Hafiz Ismail's: A Series of a Great Events

Hafiz later attended Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Syed Omar (2001-2005) and passed SPM examination with flying colors. Though he was offered to study in Kolej Matrikulasi Pulau Pinang, he later opted out to do foundation under Bahagian Pendidikan Guru. After being offered, Hafiz and his family went to Kuala Terengganu in 2004. He further his studies at IPG Batu Rakit, Kuala Terengganu starts on July 2004 until 2005. It was very a long journey from Kedah to Terengganu. He finished in foundation for one and half years. According to Hafiz, he got a call from BPG to further his degree at IPG Kota Bharu and again his family were willing to send him to Kelantan by a lorry. His father worked as a driver, he did own it.

After four years, Hafiz finished his degree in Bachelor Education (HONS) for Primary Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire at IPG Kota Bharu. He did his posting at Sekolah Kebangssan Kampung Kenang, Sungai Siput, Ipoh. He was shocked and he refused it at first because it is a rural school. He was frustrated because many of his fellows went to Johor. It was hard to teach and communicate with orang asli pupils because many of them do not speak Malay. They do speak their native language and Hafiz do not understand what they were talking about.There was no network coverage and it was really a matter. The pupils used to stay at the school because their houses were very far away from the school. Plus, they did not been exposed to a modern life. The computer laboratory, field and garage; the only places with the internet coverage. They communicate using their own language and for sure Hafiz did not understand what they are saying. There was a problem that he needs to face. They did not want to have a learning session. They were the pupils with a low motivations and they did not know what is the purpose of studying. It was just the fried chickens attracted them to the school.

Just in facts, Hafiz did have a blog before but he started to write on his experiences and new life as a teacher in a rural school one week after being there. He felt very lonely because he did not have any family members or someone that he do know nearby. Next, he proceeded writing his blogs. He wrote them at his school and that was the beginning. He became famous right after that.

There are more than 80 followers of his Journey of My Life blog. Apart from that, his blog is under a few more touches to be adapted to a book that will be launched on September 24^th 2011. After been teaching for a period of time, he attended a course named ‘Numerasi Guru Tahun 1-2010’ at Hillcity Hotel. The program had been organized to prevent eradicate illiterate among the children. Hafiz used to practice the ARM concept after attending the program. ‘A’ stands active; it is necessary for a teacher to be active while ‘R’ stands for reflection. Next, ‘M’ stands for modeling. It is all about to be a role model and giving the best examples to the students. They do follow what we did. After three months, he did have his convocation. Hafiz started to be magnetized, possessed and orientated to the surrounding and he did a good jobs alone.

At the moments he entered the class, there was very noisy  and many of them were losing their focus during the learning sessions. Then, rules were made by Hafiz himself. The students will stop doing anything when he said ‘freeze’. It is just for the examples. When he claps his hands twice, the students may start moving. It sounds interesting right? He mention a name of a student in his blog. Shamira, I mean to mention her name. She was really a shy girl and just like mute. She would cry when Hafiz tried to talk with her. A few months later, she started to have a better conversations and attracted to be in the learning sessions. Hafiz was giving unstoppable attention to her and have a talks with her along three months. He considered that the case was really interesting. It showed that Hafiz is a kind and caring person. He did observations towards the orang asli pupils to gain an ideas to do an effective learning.

He found that, his beloved students have different level of thinking base on the observations.  A fast and slow learners; it was exist. To ensure the students were having an effective learning and could get a good examinations’ results, he used many ways to make it interesting. The examinations were not a matter for them before. What is mean by examinations? Hafiz taught them to write their own name. They paste it on a wall and improve their memories on alphabets. Using a deck of cards to make words was the next activity. They have to arrange it to become a word such as one, two,three and others. It was very good for spelling purpose and knowing the alphabets. Numbered ball, it gonna be the next activity.It needed balls with numbers on it and have to be done in a field. The students will say what number he or maybe she get after throwing a ball. The students will throw the ball and say what number he or she get after throwing the ball.

It gave benefits to students even though it is a simple-but-nice game. Hafiz taught multiplication for standard five students to make it a little bit harder. He asked them to draw a bird then write down the multiplication table and color, cut and paste it on a wall. They were focusing when doing this activity because they looked like really love it. What a creative way to study on multiplication.

He practiced esprit de corps on his class. To be a group works, that was my point. Usually, they were divided into two. They will have a greater chance to have a talk among themselves. As expected, they did not want to speak with Hafiz because they were very shy. By grouping, it raised their confidence to suggest something to Hafiz. The cooperation among them will be gained. Hafiz did personal approaches to know about the students for a kind of a deeper level. The leisure time will be used by Hafiz and the students to have a conversations. He tried to detect any kinds of problems that they might face. The students will feel greater on doing this. The extra classes were preferred by Hafiz even though it will a lot of his time. He streamed the students in a class at first. A few days later, they needed to be divided. It was on separating the fast learners and the slower learners. It worked with spending more time for the slower learners. He was sacrifice a lot.Hafiz willing to sacrifice his own time by doing the extra class for termiar pupils. At the beginning, he mixes the students in one class.

All in all, Hafiz is just wow. He is so amazing. I really got inspired by him. To gain the passion to be a great teacher, surely it have the hard part to face. No pain no gain. He used his creativity very well. It has been told. Do not forget about the activities; numbered balls and using tiles for subtraction. There are so lot of them. He practiced what did he know. He is still following the simple things like ARM. I never wonder it is hard to be a teacher.

Cikgu Apis is the first author for UCSI publications