Cooperating Teacher (Guru Pembimbing)

The chosen one? Again? Of all the staff, I was picked by the school to mentor and guide the three new trainee teachers doing their internship at our school. As if I had not enough to do with the exam department, exam classes, form teacher, running the OPS programme for the Form One ... what with my commitment as the KPKw for ULBS SPM, MUET Speaking Examiner ..... stress!!!  :-0))  We had not received any TESL trainees for almost twenty years. We usually received trainees of other options but never TESL trainees.

The trainees were very young, sweet, enthusiastic and fresh .... how they reminded me of what I once was a long time ago. I thought of Akmal who had undergone his internship at Underwater World Langkawi and how welcoming the staff there was. Syafiq and Ikram would also faced their internship one day. Thus, believing that kindness begets kindness, I prepared for their arrival. I made sure they got our best classes. I had asked the SPBT teacher to clear out the books from the table reserved for anybody in the staff room. Cleaned and wiped the table. Photostated the necessary things that might help them and practically tried to make an easy transition from trainee to teacher. They had never undergone any practicum and this was their first time. I was late on their first day but I managed to catch them at the office waiting for the PK and Principal. Later, after their necessary briefing from the PK, they were sent to the staff room. I welcomed them and introduced them to the English panel and the other staff. Very soon they were referred by the others as my children. They were Akmal's age. I gave them whatever was needed and more.

This week they were eased smoothly into their classes. I asked the other teachers involved in their internship to take them to the classes they would take over and introduced them to the students. Let them observed and followed these teachers first. I told the trainees to go and see the PK Ko-Ko and discussed their co-curricular activities as that would be 5% of their total marks. I got for them files, marker pens and anything that was entitled to them as teachers. I felt they deserved it until they proved me otherwise. Let us hope that they would try their best as I had given my best.

They would be here until June. Well, LizaMaria, Shazliyana and Mohd. Zaini - welcome to the real world of teaching, have fun and have an open mind. A new phase of life begins. I hope it will be memorable, beneficial and meaningful where not only will I learn from you but I hope the three of you will also have learned from me.