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Two Chicks & a Climber Reach New Heights
This week has been an eventful one for us, seeing that it was our first week. First thing on Monday morning, Johnston (our mentor) instantaneously told us to teach a lesson without any preparation so you can imagine us walking into a class of 40 pupils, not having a clue what to say or do till we came up with bright ideas last minute to keep the lesson going. Started off by introducing ourselves (as in Kirsty and I) and showing them our home location on the blow-up globe. Johnston was that confident that we managed the lesson well that he left us to handle the classes!
Taught Form 1-5 (Form 1 are 12 years old, Form 5 are 17 years old) energetic lessons that day and I'm telling you, I don't know how you teachers do it, constantly planning each lesson and taking up a lot of your energy that your jaw from smiling and feet starts to hurt from standing up the whole time in the end. I remember those with Christian names easily compared to most Malay names, as they are elongated and hard to pronounce but will get the hang of it eventually. They didn't realise that I was deaf, as it's considered as abnormal for a deaf person to be able to speak. The deaf children here are branded as 'special'. A teacher told us that the kids asked 'Why do Kirsty and Aman have different accents if they are both from the U.K?' seeing that I have a Brummy accent and Kirsty has a strong Scottish one.
Consistently, each time we entered a classroom, the kids immediately stood up and chanted droningly 'Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening Teacher' and when we dismiss them, 'Thank you Teacher', bless the little mites! Another thing I've picked up, it is considered as rude if you point with your forefinger, such as to a person to answer a question so we use our thumb to point which is now developing into a habit.
As we got a rough framework of the lessons, we found ourselves astonished as their level of English is better than expected that we haven't got the faintest idea what to educate them over the next 5 months.
An embarrassing moment - we attended to assembly a bit later than usual so we went round the back till Puan Marie who was sitting on the stage who noticeably went 'come here' with hand gestures. *blushes badly* The entire school's eyes fixed on us, there were 1,000 pupils sat in a single file, all smiling as we walked towards to the stage. I sat next to Cikgu Catherine (a teacher for the deaf), who interpreted in Bahasa sign language with spoken English what the prefects were saying. Prefects here play a highly respectable role with countless duties, such as leading an assembly rather than a teacher. There was an interpreter for the deaf standing in the corner on the stage, next to the speaker while the deaf kids sat at the front. I actually caught some of them trying their best to stay awake, lol!
Puan Marie out of the blue introduced Kirsty and I, and instantly she handed over the microphone for us to give an unprepared speech. I don't think the school half knew what we were on about as the microphone was crackling the whole time. Puan Marie kept saying 'Aren't they beautiful?', there was an uproar and whooping in the audience. They seem to think that we're Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities, kids have approached to me and asked, 'Has your face been in the Bollywood movies?', quite amusing really. They sang the National Anthem standing up, the deaf kids signed beautifully with the hearing prefects to help them follow.
One time I supervised a handicraft lesson in the deaf department, one of them asked me 'How many kids do you have?' as they assumed that I was married *scouse me*. We thought the 'hellos' would die down after a while but we still receive a wave or greeting from absolutely every student we walk past, not complaining though as everyone here is always pleased to see us. They often get the time of day mixed up, they say 'Good Morning' when really it is the afternoon and their friend nudges them to correct them and they burst into fits of giggles, even the boys. Seeing that it is a cultural thing, they even giggle in your face if they are being told off. We initially thought the boys were taking the mick by shouting 'I love you' but it is starting to be quite a regular thing. We think they might actually think it is a normal kind of greeting.
Kirsty and I had a nice surprise today, a girl approached us and gave us a box with ginger cake in it. She said it was from her mum, to welcome us to Sabah. We were pretty much speechless, just kept saying thank you to her. We were then approached by the same girl's elder sister who asked if we had received the cake ok. We said yes and asked her to thank her mum. She then asked if we would be interested in meeting a Scottish couple. Turns out, her parents are close friends with a Scottish couple that have lived in Sabah for 20 years. She asked if we would like to join them on a Thursday night as that is the day they meet with the couple for a bible study, lol. Of course we said we'd love to, so we're waiting for her to give us a definite date.
