Harmony Day In A Learning Centre
Expatriate Child with Cerebral Palsy
Prize Giving Ceremony - Recipient is presently a Primary School Teacher
Picture taken with my class when I was with PPIS at Playfair
Hajah Norlin Haji Ahmad (standing top right) with her married children and grandchildren. Photo taken on Mothers' Day 2007. Her daughter Noraini Sapuan standing next to her."Man ought always to have something that he prefers to life; otherwise life itself seem to him tiresome and void" - Seume
I could vividly recall when I landed my first job in a big firm in the heart of town. I was barely seventeen then and was certainly overwhelmed with the surrounding atmosphere and new responsibilities. I tried very hard to adapt but soon realised that I never really felt the satisfaction or zest of working in an environment totally dominated by adults. Something substantial was missing from it and I just could not figure out the reason for the lack of catalyst and chemistry.
Finally after six months of trying, I gave up and applied for a job as a kindergarten teacher in a cre'che. Alhamdulillah that decision, to work with children, turned out to be a turning point in my career. From Day 1, I could already sense the magic those children exude, every little thing they did, and every squeal of laughter, every cry of discomfort and every innocence they portrayed touched my very heart. For once I feel at ease and a sense of purpose as I had always dreamt of becoming a teacher. Working with children had always been my passion and desire. It provided me with an avenue to tap into my maternal instincts and utilize my potential to good use.
Well, from then on, there was no turning back. Todate, I have been working for 25 years, dabbing in various professions - all relating to children! From Kindergarten Teacher to Childcare Supervisor to Studentcare Principal to currently, a Personal Tutor. Never once do I feel sick or bored nor a tinge of regret for not venturing to more promising career paths with the guarantee of better salaries. The experience and knowledge that I garner here are far too priceless. In my line of work, I have the rare opportunity to reach out to handicapped, abused, neglected, problematic, slow learners, local as well as expatriate students. Apart from these, I am also a mother of three teenagers aged 12 (going 13), 15 and 17. Juggling between my career and parenthood is more of a breeze than a challenge as they complement each other in many ways. They both deal with moulding and shaping up lives of our future generation, providing them with a positive threshold for their emotions and being there in their times of needs especially during their impressionable years.
Till today, if I happened to bump into any of my ex-students who have now successfully become "ustazah" or teachers themselves or perhaps a number of certain individuals, previously in my care, who managed to pull through life's ordeals and emerged better students, I could not help but express my praise and gratitude to Allah for showing me the true meaning of faith, perseverance, tolerance and satisfaction.
Food for thought ...
No comments:
Post a Comment