TEACHERS’ CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP MALAYSIA | CONNECTING HEARTS AND MINDS | 2011 VOLUME 23 ISSUE 1

In Step

year of jubilee

PP 6303/09/2011(028962)

... So you must consecrate the 50th year, and you must

proclaim a release in the land for all its inhabitants ...

Lev 25:10

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3 Editorial

6 Growing with TCF

9 Blessed Connection

11 Keeping In Step

18 Meet the TCF Pioneers

22 Impacting Youths through Teaching

25 Carpe Diem

31 SOS: 1 to 1

34 In a New Place

37 Be Significant

40 In Partnership

IN STEP is a non-profit Christian newsletter published four times a year by the Teachers’ Christian Fellowship Malaysia (TCF). It is dedicated to Christian educators and issued FREE to TCF members.

VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE THE WRITERS’ AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF TCF.

ContentS

TCF OfficeC10-0-05Subang Perdana Goodyear Court 347610 Subang JayaSelangor, Malaysia

Tel/Fax : 03-5637 5623E-mail: tcfmy@pd.jaring.myWebsite: www.tcfmy.orgFacebook: TCF Msia

Editorial CommitteeIndyrany KannaiyaLiew Nyuk LanDaniel GanLee Sok YanPrinterPrintmate Sdn Bhd16 Jalan Industri P.B. P 7Taman Industri Puchong47100 Puchong, Selangor.

4 The New Staff Worker on the Block,

Ms Nga Johnson

13 HISTORY is …?

28 Developing Professionally

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Fifty years is a significant milestone for any individual or organisation. As TCF turns 50 this year, we too want to celebrate God’s faithfulness to us as an

organization. Indeed TCF Malaysia is the Lord’s special gift and vehicle

of encouragement to all Christian educators in our land. In this issue, a few members have written in to share on how TCF became their lifeline in their calling as teachers - how they have grown and been encouraged to stay on course over the years of involvement with TCF. A young accounting graduate left the lucrative commercial sector to become an accounts teacher. Read on as he shares with us on what gets him out of bed every morning. Rev Loh Soon Choy - TCF pioneer and life-member – shares with us his reflections on the current hot topic of ‘History’ in Malaysian schools.

We welcome our new staff member, Ms Nga Johnson who comes on board TCF to specially help promote the teaching profession amongst youths. She is the person to be invited to speak to youths and parents about considering teaching as a vocation and the A to Z of the application process.

The tag-line in our winning 50th anniversary logo is, “50 Years Impacting Lives, Changing Futures’. May the Lord enable each one of us to impact lives and change futures for His glory in 2011!

edItorIal

Nyuk Lan is looking forward to celebrating two significant celebrations this year – TCF’s 50th anniversary and her 50th birthday!

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The New Staff Worker on the Block, Ms Nga Johnson!

TCF has its Benefits and

Blessings

TCF welcomes Ms Nga Johnson as our new TCF staff worker, effective 3 January 2011. She

joined TCF as a member in 1975 and was not only active but also served for over 30 years on the executive committee. She held the position of TCF vice-chairman for many years until her retirement in 2008.

Background/Biodata1975-79 Posted to Sek Men Kamil, Pasir Puteh. Worshipped at Kota Bharu Gospel Centre with Dr Hannah Pillay, Lee Kok Joo and Nio Swee Kiang.

1980-1984 Taught at Sek Men Aminuddin Baki, Johor Baru. Helped out with the school CF. Worshipped at the JB Baptist Church.

1984-1985 Did a one-year course at Regional Language Centre, Singapore.

1985-1989 English Lecturer at Maktab Perguruan Temenggong Ibrahim, Johor Bharu. Adviser to College CF.

1989-1990 Senior Assistant (Student Affairs) at Sek Men Seg Hwa, Segamat. Worshipped at Segamat Methodist Church.

1990-1992 Senior Assistant (Student Affairs) at Sek Men Pekan Nenas, Pontian and Sek Men Penggawa Barat, Masai. Worshipped at JB Baptist Church.

1992-1993 Did Masters in TEFL at University of Reading, UK .

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1993-1999 English Lecturer and B.Ed coordinator (MPIK-UK). Adviser to College CF.

2000-2008 Principal at Canossian Convent and Methodist Girls Secondary School, Melaka. Worshipped at Melaka Wesley Methodist Church. Taught SPM Bible Knowledge.

2008-2010 Vice-Principal of Shanghai Singapore International School. Worshipped at the International Church in Hong Qiao.

July 2010 Returned to homeland Malaysia!

An Interview with Nga JohnsonQ: How did the Lord call you to serve in TCF?

The book "Half Time" by Bob Buford was instrumental in challenging me to lead a life of significance after my retirement. I had also been challenged many years ago to join TCF and it has always been part of my life since then. It is only apt that I return to serve as a staff worker.

Q: What will be your area of ministry?

My focus will be challenging young people to take up teaching as a vocation and also to look into the welfare of Christian teacher trainees in the colleges.

Q: What is your vision for TCF in terms of ministry?

I would like to see TCF meeting the needs of the nation by providing caring

and competent educators who will impact their students academically and spiritually.

Q: How will your ministry complement Indy’s in TCF?

I see my work as complementing and in partnership with Indy's. It is difficult to draw a line at times as certain areas will overlap but ultimately we work for the glory of God.

Q: What would your prayer requests be?

Pray for my personal walk with God that I will draw my strength and resources from Him and not men.

Q: How would you like members to come alongside you in your ministry?

Let me know if they would like me to speak to their Christian Fellowships or youth meetings in church. It can also be a secular group where I can challenge the youth to take up teaching.

Q: What would you like to see happen in the next 5 to 10 years related to the journey that you are embarking on?

I would like to take a step at a time as I am slowly getting into the focus of my job. Ultimately, I would like to see a continuous group of young people taking up the challenge to be effective Christian teachers. I hold on to Psalm 92:13-14: “I will grow like the trees planted in the house of the Lord, that flourish in the Temple of our God, that will still bear fruits in old age and are always green and strong.”

