Mesti lah pandai

The past few days, I've been working on a Big Book entitle, The Singing Crow. Living in a world with fast rising technology, I should know better to just scan the pictures, print them in bigger size and voila, a Big Book for me!

Instead, I decided to go for the long way - draw and color.
I don't know about you teachers out there but I am the kind that enjoy colors (and coloring) very much. VERY! So, I don't mind the longer period to complete my Big Book. It is, after all, a project that I have no intention to rush to finish it.

Whenever I have free time in between classes breaks, I would spend it on the Big Book project. However, the coloring thingy has becoming more addictive now that it is reaching its final few pages. I am more determine to complete it, pronto. So today, during my Library session with one of my Maths classes, I tagged my drawing paper and my 36pcs Stabilo coloring pencils along with my RPH book to the library. While the kids were enjoying their books, I, on the other hand, enjoying doing my Big Book project.

I was sketching a new picture when one kiddo came to ask me something. She saw what I was doing and somehow forgotten what's on her mind in the first place. She then left but after a while seconds, came back with another friend. And then, they whispered to each other but obviously, loud enough for me to hear.

"Cantik oh kan teacher lukis," said the first girl.

"Yabah, cantik oh. Pandai oh teacher kan?" the other girl responded.

"Eh, memang lah bah teacher pandai. Dia kan teacher," the first girl retorted quickly.




I chuckled.
Of course I am flattered even if that compliment came from 9 year old kids.
That brought memories back to when I was a student myself.
I, too, thought that my teachers are all smart people. People with great wisdom. One that possesses knowledge at the tip of his finger.
He(She) who knows everything about anything!
Yes, I seriously think that way.

Come to think of it, teachers sure are people with great knowledge.
In school, teachers do not just teach BM. Or English. Or Maths. Or Science. Or Kemahiran Hidup. Or Geography. The list goes on.
In fact, most teachers in our country are required to at least able to teach more than one subject.

I remember my first year posting to one school at a rural area near Nabawan. I was all ready with my Maths teaching skills when first thing I was given to teach were English Language and Pendidikan Sivik dan Kewarganegaraan! Imagine this virgin teacher's horror. Well, not so much on the English Language since I am a keen learner of the language itself. But Pendidikan Sivik was new to me. I dreaded the thought that I have to read the syllabus and text book so that I would be able to teach my students. But of course, I didn't retaliate. It was, after all, a challenge for myself. And I don't think it was a wise thing to sulk about it because I am teaching primary school. If re-learning elementary school's syllabus is a problem for me, what kind of a teacher am I? That is like, worse than a 5th grader spot on!

Back to teachers being a smart and intelligent people. Surely, the word 'smart' is too subjective to describe a person. And being intellect does not guarantee one is a qualified candidate to become a teacher. However, to be an educator without at least the effort to gain intellectual-ness, that would be like a jigsaw puzzle that has lost a piece of its puzzle, right?

In my attempt to earn that perception my students think of me (and I thought the same of my teachers), I try as much to read and learn some skills of just about anything. I wasn't actually good at drawing when I was a kid but I love coloring. Drawing and coloring are synonyms to each other. So I learned to draw. And so now I am labeled, the teacher who knows how to draw. Ha!

And this is my point, to be an educator, one must grasp as much knowledge and skills as possible so one is able to relay this knowledge to his students and it nailed deep in their hearts.

As for me, as the saying goes, learning is a life-long journey. It never ends. So, I will try to learn as much as possible while I am a teacher myself.