ok. 

uhh..too many thing going on in my head.

fine. maybe its none of your concern...but its rather important for me.

comments are welcomed >.<

Oh dear. RESEARCH PAPER.

It’s the end of week 10, and my research paper proposal hasn’t gotten the green light yet. STRESS!

I changed my topic 3times, and hopefully this third try would be accepted. I have started writing though; I can’t wait for my supervisor’s green light. Ok, even if she rejects my proposal again, I can show her my draft and maybe get a little input of what I should do with it, and start from there.

It was hard for me to decide on what I want to do my research on. I admit it, I am not a fan of books. I don’t enjoy reading long pieces of work. I like poetry though. So I’ve decided to just work with poetry and get it done and over with.

My current research is on Muhammad Haji Salleh’s works. I think the works of local writers deserve to be treated like any other well known international writer’s piece too. There are many who are doing on English writers and other famous international writers, neglecting the talents that we have here in our own country.

There is a point that we had to write, that is the educational benefit of the research. I think, by working on a local writer’s work, I can get our students to be interested in poetry since the topics that the local writer works on are familiar to the students in our class room. I think my research would provide a basis for the students to be interested in poetry, not just by local writers but also English and international  writers. 

Fables

During one of our tutorials, we had to come up with our own fable and draw it a mahjong paper. It took us some time to get an idea and write our own fable. Wendy and I finally came up with this story of a crow who tries everything to be as pretty as the peacock. The story is inspired by one of our very own classmate’s attitude whom forever wants to be a few skin tone lighter than she is now. She have been trying everything under the sun to get fairer, and we would just like to tell her that it is of no use, because we she is born dark n she should be thankful for it, and what better way than using a fable. Hopefully she gets the message.

Ok, I admit it; I am not an artist, I CANT DRAW WELL. Same goes with Wendy and Cheah. We were laughing all the way while drawing our comic strip. We did get some help from our classmates, if not the crow would not have looked like a crow, and the peacock would have looked like one retarded bird. The final outcome isn’t that bad when we look at it again.

Nova-Wendy-Cheah & our fable: The Crow & The Peacock

                Fables are indeed interesting to be used in the classroom. It is a good material to be used in language classes. The language in fables are simple, and the visuals would help lower proficiency students to get the story. Every fable has its own moral values, and those values can be incalculated in our daily lessons. Though some people would mark fables as being old school and boring, it is rather relevant and effective to be used as a material in classrooms.

Forrester. FOUND!

Today I watched Finding Forrester again. I thought I did not do much justice on my previous review of the movie. I could barely sit through the movie when we watched it in class due to my runny nose and the almost unbearable low temperature of the classroom. Watching it again gave the opportunity to further observe the movie closer and with great detail. There were some strong points in the movie that I missed during the first screening.

If you are somebody who thinks a lot, then this movie is something worth pondering upon. Worth wasting your hours pondering upon. I fell in love with this movie.  It got me thinking of a lot of things that was going on with the movie and related to my current life. Ok, even if you are not te type of person who would like to think a lot, it is still an entertaining movie.

From the perspective of education, the movie preaches upon determination, practice, and proper training can help in growing talent in doing something. In the case of Jamal who loves writing, he was determined to bug Forrester to read his work even though Forrester chased him away many times; and with that determination, Forrester accepted Jamal as a friend and eventually as his protégé, and help Jamal to flourish in his writing.

The movie inspired me to not be afraid of any possibilities. The chances that we take, choices that we make, and the consequences that we have to face, are the things that shape our destiny.  Like I pointed in my previous review, our fear comes from ignorance of the unknown, and our inability to enter the unknown with courage. From not being ignorant, fear can be diminished, and we can step up boldly to the unknown, no matter what it would be.

Effective Argumentation

Mr.Vahid came to class that day and gave us a kind of “seminar” on effective argumentation.

Mr.Vahid taught us on how to argue effectively, and the elements that is crucial for a good argument. We discussed his argumentative writing checklist that he came up with Dr.Jaya for his PHD.

His session helped me a lot in preparing for my position paper. I am more clear now on how to write my position paper, and how to argue my points well, without having to go round and round explaining my points.

PRPi10

During one of the tutorials, we were asked to go to the main hall. We were just excited to have the tutorials outside of the classroom, though not knowing what we had in store for us. When we reached the main hall, there was a research exihibition going on. We were greeted by Dr.Jaya, then we went around looking at people’s research and their products. It was FUN! So many bright ideas by bright people under one roof. It made me dream of having my own research put up in an exhibition like this in the future. Though there was no electricity when we were halfway through the exhibition, we went on around just looking at the prototypes, and eventually touching some of them though we were not allowed to.

