'Idea Market' -- Mr Khoo Teaches The Bernoulli's Principle

'Idea Market'--Sia Peng Yee Throwing Eggs

'Idea Market' -- Mr Khoo's Hand

Tahukah apa yang dipegang oleh En Khoo Boo Khoon dalam tangan beliau? Tangan beliau! Atau, maksud saya model tangan beliau yang dibuat oleh lilin. Beliau menggunakan model ini untuk mengajar petua tangan Fleming. Berapa orang guru Fizik yang mengajar bertahun-tahun, memikirkan idea menggunakan model lilin tangan, yang sebenarnya dibuat dengan mencelupkan tangan yang sebenar ke dalam lilin yang melebur? Idea yang simple tetapi impak adalah besar. En Khoo sebenarnya menyimpan model ini di dalam sebuah kotak yang tertutup. Untuk men'dramatise'kan kesan, beliau memikat perhatian dan minat dengan menjanji sesuatu yang unik dan mengkagumkan akan dikeluarkan dari kotak itu. Peserta (murid-murid jika di sekolah) diminta mmbuat akujanji supaya tidak mengambil sebarang tindakan peguam setelah melihat bahan yang dikeluarkan dari kotak itu. Bayangkan macam-macam pemikiran yang terbentuk dalam minda peserta (atau murid-murid). Saya pun hampir tertipu. Tetapi En Khoo berjaya menarik perhatian semua kepada beliau. Satu strategi yang begitu kreatif. (Akan ceritakan contoh-contoh lain lagi......)

Seminar 'Idea Market'

15 hingga 17 Julai yang lepas merupakan antara tempoh masa yang paling gembira bagi saya. Ini adalah kerana 'Idea Market' Fizik dapat diterjemahkan kepada realiti. Sejak awal-awal lagi saya telah mempromosikan aktiviti-aktiviti yang berbentuk perkongsian idea inovatif berkaitan dengan pengajaran dan pembelajaran (p&p). Saya rasa sudah cukup banyak kursus atau bengkel yang berbentuk rutin atau 'more of the same' dan sampai masa untuk melihat aspek proses p&p dan pedagogi yang berinovatif dan amalan terbaik (best practices). 'Idea Market' merupakan pletfom untuk guru-guru mengongsikan idea-idea atau amalan-amalan inovatif yang telah dibuktikan berkesan dalam proses p&p.

Sememangnya aktiviti seperti ini adalah lebih susah untuk dijalankan berbanding dengan yang rutin seperti membawa dan menggabung bahan menjadi modul yang tidak pasti kesesuaian penggunaannya (kalau kita ambil kira faktor manusia--penyumbang yang sukarela dan 'paksarela'), atau, setakat gabung dan banding keputusan peperiksaan.

Amalan 'Headcount' adalah penting. TOV (take-off value) dan ETR (expected targeted result) adalah penting dan perlu sentiasa ditegaskan. Namun demikian proses p&p untuk menganjakkan markah dari TOV ke ETR perlu diberi ketegasan yang sama baru keputusan yang dihasratkan dapat dicapai. Mudah kata soal 'What' TOV ---> ETR perlu juga diikuti dengan 'How' TOV--->ETR. Sememangnya, yang kedua adalah lebih mencabar. (Oleh itu bahagian ini sentiasa disenyapkan?)

Saya tidak ada jawapan yang memuaskan untuk 'How'. Saya hanya ingin menarik perhatian supaya lebih ramai memikirkan 'How'. Bukankah menjadi fokus sekarang 'Outcome' daripada 'Output'? Biar kita berhadapan dengan masalah yang sebenar---bagaimana menarik minat pelajar untuk belajar. Ya, saya akui, ini bukan perkara yang senang. Tetapi saya hanya berharap, walau pun susah, jangan abaikan 'core-business' ini. Lain kali sebelum sesiapa menjalankan apa-apa kursus untuk guru, selain daripada perkara-perkara stereotaip, saya menyeru, masukkan sedikit komponen 'amalan p&p terbaik', walau pun sedikit---sebagai permulaan. 'Idea Market' merupakan konsep yang boleh diterokai.

