Jarod Yong

Many new teachers who will get posted into the Malaysian national school system have asked me what advice I have to give them. Well, I have summed all I have to say into 5 tips. Let me put it here so that I dont have to repeat myself indefinitely. =) #5 Go Wherever You are Sent This is probably the last thing you want to hear but I realise that good teachers are in short supply everywhere in this country. It is also my heartfelt belief that a good teacher will be a good teacher regardless of location. Furthermore, every teacher has something unique to offer to the school they enter. Do not be afraid of a place just because of hearsay. Do not judge prematurely. Go & experience the school for yourself. Try it out for a year. Work on it before you decide to call it quits. #4 Brace Yourself When you first arrive at school, you will carry a ‘ donkey ’ label on your head. Chances are... You will receive the most brain-dead jobs in the school that other teachers do not w

taken from pinkcakebox.com First of all... YAHOOO!!!! YEEHAAA!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Yes, you guessed it... It’s the holidays!!! HOHOHOHOHHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!! Yes, being a teacher has not taken the joy out of holidays. No, dear students, we do not enjoy prowling around in school. Yes, teachers are also capable of fun & some really stupid things. No, you may not do the same in our presence. 2009 will be remembered in history. It’s my 1st year as an overseas graduate. It’s my 1st year in the workforce. It’s my 1st year as a full-fledged teacher. It’s my 1st year making my own money & spending it anyhow or anywhere I like... YES!! It has also been a really challenging year. I was placed in a school in the middle of the jungle accessible only by water. I suffered a year of lousy internet & no cell-phone coverage. I worked with students who have little interest & ability in my subject matter. I had to

It's finally out! Here is a picture of the 2009 Empurau Magazine of SMK Katibas! Those of you who are close to me would have heard my squeaks & creaks on how hard I worked on this magazine to make it work... ALONE ! The person who was supposed to give me the biggest support simply  refused to give me any help! Although I did most of the work myself, there were several other individuals who came up to me & offered their help. For these people, I am thankful. Without them, this magazine wouldn't be as good as it is today. Without them, I'd already be a burnout psycho teacher murdering 'bad' teachers. Now that I finally have the magazine in my arms, I dare say that I am proud of my baby. He has come out looking like a great piece of art. All the months of slaving overtime  unpaid just to get the information right & painstaking making sure that every page is exactly how it is supposed to be has paid off. The people who have read magazines f

Ever since I got my SLR, I've been the designated photographer for my school. I have been called upon to take photos of almost every person & literally every event. It's as if a whole new world of imagery has opened up for the residents of my school. Another probable motivating factor is... I snap for a zero fee! Every time I look through the pictures taken after a photo-shoot or after an event, I cant help but notice that I do not exist in any of them. Then, I'd pause & feel my heart break over the thought that I would never ever have a recorded memory of the event with my face in it. Everybody would be exclaiming with glee & discussing excitedly how ridiculous they looked in the photos but they'd still copy the photos & cherish then. As for me, I have nothing to cherish. It's only me & the fleeting memories I have difficulty retaining. Often I'd be having dinner or taking a nap & then a photograph would pop into my head...