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My first posting was to rural Sg Siput in Perak in 1979. The next year, I was introduced

to TCF and joined as a member. Being the only TCFer in town, I was asked to be the regional representative. (In those days, we had regional representatives in different towns).

I was a two-year-old Christian then but being the only Christian teacher in the school, I was asked to be the adviser of the Christian Fellowship (CF). So those were my spiritual formation years when I grew together with my students in the CF. Through TCF, I linked up with Scripture Union (SU) and other Christian teachers who encouraged me in the CF work. I got involved in Kem Persahabatan, an annual evangelistic camp run by SU, serving as a camp officer but actually trying to learn as much as I could on the job so that I could run my school CF! I had the privilege of serving with other TCFers like Tan Gim Ham, Lau Phooi Har, Phooi Hang, Yoke Haye and SU staff like Jimmy Ho. This was a period of non-intentional discipleship as I interacted with different committed Christians and learned about commitment and service.

Phooi Hang taught me about humility in working quietly in the kitchen serving the campers in Kem Persahabatan. I

had the opportunity to cook in subsequent camps together with my wife and Yoke See. I received hands-on training as a camp officer and was privileged to work closely with the SU staff and speakers. This training prepared me for leadership roles later in the different local churches in my subsequent postings, namely Sg Siput Baptist Church, Nibong Tebal Gospel Hall and now the Reservoir Garden Baptist Church. I enjoyed the student work so much that from 1984 to 1987, I was involved in two SU evangelistic camps a year in central and north Perak.

We had a weekly TCF Bible Study group in Ipoh which met every Thursday night and I stayed overnight in Ipoh. We did Systematic Theology, taking turns to teach each week. Jimmy Ho (now a full-time worker of Elim Gospel Hall) and Vincent Lau (now a senior minister in the Anglican circle) joined

By Lim Boon Chye

GrowinG with tCF

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Mr Koh Gim Lam

us. It was this three-year informal Bible School which gave me a good theological grounding of the Bible.

By the time I was transferred back to Penang in 1986, my passion for student work drove me to apply to a small town (Nibong Tebal) to serve in the CF and local church there. By God’s grace, the CF in my second school started. For the next six years, I served in the leadership of the Nibong Tebal Gospel Hall. Having worked with TCFers in SU camps, I had learned to appreciate and respect the different denominations, so moving from a Baptist to a Brethren church was not a problem for me.

With no TCF presence in Nibong Tebal, I was again made the regional representative there. In 1988, I was invited to join the TCF Exco where I had the opportunity to work and learn from Koh Gim Lam (who was then the executive director) and Yap Kok Keong (then chairman). Both of them had a great influence over my life in the next few years.

From Gim Lam, I learned how to serve without being tired or burnt out. There was always this “freshness” in him despite serving year after year both as SU General Secretary and TCF Director. From this brother who loves the outdoor life, I learned the secret of enjoying God. In nature he experienced the presence and beauty of God. Today, I still go trekking trice weekly, enjoying the awesome presence of God in the jungle. Very often, it is during these walks with God that I get ideas in planning for various activities and

messages. From Yap Kok Keong, I learned about

serving right to the last ounce of his energy. This is a man who gives his all and his best, forsaking the comforts of life. He has no qualms about taking a bus from Kuala Lumpur to Penang and back after finishing his preaching engagement. The next day, he can be found preaching in his own church! Such is the man whom I have learned to respect. That kind of serving spirit is contagious.

Over the years, I began to see the importance of TCF in ministering to our Christian teachers throughout the country especially the young ones (in age and spiritual maturity) sent to the rural areas and the interior of Sabah and Sarawak. The Exco then started to groom me for the TCF chairmanship. In 1994, I was appointed the chairman designate and two years later took over as chairman from Yap Kok Keong (who took optional retirement and joined TCF as General Secretary).

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It is by God’s grace that I have been able to serve as TCF chairman for the past 13 years. It was with much fear and trembling that I assumed the chairmanship. My predecessor’s shoes were too big for me to step into. He was a pengetua, a church leader who preached in different churches every week and a member of the SU Council. On the other hand, I was not a pengetua and preaching was not my gifting. But God in His goodness turned this “zero” into a “hero”. He surrounded me with a very good team of people who are capable, spiritually mature and very passionate about the TCF work – and we work very well together in the TCF executive committee.

Being chairman of TCF has been a good training ground for me. It has taught me how to deal with different and sometimes difficult situations. Last

year when my senior pastor asked me to take over the chairmanship of the church, I was ready for the role. I had already learned that God is faithful and as long as I keep close to Him and remain humble, I need not fear. If I am available He will enable.

I hope sharing my experience will glorify God and hopefully it will encourage TCFers to take up responsibilities and leadership roles in the church and TCF. We need new leaders in TCF as many of us will retire in a few years’ time. Be prepared to hear and obey the Master when He calls you into active service. There will be no lack if you obey His call. So, over to you TCFers!

Lim Boon Chye has been Chairman of TCF Malaysia since 1996.

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By Satkunamary Gnanakkan

My involvement with TCF began in 1995 when Indy spoke to some TESL

students at a meeting in Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (now Universiti Putra Malaysia). Although I had been a teacher for 10 years then, I had not heard about TCF. In the course of the meeting I discovered that Indy herself had quit as a ‘guru kerajaan’ to serve as a fulltime TCF staff worker. I marvelled and realised that there must be something more to TCF. The decision to become a TCF member that Tuesday afternoon turned out to be one of the greatest blessings in my teaching profession. As I look back, I thank God for the day Indy visited us in UPM.

That same year, I was posted to a small town away from KL, much to my dismay. With no church, no Christian group to fellowship with and no Christian students, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the quarterly TCF newsletter by post. How hungrily I used to read everything the day it arrived! Very often the stories and experiences of other teachers helped to alleviate my own fears and prejudices and their triumphs

also motivated me to continue and soldier on during tough times. TCF was the support I needed at that time. I knew that I belonged to a larger family of teachers out there who had been called by the Lord. Indy may not even remember how her simple remark to me in the old TCF office in Petaling Garden in 1997, “you are serving God although there are no Christians in your school,” spurred me on.

