A Tribute to Math Teachers

Having been teaching Math since 1989, I am suddenly nostalgic about the days when I was the one learning the Math. Here, I am, tutoring students so that they may, if not excel, do well in the subject. The reason in setting up The Student Center is to develop personal skills in youths. Academic subjects such as English and Mathematics, and of course Science, seem to be a struggle for many students these days. I believe part of personal development is not only academic skills, but also in Thinking Skills.

It is fortunate that I was able to receive training in these areas: English, Mathematics, Thinking Skills, Teenage Psychology and Counselling. Teaching them as individual subjects is only a part of the skill. I find that I use all of these areas and skills, and they are most advantageous and useful for the teaching of Mathematics.

The use of English pertains to understanding mathematical definitions and concepts. It is not enough to limit oneself to the examples and explanations in the textbooks. Students need to understand how formulas and concepts are derived. It is a way for students to easily remember formulas and concepts – not just by memorisation. There are too many things to memorise. Better to understand and use logic to figure the problems out. Of course, we cannot do away with memorising some formulas, but I see that students do better when they know why they are using the formulas.

I reference many books when I teach, even though it may be for secondary school math topics most of the time. But understanding definitions and explanations in English provides me with more knowledge to enable me to teach ‘intelligently’.

The other skills of my training; thinking skills, psychology and counselling have helped me understand the way students think. It is very true that no one individual is the same, especially in the way they perceive things. The ideas of multiple intelligences are put to the test and are truly applicable when dealing with young, innovative minds…or not so innovative minds we assume, or so it might seem, if we are unaware of these multiple intelligences at work. We usually expect that our students will understand our explanations on a subject and our frustrations overcome us when they do not.

In Math, it is very trying when teaching, for example, a Form 4 student, when the student has not mastered the skills needed as foundation for the continuing skills at hand. We ask why and how the student has gone thus far. Is it the previous teacher’s fault or is it the system to be blamed that the student does not master the necessary skills? Something we would all like the answer to, or what some of us will say they know the answer to.

I would like to give tribute and my gratitude to the Math teachers I had when I was in school. For it was them, who gave me the skills, the attitude and the humour to teach Math for so many years, even now, that I am a Lifestyle Designer and Personal Development Coach. I believe personal development is to have the logic to understand and solve Math problems and problems in life, to have the English skills to be able to articulate in a global environment, the Thinking Skills to be innovative and creative, the Counselling skills to be able to empathise, and the Psychology skills to understand why people act the way they do and be tolerant yet still standing up to personal principles.

To my Math teachers…. Thank You.

Mrs Yap – Math Form 3, Sek Men Perempuan Bukit Kuda, Klang

You taught me that, as girls, we are "a candle in the night, and that there will be no short of boys, who like bugs, will come to the light, so therefore, whenever in time, we like, we can always pick one, at a moment in time when we are ready to choose one". You gave me the confidence and gave me the first start in Math by calling on me to come up to the board to ‘show the other students’ how to solve Math problems, when I didn’t know the answer but I quickly learnt to know the answer because I knew you would call on me.

Miss Ee – Modern Math Form 4, Sek Men Perempuan Bukit Kuda, Klang

You made Modern Math fun and kept my short attention span on the board when you were explaining the concepts, because you would stress a point on the board by poking at it with the chalk until it broke into pieces, and by repeating points and dramatically moving about, writing the equations, waving your arms to get the point through to our ‘thick heads’.

Mrs Sukumari Tan – Additional Math Form 4, Sek Men Perempuan Bukit Kuda, Klang

You taught Additional Math as though it was the easiest subject on earth, by going through the equations step by step with us, only stopping when you hear us falter. You would give me that ‘look’ that would make me realise where I went wrong and right it immediately.

Cikgu Ghani – Modern Math Form 5, Convent Girls’ School, Kajang

Your explanation of Earth’s longitude and latitude lines are embedded in my mind. Mainly due to you being a young, handsome guy teacher teaching in a girls’ school, you were constantly ‘bullied’ by my classmates and you took it in stride and humour.