We ended up at Dr.Jaya and his masters/phd student’s booths. One of his students was explaining one of the software that they came up with. A lot of time and energy is put in that product I would say. It is not easy to come up with an educational software that is helpful and not useful.

DROWGAMES?

DROW? WORD!

Its a word game.

I was not in class when the game was first introduced due to the fact that I was having high fever, and I had totally forgotten to visit the webpage though my coursemates had reminded me many times to play it with them. Only the day before the knockout competition that I started to familiarize myself with the game.

It is a good game to get students to familiarize themselves with the language. It has a very high teaching and learning value. If the game inventor can come up with a similar game with the vocabulary that is found in the text book, it would be best.  Since it is a game, it will definitely lower the students’ effective filter. This game can serve it’s purpose as supplement to the classroom activities. Ok, maybe not just for the English language, but also for other subjects. It depends on what version of the game that would be developed. From Maths to Arabic language, the game can be developed according to course and proficiency level to assist in learning.

Precious

There's always something wrong with these tests. These tests paint a picture of me with no brain. These tests paint a picture of me and my mother, my whole family as less than dumb. Just ugly black grease, need to be wiped away, find a job for.

Clarice Precious Jones

Bleak and horrifying. A heartbreaking drama that explores the depths of human suffering and the struggle to rise above it. A movie worth watching.

Cut the story short, illiterate and morbidly obese 16 year old Clarice Precious Jones is pregnant with her second child by her father and lives in Harlem with her physically and emotionally abusive mother. The principal of Precious’ school recommends her for an alternative schooling program called Each One Teach One. It is here, with the help of a self-assured teacher and a group of girls that her journey of self-discovery begins. The film’s mostly shot in a realist style, with effective fantasy sequences as Precious attempts to escape abuse. The redemption storyline relies upon an inspirational teacher who not only patiently teaches and encourages her students to write in their journal, but also a friend who loves and cares about her students.

The cast and acting really worked the movie well. I almost cracked up seeing Lenny Kravitz as a male nurse John McFadden, Mariah Carey virtually unrecognisably normal looking social worker Mrs. Weiss, and Mo’Nique the mother, a monster named with grim irony, Mary. Mary’s fierce and fearless performance holds the story together and takes it to another level. My favourite and most convincing scene was when Mary ineffectually explains her treatment of Precious to Mrs. Weiss. Though I despised Mary’s character, she does not let us hate her, she opened herself up, she forces us to look into the source of her damaged heart, and that moment, more than any other, shows us what Precious has had to overcome. I cannot help but pity Mary’s character, despite her actions being completely unforgiveable.

It was hard for me to sit through the movie; it sure stroked my emotional chords. The movie was not preachy in any way; it makes one think of the many possibilities in life. The choices that we make and the chances that we take.

What if I come across students like this in my classroom in the future? What would I do? What can I do? What should I do? Questions like these are the subjects that I do not have the precise answers to.

There is that thin line between being a teacher and being a social worker. As an aspiring teacher myself, I believe some teachers are indeed social workers. If not all at least there are some that are receptive enough to their students needs. I do want to be one of those teachers who can make a difference in a student’s life. In my opinion, being a teacher is not just going into class and shove learning down the students’ throat. As teacher, and a human being, we are here to EDUCATE, and not just TEACH. By EDUCATE I mean making the students aware of their life, their choices, their chances, and the consequences. 12 years of schooling will become of nothing if the students are not exposed to the real world. The world is not all the time beautiful, it is indeed cruel.

In Precious’ case, I sincerely believe that the second pregnancy would not had happened if her teachers was receptive enough to her conditions. If there was at least one teacher who cares enough of Precious’ wellbeing, that teacher could have a little sense of what is going in Precious’ life. Precious would had opened up earlier to anyone who is close enough to her and cares enough about her. If she could open up to the social worker after some push, I personally believe that she could be saved if someone pushed her to talk about her pregnancy earlier. From what I can notice from the movie, all that Precious needed is some attention, motivation, somebody she can talk to. In school and unable to write at 16, there is definitely something amiss, she must be suffering from a learning difficulty, any teacher would have noticed that; but what did they do to help? I know being teachers does not mean that they are superheroes able to save everyone from obscurity, but I believe early detection of illiteracy in schools and proper intervention of programs that aids in literacy is crucial in inhibiting the other damages that can happen in the future.

Ok, maybe what I am saying here seemed a bit too farfetched to some. The teachers in our classrooms could not be bothered to do anything else but finishing up with the syllabus in preparation of examinations. But as human beings, we are obligated to treat our students as human beings who are with emotions. With proper help our students with learning difficulties can learn to read and write well. Early identification is critical, and teacher preparation should facilitate this. Learning difficulties have serious effects on an individual’s wider academic, social and emotional development. Early detection and treatment is the key to helping them achieve in school and in life. As educators we need to be sensitive toward our students’ learning disabilities and must always be looking for new methods to help them in their learning development. We must work at our best capacity to help them succeed in an academic environment.