The TCF ministry has blessed me in many ways. Firstly, it has been my joy to know so many Christian teachers, some of whom are like mentors to me. Besides

Blessed ConneCtion

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is a milestone – a testimony of God’s faithfulness. May God continue to bless the TCF ministry.

Satkunamary has been teaching for 25 years. She has served in several rural schools and currently teaches English language in Methodist Girls School, KL.

widening my circle of friends, I have also been able to attend numerous seminars, talks, BK training as well as the biennial Asian Christian Teachers’ Conference (ACTC) in Singapore where I met Christian teachers from outside Malaysia. Through TCF, I have also linked up with other events like the BK Postal Quiz and the SPM BK Postal Quiz. Sharing the testimonies of teachers from In Step with young people has also motivated them to take up teaching.

TCF has been a blessing to me and it is my prayer that the younger generation of teachers will continue to keep the flame burning. TCF members should encourage other Christian educators to join TCF so that we can become one vibrant voice in our nation. Fifty years

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By Quek Jit Huay

When a dear friend and strong supporter of TCF asked me to write for IN STEP, I was

terrified! The more I thought about the matter, the more anxious I got.

The struggle that I initially faced at the thought of writing seemed really BIG as there is really so much to share on the role of TCF and IN STEP in my life. Throughout my teaching career I had chosen to be part of TCF. However, I must admit that my contribution to TCF has been minimal. Sometimes I feel a bit ashamed. Then I encourage myself to accept “grace” as a gift.

Way back in Dec 1968 when I was a

trainee at the Pantai Valley Malayan Teachers’ College, I attended a Future Christian Teachers’ Conference organized by Scripture Union for teacher trainees from the various training centres in KL. This conference was held at the Bukit Bintang Girls’ school and the main conference speaker was Mr David Tow. It was at this very conference that I was first introduced to TCF.

I am writing here to encourage young teachers and teachers-of-tomorrow to be a part of TCF Malaysia. Why? Because when we earnestly follow our Master Teacher, we will face difficult

Jit Huay ( back row, extreme right) at Future Christian Teachers’ Conference, December 1968

KeepinG in step

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situations and temptations. We need the counsel and encouragement of fellow Christian teachers. This is where the support of the TCF community becomes so precious.

Personally, I had wanted to “suicide” my calling several times. Each time I got timely counsel when I received my copy of IN STEP. For me, being a TCF member has helped to sustain my heart’s desire to serve the Lord in the field of education. This has enabled me to stay on course! The poem, I WONDER is taken from one of yesteryears’ IN STEP. I have kept it all these years because it has kept me going in the teaching profession. I thank God for the ministry of TCF because I have been one of its blessed recipients.

Jit Huay taught in SMK Tinggi Kluang from 1969 until her retirement in 2002.

I WONDER

Year after year they come to meThese children with questioning looks,Year after year they leave meAs they leave their outgrown books;

And I wonder sometimes if I’ve taught themJust some of the worthwhile things,Just some of the things they’ll need in life,Be they peasants or poets or kings.

Have I taught them the joy of clean living?That honor is better than fame?That good friends are the greatest of treasures?Wealth, less than an untarnished name?

Have I taught them respect to the aged?Protection to those that are weak?That silence always is goldenWhen gossip bids them speak?

Have I taught them that fear is a cowardWho is beaten when they say, “I can?”That courtesy ranks with courageIn the heart of the real gentleman?

Have I taught them these things and the othersThat will help make them brave, kind and trueIf I have, then I care not if they tell me,That Machu Picchu is not a town in Peru.

*** Author Unknown***

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Introduction

“One word of truth outweighs the entire world.” So said Alexander

Solzhenitsyn, the former Soviet Union’s one-man dissident movement whose courageous stand for truth helped topple his country’s machinery of propaganda, deception and terror.”(Os Guiness, ‘Time for Truth’, Baker Book House, 2000)

In our reflection on the hot topic of historical truth in Malaysia, we want to be above politics although the subject itself has great political implications. We share the brave Russian Christian Solzhenitsyn’s high view of truth – specifically in what is called the “unity and sanctity (sacredness) of all truth wherever it is found”, including in the study of history. But we also believe, with the Scriptures, in the reality and power of sin and Satan which can disguise falsehood, lies and propaganda as truth. Professional historians recognise such phenomena as inevitable, serious flaws in human nature (e.g. the historians’ biases and prejudices) that affect the writing, transmission and interpretation of historic data. They try to compensate

as best they can for these flaws by critical analysis of multiple primary (original) and secondary sources. And the scarcity of sources is the historian’s great problem. No historian therefore can have the final word. (See View 3 on p 17.)

Even from the above brief introduction, we can see that a study of the past is a vast and complex, even controversial subject. How can we, as it

What we should know before making it a ‘must-pass’ subject in school.

By Loh Soon Choy

history is ...?

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were, ‘get a handle’ on the subject in a short article without the details? I propose to do this by discussing three representative views. The first two views may be described as selective and subjective. The third is a more objective one adopted by most professional historians.

Until the 1900’s, history focused almost exclusively on diplomacy, wars, state affairs – i.e. mostly on politics. Our epigram from Solzhenitsyn, a political dissident, is therefore an appropriate reminder of how truth in the context of state affairs can be very differently interpreted and distorted for political, racial, religious and economic ends. Many nations use history in their schools for a political purpose, for example, of teaching patriotism. Often this has been done at the expense of truth. Hence the observation: “Patriotism can be the refuge of scoundrels”. Hitler’s appeal to ‘the Fatherland’ is an infamous example. The ‘scoundrels’ that may hide under it may be racists, religious bigots, and economic vampires!

View 1: Men Do Not Learn from History?

