Values are taught and shown ...

Today, I took 4 students from my class to go shopping after school. Namely the Assistant Monitor, the Treasurer and 2 of their classmates. All girls outing. Reason - to buy something for their teachers. It is Teacher's Day this coming Thursday (16th May) and I wanted to instill the values of appreciating their teachers. They had collected an extra ringgit for this month's class fund ( RM2 a month ). Plus the cash prizes that they had won for class decoration and the class fund collected since March.

We had discussions in class since last week when I entered their classes. I was busy with being an adjudicator for the district level English Parliamentary Debate last week. The week before I was a judge for Public Speaking competition. What with meetings, planning the first-term exam time-table for Forms 3, 4 and 5, preparing exam question paper .... this weekend another meeting at Tasoh Resort in Perlis for ULKCP. So, we decided on giving something healthy. Something memorable and lasting. Something simple and understated elegance. Thus, I suggested they did bookmarks. Find quotes on teachers and print them on thick papers, punch a hole and tie a nice ribbon. They could do that. Something personal, meaningful and lasting as the teachers would keep that in their many, many books. It is hand  made.  Hence, this would show their thoughtfulness, appreciation, respect and love.

What did we buy? We decided on a fruit hamper. We bought large pears, apples, oranges and Chinese pears. Kit-kat chocolates and oat cookies to balance the hamper. We estimated the cost of each hamper was RM5. So, each teacher would get 2 fruits, a Kit-kat chocolate and a packet of oat cookies (a packet of 3). Natasya, who was good at wrapping and decorating, volunteered to do the 14 hampers for all the teachers teaching their class. Then, we proceeded to a gift shop to buy presents for the 8 classmates who were born in April and May. I stopped by KFC to get them lunch and drinks as they were already hungry by this time. I finally sent them to Shahirah's house to wait for their parents. It was a good outing and we had fun in the car singing songs, telling ghost stories, their families and friends.

I wanted to instill in them the values of appreciation and love for their teachers. Values have to be taught and shown. I used to do this for my children when they were in their primary school before they went off to boarding schools. In boarding schools, they continued these values and were encouraged by their teachers too.  I hope, one day, in my students' future lives, they remembered this simple, "old" form teacher of theirs who tried to instill in them the spirit of unity among them (Malays, Chinese and Indian students) as one class. A class. Not you or me but WE. That they will take with them these values of appreciating nature, environment, the earth, cleanliness, personal hygiene, personal and family relationships, respect for their teachers and friends, respect each other beliefs and faith ... most of all believe that they are ONE Malaysia without any slogan or propaganda.  :-)  Then, I would feel I have taught them well.

These are the rules I want my students to live by. What I taught my own boys. They have to be taught good manners and habits. Politeness and courtesy. Sharing and caring. .... May Allah grant me the patience, tolerance and perseverance to mould these young people into better ones. InsyAllah.