Mizah, the girl next door said she had a surprise for us in our room and bless her heart, it was a cute poem under our door. It went like this:
'A traveller was inspired by softly, then she wrote a poem to one she loves. Love ..without love, life would be nothing. But if you appreciate your love, try your best to protect it. Then that's where your life has begun.
Aman and Kirsty are good friends, both came from a different end. Everybody love them, as they love their own friend. A friend that is always there to clear your pain...
I am sorry if I have spelled wrong, but I am worried more if I am not good enough to be your friend so I made you a poem, a poem that hoped to be remembered, if you're sad, just remember us. Your sincerely friend from SMK DPM, Mizah.'
In the deaf department, I'm expected to systematise an English corner to motivate kids to become keen English learners. Consequently, spare time is spent on doing diagrams, topic cards, ideas for grammar games etc. Their level of understanding is lower primary level in English and they want me to improve it to upper primary level. Taught them basic past, present and future individually as they lack in confidence in their work in a large group and are easily embarrassed and have really low self -esteem, resulting in constant giggling and shying away. It's more encouraging when I speak to them in a small group, as they're more confident. It went better than expected, it requires a great deal of patience which I'm starting to develop now. Cikgu Catherine mentioned that she taught English one time and Florence wrote down in Bahasa 'Please, I don't want to learn English' and now she's eager as the kids are thrilled that I am here.
There are 3 kids from 9-12 years old in 1K who have absolutely no signing skills and are new to the school and deaf culture. Kirsty and I had the task of teaching them basic words in sign language which was hard as it was like teaching a toddler how to say its first words. Started off with colours followed by numbers, directions etc.
Catherine asked us today how we would feel about taking a camp for the deaf students, where Kirsty and I would arrange all of the activities while the other teacher's would be there to supervise. She also told us that they ran a similar camp for some of the children that had recently been abused in their primary school by their former teacher. Was a real shock to hear what some of the deaf children have been through. It will be at the end of June, near Mountain Kinabalu (highest mountain in South East Asia) for a couple of days and to carry out adventurous activities.
On our agenda, we have evening classes to teach the kids in the Asrama from 7.30pm for an hour in the weekdays. Instead of 'I went to the shop and I bought an apple...', we did 'I went to the jungle and I saw an ape...' If I were in year 7 expecting to do that in Bahasa for every letter in the alphabet I wouldn't have a clue. Makes you realise that we're indolent as we already know English and we are dependence on the whole world to know the language. They work really hard from the bottom to reach our standards, whereas we are already there, easy for us to move up to the next level in life. They find it unbelievable that a burger costs RM25 in England equivalent to RM3 here.
Outside the Asrama, there is a building being built just outside our room. Turns out that the school is expanding to include a sports complex as by 2008 it will specialize in English, deaf education and sports, which explains the innumerable trophies displayed. We were hoping to teach the kids rounders but it becomes pitch black at 6.30pm, so it looks like we'll have to do it at the weekends.
The warden in the Asrama (hostel name at the school) decided to take us to the beach along with two new teachers that are also staying in the Asrama. She has invited us along to the school gym a couple of times, amusing to watch her when she's on the treadmill *giggles*. She is self-conscious of her English and wants us to help her as well as make her dinner, so its pasta bake coming up!
The lizards have been full on fighting in our room. There's a nice innocent brown one, minding his own business, not making any noise, and along comes this albino meanie who chases after the brown one, tackles is, bites its neck and flings it off the wall. Poor Mr Brown Lizard went SPLAT on the ground numerous times but still manages to waddle away kind of unharmed. It also twitches it's tail when it's about to pounce on the brown one, and makes a really high pitched clicking noise. When Kirsty hears it clicking in the night, she's terrified it's going to throw the poor brown lizard onto her face.
I'm known as Miss Clumsy lately as I've broken a mop, cracked the floor tiles and broken a window, what next? I was sliding open the window to let some air in and it managed to fall backwards (outside). Luckily I had good reflexes and managed to hold onto it before it could have smashed into pieces on the roof outside. Now I just need to get someone to repair it!
We've been experiencing some troubles with the flush of our toilet, resulting in a highly amusing episode but I shall leave the details for personalised emails. (Trust me- it's a story worth hearing about!)
It's green light for Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, just paid for the flights with Kirsty today. Bring it on Hong Kong! :D
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