Thus, Solzhenitsyn’s Soviet Union did break up into different states. But the ‘Cold War’ was replaced by the new post-911 ‘War on Terrorism’. The ‘machinery of propaganda, deception and terror’ continued. A 370-page study of 22 countries in five continents by a Paris-based Action by Christians

for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) reported that “more than half of the member states of the United Nations resort to (the terrors) of torture” and that its use is “endemic in a large number of countries”. (The STAR, Saturday 11 December 2010, page W54). Newsweek (29 November 2010) reports that “the rising power of generals (in Asia) is fuelling an arms race.” Pakistan, China, North Korea lead. India, Japan, South Korea and the rest of Asia do the same. Malaysia spent nearly US$1billion on new submarines. Indonesia and Thailand have their parallel statistics.

The horrors of numerous past wars and genocides mean little as truth and peace are or will be buried by the inevitable “machinery of propaganda, deception and terror”. Do all these mean that if history teaches anything it teaches that men and nations are cursed to repeat the horrors of history? Worse, truth has been killed, dead, crucified! Such a cynical, extreme and negative view that we do not learn from history is obviously selective.

Many historians, policy-makers and informed people do draw lessons from history. Hence the other aphorism, “We are doomed if we do not learn from history.” We use history as a guide, a window and mirror – as the case may be. The past can inform the present (such as how we came to be what we are) and help us shape the future, such as how we could get out of the mess we are in and do better) i.e.

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history helps us understand ourselves and our identity, strengths and weaknesses better. History - but only if it is properly and truthfully taught - is therefore a ‘must-know’ subject for true national harmony and progress, and not just for patriotism and compulsory passes in school exams.

View 2: All History is God’s (His)story?

This theory may be pious. But it can be mischievous depending on which God and so needs qualification whether in Judaism, Christianity or Islam. Ancient peoples attributed everything to God or the gods but the theory proper dominated the early and medieval church in Europe. Bishop Eusebius (third century AD), St Augustine (fifth century AD) and the English monk the Venerable Bede (731 AD) were the best examples of such a theory that tried to show God’s hand in historical events. These events, furthermore, are directed by Him towards a final redemption of the world. In contrast ancient Greeks, like Hinduism and Buddhism, regarded history as a cycle of events that repeated itself more or less endlessly. Other ancient cultures were generally non-historical in the modern sense. Their gods were often capricious.

By the 1400’s, histories were written more from the human than the divine perspectives. This was followed by anti-Christian thinkers and historians like Edward Gibbon (18th century) until

explicitly in Marxist Communism, the historical process itself became ‘their God’. But that is another story!

Our God, being a holy but a personal, loving God, wants us (if we would) to recognise His hand in history – particularly the ‘history of salvation’, that led to the first and will lead to the second coming of Christ. But the Scriptures, without saying so explicitly, are also very clear there are two realities, or ‘histories’, or worlds that we live in: the spiritual (‘salvation history’) and the secular (chronological, natural history). Thus the accounts of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Persia, Greece and Rome are incidental. The salvation history from Adam to Abraham to David and Jesus Christ is primary. The Bible is a ‘textbook’ of Salvation and Faith but not of Secular history. Occasionally though, the two worlds or realities or ‘histories’ merged as one at the birth of Jesus!

A wise Christian would therefore keep to the limits of the Bible and must not pretend also to be an authority on secular history and events without special study. Any observations he makes on secular affairs of history must be humbly, even if passionately made but in an informed manner, substantiated with evidence. We can then expect the same from our Muslim, Jewish or other religious friends. For whenever an absolute Power or person of God is invoked, history and current affairs have exposed the ridiculous (sometimes even violent or

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dehumanising) ‘illusions of destiny’ and a special superior identity. Each of such religious groups can claim the special destiny of being the special and chosen people! We cannot mix up articles of faith, church dogma and theology with articles of well-established historical and scientific facts and universal truths – particularly in our schools if we want to build a peaceful and progressive nation. Read the Nobel Laurette, Amartya Sen, Identity and Violence – The Illusion of Destiny (Norton & Company, NY, 2007), and the renowned writer Chaim Potok, Davita’s Harp (Alfred Knopp, Inc, & Random House, 1985).

We in Malaysia have to be watchful, although the slogan ‘All history is God’s story’ is nowhere used publicly. Thus, various oddities are found in both the Forms Four and Five sections of our SPM history textbook, says the law professor Azmi Sharom,

“The most glaring oddity is found in the Fourth Form Section of the book. There are 10 chapters in the Fourth Form syllabus and five of them are about Islamic civilization.

I do not understand why there has to be so much emphasis on Islamic civilisation. Great swathes of important history such as the ancient Greeks, the Roman Empire, the Chinese Kingdom, the Indian empires (north and south), the Renaissance and the South-East Asian kingdoms are dealt with almost perfunctorily.

What is even more troubling is that

the “history” of Islamic civilisation has elements of theology in it.

This overly heavy emphasis on one aspect of human history is not healthy as it provides our young people with a very imbalanced worldview.

And it is most ironic that it is Islamic civilisation that is given so much space in the history syllabus because one of the greatest strengths of the so-called golden age of Islamic history was the hunger that Muslim thinkers then had to seek knowledge from around the world.

They were not insular and narrow in their thinking and if one were to truly honour Islamic civilisation, then it is this attitude that should be embraced, not the rather strange idea that one civilisation deserves so much more attention than all others.” (The STAR, Thursday, 30 December 2010, page N 42, “Balanced Worldview via History”)

Azmi Sharom speaks in the context of public education in our plural Malaysia. We might think that such an SPM history textbook might be acceptable in the context of an Islamic religious school just as a church Bible class or school may likewise be permitted to teach a truncated version of history – at least ‘to be practical’. But this is a fallacy that today’s educated, thinking Muslim or Christian will not agree with. Historical truth, even in studying the religions (‘warts and all’), must be taught with integrity even in church or mosque as is done in many world class universities, international Islamic and

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Christian tertiary institutions like seminaries. Special pleading for the respective religions, theologies, apologetics, practices etc. can be done as courses, but not when history is taught as history!

