For young teachers, it’s about giving their best to their students

Mum’s support: Mohd Asri’s mother, Jamilah Ali, helped him secure a scholarship to study abroad, and now he is back in Malaysia to teach and help his students.

ALMOST all his time is spent at school but Mohd Asri Jusoh finds happiness and fulfilment in his job as an English teacher. The 30-year-old, who has spent four years teaching in Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) residential schools in Pahang and Sabah, is constantly looking for opportunities to help his students develop their talents.

A particularly memorable experience was an outstation trip to attend the MRSM Language week programme in Negri Sembilan. Because funds were limited and flights from Sabah expensive, Asri went with a contingent of just 10 students, many of whom took part in multiple competitions.

For many of the students, it was their first time on an airplane, and their excitement was palpable.

“When they were competing on stage, some of them stopped midway to look at me. They were waiting for my approval as they were presenting. The students did such a good job, and it was one of the best moments for me.”

But teachers often help students deal with problems beyond the classroom. For Mohd Asri, who is also a hostel warden at the school, some incidents ended up leaving a deep impression.

It was the norm in dormitories that the last meal at the end of term is extra special. Concerned teachers noticed that one of the students had taken a small pinch of chicken to eat and packed the rest in a tissue.

“When asked, the student said he wanted to take it home for his younger sibling who had never eaten chicken before. Other times, poorer students do not want to go home because they live in cramped conditions and their hostels are more spacious. In situations like this I feel very small and I feel very inadequate,” Mohd Asri shares.

Such incidents motivate Mohd Asri to learn more about his students. In fact, teachers in the school regularly brainstorm ways they can improve their students’ lives.

“We did follow-ups and secured financial grants to help some of the poorer students,” Mohd Asri says.

“We help them emotionally and we try to help the families financially,” he says.

One of Mohd Asri’s biggest motivators is his mother, Jamilah Ali.

“When my mum was younger she very much wanted to become a teacher but her family couldn’t afford it. She often tells me how she regrets not becoming a teacher.”

The support of his mother helped Mohd Asri get a scholarship to study in New Zealand, and now he is back in Malaysia to help others, just as his teachers had done for him.

The new age of educationWith gadgets and technology becoming increasingly important in the classroom, Mohd Asri plans to enhance his online teaching skills.

While he supports online learning and has been conducting online classes during the movement control order (MCO) period, Mohd Asri believes that the human touch is still irreplaceable: “A good teacher teaches from the heart, and they do not just impart knowledge but also discipline,” he says.

“E-learning is great but it has to go hand-in-hand with teachers. With the MCO, I really miss my physical classes,” he says.

For Kimberley Aw, 26, it is the small but kind deeds by the students that leave an impression on her.

“I once had a student who would often not pay attention in class. But now, whenever he sees me carrying a lot of things, he would immediately offer help. It is a nice gesture that he did not do last year, he has changed,” says Aw, who is touched by her student’s thoughtfulness. A Teach For Malaysia fellow, Aw has been teaching lower secondary Science and Design & Technology classes in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, for more than a year. Aw, whose background is in biotechnology and genetics, became interested in teaching when she was still in school. Back then, she would help her classmates with their lessons. She then took tutoring jobs after her SPM and STPM exams, and even during her undergraduate years in Melbourne.

In the future, Aw foresees that classrooms will be utilising more technology but notes that teachers will still be an important part of the classroom. A teacher can guide students in processing the vast amounts of information available online.

“During the MCO period, I realised that computers cannot really replace the relationship and trust built between teachers and students. Students trust that no matter how many questions they ask, the teacher will always be willing to help.”

One of Aw’s hopes is to remove negative misconceptions about teaching: “I hope that people will understand that teachers don’t just walk into classrooms and teach. Sometimes the preparation for a class takes more time than the actual teaching,” she explains.

“Knowing and teaching are two very different things. How do I break down concepts and explain them so 14-year-old students will be able to understand?” she says.

Aw looks up to teachers who have spent decades in the profession and still remain strongly dedicated to their work.

“They will record YouTube videos, which is not an easy thing to do, and use all sorts of teaching aids in their classes. I respect and admire them,” she says.