Cameron Camp is Coming... (Alliteration.lol)

I'll be leaving to Kl for Cameron Camp which will be from 11th May till 30th May 2009.

For those who are bored at home and still believe in slow snail mail, feel free to write to me. (Ya, boredness at home, hoping to have something to look forward too at camp.lol)

Neriton,
Lutheran Lakeview Chalets,
31 1/2 miles,
39200 Ringlet, Cameron Highlands.

Chocolate cake = Failure

Dengan semangat berkobar-kobar, I bought all the ingredients for the cake. The steps in the recipe seems easy to follow, just have to melt the butter and the chocolate and later stir in all the other ingredients. The mixture smells good and looks good. I thought it would be a successful one at last!

I set the temparature at 170'C (that's accordin to the recipe). Bake for 1.5 hours. okie dokie, set timer and off i went to switch on the computer. After half an hour i went down to check on the cake. Smoke was coming out of the oven and there it was, a black, burnt cake. I scraped the top burnt part and discovered that the bottom was still wet, okie, maybe stil have chance. I reduced the temperature and put in the remaining cake. When i took it out after (i forgot how long), it was as hard as stone.

A great baking experience, adding on the my failure in baking in the past.

All I want is a homebaked edible chocolate cake.


Maybe it is time to stop trying?

My experience blogging

Blogging is a beneficial assignment which should be continued. EDU 3217 introduced me to blogging, an activity which most people are doing now. If it was not for EDU 3217, I would still be lagging behind as I never thought that blogging would be of such fun. Now I understand why people like to blog! Dr Edwin does not want us to be dinosaurs in schools when students are all technology savvy.


Blogging for EDU3217 has taught me how to be reflective in writing. My first few posts were merely retelling what I have learnt in class and talking about Teiresias. After seven posting, I found out that 3 of my blogs are not reflective. The class was advised to visit some of our classmates’ blog to see how they blog. Indeed, their blog entries are great! They wrote about what they really think, not just retelling. Later, I had some idea about being reflective.


I have enjoyed beautifying my blog, making it look pink and uploading some relevant pictures to make my posting more attractive. If not, it will be too wordy. Of course, it is not all about making it look good. The content has to be there too. Blogging requires me to rethink about what I have heard in class and what I have read. Previously, I would read or listen and that’s it. No more thinking after that. But blogging has changed the way i think for the better. Now, whenever I blog, I would think critically about what I have learnt.

Thanks to Dr Edwin, who put this as a course assignemnt! =)

Simulated Teaching

Before the start of simulated teaching presentation, Mr Harold, our tutor has been encouraging us to come up with something creative. Creative. It was a good advice afterall. If not, most of us would be doing the same thing for pre reading and while reading activities. Creativity is good for us, as it squeezes our thought to produce different ideas. It also prevents our classmates from falling asleep due to repetitive pre and while reading exercises. Students will definitely gain from interesting activities as they have more interest towards the lesson and are more receptive towards the tasks.

It is unfortunate that time constraint cut short many people's presentation. Some might feel disappointed for not being able to fully show their capabilities. Some might see if as a relief. We had to rush as there were many students who have no presented. Maybe in future, simulated teaching has to be started earlier because it definetely takes a lot of time for so many students to present.

Some activities that were carried out by my friends were really interesting and involves students' active participation. Group works, matching answers, drawing, putting on masks of the characters when reading the dialogues were among some of the activities that would attract students attention. Literature class will not be boring anymore! My classmate, Rohaizad has shown obvious enthusiasm to teach the class. Such spirit would amazes me. It makes that teacher different from a monotonous teacher.

Simulated teaching allows me to practice standing in front of the class to teach. There are not many chances except for simulated teaching/ microteaching. Practice makes perfect. I appreciate the peer evaluation forms form that I have received from my friends because their sincere and honest comments help me see the weaknesses that I may not have realised. Among them are voice projection and I should be more firm in class. Thank you for all your comments, my friends! I will work on them =)

Presenting Pre reading and While reading activities

This semester's simulated teaching is a little different from last semester's. This semester, some of my classmates including some input on what they will teach. For example, they would explain what characters are before they start with pre reading. This time round, the time also seem to be very limited for us to present our simulated teaching.

I choose to do on 'Characters and character traits' for the play The Ring Doesn't Fit by Tan Kee Aun. Needless to say, character is an element that was choosen by many of my classmates to teach. I hope my activity has been a little different compared to the rest but the pre reading is still the same - identification of characters.

I started with identification of characters and underlining the adjectives that describes the characters. I confirmed the answers given by students from the activity.

My while reading is a continuation from my pre reading task. After that,the identification of characters and words that describes them, I pointed out the events in the extract that can also show the characters' traits. For example, Adelyn's demanding nature can be seen when she wants the durian badly and was furious with Paul for not collecting them. I guided the students using the events in the extract to point out the characters' traits. Among the responses are responsible, loyal and loving. After the discussion, students are require to fill in the mind map the characters' personality traits. Students wil be able to answer based on the words that were discussed during the pre reading stage.