Dr Beers – Calculus 1, University of Minnesota, Duluth

My first Math class in the USA. My first experience being taught by a ‘mat salleh’ who came to class slurring like he had a couple of beers before coming to class.

Dr Kimura – Combinatorics and other Math subjects, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

You gave me an ‘A’ in Combinatorics and said that I was good enough to compete in a national Math competition. I didn’t believe you at the time, but it felt good knowing that you recommended me.

Dr Burns – Differential Equation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

You were famous for your ‘pop quizzes’. I failed almost everyone of them but remembered getting full marks for one of them 10/10. It was great! When you taught you would make mistakes on the board on purpose to see if we were paying attention and get us to correct them before continuing. I studied exceptional hard for your subject, memorizing the different integration equations and formulas and practised applying them. You gave me an ‘A’ for the subject. I have since appreciated Calculus and the workings of the equations and it is now one of my favourite subjects.

There are many more Math teachers whom I have had the privilege to be a student. I may not remember them, as the ones I have mentioned above, but nevertheless, I believe that everyone who has taught me has had an impact on me somewhat as to whom I am today.

Thank you all.

It Is a Challenge to Succeed by Jim Rohn

I come upon articles and words of wisdom from friends, always and miraculously at moments when I need them. Life is a struggle and filled with challenges. It is important to surround ourselves with people and resources to keep us motivated and provide the support for us to go on and discover life. I share another of Jim Rohn's philosophy with you...

It Is a Challenge to Succeed

It is a challenge to succeed. If it were not, I’m sure more people would be successful, but for every person who is enjoying the fruit from the tree of success, many more are examining the roots. They are trying to figure it all out. They are mystified and perplexed by what seems to be some strange, complex and elusive secret that must be found if ever success is to be enjoyed. While most people spend most of their lives struggling to earn a living, a much smaller number seem to have everything going their way. Instead of just earning a living, the smaller group is busily engaged in designing and enjoying a fortune. Everything just seems to work out for them, while the much larger group sits in awe at how life can be so unfair, complicated and unjust.

“I am a nice person,” the man says to himself. “How come this other guy is happy and prosperous and I’m always struggling?” He asks himself, “I am a good husband, a good father and a good worker. How come nothing seems to work out for me? Life just isn’t fair. I’m even smarter and willing to work harder than some of these other people who just seem to have everything going their way,” he says as he slumps into the sofa to watch another evening of television. But you see you’ve got to be more than a good person and a good worker. You’ve got to become a good planner, and a good dreamer. You’ve got to see the future finished in advance.

You’ve got to put in the long hours and put up with the setbacks and the disappointments. You’ve got to learn to enjoy the process of disciplines and of putting yourself through the paces of doing the uncomfortable until it becomes comfortable. You’ve got to be prepared and willing to attack the challenges if you want the success because challenges are part of success. Now that may sound like a full menu of activities, but let me assure you that the process of going from average to fortune isn’t really all that difficult. Thinking about it is the difficult part. Anticipating all the effort and the changes and the disciplines is far worse in the mind than in reality. I can promise you that the challenges you’ll meet on the road to success are far less difficult to deal with than the struggles and the disappointments that come from being average. Confronting and overcoming challenges is an exhilarating experience. It does something to feed the soul and the mind. It makes you more than you were before. It strengthens the mental muscles and enables you to become better prepared for the next challenge.

I’ve often said that to have more, we must first become more, and to become more, we must begin the process of working harder on ourselves than we do on anything else. But in addition to gathering new knowledge, new skills and new experiences, it is also important to discover new emotions. It is how we feel about what we know that makes the biggest difference in how our lives turn out. How we feel about the chances we have and the choices we have determines the intensity of our effort. Whether we try or don’t try. Join or don’t join. Believe or don’t believe.

I’d like for you to discover some strong feelings about your life and about what you want to do with that life. You probably have much of the knowledge and a lot of the experience and perhaps most of the skills that it takes to become successful. What you may be lacking are the strong feelings about what you want and what you want to do. You may be one of those who have become so involved in the process of earning a living that you’ve forgotten about the choices and the chances you have for designing your own life.

