Electrical experiments in Puan Rohaini’s Physics class provided Yap and his classmates with a deeper grasp of physics. — 5st1.2022/Instagram
My first lesson with Puan Rohaini was in Form Four Physics. A short, elderly lady with wrinkles and sagging skin, she looked far more senior than the other teachers.
Her long, grey eyebrows gave her an almost mystical appearance, as though she had come out of retirement to save our Physics grades. Little did we know that this quiet yet passionate teacher would have a profound impact on how we viewed the subject.
Teaching Physics, especially to students just beginning their journey with the subject, is no easy task. It’s like trying to explain quantum mechanics to someone who has never studied science. Every time Puan Rohaini mentioned a new term, we lost interest, quickly slipping into gossip about her teaching style.
Even the first test didn’t seem worth stressing over.
“Physics is all around us, we’re already living with it. Why study it?” one of my friends argued, making a reasonable point that distracted us from preparing for the exam. After all, the test focused on maths, and we all felt confident in our math skills.
That confidence was shattered when the results came in. Our grades were barely passing, and we quickly realised that understanding the physics concepts was key to solving the math questions.
We decided to start paying more attention in class, but Puan Rohaini didn’t alter her teaching style. Instead, she changed the way we approached learning.
She would always take the time to explain why each new theory was important and how it applied to real life.
These explanations sparked curiosity in some of us, making us want to know more about physics and its applications.
Slowly, our grades improved as we realised that physics wasn’t just about memorising formulas, but about understanding the world around us.
However, not everyone shared our enthusiasm for the subject. Some students were more interested in the practical applications of physics rather than the theory itself.
Lab experiments, particularly those involving dangerous materials like electricity and heaters, terrified most of us.
But for the brave few, the lab was a playground. They were like fearless heroes, unfazed by the risks.
When the rest of us hesitated, they were the ones who stepped up, conducting the experiments while the rest read the instructions from the safety of the sidelines.
Puan Rohaini encouraged them to push the limits further, like increasing the voltage or temperature.
Despite the apparent danger, her steady guidance ensured that nothing went wrong, and we were able to observe results that went beyond our expectations.
Thanks to these “lab heroes”, we gained a deeper understanding of physics, testing the boundaries of the theories we were learning.
At the end of each class, Puan Rohaini was always the last to leave the lab, giving us the opportunity to ask any lingering questions before the next lesson.
I fondly remember one occasion when a few of us boys wanted to repeat an experiment we had failed earlier. She graciously allowed us to do so, supervising us with care.
With fewer students to manage, she was able to offer us her full attention, pointing out each mistake and showing us the correct way to proceed.
That session turned out to be the most memorable experiment I ever had. We not only learned the correct technique but also delved deeper into the concept, gaining knowledge far beyond what was covered in the textbook.
By the time I had my last class with Puan Rohaini in Form Five, she told us we were all ready for SPM and reminded us not to lose our interest in physics.
Looking back now, whenever I encounter a situation where physics applies, I can’t help but think of Puan Rohaini, the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Physics teacher, who inspired us to appreciate the beauty and relevance of science in our everyday lives.
