The Sad Ending

I was very sad because probably this would be my last blog for EDU 3217. For about four month I enjoyed myself doing it but today, I reached the end of it. I have sent many posts on the different topics based on “Teaching the Language of Drama”. EDU 3217 taught me a lot for instance how to write a play. The introduction of this course was quite boring because I did not get what Dr. Edwin was trying to convey but after I looked thoroughly on this subject, I realized that this subject was quite unique because it required me to do several things that I did not have the knowledge on that area. The most unforgettable time while doing this course was when I got the golden opportunity to meet the writer of the controversial play, Kee Thuan Chye. We did learn his latest play which was “The Swordfish and Then Concubine”. At first, I did not get the underlying meanings and messages from this play because maybe I missed the important parts of this play but after the long conversation with Kee Thuan Chye, I did get what he was trying to convey to the readers. The issues raised by him were all related to our daily life because he was actually mocking the government for not able to uphold the country to the higher level. Actually I love the play which was written by the local writers because I wanted to see how sensitive they were to the current issues around them.
The micro teaching session was one of the parts in EDU 3217. We were not conducted by Dr. Edwin but we were conducted by Dr. Edwin supervisor Mr. Harold. This micro teaching was different from the other subjects’ micro teaching because here, we supposed to evaluate our friends. So, I think this was a privilege for us because we were able to evaluate our friends and at the same time we could know what we could do and what we could not while presenting in front of the class.

Finally, the blogging enabled me to be a reflective student as well as teacher. It became the medium for me to express my feeling as well as put my point of views about the lessons and so forth. I was free to write anything that was related EDU 3217 and my friends were all welcomed to put their comments on me. I felt on the cloud nine throughout my fiends’ comments because I was able to know my advantages as well as my weaknesses. Frankly speaking, form blogging; it had changed me from the teacher-centered to the student-centered in learning this course. I could put my comments and suggestions for my friends to improve their teaching. Also, blogging enabled me to argue with my friends’ ideas that I might think was incorrect or bias. I became more expressive and I felt glad that I could share my knowledge and views with my blog’s readers.
In a nutshell, I wanted to apologize to Dr Edwin and Mr. Harold for my bad attitudes in class and also for coming late to the class. Throughout this course, I had learnt many interesting methods and experiences and it helped me a lot in practicing myself to be a good teacher in the future. :)

Good Bye Micro Teaching

Yesterday was a very tough day whereby the class went for 8 o’clock in the morning until 12.30 o’clock in the afternoon. There are about 30 presenters were doing the micro teaching, conducted by Mr. Harold. I was among the last ten presenters and all of us were just thinking of going back to the hostel because we were all tired and exhausted. To tell the truth, everybody was hoping to finish the class earlier.
My presentation on my pre-reading as well as my while reading went well because I thought that I had done according to what I had planned earlier, before entering the class. I should thank to all of my beloved friends who cooperated and giving their fully attention on my presentation. My teaching aids helped me a lot to convey to my students about my lesson on that day which was characters and the personality traits. I faced difficulty in conveying my lesson due to the limited time given by Mr. Harold. Actually, I could not finish the worksheet three because Mr. Harold asked me to stop and conclude my lesson. I felt frusted but at the same time I ought to obey to Mr. Harold’s order because he was the one who would evaluate me.
Before I left this blog, I want to thank to my loving lecturer “Dr Malachi Edwin Vethamani” for every single knowledge and methods in teaching that he has poured on me and my classmates. Also, I should thank our tutor who has done splendid job on guiding us to the right path in “teaching the language of Drama”. I did realize that both of them were trying to guide us to our brighter future, which was to be good teachers.

Oh! My Idol

Dr Edwin has arranged a session with a famous writer Kee Thun Chye. First, I did not recognize the person that entering the hall was Kee Thuan Chye because he was just wearing simple attire. Actually, I was expecting him to wear expensive stuff. Whatever. As he started his speech, only God knows how I want to describe him. His speech was very inspiring as well as provocative to those who were listening to him. His speech contained a lot of metaphor whereby every single word that he uttered seemed to have underlying meaning.
He did not go straight to his “The Swordfish, Then the Concubine” because he wanted to save the best for the last. From his speech on his previous literary works, we knew that he wanted to warn us about the unhealthy political issues happened nowadays. Also, he had created awareness about the future of the country for the 20 to 100 years later whereby the truth was being kept as secret from the society.
Frankly speaking, an afternoon with Kee Thuan Chye has become an eye opener for me to start pointing out my point of views. I ought to share my knowledge with people and the most important thing is we have to speak the truth because the truth will not be revealed if we keep it as secret. In Anyway, I hope that I can see the other writes because I also want to hear the thoughts and their point of views as well.

“The Swordfish, Then the Concubine” by Kee Tuan Chye

The drama “the Swordfish, Then the Concubine” written by the famous writer, Kee Thuan Chye. This drama seems very easy for me because of the good issues raised by the writer is related to our daily life. Even though it seems to be an easy drama I cannot understand some part of the play for instance the significance of the characters of Ris Kaw and Logod. Who are they? Are they human? Fortunately, Dr Edwin solve my problem by explaining that Ris Kaw and Logod are virtually time traveller. Both of them are people who seem not to be in the part of the play and their job is to alert us, representing cotemporary voices. That was what Kee Tuan Chye actually wanted to convey through Ris Kaw and Logod.

