Time really flies, one year has passed so quickly. Form 4 is definitely an eye-opener as it is not a Honeymoon year or whatsoever. People who have this misconception are absurd, as the gap between Form 3 and Form 4 is vast. People, like me, can’t cope initially and just keep on falling and falling, until a certain point. We have to strengthen our base in Form 4 as next year’s SPM will be tested on what we learnt during Form 4 and Form 5. SPM is a major examination in Malaysia, and most of us, including me, want to pass the SPM will flying and flamboyant colours…
I just want to make my own analysis about the Form 4 subjects, teachers… I love to observe things and write them down before I forget… Maybe some time when I am older, I may look back at this blog and go, “wow, I’ve written so many things!”
Chinese – Oh, the God forsaken subject that I hated the most before entering Form 4. Chinese has always been my Achilles’ Heel even during Form 1. There is something about Chinese that I feel vague about it and cannot fully grasp the richness of the texture of the subject. Plus, the traditional language of Chinese, which is included in our syllabus, adds more frustration for me, as I find myself stuck in translation into simplified Chinese.
Luckily, my Chinese teacher, Miss Lim Gaik Hoon, succeeds in making me to feel what Chinese is all about. She managed to make me feel interested about the subject and actually leaving me wanting to know more about the Chinese. Though I still need to brush up my writing skills, I think I’ve grown to learn more and to love more my mother tongue.
English – I’m not trying to brag here, but I think my English is far better than my Chinese. Maybe it’s because I’m used to speaking the international language with my family members since young. I love English, I love to explore the vocabulary in English which will lave me awed and amazed. I wouldn’t say that my writing skills are good, I would just say that it is satisfactory. My grammar can be off at times if I am not careful enough. Sometimes, we tend to make mistakes when we are too over-confident at simple, petty stuffs.
My English teacher, Madam Khoo Ee Lin, is a good teacher. Her English is far better than mine. Her quotes in class are “Eh, hello!” and “Hey boys!” Ah, just step into my class and you’ll understand. She told us that she was once a hostile teacher but learned to control her tempers over the year. I think that’s something I need to learn, to control my anger inside of me that I don’t vent it out onto someone. She can be a bit long-winded a bit, but she cares for us deep down.
Malay – The oh-so national language of Malaysia that requires every student to learn. It’s a good thing, at least we can learn an extra language than the other overseas. wakakax. Screw you, cause I don’t like the subject, the vocabulary and grammar are annoying and endless… it seems that you can’t learn this subject at all, you need more practice, I guess. My writing skill is atrocious and I need to solely rely on the notes given to mimic the style of writing. I can’t write on my own… y’all trying to kill me if you are to take away my precious notes…
My Malay teacher, Mr Wong Cu Min is the first male Malay teacher that teaches me. He is Chinese and although he comes across as a stoic person, he has a sense of humour of his own which sometimes we get it, and sometimes we don’t. He is cool in a way that he doesn’t pressure us with tons of homework everyday…He is also my form teacher.
Modern Mathematics – Careless is the word that I can relate to when I think of both Add Math and Modern Mathematics. One little detail can change the whole thing. If you are careless at the first step, then you can say bye bye to full marks. Chung Ling students are famous for outstanding achievement in Mathematics. I can hear a lot of people getting full marks for the paper. I was like, how in the fricking hell can you get full marks? I get paranoid easily when it comes to calculations. I’m always not confident with my answer and have to rely on my friends. During exam, I sweat a lot… I think that this answer maybe wrong, then afterwards, I think that my answer is correct again. The mental stress that I have when I do Mathematics exercise is terrifying me.
Madam Ooi Soo Wei, the pregnant teacher, is my Modern Math teacher. She is very sweet and has an adorable smile, though she can be a bit “emo” at times. Do pregnant ladies get emo? I don’t know… She likes to interact with students when she teaches the lesson. She makes sure that everyone does their homework by checking at specific days. Of course, we like to run around to avoid the checking… She is funny when she speaks with her soft, squeaky voice in class. An adorable teacher, indeed. Too bad she is going to give birth to her baby soon… (can’t see her for a short while) I wish her all the best.
Biology – One of my favourite subjects in Form 4. I don’t like to memorize the facts only which makes my head turn right round, right round. What makes this subject interesting for me, is that we can learn many new things about the biological things around us, such as the function of different cells and the systems inside our body. It is amazing for us to know that may come in handy for us in the future. My Biology has been quite average for me this year and I wish that I can improve more during Form 5. You sometimes have to the risk while reading Biology selectively. Unless you have an enormous brain to fit everything in, you have to do some selective reading, and make sure you study the correct one.
Madam Pang Kee Tin, a recent mother, is my Biology teacher. I think she manages to teach us Biology without putting us to sleep. She teaches for a while and lets us to rest for a while to absorb what she thought. She does her own notes, which I like it, to ease our burden to take another text book for school. She is funny and caring also.
Chemistry – This subject requires 50 % memorization and 50 % calculation. I think this subject is fun when you can fully grasp the idea and the formulae well but if you don’t, you will be in deep shit because the whole subject requires you to understand and fully command a certain area. Till now, I’m not really good at understanding electrolysis, which terminal is positive or negative, and the quantitative analysis of different salt. These things just make me go haywire sometimes.
