This year's PSLE has just been announced. The student with the record breaking high score of 294 has just been interviewed on TV.
And this has brought back the bittersweet memory of my student years.
As a student, I was never part of the elite high achiever. In other words, I was just an average student. Really, I was only 6/10 student! No exaggeration here. Usually, I would score so low during the first semester. Mom would get so upset, and started to preach me about the importance of education in my life. I would cry and promised that I would study harder.
Somehow, miraculously, in the second semester, I would score better, and somehow, I did not have to repeat the class.
The next year, I would follow the same cycle of grades volatility.
Having said that, I was not part of the top 10 in the class. But I would not be in the lowest 10 as well. I was average. AVERAGE!
I would expect, luck has something to do with my result. When I was dealing with multiple choice question, no denial, I could easily guess the answer. So, I shamefully admit, I was one lucky gal when it came to studying. That is, until the school ruled out that wrong answer should be be negatively marked. Who came up with such ruling? That was so cruel. Anyway, it turned out that such ruling could not tame me. I still moved on to next class.
These are the list of subject that I hated back then, in no particular order:
1. Math
This should include algebra, geometry, mathematical logic (logika matematika, are the Indonesian teachers just making this subject up? This is a senseless subject. Example: Budi is stupid. Budi is rich. So, rich people are stupid. Where is the logic?)
2. Biology.
I hate memorizing all those latin terminology. And since I have sworn that I would never be a doctor, no incentive for me to learn biology at all. The only latin name of plant that still sticks in my brain is: Aloe Vera. And I did not learn it from my Biology lesson. I learned it from TV ad.
3. Chemistry.
Again, I have no idea why I should remember that gold is Au for Aurum.
4. Physics.
Why should it be a closed book test? I could not remember any of the formula that I needed to memorize prior to the exams. None! Well, maybe E=MC2. Then again, everyone knows that.
5. Bahasa Indonesia
Asam kandis asam gelugur. Kedua asam di riang-riang. Menangis badan di pintu kubur. Teringat badan belum sembayang.
(Loose translation: kandis tamarind, gelugur tamarind ( I have no knowledge of these 2 kinds of tamarind). Both tamarind...something. Cry does the body, in front of the grave. When the body remembers the prayerless life)
Holly cow, I still could remember the above..what do you call it..puisi or sajak or sanjak or haiku..scarry!
6. History
We learn from the history that we've never learned anything from history. So, why bother.
7. Moral Education.
It's should be applied, not memorized! And even after having this as part of the subject in school, Indonesia is still the nation with one of the highest corruption in the world? Shame! Shame!
8. PSPB.
No idea what it was all about.
9. Physical Education/PE Theory!
The source of all my education years of suffering. PE should not be part of the curriculum, it should be part of Extra Curricular activity. Students should not be memorizing the measurement of football field, nor should they be made to memorize the shape of the football field. Gosh! I scored 4/10 for this subject, simply because the teacher could not put 0/10 in my report book! Realy a waste of time. Mentri Pendidikan Nasional Indonesia, if you read this blog, consider this as a petition to abolish this subject from the curriculum. It's just inhumane to ask a motoric moron to shoot the basket ball into the ring, even after the hundredth try, she still missed it. It has scarred my spirit! Such a traumatic experience.
10. Geography.
I was having such a hard time to come up with the last subject that I hate. Finally, I came up with Geography! Why bother memorizing the shape of a country. Then again, can't blame the old educators. There's no such thing like google earth back then.
Of course, having spent a wee bit of time studying: 12 years of basic schooling (primary to high school) + 5 years of higher learning (under + post graduate), it has entitled me the right to say the following statement: EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT! It has shaped me, and made me who I am today. I made friends, I had fun, I learned to question, I learned to ask.
I am a product of an asian rote learning education. It may not be perfect, but it has brought up the greatness in me. I had no deep respect to any special teacher. But I still respect them. If I have to live my life all over again, studying for another 17 years, I would gladly do it again. But please, no PE.
So, congratulations to Natasha Nabila Muhammad Nasir!
Continue doing what you are doing ! But please remember, there are things more important than just grades in life. Education is about learning, learning to make friends, learning to be kind to the rest of human kind, learning to question the wrong, learning to enjoy life, as well as to learn how to cook! These characteristics will survive you in your life later on!
And to my N & N, I promise, I will give you the best of education there is. So, just like me during my student days, have fun, make friends, be creative, learn problem solving, learn about giving, rather than taking, learn to cope with stress and pressure from exams, learn about right and wrong, learn to be responsible. And with your curious eyes, continue to wonder about the world, and be critical, be inquisitive, but be forgiving. Be a lifelong learner. And having been there, done that, I will make sure to turn you two into a fine all rounder, making sure that you have enjoyable study years! I don't expect you to read 320 books by the time you are 9. But reading is a wonderful experience. It will open up the world for you, part of your learning experience. And little N, if you turn out to be a motoric moron like me, I'll make sure that I come up with the petition of abolishing PE from the curriculum.
This is a note written by a student (as she is still learning up till now). An average student. But in her life standards, she thinks she's doing well as an average student!