These thing make me realised that I need to pay full attention while reading the drama because to prevent me from missing the significant events and underlying meaning of the speeches. The language used by Kee Thuan Chye is not as difficult as Shakespeare’s language. I can finish reading the whole play just for two hours because I can easily understand the language used in this drama. The most interesting part about Kee Thuan Chye is, he always put the current issues in his literary works. We can easily see in this drama whereby he puts the theme of the foolishness of the royalty and political institution. This drama is full of socio-political comments to criticize the failures of both royalty and political system to uphold their nation at the highest level. This political satire play is interesting to read while looking at our political situation nowadays. Because of this, I used this drama in my second assignment whereby I did examine the treatment of the theme of the foolishness of the royalty and political institution in “the Swordfish, Then the Concubine”.

After reading the whole drama, I gave five stars out of five stars to this drama because this drama deals with the current issue which is hard to be found from the other literary works. I just received a good news from Dr Edwin saying that Kee Thuan Chye will come to University Putra Malaysia. I am looking forward to see him as I want to ask him several questions related to his literary works.

MacBeth Versus King Lear

Today we are going to watch “MacBeth” the movie. To tell the truth, I did “MacBeth” when I was in Institut Perguruan Temenggong Ibrahim. The play is very difficult for me to comprehend because it is one of the Shakespeare’s plays. Thank God. After watching the movie, it gave me clues to the part that I was not understood earlier while reading the text. It was so obvious that Shakespearean’s language did not suite me because I also had difficulty in understanding another Shakespeare’s play, which was “King Lear”. Frankly speaking, I did only rely on Dr Edwin’s interpretation and explanation to understand as well as comprehend the text.
“Macbeth” and “King Lear” are plays of tragedy and both of them involve in the reversal of fortunes. The characteristic of King Lear changed from good to bad because he actually changed from a great king to and old foolish man. This was the proof that he involved in reversal of fortune. He went against the God had actually planned on him and because of that he suffered. In the end of the play, King Lear virtually died. On the other side of the coin, in the play “MacBeth” was about MacBeth who was bound by the fate that was casted towards him. Just like King Lear, he was also an ignorant man because of his desire to be a king; he killed Banquo and his whole family to save his throne. In the end of the play, he paid the price because he was killed and that was why I said that Macbeth involved in reversal of fortune. We actually need to remember that whatever choices we made, there will be consequences accordingly. I think that this was the message that Shakespeare left us to think.
Even though Shakespeare’s play are all hard to understand, I hope to read and watch another tragic play again because they are really challenging my mind and soul to understand them.

My First Set Induction

I have finished my set induction for the micro teaching yesterday. I was very happy because I think that I have done a splendid job and I did all what I have planned for my set induction. Even though it is not fully successful, but at least I have managed to control 90 percent my feeling in front of my students. I t was virtually a difficult task because from now on, I have practice how to speak and stand in front of my beloved students properly. I was quite nervous because I saw Mr Harold, who was ready to evaluate me but that feeling vanish when I started to be the real teacher in front of my students. Here, I should act and behave appropriately because I ought not to be seen by my students that I was nervous in front of the class.

On the other hand, after I finish my set induction, Mr Harold Pong did not give any comment on me. He did praise one of my friends; Winnie because she was able to attract students’ attention by showing them a cartoon. For me, I also thought that she deserved the praised by Mr Harold because as a student, I also found that it was attractive. As for my set induction he did not say anything because maybe I was not doing too good and too bad. I thought that I should bring the element of fun into our classroom because I thought that I was too straight in the class, without funs and jokes. Thus, I would be able to attract students’ attention and at the same time students will concentrate and focus more on what I want to deliver to them.

Hopefully, I could improve my teaching during my pre-reading and while reading. I have prepared several worksheets for my students. Also, I hope to get good responses from my students as well Mr Harold through my teaching soon.

My First Appearance in Micro Teaching

I shall do my first micro teaching on Monday. I have chosen a play entitled “The Ring Doesn’t Fit” by Tan Kee Aun because this play seems very easy for me and the students in order to comprehend, as the issue raised was quite similar in our daily life. The play is about love and I believe that will lead to a better interaction as well as relationship between students and the teacher in the classroom. I shall be the last fifteen people to present. So, I take it as my privilege because I can presumably see how my classmates conduct their micro teaching first. Normally, after my classmates’ presentation, Mr. Harold will comment on some of the mistakes made during the presentation. So, as long as I attend the class, I will know what to do and what to do not while presenting.
For my micro teaching, I have prepared an interesting video clipping on the wedding ceremony. It is not hard to find this video as I can easily get it through “YouTube”. I have spent a day to prepare for my first appearance in micro teaching. Teaching is not an easy task. Thus, I have spent my time practicing in my room in order to make it perfect. I hope my classmates, who are the students and the evaluators will like my session. Also, I hope to get comments on micro teaching because I will make use the comments not only for this micro teaching, but for my real teaching experiences in the school soon.