Some folks has a lot of things around them that shines for other peoples. I think that maybe some of them was in tunnels. And in that tunnel, the only light they had, was inside of them. And then long after they escape that tunnel, they still be shining for everybody else.

Clarice Precious Jones

Chalk

“50% of teachers quit within their first three years”

WHOA.

Which 50% do I belong to?

Teaching practice is just few months away. Sitting through this movie I can’t help myself from imagining what would happen to me if I was in their situation. It really made me think, do I really want to be a teacher in high school? I don’t have any problem handling teenagers (as far as I am concerned), it’s the EDUCATING part that I am most worried about. Am I competent enough to teach these kids? Will I b chasing after syllabus? What method/approach would I use to teach these kids? These thoughts sent shivers down my spine.

The film (err..more like mockumentary) takes the course of an entire school year and describes three teachers and one assistant principal. Mr. Stroope (a big fat idiotic bully if u asked me) is campaigning for Teacher of the Year but many of his students are a little bit smarter than him. Mr. Lowrey is an introverted history teacher struggling to find passion for his profession. He was struggling to even call himself a teacher. Woefully inept due to a complete lack of experience and social skills, he earnestly stutters his way through class. The only interaction his students offer him is when they steal his chalk. Coach Webb is a female P.E teacher who is struggling to get her students to take her class seriously. Having relationship problems of her own, she finds men are not interested in her; she notes that “not all P.E. teachers are gay” and hope for some romantic company. Mrs. Reddell is the first year assistant principal who is regretting leaving teaching. The directors crafted this film so well it made me have second thoughts on being a teacher.

This film provides a rare and realistic teacher’s perspective into the absurd, provocative, and occasionally volatile world of public education. Something worth watching for aspiring teachers! I for one am determined to strive through my teaching practice; I will not jeopardize my students’ future; this past 4years as a trainee teacher will not be wasted; I will try my best.

Finding Forrester

FORRESTER: Do you know what people are most afraid of?

JAMAL: What?

FORRESTER: What they don't understand. And when we don't understand we turn to our assumptions.

If this movie was supposed to teach us anything, than the only thing I understood from it is that our fear comes from ignorance of the unknown, and our inability to enter the unknown with courage.

Akeelah and the Bee

Dr. Larabee: Where do you think big words come from?
Akeelah: People with big brains?

Watching Akeelah and the Bee was a real nightmare for me. I HATE SPELLING. I REALLY DO. If I can remember well the last spelling activity I did was when I was 8 years old because my aunt forced me to. If you’ve never seen the movie, reserve a night to rent it with your kids. You’ll be surprised at the drama that can be built around something as old school as the spelling bee. It is a heart warming film about a girl from a predominantly black middle school in Los Angeles who defies the odds to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This film proves it is not the winning at the end of the film, but the journey there that makes us who we are.

Akeelah was just another eleven year old who happens to be good at spelling, fond of skipping classes and missing homework; one of those kids whose content to simply get by, especially if it means avoiding showing people that she is actually smart. Forced into the school’s first spelling bee, and quickly finds herself on a path that leads to the national competition. This film preaches that with proper training, talent can flourish.

In our classrooms, we might run into this kind of intelligent but quiet student. So what should we do? A little encouragement goes a long way, and like the film, proper training can thrive talent.

In the film, Dr.Larabee only helped Akeelah learn how to spell, but also tried to teach her about her culture and help her find a way to accept her intelligence instead of hiding it. Akeelah herself was not confident in her ability at first, but when pushed, she managed to strive and do the best that she can winning her school's spelling bee. But Dr.Larrabee pushes her further, believing that Akeelah is an intelligent child and she can learn more by proper training. At first, Akeelah is stubborn and hard headed that she doesn't need any help to win the next spelling-bee. However, Dr. Larabee shows Akeelah that she doesn't know all the words to win. Dr.Larrabee reminds us to remind our students to not be too arrogant with their talent, but to b humble and learn from people who can help them be better. In the teaching perspective, Dr.Larabee stressed on the teaching of concepts. Dr.Larabee taught Akeelah how to appreciate and deconstruct language and words. He taught her linguistics and literature, subjects that Akeelah initially thinks are a waste of time when she should be studying actual, specific words. The point of Larabee's methods is that regardless of whether or not Akeelah makes it to the national bee, let alone wins it, he is gifting her tools that will benefit her more than being a winner will.

I am certain that there in the little corner of our classroom, there is a talented child waiting to be discovered and guided towards the best of their ability. Akeelah and the Bee is a movie about learning to believe in yourself, realizing that obstacles can be opportunities and that with perseverance and hard work, anyone can reach their goals. Worth the time to watch.