1/25/11
Woke up, briefing, then trip to Batu Rakit Integrated Boarding School in Marang. The trip was about 30 mins away so on the way I was able to see a lot of the more rural area of Terengganu that was surrounding the more developed area I would be living in. Once we arrived at the school, we were greeted by many administrators and teachers. As usual we were ushered into a room but this time the school had a powerpoint presentation. Presentation is half of the game because this carries over into how you are perceived amongst your peers and mentors. After the presentation we were brought to a room where there were a host of students waiting for us ALONG with a buffet meal of a variety of food. At my table I had a future, doctor, pilot, two engineers, and a teacher. We discussed life here at the school, favorite subjects, advice on being a great teacher, and then I was asked the question, "Are you a basketball player?".
"I play a little basketball here and there" I replied. That's one. As we traveled to different classrooms to hear the students in discussion and act out scenes of real life situations, "Do you play bball? You look like your in the NBA", the head official of the school said. LOL That's two.
"Well I played in high school and now i just play for fun." We continued to walk around the school and I noticed that by almost every door, there was a print out of a inspirational message and also specific subject tables(periodic, conversions, diagrams of human anatomy). What a positive and smart way of learning and retaining information. There were also big banners that lined the courtyard with the same type of messages, all that can be applied to everyday life and it's challenges. THANK YOU Batu Rakit Integrated Boarding School or BRIBS
We then traveled to the The Terengganu Resouce Center in Marang, Terengganu about 20 mins away. On the way we passed my school which is only 5 mins away from the hotel. It was a huge school with many different buildings spanning out and even had a water tower with the big bold letters SMAASZA! The technology center was nice and we were greeted by the director of the center who was very nice and informed us of our resources that we had access to at our respective schools. One thing that I am noticing is the emphasis that is put on students here. When we visited the school above, students are REQUIRED to take English, Arabic and either French or Japanese. Along with the other "core classes" and co-curricular activities. When I was in school, I def took for granted the OPTION to take a foreign language. It's just goes to show how different cultures are amongst different countries. Ok back to the technology center, the orientation went well. We were told that they had a surprise there for us and they we were to follow the director and his staff. The director fell back to where I was walking and asked "Were ever a basketball player in the NBA?". So this time I decided to take it and run with it.
"I used to play with the Chicago Bulls but I wanted to teach so I dropped out the league and applied for the ETA position." That's THREE!! in one day!! At first his face lit up and then I HOPE he realized that I was just joking and there was no possible way that I could've done that. We just laughed about it and kept walking. I think now I am just going to have a different response every time somebody asks me. THANK YOU Terengganu Technology and Resource Center
That evening we walked to Chinatown in KT and stopped at a shop to ask for some advice. There was a group older men outside the shop who looked like they were just shooting the breeze. Now because we had gone to the school and resource center I dressed up. "Obama" one of them yelled. So not knowing what was going on I turned around trying to see if the brotha was really behind me. Nope nope wasn't behind me. I saw that the guy was laughing so I assumed that he was talking about me. I laughed too, it must've been because I was looking sharp, carried myself in such a professional manner, and held intellectual and thought provoking conversations that he equated me to President Obama.
"I love Obama, he's a good man."
"He's a great man, watch the State of the Union tonight" I replied. I ended up talking to him about the program I was here on and he told me that he didn't understand why his government were hiring "teachers" with no teaching experience to teach "our" children and often pay them more than "our" teachers get paid now. Very good points and it was interesting to here his perspective on the subject. What a valuable learning experience. He and I thanked each other for that learning experience and went our separate ways. THANK YOU
Woke up, briefing, then trip to Batu Rakit Integrated Boarding School in Marang. The trip was about 30 mins away so on the way I was able to see a lot of the more rural area of Terengganu that was surrounding the more developed area I would be living in. Once we arrived at the school, we were greeted by many administrators and teachers. As usual we were ushered into a room but this time the school had a powerpoint presentation. Presentation is half of the game because this carries over into how you are perceived amongst your peers and mentors. After the presentation we were brought to a room where there were a host of students waiting for us ALONG with a buffet meal of a variety of food. At my table I had a future, doctor, pilot, two engineers, and a teacher. We discussed life here at the school, favorite subjects, advice on being a great teacher, and then I was asked the question, "Are you a basketball player?".
"I play a little basketball here and there" I replied. That's one. As we traveled to different classrooms to hear the students in discussion and act out scenes of real life situations, "Do you play bball? You look like your in the NBA", the head official of the school said. LOL That's two.
"Well I played in high school and now i just play for fun." We continued to walk around the school and I noticed that by almost every door, there was a print out of a inspirational message and also specific subject tables(periodic, conversions, diagrams of human anatomy). What a positive and smart way of learning and retaining information. There were also big banners that lined the courtyard with the same type of messages, all that can be applied to everyday life and it's challenges. THANK YOU Batu Rakit Integrated Boarding School or BRIBS
We then traveled to the The Terengganu Resouce Center in Marang, Terengganu about 20 mins away. On the way we passed my school which is only 5 mins away from the hotel. It was a huge school with many different buildings spanning out and even had a water tower with the big bold letters SMAASZA! The technology center was nice and we were greeted by the director of the center who was very nice and informed us of our resources that we had access to at our respective schools. One thing that I am noticing is the emphasis that is put on students here. When we visited the school above, students are REQUIRED to take English, Arabic and either French or Japanese. Along with the other "core classes" and co-curricular activities. When I was in school, I def took for granted the OPTION to take a foreign language. It's just goes to show how different cultures are amongst different countries. Ok back to the technology center, the orientation went well. We were told that they had a surprise there for us and they we were to follow the director and his staff. The director fell back to where I was walking and asked "Were ever a basketball player in the NBA?". So this time I decided to take it and run with it.
"I used to play with the Chicago Bulls but I wanted to teach so I dropped out the league and applied for the ETA position." That's THREE!! in one day!! At first his face lit up and then I HOPE he realized that I was just joking and there was no possible way that I could've done that. We just laughed about it and kept walking. I think now I am just going to have a different response every time somebody asks me. THANK YOU Terengganu Technology and Resource Center
That evening we walked to Chinatown in KT and stopped at a shop to ask for some advice. There was a group older men outside the shop who looked like they were just shooting the breeze. Now because we had gone to the school and resource center I dressed up. "Obama" one of them yelled. So not knowing what was going on I turned around trying to see if the brotha was really behind me. Nope nope wasn't behind me. I saw that the guy was laughing so I assumed that he was talking about me. I laughed too, it must've been because I was looking sharp, carried myself in such a professional manner, and held intellectual and thought provoking conversations that he equated me to President Obama.
"I love Obama, he's a good man."
"He's a great man, watch the State of the Union tonight" I replied. I ended up talking to him about the program I was here on and he told me that he didn't understand why his government were hiring "teachers" with no teaching experience to teach "our" children and often pay them more than "our" teachers get paid now. Very good points and it was interesting to here his perspective on the subject. What a valuable learning experience. He and I thanked each other for that learning experience and went our separate ways. THANK YOU
Dear Dakari,
ReplyDeleteThis is Lynn'mom. I did not want to bother you with my comment, but I just have to tell you THANK you for your positive attitude ,all the time..
Take care buddy, YOU are the man of the future..Basketball player or President!!!!
Stay safe and enjoy it!
Nada
Thank you so much, those words mean a lot.
ReplyDelete