This call for integrity and objectivity towards historical truth brings us to conclude with our last view below,

View 3: Our Best Response: History as a Social ScienceGod has not given us magic mirrors, crystal balls or videos to look into the misty past, ancient or recent. But He has given us as our universal Creator reason, creativity and collective wisdom and imagination, being made “in His image and in His likeness” (Genesis 1: 26, 27). We have these gifts to discover the world and its secrets in the various sciences. We can use these same gifts to discover the peoples of the world He created in the past as well as today. That is done in the Social Sciences such in archaeology (certain branches), anthropology, economics, psychology, sociology and history. However, historians differ from other social scientists, in that they do not develop general ‘laws of history’. Our comments on the professional historian in our Introduction and in Views 1 and 2 above may illustrate why they avoid this temptation. Of course if they were devout Christians, Jews or Muslims, they are entitled to their personal views as men of faith. But they will not impose such faith-based views on

others as social scientists.A quick search in an encyclopaedia or

Internet will inform us further on the divisions of and theories on the subject and how honest historians work. Most important is to note that they (in common with other social scientists as a rule) are open to new discoveries and new views, and that history cannot be cast in stone to suit anybody or any ruler’s agenda. There are too many instances they are familiar with of such misuse of history such as notably exposed by K.K. Aziz’s landmark work, The Murder of History, which showed how the history of Pakistan was distorted beyond recognition in its official history books. So we could fast and pray for this subject! And for genuine academic freedom for the social sciences!

As internationally acclaimed academic and teacher Farish Noor says, “Of all the social sciences, history has to be one of the most contested disciplines!” (Farish Noor, What Your Teacher Didn’t Tell You, Vol.1, Matahari Books, Petaling Jaya, 2009, p.8)

Rev. Loh was a Dean and Lecturer Emeritus of Malaysia Bible Seminary (MBS). He taught History of Christianity at MBS and earlier at the Singapore Bible College for some 34 years.

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As part of events leading up to our 50th anniversary celebration, a most memorable Meet the

Pioneers session took place at the TCF Office on 29 May 2010. The TCF Exco, former staff, young teachers and a few members from the Klang Valley had an eventful gathering with three specially

invited individuals who were actively involved in the early days of TCF.

Moderated by Goh Kai Lian (former TCF secretary), TCF pioneers Rev Loh Soon Choy, Ms Cheong Mee Lin and Ms Yeo Kim Eng shared about TCF in its infancy as well as their own experiences in a forum-style discussion.

Meet the tCF pioneersReported by Angela Kwon

From L to R: Our special guests:

Ms Yeo Kim Eng was one of the early members of TCF who attended many of the annual conferences. She found much joy and purpose in her teaching career in Bukit Bintang Girls’ school.

Ms Cheong Mee Lin was in the very first TCF committee with Ms Cooke, the founder of TCF. She graduated from Malaya University in Singapore and throughout her teaching career, taught at only two places.

Rev Loh soon Choy started out as a teacher and later on answered a pastoral call. Rev Loh too had attended many of the early TCF annual conferences where the speakers consisted mainly of OMF missionaries.

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Laughter and nostalgia filled the whole session! We were taken back to the 1960s and 1970s.

All those present found the session with the pioneers most nostalgic. As we continued to fellowship over lunch, we experienced a special bond that afternoon. We felt so united with our common calling as educators. We thank God for our founding chairman, Ms Elena Cooke and her contemporaries for their vision and commitment to the birthing of TCF. Truly, we are the blessed recipients of their legacy … and we are determined to pass the baton to the next generation who will continue to blaze the trail set by our early pioneers.

The Early YearsWith a sense of nostalgia brought on by looking

at the photo of the first TCF committee, Ms Cheong expressed her joy to be at the TCF office. Ms Cooke, the founder of TCF currently is bed-ridden and the only brother in the photo, Yeo Peng Kock had already gone home to be with the Lord.

Ms Yeo and Rev Loh, on the other hand, reminisced with much fondness their experiences in annual TCF conferences.

TCF started with Ms Elena Cooke, a teacher who felt that there was a need for Christian teachers to come together. Thus, she gathered a few other teachers at her home. Among them were Ang Chui Pek, Yeo Beng Hock, Ms Cheong and Ms Yeo and a few others. All of them were teachers. It was an ad hoc meeting to plan for the first Malayan Christian teachers’ conference aimed at gathering the Christian teachers for fellowship, mutual encouragement as well as to spur the teachers to move forward together for His Kingdom.

After much deliberation, planning and prayer, the first annual TCF conference was held in December 1961 – the

Mee Lin and Kai Lian flipping through some old

albums

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beginning of annual conferences till 2000.

The early TCF annual conferences focused a lot on God’s word as well as spiritual food for the teachers. Hence there were Bible expositions. There were no seminars but there were workshops on various topics. Warm Christian fellowship and sharing each other’s journeys were also much looked forward to. And the duration of the conferences were as long as 6D5N!

TCF annual conferences were the highlights of the TCF ministry in its infancy.

TCF has indeed seen God’s hand and faithfulness over the many years. It was very humbling to be hearing the stories from the very people who were there when TCF first started.

Stories from our pioneersMs Cheong Mee Lin:

“Through the years of attending TCF conferences, Scripture Union camps and contact with students, many have come to know the Lord. So much so that there were times when I bumped into a former student who would ask me, “Do you remember leading me to the Lord? You invited me to the Bible study with the OMF missionaries” and I don’t even remember anything!

I’m a woman of few words, and in everything we do, all glory goes to the Lord! I strongly believe that the Lord will continue to use us all regardless of age. Recently I rented a house in the new township of Kampar which I intend to open up to Christian Students.”

