I was really angry at one of my students today. The incident happened first thing in the morning. While I was making rounds checking whether they have finished their homework or not, I noticed one of the boys wearing a chain around his neck with an animal tooth hanging onto it. I immediately asked him to take it off. He hesitated of course but then he seemed somewhat glad giving it up to me. Just a few minutes later, his classmates told me that it was a pig's tooth. How dare he! He is non-Muslim but I knew that he knew that pigs are haram to us Muslim. I threw the chain at his face and directed him to the principal's office immediately. I also gave him three good canings and asked him why he gave it to me knowing that it's a pig's tooth. He simply answered I was the one who asked for it. I told him that he could at least be courteous by telling me it's pig tooth so I could take it away by holding it between papers or other things! I really felt like killing this kid. I think what he did was so kurang ajar. He thinks he's a gangster of some kind. He never finishes his homework, he's a "sleeper" in class, and he talks a lot too. He's from the weakest class of the second formers. Some of the students from this class can't even read. Most of them are "hyperactive" - they can never sit still and never quiet. And they like to sleep in class. I've read that it takes all sort to make a world. I hate this sort.

PS: I had to "samak" my hands after that. Samak is a ritual cleansing done by Muslim whenever he or she (accidentally) touch animals (or animal parts in my case) haram to Islam such as pigs and dogs.

I don’t know whether I am a well-liked teacher or not. I am the kind of teacher whom makes sure there is an invisible gap between me and my students. I can be nice but I don’t want to be too nice. I don’t want my students to be clingy to me. I think kids love attention and I don’t like to give attention unnecessarily.

However, I do want students to think that I am a good teacher; a dedicated, dependable (to an extent), and caring teacher. I want them to be inspired by the things that I teach them; to be able to use English language as a tool to succeed and to have a high self esteem.

Other than teaching English, I also teach Pendidikan Moral to a class of first formers. I really enjoy teaching this set of students. Being budak kampung and still very young, they are eager to learn. They participate well in class even though sometimes they can be quiet mischievous! ( Today I caught one of the girls writing a love letter while I was teaching and she slammed the door on her way out).

Yesterday I was told by my Penolong Kanan Pentadbiran that starting next week I do not have to teach Pendidikan Moral anymore. So today I made the class worked hard. We covered two units (chapters) in two periods (which is a lot okay). I wanted to finish up the Bidang Pembelajaran 4 so the new teacher can simply start at Bidang Pembelajaran 5.

They wondered why I was in such a rush. Even though at first I didn’t want to tell them about them getting a new Pendidikan Moral teacher, I had to. Of course there were moaning and groaning and whining (don’t know whether they were being sincere or not). They told me they didn’t want a new teacher. When I asked them why, one of the girls answered (while giggling),

“Teacher lucu”

I couldn’t help feeling touched and proud *big smile*