Watch This Global Music Video Featuring Malaysia's Students!
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| Celebrating these 18 brave souls who took at shot at this even though several of them weren't fluent in English. Their faces, representing our academically-improving sports school, will forever be immortalized in the video. |
"Lagu nama cikgu?" (What song, teacher?)
"Ada lah. Am." (You'll see. Come.)
"Enda nemu aku. Lagu inggeris..." **while running away** (I can't do it. English songs...)
Not too long ago I wrote about the challenges I faced recruiting students for a public speaking competition in English. While I was training students for the competition, an opportunity for the students at my school to participate in an international music video production by Global Malaysian Network materialized & I pounced on it like a hungry cougar. I knew that my students could sing very well & I was desperate to use their interest in singing & their desire to be instafamous to spark a non-existent culture of English at school. (I know this because I just finished conducting the HIP survey at my school.) I wanted my students to see their peers singing in English in a cool music video that was produced overseas & think that speaking English isn't so bad after all.
Then, I remembered all of the other schools in Malaysia that would also benefit from this opportunity & negotiated successfully for a nationwide call for submissions rather than a invitation-only production. Then, regular teachers like ourselves & adiwiras like Cikgu Yasmin, Cikgu Korea, Cikgu Hailmi, GB Firdauz, & Cikgu Nazmi generously donated social media influence to help promote the initiative, especially to states & territories that have not signed up. In the end, 77 primary & secondary schools from across Malaysia signed up!
I thought that my students would relish the opportunity to sing & be part of an international music video. Little did I know that they would literally run away from an attractive teacher at the slightest notion of having to use the horrible language, "Engl*sh". Ladies & gentlemen, the fear is REAL. Nonetheless, I was able to either sweet talk or twist the arms of 18 brave souls. They practiced with me every morning at 6.45am & spent the entire Labor Day morning doing both the video & audio recording with me. I am so thankful for these 18 students & I believe they will find a lot of pride & joy with their appearance in the final video production (beginning at 1:50).
As a result of the creativity of Malaysians around the globe, I present to you the "Our Home Our Dream - Student Edition" music video by Global Malaysian Network. I'm excited to say that 5 schools from both RURAL & urban Sarawak participated in this video! 😍😍😍
Let me conclude by asking what is today's date? It's May 13. 😲😱
What do you think of when this date is mentioned? 🙊😥
It's no coincidence that this video was launched on May 13. It's no coincidence that our 25k+ Global Malaysian Network Facebook group, seeded by the camaraderie of global Malaysians from the Global Malaysian Amazing Race, was formed on May 13.
After 50 years, it's time we redefined what this date represents. Instead of using the date to divide our people, let's celebrate demonstrations of unity & perseverance of Malaysians from all across the globe. Water what you want to grow. May 13 reminds us that we need to stand together, more than ever, unity & diversity, regardless of race or religion.
Happy Unity Day, Malaysia!