Saya harap dapat meneruskan perbahasan isu ini. Saya selalu kata bahawa masalah p&p sains dan matematik bukan setakat bahasa perantaraan sahaja. Ada isu-isu lain yang sama penting, malangnya......

Foto berikut menunjukkan Pn Sia Peng Yee (Guru Cemerlang Fizik dan Pemenang Anugerah Toray) membuat demonstrasi tekanan cecair. Percaya saya, jika semua guru fizik mengajar seperti beliau, kerajaan perlu membina lebih banyak lagi makmal fizik. (Saya akan memberi contoh-contoh lain pada masa akan datang.)

I Am Not Sure

Mathematics and Science will be taught in Bahasa Malaysia from 2012......(The Star, 9-7-2009). Any comment? Have you read what I wrote in the article titled Burning One's Bridges on Sunday, March 8, 2009? We are marching again. Where to? This time....... I am not sure.............

My son asked me : "Papa, you wrote the Physics text book in BM. When they changed to the English medium, you wrote the Physics text book in English. Are you going to write again the Physics text book in BM?" This time..... I am not sure..............

My friends asked me why the sudden decision despite the earlier facts and statistics that supposed to show success in PPSMI? I am not sure......

I am looking for more reasoning and justifications to be able explain to friends, parents and relatives who usually seek my opinion and guidance concerning PPSMI. Until I have enough convincing justification, I probably will just say "I am not sure....". Very soon, I hope, I will be confident and sure enough to give a very convincing explanation to lessen their worry and fear.

Correction And Clarification 5

Issue #9

Are we doing enough to inspire and motivate our students to learn Science and Mathematics? Besides their pop idols, are they exposed to great scientists and mathematicians whose inventions and discoveries have improved the whole world?

Issue #10

Why are there few serious and professional discussions on PPSMI problems at the grass root level? Is it because people are very careful not to create any controversy? Is it because of fear of offending others? Is it because it is safer to mind one's own business? Are we aware that this is not others' but our business?

By the way, the government has just abolished PPSMI (Wednesday, 8-7-2009) and revert to the teaching of science and mathematics back to the using mother-tongue at primary level and Bahasa Melayu for secondary level. However, the debate will not end with this decision.

Correction And Clarification 4

Issue #7

Are PPSMI teachers ready? Do they have enough training or do they need more training? Do they understand why they are paid BISP?
Is the buddy support system effective?

Issue #8

Should the leadership be well-versed in the English language? Or, it is sufficient to tell others to 'do what I say' and not necessary to 'do what I do'? Is there enough help and encouragement from the management to PPSMI teachers besides the usual scrutiny and fact (or even fault) finding? Is it the case that PPSMI teachers are simply not doing enough or, it is more likely that their cries are not heard?

Correction And Clarification 3

Issue #4

Does a teacher need to prepare his own multimedia presentations for some of the PPSMI lessons or the courseware provided by the ministry is sufficient? Multimedia presentations are supposed to make learning easier and more interesting. However, why is it that many Science and Mathematics lessons fail to arouse enthusiasm among students? On top of that, the Science and Mathematics test and examination results have not been indicating sufficient understanding of the subject matter.

Issue #5

Have we been overly emphasizing form rather than substance; ceremony rather than Science?

Issue #6

Do you think it is important for PPSMI teachers to access the Internet? Are there useful materials from the Internet that can help to enhance the quality of teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics? Should the students be given the opportunity to use the Internet? Should students be given Internet-based projects to do?

Correction And Clarification 2

Issue # 2

Don't you think that multimedia time would be better reserved for items or situations not available or possible in the laboratory like the simulation of heart beats, nuclear chain reactions and the occurrence of earthquakes rather than showing items like beakers, hammers, electric bulbs and copper wire?

Issue #3

Sometimes, during the implementation of PPSMI programmes, do we inadvertently set wrong priorities? Are we careful and critical enough to differentiate between 'cosmetic' programmes and those that have high educational values that will benefit the students more? Or, we actually know the difference, except that, we opt for programmes that are easier for us to fill our yearly calendar?

