hello peeps.

well. am under pressure right now. am a bit under stress. why? the big WHY??? It's only a week before the PMR trial!! and i as the pmr teacher, do feel the aura, the pressure.

It was a kurikulum meeting actually. Post-mortem for the PMR and SPM PKBS 2..my KP came over my table and asked for a feedback, telling that English is the lowest subject in the PKBS 2, with only 33%. Ok, i know. English has always be the lowest subject..i mean. all these years. sejak bile plak kan English jadi the top subject?? It's not fair to compare English and B.Melayu, okay! So, i told my KP that most of my students couldn't really excel as informal letter, for them is quite tough. the second reason was, we, the teachers had been strict in our marking. Thus, resulting in many failures.

This is the interesting part. All teachers then were included in that meeting. (yes, as u all know, kurikulum meeting is usually for all the S/U, GC and KP) But that day, the principal asked all the teachers to join the meeting. And on that unlucky day, i had a stomachache. which i couldn't bear at all. being in a meeting for hours?? i didn't think so. After half an hour, i went out. really couldn't take the pain. So, i didn't really know what had happened in the meeting until..my housemate told me everything. It was quite a shock for me.

The principal once again touched on the english being the lowest subject for PMR. I do agree as the percentage was only 33% (And the school target was 70% - ain't that too high for FELDA students?) My KP was quite 'bengang' and maybe fed up with the condemnation on the English panitia. First, he gave a reason on the PMR teachers are doing MA and this somehow affects the teaching. Secondly, about us new inexperienced teachers, except me (reason being was, i'm an examiner). Ok. if i were in the meeting, i might respond to these. not to back myself up or anything, just to make things clear. That's all. Ok, first of all, about further our studies: We (Me and Laila) are still adjusting to the new responsibilities..it's our first sem..c'mon people! I never give assignment as an excuse not to go into the class!! I know my core business in this field. Further my study does not affect my teaching at all (But, it does affect my life as a warden, actually. That, i admit. but not teaching at school). Secondly, as an examiner i can help the students to get good marks. but to pass the PMR paper, is quite difficult. i won't say that it is impossible. it's just, with the Form 3 students this year, is quite hard. Other teachers have looked down upon the english teachers, i know. maybe saying that "Ckg2 B.I muda2 blako, pahtu sambung ngaji pulak tu. Ngajar entah ke mana. Sibuk duk kejar kejayaan diri dulu" - err, my own dialogue, ok. My principal kept saying this "Ckg2 BI sekolah kita semua TESL. Tapi..." hmm.
Other so-called concern teachers have always asked this "Xdok care ke nak bagi budak2 pass BI? Ajar tembak ko" Ok people, let me explain how does the English PMR paper work. There are two papers for PMR. Paper 1, multiple choice questions, 40 Qs and 40 marks. Paper 2, Essay/summary/literature: 50 marks. All together: 90 marks. To pass the exam, a student at least should get 35/40 and zero for paper 2. OR 20/40 and 15/50. It's not like Sejarah or Geografi or KHB where you can tell your 'lazy' students to just colour A from Q1 until Q60. then, you'll pass the exam! Hey. this is an English paper. We have essays. The students have to write in order to pass. I believe that we have taught the students to write, to memorise the literature component. to just copy the summary and add connectors. we forced them to memorise the connectors. and i am gladly said that two of my 3H students manage to memorise the connectors well..but, in the end, are they able to use them correctly?

You know what is the main problem?? It's the students!!!! They just leave out the paper 2. without any efforts to try writing something. They just hand in an empty paper. or perhaps with their names on it. So, how to make them pass? is to force them to write during the exam. And i have been saying this over and over again. But still, in the end of the day, the blame is on the teachers!! Adakah ini adil? Subjek lain tidak pernah menyalahkan cikgu, tapi budak2. knape apabila tibe je saat subjek BI, ckgu yg dipersalahkan?? Double-standard!

One way to increase the percentage is (as all of you only concern on the percentage!) to arrange the seating of the weaker students among the good students. Once you put them among the good students, they themselves know how to cheat/jeling2 at the good students. so, they will pass their exam! as what one of my 3A students did for the PKBS 2. He failed the PKBS 1 and i threatened him if he ever fails the next exam. He only got 8/50 for Paper 2, which at first, i thot he would fail. but, his paper 1 was 25/40. So, he passed the exam. and he sat next to the best student in that class. Can you see my point now?? Kalau nak sangat peratus BI naik, letaklah students yg lemah2 tu among the good students. Gerenti peratus naik mendadak. Boleh dapat lonjakan paradigma lagi.. tapi, you won't get good quality students la ye!

Adios~