Ms Yeo Kim Eng:

“People have asked me whether I get bored of teaching SPM Bible Knowledge. My reply to that is each time I teach and each time I prepare, I never fail to

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choice for you as your career. Treasure every minute you have to influence the young people. Of course we have to build ourselves up as Christians first. Appreciate that you have been chosen by God to lead the young. It’s such a joy!”

Rev Loh Soon Choy:

“I remember one Form 6 boy who is now a pastor. I also remember another Indian boy who could not even spell ‘the’ and how I used to use a light ruler, and ask him to sit near me, and kiss him on the cheek. And the boy would just blush.

I think we should be culturally informed and the most important thing is that in the main job that we do, we do well. It’s not possible to know everything. But let’s be a sterling example of Christ-likeness. There is no excuse to be lazy. By and large it’s your main job – your teaching must be the main thing, don’t do everything well except your teaching!

I also think that doing small things like buying them ‘ice kacang’ and so on touch the students. I used to teach at MBS, and whenever I mention Cheong Mee Lin to the students who come from Kampar, they would have high praises for her.”

get fresh insights to share with my students! I think that we are shedding our influence all the time without realising, and God is using us if we are focused. I remember that at one of the annual conferences Theodore Williams was the speaker. During one of the mornings, we could really feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and we strongly felt that God had anointed us to teach the young by example and by our behaviour as a teacher.

I think there is tremendous opportunity to impact the present generation. One way where you testify is the way you do your work. The standard, the quality of your work must be up to the standard. And secondly it is your interest. Are the students merely 45 robots in your class or are you genuinely interested in them? There is just so much joy in working with the young.

Take your work seriously, but not with a long face! Don’t just do your work professionally. You have to be sensitive to the students’ needs. Each one of them is an individual. I remember writing in one student’s report card: “Yeng Peng has put in her effort, she may not be an A student but it’s her effort that counts”. And that student came back to me and told me that the comment has changed her relationship with her father who would usually beat her up if she didn’t get an A!

I would say at the end of the day, to all Christian teachers: God has chosen you to be His teachers, to be leaders to lead the young. Realise that this is God’s

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By Goh Hai Bee

With such a treasury of wisdom written with insight and eloquence, it is undeniable

that teachers can be destiny shapers and character builders. Teachers of substance actually wear many hats. We are disciplinarians, counsellors, private investigators, subject specialists, clerks, odd job workers, surrogate parents, event organizers, chaperones, public relation officers and the list is endless!

Nevertheless, in the multiplicity of roles and the intense web of relationships between students and teachers, bonding can occur, life-long impressions are formed for better or worse, values are imbibed, and sometimes miraculous turnarounds

Impacting Youths through TEACHING

“Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it.” – Harold S. Hulbert

“Children are not things to be moulded, but are people to be unfolded.” – Jess Lair

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.’ – Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats

“To teach is to touch lives for eternity.”

“Education is the movement from darkness to light.” – Allan Bloom

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can happen. For example, in a particular mission school, a Christian fellowship adviser is able to mobilize and engage the girls to embark on a 40-day fast and pray for the nation and the school leavers’ service where the gospel is preached once a year to a target audience. In another instance, the school’s top scorer was touched by the claims of Christ upon her life and found deliverance from Taoism.

Besides, the deeper issues of perverted sex, silent struggles with masturbation and the spirit of death are real among our students today. In such cases, Christian teachers have to learn to crucify the knowledge of such needs to the cross of the Lord Jesus and pray for His gifts of discernment and deliverance. Mere counselling sessions can prove futile without the cutting edge of God’s Word and his Spirit. Sometimes in helping to light up the fires of our students, we suffer from burnout and exhaustion vis-à-vis endless needs. We have to live with margins, guarding our own soul care and doing the “one thing” that is necessary each day, following God’s biorhythms for living.

Indeed, teaching in schools is hard work and heart works if we are to be true to our calling as educators. There is a jungle of needs in schools and the only thing that is constant is CHANGE. Educational policies, students’ exposure and social needs, belief and value systems, pedagogical approaches and school administration have all undergone tremendous changes in

recent years. Only God is the same yesterday, today and forever and He is the All-sufficient One.

Another unchanging fact is that no two batches of students are the same! On an average, an ordinary teacher teaches around 100-200 students per day for about 192 schooldays. Through extra curricular activities such as games, clubs, societies and uniformed bodies, an ordinary teacher interacts further with approximately another 100 - 200 students per week or month. Therefore, over a teaching span of 30 years, an average teacher would have taught or at least interacted with, if not, impacted 6,000 young budding lives!

At a recent retirement-cum-farewell assembly, a senior assistant in-charge-of curriculum and administration, received accolades and heart-warming expressions of love from students and staff members. Her husband, a corporate figure commented on the vast difference in terms of the end result received by him in the business world and that experienced by his wife, who has spent 33 years serving faithfully and competently in her one and only school. His worth and significance were measured in terms of status symbols and wealth in the corporate world, whereas his wife’s meaningful career as a top class educator was treasured by all who know her in their hearts and minds! He was headhunted for his competent skills and rewarded handsomely. His teacher-wife chose the teaching profession (instead of

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pursuing parasitological research studies) with the intention to create meaning for her vast spectrum of students and was humbled ultimately by the overwhelming display of deep appreciation for her contribution to the school!

Therefore, as Teachers’ Christian Fellowship (TCF) celebrates our 50th year of jubilee in 2011, we are reminded that our humble beginnings established by our founders like Miss Elena Cooke and Dr Alistair McGregor, embraces a service-oriented rather than a money-spinning profession. The teacher’s defining moments are inscribed in the hearts and minds of those whom we serve. Mother Theresa’s words of “Find your own Calcutta” are apt for teachers as we are called not only to teach the elitists but the rejects of society with excellence as well. The Bible tells us the “Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Similarly, the teaching profession is in the business of seeking, serving youths and adding value to their lives. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted or the weary and money-minded.