Correction And Clarification 1

Recently I submitted an article titled "Some Interesting PPSMI Issues For Principals To Reflect On" for publication in a journal (Jurnal Pendidikan Persidangan Kebangsaan Pengetua-pengetua Sekolah Menengah Malaysia, Cawangan Johor, Tahun 2009). When I read through my article in the journal I was shocked by the level of transformation or rather deformation that has occured to my article. Even the title "Some Interesting PPSMI Issues For Principals To Reflect On" was corrupted to become "Some Interesting PPSMI Issues For Principals To Reflection". I was dismayed that the first sentence of the distorted article started with the word 'TGood' (what nonsense is this?). Even some of the captions were truncated. I do know what happened or who was responsible for that deformation. (Please do not blame the viruses, worms or whatever computer devils who/which cannot defend 'themselves'.) Whatever it is as I promised to friends, I will publish the original article in my blog. It is also a way to safeguard myself from being sent to an English language concentration camp for using atrocious English. I know this article will still contain mistakes for the language purists, but at the punishment will be lighter. I will break the article into few parts for easier uploading.

The Article:

SOME INTERESTING PPSMI ISSUES FOR PRINCIPALS

TO REFLECT ON

Article and Illustration

By

YEW KOK LEH

Principal,

SMK Jalan Mengkibol, Kluang

Introduction

The problems related to the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English, or more commonly known as PPSMI, are much talked about. Many controversies have surfaced ever since its introduction a few years ago. More often than not, we hear of superficial suggestions or advice whenever a related problem is being highlighted. Few of these so-called quick fixes have addressed the real issue or provided new insights. Usually the only difference is the rank of the person who speaks. In this article, I merely pick ten issues for discussion. Or rather, it is more of asking probing questions than providing solutions. Neither are these issues exactly new, but then again many of the old issues have not been dealt with satisfactorily in a real sense. Though written in a humorous (hopefully) manner, it is hoped that this article will provoke some serious thinking or rethinking among school principals and super principals with regards to issues concerning PPSMI.

Issue # 1

With all the PPSMI courseware available, is PPSMI as simple as ".... the clicking of the mouse..." as somebody once said? Is the role of a science teacher reduced to that of operating the computer and LCD projector only? Are we sending a wrong signal to teachers when we overemphasise the use of courseware at the expense of 'hands-on' activities?

Teori Dan Amali

Kadang-kadang kita hadiri kursus demi kursus, bengkel demi bengkel berkenaan dengan macam-macam tajuk: kepimpinan, pengurusan, kewangan, urusan murid, menyelesaikan masalah, membuat keputusan, perancangan strategik .....

Kita dibekalkan dengan macam-macam ilmu dan kemahiran untuk membantu kerja kita. Kita macam diberi macam-macam senjata. Kita ditunjuk cara menggunakan senjata-senjata yang canggih. Kadang-kadang kita berpeluang untuk mencuba senjata-senjata tersebut dalam keadaan terkawal.

Akan tetapi, sampai ke tempat kerja kita, kita sering menghadapi cabaran-cabaran yang tidak ternyata dalam buku atau nota 'standard'.

Yang penting ialah bagaimana kita dapat mengaplikasikan ilmu-ilmu yang diperoleh; barangkali dengan ubahsuaian, tambahan dengan kreativiti dan inovasi, 'localised', mencantum pelbagai kemahiran, melihat 'whole picture', keluar dari stereotaip, tidak terlalu 'dogmatic', tidak terlampau birokratik, ......

Kalau tidak, ilmu tetap menjadi ilmu sahaja dan kita menjadi pakar hadir kursus. Setuju atau tidak? Jangan marah. Hanya sedikit pandangan sahaja. Ilmu seperti senjata, adalah penting. Tetapi yang lebih penting bagaimana menggunakan senjata dengan cara yang betul dan optimum untuk mendatangkan kesan yang dihasratkan. Perlu berhati-hati apabila menggunakan senjata-senjata -- Kadang-kadang salahguna boleh mencederakan diri.

Sebelum saya lupa....jangan salah faham. Saya bukan promosi penggunaan senjata api. Hanya satu analogi. Satu latihan minda untuk diri di samping menghiburkan dan mencetuskan pemikiran rakan-rakan yang membaca. Apa komen anda?