LETTERS: A teacher's role and duty does not end in school. It extends beyond the school and is usually considered as a lifelong service.
In this teacher appreciation week, I would like to share the story of a teacher which I hope can be an inspiration to other teachers.
When I was in primary school, I participated in a curriculum activity and was given the opportunity to attend a gymnastic workshop. It was in this workshop that I met my teacher. She was so strict and fierce that I did not look forward to the workshop. Nevertheless, the workshop ended well and I breathed a sign of relief.
A few years later, I met the same teacher again in another workshop. I told myself, "This is a disaster. Why has it always got to be her? Are there no other teachers?" In this workshop, my teacher was much more caring as she got to know me through the first workshop.
When the workshop ended, my perception towards my teacher changed because she bought me lunch daily and gave me a lift home as my mum was not well at that time. I could see that despite her strictness, my teacher had a soft spot and was actually thoughtful.
By the time I graduated from school, she was transferred to a secondary school near my house. One day, I saw her car and decided to drop by. When I greeted her, she welcomed me with her warm heart. However, I could see that she remained very strict to her students.
There were some students who played truant. She drove around the housing area to hunt for them, brought them back to school, and disciplined them. There were some poor students who could not afford lunch and I witnessed my teacher buying them lunch and giving them extra healthy snacks to bring home.
Some parents worked till late and thus, struggled to take their children home on time. My teacher volunteered to give those students a lift home as they lived nearby. It was through these events I witnessed that my perception towards my teacher changed completely.
I was offered a scholarship to study abroad. I decided to keep in touch with my teacher as she was a source of motivation. True enough, she gave me motivation by writing letters to me. I felt lonely and depressed at times, but I did not inform my parents as I did not want to worry them. The only person that I could express myself freely was with my teacher.
With her uplifting advice, I managed to go through my university days and successfully graduated. I invited my teacher to my graduation but sadly, she could not attend due to heavy workload at school. Nevertheless, she was very proud of me when I returned home and visited her.
I went to the new school she was stationed at and realised that she was promoted as headmistress. She remained the same, very strict towards her students but was compassionate and had sympathy listening to the students' needs and hardship.
Last year, during the Covid-19 lockdown, many of her students were faced with challenges regarding home-based learning. There were poor students who could not afford unlimited internet data and consequently could not follow the learning via Zoom. My teacher bought prepaid data cards and delivered those cards together with lunch boxes and care pack via food delivery. She called them often to ensure of their wellbeing.
For those who struggled to follow the lessons, she provided them with one-to-one tuition via WhatsApp and Zoom. She also printed additional worksheets and directly delivered them to the students' home. Because she did not give up on the students, upon returning to school, they could follow the lessons and had excellent understanding of what were previously taught.
In recent years, my teacher started a recycling project to raise funds for the school. She went extra mile to collect recycling items with her friends and families. With the funds raised, she ordered shirts and pants that contained the school's logo for all the students.
My teacher also initiated a gardening project where science teachers and students planted vegetables and fruits in the school compound. When harvested those vegetables and fruits, they were given to the students who assisted in the project. Many students participated in the project and the school has won many awards to date.
The project was also extended as a collaboration with a school from Melbourne, Australia – her students had the opportunity to make friends with the students from Australia via video conferencing. Through these videos, her students practised their language skills while exchanged knowledge about gardening, science, and culture.
Last year, she organised a webinar with her colleagues. As many students from abroad participated in the webinar, her students enjoyed a non-traditional approach of learning that went beyond those 'boring' classroom lessons.
In addition to assisting the students, my teacher also gave her care and love to those working with her. The school had a security guard whose husband lost his job due to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. As a result, the guard struggled with financial issue. As soon as my teacher knew about it, she assisted the guard by applying for financial help from the government.
She bought the guard lunch on a daily basis and provided the guard with all the help she could offer. I also witnessed an episode where one of the teacher's husband was met with an accident. Without delay, my teacher immediately drove her colleague to the hospital and gave a helping hand.
Through this story, I can sum up my teacher as strict (yes, she is!), loving, kind-hearted, and has a passion for her students despite them being less intelligent or poor. She has never once looked down on them, instead she holds their hands and walks the road together. My teacher is truly an inspiration model of a teacher who understands the meaning of lifelong service.
She is Cikgu Khaw Juat Woon of SMK Convent Pulau Tikus, Penang. In this teacher appreciation week, I'm representing all the students whom Cikgu Khaw have taught to thank her for her excellent lifelong service!
DR TERESA ONG WAI SEE
Penang
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times