I will be receiving the evaluation forms from my peers in 2 hours time. I am excited to see how did I perform. Suggestions for improvement is most welcomed. I am aware that my voice projection may not be firm and clear enough.

The experience of performing simulated teaching is undeniably beneficial for me as a future teacher. It exposes me to the scenario in a teaching classroom and the preparation needed for a class. My students now are my friends, it would definately be different in the real classroom. More practices to teach before I graduated is needed to prepare myself. Simulated teaching helps me increase my confidence to stand in front of a class to teach. The nervousness is still there but it is better now. I should work on eye contact, as I focus more to the evaluator, not the students, to see if I have done anything wrong. My students would want to feel appreciated that their teacher pays attention to each and everyone of them.

May this experience be a lesson for me.

First experience meeting a Malaysian playwright – Kee Thuan Chye

As a stranger walked into the lecture hall, my mind was telling me, “This guy looks familiar!” I could not recall where I’ve seen him but Samantha told me he was on the series Kopitiam. I also found out towards the end of the session that he acted as Tan Cheng Lock in Hati Malaya. Cool. A journalist, an actor, a playwright and a writer. Wow. That’s 4 in 1!


I felt privileged to meet our very own Malaysian writer, Kee Thuan Chye. He was very frank in telling us about himself. This session has been beneficial especially in my understanding of the play The Swordfish, Then the Concubine. I see a manipulation of two historical events in highlighting the issues that we are facing in this modern era. Kee Thuan Chye also informed us that he has revised his manuscript again! Some parts in the version I have read has been changed and new issues have been added. He will only stop revising when he is satisfied with his writing. But when will that be? This shows the perfectionism in writers who intend to write their best.


Kee Thuan Chye also brought up issues that are worth thinking about. The truth that we read in newspapers, are they the real truth? We should never read from one source only. Reading about an issue from several perspectives gives better insight towards the issue discussed and we can judge better and decide which stand we want to take.


Politics is complicated. It is filled with power crazy people who have their own agenda and will not hesitate to bring others down to reach their goal. Are the charges that Anwar is accused of true? Or is it just a way to smear his good name, to take away the trust that people have for Anwar? How much of what is written in the newspaper can we trust?


History. After the session, I am confused. Can history the Malaysian history we read be trusted? History is written by people. Kee Thuan Chye thinks that the movie Hati Malaya is UMNO’s propaganda. How about our history? Can it be manipulated to influence us to think in the way that is intended?


Before the session ended, Kee Thuan Chye read an essay from his book March 8 TheDay Malaysian Woke Up. It is written by a student in Monash University. I admire him for having such far insight, such a dream for Malaysia. He looked beyond his race and hoped for a united Malaysia. Can every Malaysian be like him? Perhaps the politicians should stop politicizing racial issues and focus on more important issue for a progressive Malaysia.


When I opened the book March 8 TheDay Malaysian Woke Up, I realized that Kee Thuan Chye’s children’s names are very special. Soraya Sunitra Kee Xiang Yin and Jebat Arjuna Kee Jia Ling. I think that KeeThuan Chye has a strong reason for naming his children in such. It shows his belief in Bangsa Malaysia. A hope for a better future, a better Malaysia.

King Lear - A Father's Love

In the play King Lear, we read about a king, who broke the covenant given by God to be king as he divded his kingdom to be ruled by his daughters.

In my opinion, why should Lear test his daughter's love for him. Even if he hears their professed love, won't he doubt them? How true can words be? As I have a friend who always reminds me, "Words are only words. You can say anything in this world, but can you prove it?" Lear, a king, can also fall from his elevated place before of false flattery. His two elder daughter Genoril and Regan professed great love for their father but had evil intention.

Cordelia, on the other hand had little words to offer. Sometimes, one may say little but mean a lot more than one who has a lot to say. It is the action, thoughts and concern that matter, not words because it is easy to say but not easy to accomplish. Furthermore, promises are easy to be broken. I find her foolish in a way because since her sisters has given so much flattering words, her few words would be an insult to her father. Maybe she can say more to avoid disappointing her father.

In Lear, I could see how much a father loves his daughters. He is willing to let them rule his kingdom and he surrenders all he has to live with them and to depend on them. His actions remind me how loving and how sacrificial a father can be. It makes me think of my father, although he does not say much, but I know that he loves me. (ok, a little out of topic here) However, his love was betrayed as his daughters mistreated him. Why must Regan and Genoril have evil intentions? Why can't they be grateful for what their father has given them and live with what they have? I felt that that two daughters should be thankful and treat their father well, not deny him of a place to stay or to reduce his knights. He has his own pride too.

This play makes me think a lot about human nature, the greediness of human beings and how unkind they can be even to their own kin. Edmund, although a bastard, is still his father's son. He betrayed Gloucester, his father to earn recognition from Cronwall, and to take over his title. Gloucester has treated him well although not every aspect but still he does not deserve such a treatment as Gloucester eyes are blinded as a punishment. Edmund, Regan and Genoril all show ingratitude, greediness in man and the desire for more power. We can aim for more but there should be a limit to it also.

In short, King Lear may not be an epic drama but it has made me think a lot.