Let these strong feelings help you take a second look at your life and where you’re headed. After all, you’ve only got one life, at least on this planet. So why not make it an adventure in achievement? Why not discover what you can do and what you can have? Why not discover how many others you can help, and in the process, how that can help you?

Why not now take the Challenge to Succeed!

For more info and words of wisdom from Jim Rohn, go to the officials site:
http://www.jimrohn.com/

Confidence: You Only Sell You

This article’s focus is on self-confidence and self-esteem. In my opinion, there is nothing more important than your belief in your own potential for success and happiness, regardless of your age, gender, ethnicity, looks, education or background. The truth is, every day you only sell you. You don’t sell products or a business concept. You sell the value of the person offering the products and services. The decision of the buyer is based on the value of the seller. Just as products are branded as “the best,” “cheap,” “ineffective,” “trustworthy” or “unreliable,” so, too, are individuals branded by others as “winners” or “also-rans.” Who you are shouts so loudly that people either can’t hear, don’t want to hear, or listen carefully to what you are saying. Everybody loves a winner, and we all want to buy from winners who pass their own value on to us.

Self-confidence isn’t something you were born with. It’s something you develop. Many of us were cultivated like weeds as children. We played inferior roles to the adults around us, who frequently reminded us of our faults and shortcomings more than our successes and abilities.

If you had that type of childhood, as I did, you face a special challenge in building up your self-confidence as an adult. Here are some basic points to remember about yourself:

Realize that the most important opinion about you is the one that you hold. Ultimately, nobody else is responsible for your life but you. Nobody else is accountable for your actions but you. Therefore, nobody’s opinion about you is more important than yours.

Recognize that the most important conversations are the ones you have with yourself. Whether or not you are aware of it, you have a running conversation with yourself from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep. Your thoughts and ideas are “you talking to you.” Have daily conversations with yourself that are supportive and reinforcing. We know the value of talking to people who praise us, reward us, recognize us, are happy to see us, and let us know they genuinely enjoy talking with us. Talk to yourself with those same qualities—silently as well as audibly.

Develop a strong system of internal values. Weigh what you hold to be true, good and lasting. Write down some of your values for periodic review. Read material that reinforces what you hold to be significant in life. Know what you believe and why you believe it. At times, have discussions—even debates—with yourself. Draw conclusions about life. Think about deeper issues. Your values will greatly affect how you relate to others. The stronger your values are, the greater the impact. If you are lacking in internal values, you will tend to draw from and even use other people to try to mimic their behaviors, if only superficially. Instead, seek to become a model, one who can help and give strength to others.

Don’t reinforce your failures. Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street. Failure is a temporary setback, not a residence. Failure is a learning experience, not a person. Like success, failure is a growth process, not a status. Don’t wallow in your mistakes. Correct them and move forward.

Don’t demand perfection of yourself. An A is usually awarded to the person who scores 90 percent or better, and sometimes the score doesn’t need to be that high. Professional basketball players only make half their shots. Professional quarterbacks complete only half their passes, and professional baseball players reach first base less than 40 percent of the time, and that includes walks. And we all know what our averages are in picking stocks to invest in that are always going up. That would be never! Give your best effort every day and keep racheting it up and forward. Perfection is not only totally unrealistic to expect and virtually impossible to achieve, but it greatly deters your ability to move forward. The person who constantly looks over his or her shoulder at what might have been done better can’t possibly be focused on the future. Drive with your eyes ahead; don’t drive by concentrating on the rearview mirror.

Give each job or task your best effort. Countless individuals say, when confronted with a chore, “I’m too good to be doing this.” They have contempt for their current situation and position, and get discouraged easily. Success is an accumulation of what you do in the minutes of each day. No task is too unworthy to do well. There are no small parts—only small actors.

View the big picture of life. Step back from the landscape of your life today and take a long walk, ride a bike, or just sit silently, observing the wonder and abundance of God’s creation in nature. You are a part of a much bigger whole. Listen to the subtle rhythms of your environment. Recognize that you have rhythms and cycles of change in your life. Relax and open up to the vast creative and interrelated world around you.

