Finally, Our Hard Work Paid Off

She stretched out her hands to both sides and moved up and down like a bird that wanted to fly, as she said, “This is a bird.” Her actions immediately drew the attention of a boy; the new vocabulary he had just learned was no longer so unfamiliar to him.

Am I Qualified to Be a Companionship Class Teacher?

“Am I up to the job?” Teacher Esther.

“Of course you can, why don’t you give it a try?” Teacher Bee Hoon

When Teacher Esther, who was an at-lost retiree, heard of this invitation, her heart began to feel uneased. She worried that, being an untrained teacher, she would not be able to cope with the job. Teacher Bee Hoon’s reply somehow boosted her confidence. So she decided to give it a try, and now 4 years have passed.

When she recalled those years of being a “lab rat” teacher, it was not relaxed at all. It was like mountain over mountain of obstacles waiting for her to conquer. Whenever she flipped open those children’s exercise books or textbooks, she often felt unfamiliar. The Chinese character is in simplified font, which comes with “Hanyu Pinyin” (Chinese Phonetic Alphabet). English, on the other hand, is her weakest subject. The school’s syllabus has changed, and the subject content has also become more complicated. “What I learned in the past is different from what the children learn nowadays.” All kinds of challenges did not push her away … 

They are like a Piece of Blank Paper

She did not back off because she loves children. Teacher Esther said: “They are like a piece of blank paper”. What the adults spoke or did to them was like a trace left behind by a pen on a piece of blank paper, which cannot be easily erased. In order to improve her skill in teaching and accompanying the children, she joined the “7979 Companionship Class’s Teachers Camp” twice, which was organised by 7979 Underprivileged Children Companionship Class. In the camp, she learned to use her body, sound or tempo to get children’s attention. “When I teach the child ‘Ejaan” (Spelling for BM), I will ask him to clap his hands. He finds that it is fun.” She shared with a smile on her face. Consequently, she mimicked a lot of animals’ actions to attract their attention.  

Thank You, Teacher, for You Have Taught Me Well

Father to Lori (pseudonym) and Lora (pseudonym) shared with a bright smile, “After they joined the Companionship Class, they became much more enthusiastic in learning, obedient and more willing to help up with house chores at home.” Their father works as a handyman at their school. He has minor hearing difficulty. Their mother is a housewife. Due to their financial constraint and being lowly educated, they were having serious problems in teaching their children. Their relatives recommended they send their children to the Companionship Class. Teacher Esther ended up being their Companionship Class’s teacher. 

At the initial stage, when Lori is learning Bahasa Malaysia in the Companionship Class, she would always be drowsy, not paying attention. Esther said, “When I see that Lori dislikes BM so much, I know I must think of a way to get her attention.” So, she changed her teaching style; she let Lori familiarise herself with the “Suku Kata” (Bahasa Malaysia Phonetics) first. “Bam! Bam! Bam!” She uses sound, actions and tempo to help Lori memorise new vocabulary. About 1 year later, Lori’s spelling grades improved from Zero to 100 mark!  

The obvious improvements in Lori’s studies and character, does not only make her father happy. Teacher Esther also noticed that the initially shy, timid and quiet Lori, after a few years at the Companionship Class, can now engage in conversations with others. Shy Lori said with a soft voice: “Thank you! Teacher, for you have taught me well.”  

A big smile appeared on Teacher Esther’s face when she witnessed the bit-by-bit progress made by Lori, “Finally, our hard work paid off.” This is exactly what she has been hoping for.