The world of Tzu Chi Nov-Dec 2022 (Vol.144)

TZU CHI 144 11 demeanour, interacting with the students like a big brother. He would listen to them sharing about their studies and life, and encourage them to maintain a positive outlook whenever they felt down or encountered problems in their homework. “Work hard, be brave, and never give up! I have faith in you! Keep it up!” He raised their morale. He remarked, “Even though I was getting along better and better with the students, I would still request them to be attentive in class, stay on the topic and not to interrupt when I was teaching. I believe that part of being a teacher is knowing when to be relaxed and when to take things seriously. This is crucial in guiding the students well.” The nine-month journey has enabled Teacher Chor to develop the skills to be a good teacher. Rakin’s transformation and learning progress have also given him great encouragement and motivation. He recalled that in the beginning, Rakin lacked confidence in his ability to learn the Malay language. He had a limited vocabulary, was unable to read many words and construct sentences, and would hesitate to respond to questions. Nevertheless, with constant encouragement and guidance, he was able to pay attention to class, make an effort to complete his homework and ask questions when he was in doubt. Rakin’s Malay language skills has advanced by leaps and bounds. He was even selected by his school to compete in a Malay poetry recital contest. Although he did not win any medal, it was evident that his proficiency in Bahasa Melayu has reached a higher level. Even more gratifying is the fact that he now names Malay, English, and Mandarin as his top three favourite subjects. It made Teacher Chor proud as his tuition teacher. Finally, I have the uniform! In August this year, when volunteer Ten Chee Hean learned that Rakin had chosen Taekwondo for extracurricular activity, but could only attend practice sessions in normal sportswear due to financial constraints, he immediately tried to look for a set of uniform for the boy through volunteers’ chatgroups. With the uniform, Rakin becomes more confident. His mother was glad and proud to see him practising moves in the uniform. She also felt grateful that his son has met a good teacher and a group of caring volunteers. Photo by Ten Chee Hean “i ∙ didik” Programme