And this has brought back the bittersweet memory of my student years.
As a student, I was never part of the elite high achiever. In other words, I was just an average student. Really, I was only 6/10 student! No exaggeration here. Usually, I would score so low during the first semester. Mom would get so upset, and started to preach me about the importance of education in my life. I would cry and promised that I would study harder.
Somehow, miraculously, in the second semester, I would score better, and somehow, I did not have to repeat the class.
The next year, I would follow the same cycle of grades volatility.
Having said that, I was not part of the top 10 in the class. But I would not be in the lowest 10 as well. I was average. AVERAGE!
I would expect, luck has something to do with my result. When I was dealing with multiple choice question, no denial, I could easily guess the answer. So, I shamefully admit, I was one lucky gal when it came to studying. That is, until the school ruled out that wrong answer should be be negatively marked. Who came up with such ruling? That was so cruel. Anyway, it turned out that such ruling could not tame me. I still moved on to next class.
These are the list of subject that I hated back then, in no particular order:
1. Math
This should include algebra, geometry, mathematical logic (logika matematika, are the Indonesian teachers just making this subject up? This is a senseless subject. Example: Budi is stupid. Budi is rich. So, rich people are stupid. Where is the logic?)
2. Biology.
I hate memorizing all those latin terminology. And since I have sworn that I would never be a doctor, no incentive for me to learn biology at all. The only latin name of plant that still sticks in my brain is: Aloe Vera. And I did not learn it from my Biology lesson. I learned it from TV ad.
3. Chemistry.
Again, I have no idea why I should remember that gold is Au for Aurum.
4. Physics.
Why should it be a closed book test? I could not remember any of the formula that I needed to memorize prior to the exams. None! Well, maybe E=MC2. Then again, everyone knows that.
5. Bahasa Indonesia
Asam kandis asam gelugur. Kedua asam di riang-riang. Menangis badan di pintu kubur. Teringat badan belum sembayang.
(Loose translation: kandis tamarind, gelugur tamarind ( I have no knowledge of these 2 kinds of tamarind). Both tamarind...something. Cry does the body, in front of the grave. When the body remembers the prayerless life)
Holly cow, I still could remember the above..what do you call it..puisi or sajak or sanjak or haiku..scarry!
6. History
We learn from the history that we've never learned anything from history. So, why bother.
7. Moral Education.
It's should be applied, not memorized! And even after having this as part of the subject in school, Indonesia is still the nation with one of the highest corruption in the world? Shame! Shame!
8. PSPB.
No idea what it was all about.
9. Physical Education/PE Theory!
The source of all my education years of suffering. PE should not be part of the curriculum, it should be part of Extra Curricular activity. Students should not be memorizing the measurement of football field, nor should they be made to memorize the shape of the football field. Gosh! I scored 4/10 for this subject, simply because the teacher could not put 0/10 in my report book! Realy a waste of time. Mentri Pendidikan Nasional Indonesia, if you read this blog, consider this as a petition to abolish this subject from the curriculum. It's just inhumane to ask a motoric moron to shoot the basket ball into the ring, even after the hundredth try, she still missed it. It has scarred my spirit! Such a traumatic experience.
10. Geography.
I was having such a hard time to come up with the last subject that I hate. Finally, I came up with Geography! Why bother memorizing the shape of a country. Then again, can't blame the old educators. There's no such thing like google earth back then.
Of course, having spent a wee bit of time studying: 12 years of basic schooling (primary to high school) + 5 years of higher learning (under + post graduate), it has entitled me the right to say the following statement: EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT! It has shaped me, and made me who I am today. I made friends, I had fun, I learned to question, I learned to ask.
I am a product of an asian rote learning education. It may not be perfect, but it has brought up the greatness in me. I had no deep respect to any special teacher. But I still respect them. If I have to live my life all over again, studying for another 17 years, I would gladly do it again. But please, no PE.
So, congratulations to Natasha Nabila Muhammad Nasir!
Continue doing what you are doing ! But please remember, there are things more important than just grades in life. Education is about learning, learning to make friends, learning to be kind to the rest of human kind, learning to question the wrong, learning to enjoy life, as well as to learn how to cook! These characteristics will survive you in your life later on!
And to my N & N, I promise, I will give you the best of education there is. So, just like me during my student days, have fun, make friends, be creative, learn problem solving, learn about giving, rather than taking, learn to cope with stress and pressure from exams, learn about right and wrong, learn to be responsible. And with your curious eyes, continue to wonder about the world, and be critical, be inquisitive, but be forgiving. Be a lifelong learner. And having been there, done that, I will make sure to turn you two into a fine all rounder, making sure that you have enjoyable study years! I don't expect you to read 320 books by the time you are 9. But reading is a wonderful experience. It will open up the world for you, part of your learning experience. And little N, if you turn out to be a motoric moron like me, I'll make sure that I come up with the petition of abolishing PE from the curriculum.
This is a note written by a student (as she is still learning up till now). An average student. But in her life standards, she thinks she's doing well as an average student!
