POETRY (MODERN POEM)

 
Ascend of Hands

I have dreams concerning my students from time to time.

Red and ragged, the pink of their little palms

 

One student at the last row,

Heaving her little hands,

Like eager in reaching the stars,

Jumping excitedly,

Shouting loudly,

 

They astonish me on that situation.

I tell them to put their hands down.

Shatter. Roar. Scream it out loud.

Instead, they smile and stare at me.

 

That's how I've been taught.

Now I'm waiting for the dissipation of fingers.

Then I make a decision –

Your palm, yes, your hand,

You with your concept, you with your stretched spine

 

Speak.

PROSE FICTION (SHORT STORY)

MY SCHOOL-BASED EXPERIENCE




 A sweltering, hot day in early Ramadhan in a small area of Johore during the dry season.

At 12.30 p.m., I struggled along the pitted pavement, a large tote bag draped over my shoulder, tubby, tanned complexion, head covered in a gleaming satin shawl, to Convent Primary School.

Excitement, expectation, and curiosity are all present in this scene.

I'm nervous as well.

I turned the corner at the end of the soccer field and saw the school in front of me.

I walked over the soccer field, dew leaping from the toes of my shoes, grasshoppers darting out of their way, taking a shortcut through a hedge.

I'm getting closer to the school now, walking past the blueish structure bus stop, keeping an eye on the pupils, as well as the irritated parents in the carpool lane. I smiled at a few children, but I was still deep in contemplation. I was peering into Madam Aida's math lesson, which was adjacent. Madam Aida was my Mathematic teacher when I was seven years old, and I can’t believe we are desk mates in the teacher’s room right now.

I missed the atmosphere in my school days back then, but my character is now different. I used to be among the students; now, I am at the forefront as a teacher. 

Various feelings arose that day. This is how it feels to be a new person in a place that no human being I can talk to, like a fish out of water. That's the kind of situation that suits me right now.

 A group of sweet girls suddenly approached and greeted me. "TEACHER!! TEACHER!! Are you new here?" I nod and smile at their greeting. Then I walked away and went to the office. I was lost in my thoughts as I was in disbelief that I was a teacher right now. No longer after that, I snapped out from my daydreaming when I remembered that I had relief classes to attend.

I marched triumphantly to the front of the classroom, hands trembling as if I were ascending Mount Everest or the first person to step onto the surface of Mars.

It's such a small thing. As I skirted through the congested hallway, I thought that I only had one assignment. But what a difference that one moment made in my life.

As the last of the students trickled in, I unslung my tote bag and sat down in a relief classroom. I could see that some of them were also giddy with expectation and enthusiasm.

Some pupils are curious.

Then the bell rang, a startling sound, and the room fell silent, only broken by the shuffling of papers, the whirring of the classroom’s fan, and the snapping zip of the school bag. The kids' gaze was drawn to the teacher's desk.

Then there was silence...

I inhaled deeply, stopped, and then rose to my feet. I swung around and grabbed a marker. "Miss Aisyah, English Teacher,’’ I scribbled on the whiteboard. 

"Good afternoon, class," I remarked as I turned around. And I smiled as I gazed at the teacher’s room beside the class. How funny it was, I thought, to be beginning my teaching career at Convent, the same institution where I had learned so much as a student so many years before.

I encountered a lot of different kinds of kids in the classroom. I had a slow learner who had to be in PPKI class, but she was the sweetest, kindest, and most cheerful student I'd ever met. She was usually cheerful, and it was difficult to see her lose the radiance that kept her shining.

When you're a teacher, you'll go to considerable extents to help your kids. And I was willing to go to any extent. It happened while we were working on our English tests, which their English teacher had given us.

I came to assist Aimy, who was sitting at her desk, struggling with her grammar worksheet. "What's the matter?" I inquired when I arrived at her pretty mess desk. Her remarks to me were the saddest thing I had heard in a long time. "I'll never be as intelligent as them." Then he pointed at those excellent kids, and it was painful.

It's painful to witness a student lose up on themself so readily. Because it's your responsibility as a teacher to coax that out of them. I spent so much time with her that when the rest of the class completed, they silently provided her with the support he required by listening and assisting me.

I've never met a class that was so welcoming, friendly, and helpful. I was overjoyed. Not only have a joyful feeling, but you're also proud of yourself. That this would be the class about which I would brag to my family and friends.

A five-day school-based experience is insufficient for me. I still want to help them.

I'm delighted to have them as pupils, and challenges like these will benefit me in the future.

PROSE NON-FICTION (DIARY)

 

My School-Based Phase 3 Experiences

 

Friday 8^th April 2022

11.11 p.m.

 

Dear Diary,

Home is where the heart is! Today was a long and exhausting day.

I recall being nervous and happy this morning because it was my first day as a teacher. When I arrived at school, my excitement was replaced by anxiety and butterflies flying in my stomach. When I came into the classroom for my first lesson, my legs were trembling.

Surprisingly, the class was deafeningly quiet.

"Assalamualaikum and good day, class!" I smiled and said. "My name is Miss Aisyah, and I'm an English teacher."

"Waalaikumussalam and good morning, Miss Aisyah," they all said nicely, except for one student sleeping soundly on her desk.

I walked over to her and signaled for the students to have a seat. I gave her a gentle shoulder pat.

She blinked, perplexed, and muttered, "Huh..." Then she noticed me.

Inquiringly, I arched my brow at her.

She whispered, "Sorry, teacher."

"My name is Miss Aisyah," I introduced myself. "Wash your face," I said. After that, I began my class.

 

 

Then, five minutes later, I heard the sound of... slurping? I looked up from my book to see a student eating a piece of curry puff and drinking under the desk!

I said, "Excuse me." "Are you aware that eating is not permitted in class?"

She smiles at me and sulkily wraps up her curry puff and stuffs it into her backpack.

"I hope it doesn't happen again, and today we should be fasting, right?" I said, giving her a thoughtful look.

After another ten minutes, I heard some girls giggling and speaking with their pals. I paused in my conversation and stared at the girls. When the other students saw I was upset, they abruptly stopped talking. The girls' chuckling was the only thing that broke the strict silence, and it was swiftly hushed.

"Is there anyone else who wants to interrupt me?" I started it with a phony smile.

  

Then came the ringing of the bell. It'sIt's perfect timing! I've only had one session, and I'm already a fan of the bell!

  

"And that concludes the lesson!" With a phony smile still plastered on my face.

I swept out of the room with that final word and arranged my steps to the teacher's room.

While stressing out with my school-based experience reports, I heard a squeaking sound from the door. I saw the four troublesome girls open the door and search for someone.

I continued my work, and suddenly I heard a soft voice.

"Teacher, we are very sorry about our behavior earlier. Teacher, we made these," those tiny hands give me some paper folds.

"Teacher, these we made special for you. Please open it at home. Bye, teacher!"

Then they were running to the door.

My curiosity told me to open the folded papers right now. Without waiting any longer, I opened those papers and saw something that melted my heart.

They draw me! They also put some cute notes in there

Kids are sure naughty sometimes, but they have very pure hearts. As a teacher, we are responsible for being a good role models. This school-based experience taught me a lot this time.

 

Aisyah