My Teaching Career (Si Ling Secondary 1988 - 1992)

Si Ling Secondary Part 1
When I met Mr Barjan Singh on the first day, his first sentence was " Were you lost in the Woods?"
The next four years in this unassuming school was an eye opener as well as frustrating. Mr Singh was trying to be ahead of his time all the time but I believed that most of us were not too sure whether we were on the right route or direction. Some of his initiatives include having Class Home Room. Every teacher had their own room where pupils would make their way to for lessons. As there were more teachers than rooms, some teachers have to share. The teachers were urged to stock all their resources in the room. the disadvantage was the loss of time when pupils dilly dally on their way to the next classroom. It was abandoned after 2 years.
Anothe initiative was TAP known as Teachers as Parents. At-risk pupils were identified and matched with teachers - about 3-4 pupils to a teacher. In the morning, these pupils would go to specially arranged venues to meet the teachers and discussed about their school progress and problems, if any. It was done with good intentions but it did not last too.
Bangra Dance and hockey were given prominence and promoted in the school.
The biggest project then was to decorate the whole school's walls with 'quotes and inspirational sayings' Lots of acrylic sheets were ordered and many pupils were taken from classes to make these signs on the acrylic sheets which will then be hung up along the walls and parapets and any blank space around the school. It was a nightmare as pupils lost curriculum time and there was not enough budget (it weas not even budgeted, I think) to purchase the acrylic sheets. A lot of pupils were not supervised and as a result, there was mayhem. There were even pupils camping up at the water tank area during curriculum hours. They were discovered only when some people at the neighbouring blocks called the school to expose the roof top dwellers.
However, in such a turbulent time, the school produced a national soccer player in the form of Nazri Nasir, who became the Captain of the national team. I remembered him to be a well behaved and quiet boy even though he was in the National team then.