My Unfinished Good Will Hunting
In 1999, I got a temporary teaching job at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Iskandar Shah in Parit. The Pengetua was the same Pengetua at Sekolah Menengah Sayong when I studied there. Neat, eh. But, there was something even more neat. Even though I was there for only two months, something from the school stuck with me till now.
One of my teaching assignment was English for class 2E. There were 5 classes for second formers; the first class being A. The students were assigned classes according to their aptitude. Or was it achievement? Any how, it meant I was stuck with the lower end of the ability spectrum.
The class can easily be a nightmare. Teaching English is very difficult when half of the students struggled with basic literacy. They seemed more interested with anything but lessons. Being the young fresh graduate back then, I tried to do my job with as much optimism as possible. Admittedly, I did not have a ‘To Sir With Love’ moment. I was not very successful. My only success was with a boy whose full name I can only guess: Azrul.
He was the class monitor of 2E. He has the brawn that perhaps explained his selection as class monitor. I might also add that he actually has some brain. I also sensed that he needed some attention and unconditional positive regard. Once, I challenged the class to complete a homework. I offered a reward of belanja makan to whomever to first turn in the homework. The next day that I entered the class, the first thing that he did was handed in his exercise book.
“Sir, dah siap”, he said.
In my eyes, I see a boy with a lot of potentials. Unfortunately, he was stuck at 2E for some reasons or another. I learned that he had a ‘reputation’ among the teachers. Let’s just say he’s no angels in their eyes.
One day he invited me home after school. I took the opportunity to see him in a different environment. I was in for a surprise. I thought the house call was a simple visit. He surprised me by leading me to the kitchen. He more or less forced me to have lunch with him. His parents kept a bit of a distance.
During the visit, he said something that stuck in my head.
“Sir. Sir lah cikgu yang pertama datang ke rumah ni yang tak buat aduan kat mak bapak saya.”
If not for the nonchalant way of him saying it, I might have sobbed then and there. I felt so much from him at that moment. No wonder his parents kept a distance. Perhaps they were wandering what complaints this teacher has for them. No wonder he was an underachiever at school. There weren’t enough nurturance available to him.
Unfortunately, I had lost contact with students from SMKIS. One phone number that I got from the student is no longer active. During the Eid of 2007, I made a visit to Parit. I tried to retrace my steps to Azrul’s house. However, Parit had changed a lot. The school. My former rental house. I did not find his house.
Azrul would be 24 now. My heart longs to know what had become of him. I can only pray and hope for the best. Perhaps, when I return home again, I can make finding him a personal agenda. Not that I want to finish my Good Will Hunting. I simply want to be there for him, if he ever needed me again.
One of my teaching assignment was English for class 2E. There were 5 classes for second formers; the first class being A. The students were assigned classes according to their aptitude. Or was it achievement? Any how, it meant I was stuck with the lower end of the ability spectrum.
The class can easily be a nightmare. Teaching English is very difficult when half of the students struggled with basic literacy. They seemed more interested with anything but lessons. Being the young fresh graduate back then, I tried to do my job with as much optimism as possible. Admittedly, I did not have a ‘To Sir With Love’ moment. I was not very successful. My only success was with a boy whose full name I can only guess: Azrul.
He was the class monitor of 2E. He has the brawn that perhaps explained his selection as class monitor. I might also add that he actually has some brain. I also sensed that he needed some attention and unconditional positive regard. Once, I challenged the class to complete a homework. I offered a reward of belanja makan to whomever to first turn in the homework. The next day that I entered the class, the first thing that he did was handed in his exercise book.
“Sir, dah siap”, he said.
In my eyes, I see a boy with a lot of potentials. Unfortunately, he was stuck at 2E for some reasons or another. I learned that he had a ‘reputation’ among the teachers. Let’s just say he’s no angels in their eyes.
One day he invited me home after school. I took the opportunity to see him in a different environment. I was in for a surprise. I thought the house call was a simple visit. He surprised me by leading me to the kitchen. He more or less forced me to have lunch with him. His parents kept a bit of a distance.
During the visit, he said something that stuck in my head.
“Sir. Sir lah cikgu yang pertama datang ke rumah ni yang tak buat aduan kat mak bapak saya.”
If not for the nonchalant way of him saying it, I might have sobbed then and there. I felt so much from him at that moment. No wonder his parents kept a distance. Perhaps they were wandering what complaints this teacher has for them. No wonder he was an underachiever at school. There weren’t enough nurturance available to him.
Unfortunately, I had lost contact with students from SMKIS. One phone number that I got from the student is no longer active. During the Eid of 2007, I made a visit to Parit. I tried to retrace my steps to Azrul’s house. However, Parit had changed a lot. The school. My former rental house. I did not find his house.
Azrul would be 24 now. My heart longs to know what had become of him. I can only pray and hope for the best. Perhaps, when I return home again, I can make finding him a personal agenda. Not that I want to finish my Good Will Hunting. I simply want to be there for him, if he ever needed me again.
Comments