However, the mere teaching of academic subjects for educational performance and intellectual stimulation is inadequate to build moral fibre and character in our youths today. Therefore, TCF is also actively involved in the teaching of Bible Knowledge as an SPM subject so as to provide the Biblical bedrock for our youths and to prepare them for leadership positions in churches and other spheres of

influence. With the dwindling number of

committed Christian teachers and principals and many of whom are within the retirement category, Christian parents need to be awakened to release their children to the teaching profession and church leaders need to promote teaching as a viable career. Youths need to know that schools are also God’s paid mission fields and role models are needed as “The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any” - Fred Astaire. How wonderful it would be if the best brains enter the teaching arena. The last frontier in these last days lies perhaps in our willingness to sacrifice and invest into the lives of the youths of today.

Undoubtedly, the learning curve for most practising teachers today has been and is very sharp and painful sometimes, if not, perplexing at most times. Nonetheless, I know at all times, God’s will is perfect because He is the Master Teacher in everything. Time and time again, many of us who remain in schools still have a song to sing as we see God change our trials and testing in the teaching trauma territories to become triumphs of His grace and goodness!

(This article was first published in Asian Beacon Oct-Nov 2010, Vol 42 # 5)

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For as long as I could remember I had always wanted to be a teacher. Teaching had always been one of

my passions. However, I never seriously thought about teaching as a vocation until a few years ago. As I approached the final year of my university, I found myself at a crossroads. I began to contemplate if I should teach or work in the commercial sector. I prayed a lot, asking God for his direction and also sought advice from a few people about this. As an Accounting graduate, I wanted to teach accounts in secondary schools. However, as it turned out, the Ministry of Education (MOE) at that point in time decided not to offer the course that I wanted to apply for. I must admit I was not disappointed at all. To me it was God’s clear direction that I was to go into the private sector. God

had answered my prayer and opened the way for me.

A few months after graduation, I found myself working with a consulting company. However, as much as I loved my job, there was this empty feeling inside me ... that something was not quite right. I was happy yet feeling empty. At first I thought it was the work environment, or maybe it was my job. After six months, I started to look for another job

in the business sector. Teaching was no longer an option. Then I heard that a private school was urgently looking for an accounts and commerce teacher, but it never crossed my mind to even apply for this job. I believed that God’s direction for me was clear, which was to be in the commercial sector. After all, He had closed the door to teaching not too long ago. So for three months I was earnestly applying for a new job while at the same time aware that this school was urgently looking for a teacher.

My calling came in a very strange way. I remember being in my church library one Sunday before service began. As I was browsing around I came across a Form 5 boy sitting in a corner doing his accounts homework. I could see that he was struggling with the question. When

By Nigel Rode

Carpe dieM

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I glanced at it, I really wanted to help him as I knew the answer but I walked away out of embarrassment since I did not know him. It was at that point that God spoke very clearly to me: “What are you waiting for?” I knew exactly what God was saying to me. It was not about the boy but the teaching position that I had pushed aside. God was calling me to be a teacher! It was on that Sunday morning during service that I made my decision to answer that call and apply for the job. A few months after that Sunday, I found myself in Sekolah Menengah Sri Sempurna. After almost four years of teaching, I can confidently say that this is the job for me. I am where God wants me to be at this point in my life. Not only do I love my job - the empty feeling inside me is gone! There is fulfilment in what I am doing. There is this sense of purpose in my life.

However, I often wondered why God allowed me to stay for such a short time in my first job in the commercial sector. Maybe it was my mistake. Maybe I did

not hear God correctly. I began to question myself and God. Then recently it all began to make sense. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure it out, but I realised then that God was using my first job to prepare me for teaching. Being in the accounting line, my previous company dealt mainly with Indonesian clients. This meant that I had to speak in Bahasa Melayu frequently and use Malay terminology in the accounts for the clients. The main subjects that I now teach are Prinsip Perakaunan and Perdagangan and my previous work experience, as short as it was, had helped a lot especially in my first year of teaching. As I look back and reflect on my calling, I see a God who is so detailed in His plans for me that He even sent me for ‘training’ before calling me to be a teacher.

As fun and rewarding teaching has been for me for the last four years, it hasn’t always been a bed of roses. Along the way, I have made many mistakes, learned some painful lessons and gone

At a Leadership Camp for students

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through many challenges and struggles. I must admit that there were times when I wondered if I had made the right decision to go into teaching. There were times when I felt like throwing in the towel and just walk away. So what has kept me going? What is pushing me on? Most Christian teachers would say it is God who gives us His strength and peace. This is indeed true for me as well, but there is another reason. It is my students! The joy that I get from seeing their faces every morning makes me wake up in anticipation of going to school. No matter how bad a day I had the day before, I always look forward to going back to school. This inexplicable God-given joy within me is something so precious that I would never trade it for any other job. I am truly thankful to God for the students that He has sent to me. They have taught me so much about life and teaching that I sometimes wonder who is teaching who.

I end my reflections with a story that has so far impacted me the most as a teacher. It was in July four years ago that I joined Sri Sempurna. In the first month, I was assigned as a Form 5 class teacher. There was this boy named William in my class. One day I sat down for a friendly chat with William and some of his friends. Little did I know that our chit-chat would turn into something deep and personal. My students started to share their struggles and the things that were going on in their lives. It was then that I saw William for who he really was.

Behind that quiet boy who was weak

in his studies was someone who was gentle, friendly, caring and, most of all, full of wisdom. As William shared his thoughts with the small group, I was taken aback and truly amazed by him. After that morning I wanted to tell him how I felt about that day and how much I admired him for what he said to his friends. I wanted to encourage him to continue what he had in him. But I never got round to it. Tragically, William passed away in a car accident just five months after his SPM. One of the hardest things I ever had to do as a teacher then was to attend William’s funeral. I remembered that as I paid my last respects to William, all I could say was that I was sorry I never took the time to tell him what I really thought of him.