We changed a total of three teacher for this subject. My recent teacher, shown in the picture above, is Mr Chow Chee Kit, an ex-Chung Ling student. Don’t mess around with him, for he was a Chung Ling student before. He is not that strict but when he is desperate to get our attention, he will show his true colours. Although he is not very pro in Chemistry (but in Biology), he makes an effort to teach so that we may understand this subject, which I admire him.
Additional Mathematics – I was not so sure about where I stood in this subject, for it is a new subject to me. It has been a rollercoaster ride for me because I often find myself tangled between the complicated and challenging questions in the subject. I really feared throughout the year that I will FAIL for this subject as many had had. Luckily, I managed to stay in the average throughout the year but Chung Ling is famous for clever Math students la. I did well in the first and third paper but did not do so well in the second paper. Let us that I can do well for the final exam.
Mr Ang Chin Han, is my Additional Mathematics teacher, who loves to put technology into good use. Though he put his heart into this project, he always seems to forget what he prepared sometimes, which I find it quite amusing. All he got to do is press the keys and teach us, what a good way to not waste the inks of marker pens. The only thing I find is, that Mr Ang is very kind, too kind indeed. He does not scold the playful boys from behind, but keep advising them to tone down. I pity him sometimes for being so helpless to find out that the boys do not heed his advice.
Physics – A love-hate relationship do I have with his subject. This subject requires more brains to do this, rather than just memorize the details. I’m not a fan of tons of formulae and it takes a toll of me as I almost FAIL this subject twice in a row, and the feeling is not good at all! To apply which formulae on which question is what makes me so frustrating at times. My friends are all treating Physics like a piece of cake or a tank of water because they think that all it needs is brain, which I obviously don’t have at all. I simply don’t understand how the hell my friends can fully grasp this almost impossible subject.
Another Chung Ling alumni, Mr Choong Wai Leong teaching me Physics this year. Rumours has spread around the school lately, but I think how he dealt with the punches was quite good. I think the reason why we didn’t like him so much as the other teacher because of his lack of experience in teaching. I think he can improve a lot better by putting himself out there and be much more confident with himself. And, sometimes when he jokes, we don’t get them and maybe we really misunderstood him. I’m of no power to criticize anybody, so I just go wherever the wind takes me next year…
History – I absolutely love to read History since Form 2 because I happened to get a very good teacher that really encourage me to study this subject. To learn the subject, is to learn about the past and remember them so that we don’t repeat what mistakes they made. It is also our great opportunity to understand what our ancestors did to fight for independence for this nation. Yes, maybe we maybe we will fret, complain, moan about the endless history of a certain topic, but we are privileged enough to learn something that others may not. History requires 100 % memorization and 100 % ONLY! Learn the concept and memorize the details… Do not hesitate to waste time complaining about the subject.
Madam Wong Ying Pheng is my History teacher for this year, and she also manages to not put us to sleep for this so-called “boring” subjects. She is strict and probably we are the quietest in her class because no one wants to make her mad. She is not the typical “FIERCE” teacher but she is strict enough to discipline the whole class, which I find it very good. At least a quiet environment for me to listen. When she prepares the questions for History paper, you will be shocked to find that what you read normally will not be asked. Instead, she likes to ask us about the “Sudut Maklumat” which we will all miss out.
Moral Education – Great, another SPM subject. All you have to do is to memorize the 36 definitions of good morale values and put them to good use in the questions asked. We changed a total of 4 teachers for this subject. Teaching and learning Moral does not require any specialty to know it well, but the interaction between teacher and students is important for this subject. I wouldn’t say that the subject is much different from primary, is just that the language has just changed from Chinese to Malay. We are definitely exposed to good morale values to be educated for the better.
Miss Jaslyn Khor Wei Ling, which I probably have to confess is one of the prettier teachers in this school. She uses a microphone to teach us, which I find it quite amusing, as she has a small voice also. She has fashionable clothes that she wears it to school and a current hair style. She teaches me Moral Education for 3 months only, and I would say that she really bond well with her students.
Now, this is a tribute to a few of my teacher who have taught me for the past year and will be transferring to another school to another state next year. I will definitely miss them as we shared a year together as a teacher-student relationship.
Madam Yeoh Pheng Geok, used to be “Miss Yeoh” but she is married happily and will be transferring to PJ (if I’m not mistaken) next year. It was a shock to see her being transferred but what could I do? Write a letter to the Principal? lol. She is a devoted and dedicated Christian which I was exposed a lot to Christianity because of her. She taught me a lot and I definitely thank God for her utmost help throughout the year. She is kind and she NEVERS speaks Chinese in my class last year in 3TA5. “I promise the Principal that I would not speak other language other than English!” said Miss Yeoh. At last, I heard her taking Chinese at the last day of school. Thank God! I thought she was unable to speak one Chinese word… haha.
Here’s wishing her all the best in her teaching and happy marriage days…
Madam Yong Pek Ying was my Mathematics teacher when I was in Form 2. I could not find her (which is SAD!) at the last day of school to take a picture with her. Too bad but I remember that she is very adorable and she teaches pretty well. I enjoy being in her class as it was fun yet interesting.
Here’s wishing her all the best too in the future.
Teaches, who have taught me in different years on different occasions, thank you all so much for your endless dedication to educate everyone of us. It must be tough but I believe that everything you do to help us, will bear fruits in the end.
Thank you ,teachers!
Part 3 will be coming to share with you my Gurney outing with my friends later that day. Stay tuned!
Any Comments?