We usually remember our firsts... my first real teacher was Mrs. Ting ND. I don't know why but her name is always in my mind. I remember the awe my 7 year old self had for her, still remember her, very fondly.... just plain simple admiration. And I can't give any other reason why except that she was my first real teacher. I just liked her for being my teacher! 8) Goes to show that sometimes we can like a person just for being themselves... LOL!
My dad... I followed him for his classes. He was not only a good teacher but also a good story teller. He taught me my Maths and English well. Of all my siblings, I spent the most time following him around. He took an interest in all of us (kids) in his own way, me and my badminton.... he would play with me every evening and within a year, I actually became quite good. For my bros... it was fishing, knife collections...
Mrs. Wong TM... my F2 teacher. Many of us liked her and we went to great lengths to sometimes just bump into her. Our faces would just light up whenever she talked to us. And because I liked her, her subject became my favourite and we would look forward to her classes... one of my favourite memories, sitting under the big trees during PE lessons sometimes, just having conversations her. Another, of us cycling fast and furiously to beat her to class in the hot afternoon sun. F2 was in the afternoon session those days! I did relatively well...studied because I wanted to gain her favour.
Mr. Ling KN... my bandmaster and MYF counsellor. Spent 6 years of my sec school in the band, 4 of which overlapped with the MYF. He's one of those who really had a great impact in my life and many others. He gave us opportunities to explore possibilities and confidence in ourselves. He made us reflect on the values in life and challenged us to do greater things for what we believed in. I'd consider him one of those teachers who touched my life as well as the many others who passed through the MYF and school band. We argued lots with him in the band and, each time, still he gave us second, third, fourth chances! He never gave up on us! The MYF Camps under his watch were good...we had lotsa fun and good grounding in our faith. Another teacher who believed in us... allowed us to make mistakes; and picked up the pieces that we sometimes left behind.....
Mrs. Tan KT... my Add Math teacher. There are no Add Maths problems she couldn't solve. We tried to find one that she couldn't solve but gave up. Reason? She would do the questions in every book she could lay her hands on! I've utmost admiration for her dedication. A no-nonsense teacher but I discovered her 'normal' self from our badminton games. I was privileged enough to be asked to join the teachers for games those days! 8) Hats off to her!
Mrs. Tan YH... also my MYF counsellor, one whom I could always confide in. She believed that we had potential, always ready to lend a listening ear and encouraged us on. She was the one I confided in with my teenage problems and also some of the major decisions in my life; and I could always count on her giving me sensible advice; and plenty good ones came my way! Am truly thankful for her concern. When we do meet, which is rarely now that her Other Half is in full time ministry, there's always this familiarity of old. 8) And her Other Half was another good teacher who had an impact in my life....my Form 6 teacher!
These were some of my many teachers who inspired and made a difference in my life. They were very good teachers in their own rights. Knew their subjects well. They imparted not only knowledge but also wisdom to us. Some of them grounded me in my faith, taught me the values of principles and obeying God. They taught us the value of truth and doing what is right....and by and large they led and taught by example. So there! My teachers were relevant to me! .... and I remember them not for the subject matter that they taught but by the way they touched my life through their lives and examples. I think our education system has lost some of those things... these days, it's all about cramming, spoon feeding and the number of A(s). We realize the need to build character, instill good values but when it comes to the crunch.... results still precedes everything....plus at one stage, we seemed to be taking just about any 'Tom, Dick and Harry' into the teaching profession. Sigh!!! I once had to see a trainee teacher sleep and drool on the job! How did he get into the system in the first place???
7 comments:
mrs moses tay and mr ling kn - great people and have touched many, many lives!
Kudos to all the fine teachers! We rarely get good teachers now. Blame it on our crap system. They don't only teach but showing us the 'signposts' when making curcial decisions in life. Ms. Moses T and Mr. LKN have impacted my life as well.
Mistake made. Good teachers not only teach but showing us the 'signposts' when we make crucial decision
Mrs Moses did not teach us school subject. I think by then she had retired. But she sure is a good MYF teacher to us all.
p/s: I can't believe you was then my Guardian angel in the IMYF camp.
after all these years...huh?? LOL!! Good to know that you were one of the'kiddoes at the camp... yup...ms moses tay is really a gem in every sense of the word.
wah liao... almost a roll call of my mentors too! except I would replace Mrs Ting ND (she never taught me) with Mrs Hong DK. Not sure which one Mrs Wong TM is - did she teach perdagangan?
and how can one forget Mr Patrick??? who taught me Geography, English and badminton :)
yup....mrs. wong tm was the perdagangan teacher. Mr. Patrick taught us briefly before he was transferred. Who can forget him? First thing he asked my class when he entered was this....many moons i no come, how come (sun) son come??? And we couldn't answer the question... LOL! His motto: Black is power...black is beautiful. They were good teachers!
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