FATIMAH AZ ZAHRAH

Poetry

The Giver

My deepest gratitude to,

the Moon and the Sun, 

I grew up,

not knowing how it actually feels,

living in darkness.

And to the Stars, 

for all the times, 

I actually experience darkness,

for lighting up the way, 

you let me stroll,

until the end of the tunnel, 

not collapsing on the ground, 

not even once. 

To my teacher, 

your praiseworthy efforts, 

light up my world, 

nowhere near than what the Moon, 

the Sun,

and the Stars do, 

you impart knowledge, 

I stuff them all down. 

Now all I know, 

people are desperate to have me, 

for them to offer a substantial fortune, 

till I am drown in choices,

I know for sure, 

not me that they needed,

but the knowledge that you have given me,

which I have not thank you enough.  

Prose fiction 

Unbeatable profession

“I want to be a teacher when I grow up!” said most of the pupils from 3 Cekal with their hands raised high. As a teacher, I could say that their answers were very pleasing and heart-warming. I was in front of my laptop doing assignments in the staff room when I heard someone called my name. I stopped typing and looked around. It was Madam Aisyah, my mentor during School-Based Experience (SBE), “I want to inform you that I won’t be around tomorrow. Can you please enter some of my classes tomorrow? You can teach them something if you want to or if you don’t want to, you can at least practice classroom management. If you agree, I will inform Encik Hamidi that I will have you to relief my classes for tomorrow.” I was so excited that I was having hard time controlling my face expression, at least to stop smiling because I have been doing it for 2 minutes straight. I was so bored sitting in the staff room doing assignments which I could do at home or in campus. My sole aim during SBE was to gain experience. “Finally! Thank God!” I accepted her offer. I went home and started to prepare teaching and learning activities for Year 3 pupils. I decided to teach Unit 10: People Around Me as I am used to that topic. I did my macro teaching on that topic once. 

My lesson started. Plain white papers distributed to each pupil. I walked around the class while they were busy drawing and coloring their dream job on the blank paper given. “Doctors, engineers, pilots, these kids sure aim for those cool occupations,” I said to myself. Those large amount of remunerations. “Oh, I won’t settle down for that, I’d do anything to turn back time.” I was so immersed in my thoughts that I did not realize I only have five minutes left before the bell rings. I asked everyone to stop drawing or coloring and start listening to me. “What a nice drawing you all have come out with,” I told them. Before I walked out of the class, I asked them, “I see most of you wanted to become a doctor, you made a wise choice.” The pupils did not give any respond to my statement. Out of curiosity, I asked them “How many of you want to be a teacher when you grow up?” I smiled as I went out of the class. “Teaching is a noble profession anyway, I shouldn’t ask for more.” 

Prose non-fiction 

Date: 5^thof April 2019

            Waking up early in the morning, get dressed, put my make up on and drive to school. Imparting knowledge to pupils, spend my recess time eating canteen food with them, do fun activities with those adorable schoolchild, coloring and all – well, at least that was how I pictured my first day of school. How exciting. Turned up to be that my first day was nowhere near my expectation. Sometimes reality is not as good as dream. On the first day itself, I was given a task by Madam Lisa, the English teacher of 5 Amanah, to help her to train her pupils for the upcoming action song competition which will be held by the end of the week. I took the challenge and determined to give the best that I could to help them win the competition. All my free time was spent watching YouTube videos on action songs competition among primary school pupils. I compiled and took all the eye-catchy dance moves and choreographed the action song for 5 Amanah. I spent hours training them, putting aside how exhausted I was. I was able to see their positive progress since day one until the day before the competition, they were able to sing the song more well-ordered as a group and their dance moves became  sharper and smoother. The pupils themselves were so elated with their outstanding achievement. I guessed it was true when people say practice makes perfect. I totally agree with that, I witnessed one.  I was so excited to go to school every morning because I knew there were pupils waiting for me with their hands wide open to welcome me to their practice session. 

One day before the day of the competition, I was called by Madam Fizah, the head of English language department, to be the judge for the action song competition. I was stunned. How was I supposed to be a good judge when all I wanted was for my beloved pupils of 5 Amanah to hold the gold-colored trophy. I had no choice but to say yes to the task given by Madam Fizah. I cannot stop thinking on how can I treat the pupils fairly. I knew I should not be biased in judging the competition. Each and every class did their best in coming out with amazing performance. I repeatedly told myself that the best deserves to win. I should judge them fairly. I was drowning in my own thoughts that I forgot to attend 5 Amanah pupils’ practice session that day.

The day passed and it was finally the day of the competition, it was raining heavily that morning. The weather sure knew how I was feeling that day, sad that it was my last day in school and scared as I was going to be the judge that day, a role I was never assigned my whole life. As I entered the staff room, I heard from the teachers that the action song competition was cancelled that day and it was going to be postponed to the next Monday. When I heard that news, I rushed to class 5 Amanah. All I could do that time was saying sorry that I did not come for the practice yesterday. I still remember their broad smiles and they even said that it was okay and that I already done so much for them. I was so touched. I wished them the best of luck before I went out of the class. Until today, I cannot stop thinking and wondering whether they did well or not in the competition and whether they win the competition or not. I am missing them so much and it does not matter what place they got in the competition, they still win first place in my heart.