To develop confidence, you must see yourself ultimately as a unique part of creation. You must recognize—with pleasure—that nobody else is just like you. No one else has exactly your temperament, history or experiences. No one else has your footprints, your fingerprints, your voice print or your genetic code. No one else has precisely your set of talents, capabilities and skills. You are one of a kind. The value is there. It just needs to be dusted off and polished.


Reproduced with permission from the Denis Waitley Newsletter.
To Subscribe to Denis Waitley's Newsletter Visit deniswaitley.com
© 2010 Denis Waitley International. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Student Center April 2010 Promotion - Free Membership

What options do students have to find a decent and safe place to study, discuss or do assignments? Many stay on campus in hostels or rent houses which are unfurnished, and most share their rooms with roommates or housemates. Those lucky enough to have a room on campus have the privilege of studying in their rooms, but where to go if there is a group discussion or if your roommate is not a coursemate?

Some will go to the public library, whilst some prefer a less formal environment where there are drinks and snacks. Most would want WIFI or any kind of internet service as many have notebooks and assignments which have to be typed out and researched online. I've seen many at mamak stalls, restaurants, coffee shops and most of all, 'ye olde faithful' McDonalds.

The Student Center provides an alternative place to study, do assignments, or discuss, in an environment which is safe, private, conducive and somewhat exclusive, though not unaffordable for students.

This month of April, The Student Center is giving free membership (worth RM50) to students to come visit and try the Center as a place of learning; either individually or in groups.




A view of The Student Center; enabling integrative learning for the multiple intelligences - formal and informal environments to fit individual learning styles. Food and beverage also available at The Student Center mini Cafe.

Please contact Pn Faizah, 017-372 1522, to register for our April promotional Privilege Membership.

The Student Center News ~ Spring Issue 2010

SPM 2010 Add Math Schedule and Fees

The SPM Additional Math weekly class schedule is as follows:

Classes to begin on Friday, 12th February, 8pm-10pm, and every Friday onwards until the SPM examinations. We shall cover all topics in Form 4 and Form 5.

Fees are per topic, ranging from RM30 (weekly topic), RM50 (2 week topic), RM80 (3 week topic) or a combination of relevant topics. Refer to the schedule for a list of topics and the dates. Fees are to be paid at the beginning of each class for each topic. There will be no refunds for partial attendance.

There is no registration fee, however, students are required to purchase the suggested reference book, costing about RM25, for exercises and assignments.

Students are required to complete the assignments and hand them in within the due dates to be assessed and marked. This is to ensure that students understand the lesson and have acquired the skills and competency for answering examination questions. Only students who have completed or attempted to completed and handed in the assignments are eligible for extra one-on-one instruction during clinic hours upon request and by appointment.

The SPM Add Math Class Schedule:



Please do not hesitate to contact Cikgu Faizah at 017-372 1522 should you have further queries.

PMR 2010 Mathematics Class Schedule and Fees

Here is the PMR Mathematics Class Schedule. Classes are set to begin on Saturday, 13th February, 8pm to 10pm and every Saturday night onwards until the PMR examinations.

Fees for the classes are per topic, ranging from RM30 for each topic (weekly topics) to RM50 for longer topics (or a combination of relevant topics) which take 2 weeks to complete. Fees are to be paid at the beginning of each class for each topic. There will be no refunds for partial attendance.

There is no registration fee, however, students are required to purchase the suggested reference book, costing about RM25, for exercises and assignments.

Throughout this year, we shall cover all topics in Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 prior to the students taking the PMR examinations. There will be an assessment handout given to students to ensure that they have grasped the basic mathematical operations. If not, then one-on-one appointments, during clinic times,will be given free of charge, as supplement to the classes.

Only students who have paid, attended, completed and handed in the required assignments are eligible to have one-to-one instruction during clinic hours, upon request and by appointment.



For further information or queries, feel free to directly contact Cikgu Faizah, 017-372 1522.