Dear teachers, I believe that God has called us to be teachers for a purpose. And that purpose goes beyond teaching and educating our students. I believe God has called us to touch lives, to raise and build up a godly generation, to stand in the gap, and to show love, care and compassion. Our students are with us but only for a short while. And in this short time that God has entrusted them to us, may we learn to seize the moments and opportunities that He has given to us for we may never cross paths with our students again. May 2011 be a fruitful and meaningful year for all the teachers serving out there. God bless.

Nigel Rode is currently in his fifth year teaching at Sekolah Menengah Sri Sempurna, and is loving every moment of it!

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1

Congratulations! You are now a fully fledged teacher. You are excited about going to your

new school to try out all the teaching methods and creative ideas that you have learned during your teaching course. You are full of enthusiasm, zeal and joy. The years go by ... After the third year, your interest in teaching is starting to wane as it has become routine and predictable. You have to teach the same subject every year because the principal told you that you are the best person for the job. Your administrative school duties are the same: class teacher, member of school science panel, extra-curricular teacher for netball and so on. Being posted to a small town is like being isolated from the world of information and knowledge. Oh, being a teacher can be boring but your joy and passion as an educator can be rekindled by engaging in continuous professional development (CPD). CPD can bring changes to your life as you will be able to engage intellectually and socially with colleagues about ideas, information and resources.

What is CPD? It is a long-term process that involves systematically planned regular opportunities and experiences to promote growth and development in the profession (Villegas-Reimas, 2003*). It includes

By Tan Juat Ngoh

developinG proFessionally

formal and informal experiences. As a result of gaining experiences over time, the teacher grows professionally in knowledge, skills and disposition. However, CPD should be differentiated from career and staff development. Career development is the growth that occurs as the teacher moves through the professional career cycle and staff development is organised in-service courses designed to foster the growth of a group of teachers.

Some of the ways to participate in CPD are:

Attending short courses (less than a year) and long courses (more than a year)

As a teacher, you can attend short and long courses overseas as well as local workshops, seminars and conferences. Many of these courses are organised by the Ministry of Education and you may attend them in your capacity as a civil servant. However, you can also attend short courses organised by TCF and other Christian organisations as well as those by private companies which you may pursue as hobbies such as baking, cake decorating and ballroom dancing. These courses can help you to broaden your horizon in teaching and as a teacher. They can impact your work both in and outside the classroom and

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4can help you to define your goals for the students and how they behave in the classroom. They also improve your knowledge, skills and disposition in teaching. They improve your teaching methods which have a positive impact on your students’ learning and your relationship with them. Attending courses also help you to expand your network of friends. Mentoring your peersAs a senior teacher, you can help your colleagues in their professional development. You can volunteer to conduct in-service courses for them to improve their knowledge and skills through hands-on activities. You can be a consultant/referral to them on academic matters concerning the curriculum, teaching, administration and research. As you bless them they will bless you too. You can also learn new things from them or refresh your memory about things you may have forgotten.Doing research and presenting the research at seminars/conferences Doing research helps a teacher to develop. As Stenhouse (1973) said, “Research is the basis of teaching.” Doing research helps you to read widely and think logically, creatively and intelligently. Presenting your research enables you to share ideas and information with others, helps you to reflect on your practices, and develops your communication skills.Writing and publishing academic papersYou can also write journal articles on

the research that you have done and send them to local higher education institutions for publication. You can also write news articles for your school magazine or other publications to share your ideas and knowledge. Writing academic papers helps you to grow as a teacher. You are more perceptive and creative in your ideas and thoughts and it can help to fine-tune your writing skills and language.Getting involved in work with the Ministry of EducationWhen opportunities arise, always take up the challenge to be involved in work with other government institutions such as schools, State Education Department, Teacher Education Division (BPG), Teacher Education Institute (IPG) and so on. You can share your expertise or learn about curriculum development, reviewing the curriculum, developing standards for teacher programmes, training teachers/IPG lecturers, writing modules and setting questions. You can also be involved with training in-service school teachers for short courses and writing textbooks for primary schools. Through all this, you improve yourself and acquire the latest knowledge on matters relating to education. You also get to meet other Christians and motivate each other in the faith and find out about the other Christian Fellowships and the teachers/lecturers in charge. Getting involved in Institute/School Christian Fellowship Being involved in CFs is also part of professional development. It helps you

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there are lots of opportunities for CPD. You need to first tell God the desires of your heart and ask Him to open doors for you. You must be open to and willing to embrace CPD. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to attend a course/seminar/conference?” Consider all factors, good and bad. Then, be alert for notices on the Ministry of Education website (moe.gov.my) and circulars on the staff bulletin board (read every notice). You can also tell your friends about your interest in certain courses and, if they happen to come across notices calling for applications, to inform you. In addition, you may let the school administrators know about your interest in these courses and ask for their recommendation. Read the newspapers everyday and look out for interesting free courses. Browse the Internet for opportunities to present or publish your research papers. To be successful in CPD, we also need to have determination and perseverance in filling out endless forms and sending them before the deadline. Success is when you have tried. Be positive and do not give up if you do not succeed the first time. As God reminds us in Proverbs 9:9: “Give instructions to a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

*Villegas-Reimas, E. (2003). Teacher professional development: An international review of the literature. Paris: UNESCO

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to know more about the word of God and how to apply it in your daily life. It helps you to teach the CF students how to walk like Jesus and strengthens your love for other Christians. Helping out in TCFIf time permits, write articles for In Step or volunteer to help TCF at functions like Teachers’ Day Celebration and seminars or help with the ushering. Contribute ideas and encourage and motivate the staff. Make yourself useful and available to TCF so that you can learn how to serve God.Helping in charity/mission workHelping out in a charity or doing mission work are also ways to develop yourself. It helps you to learn more about other people and how to reach out with love, sincerity and humility. It is the giving of oneself. Reading the Word of GodAnother way to develop professionally is to read the Word of God daily. You learn the ways of God and this helps you to apply them in your daily teaching and actions.TravellingTravelling locally and overseas helps you to learn about other cultures and way of life. You become more appreciative of your own family, community and country and you learn to count your blessings. You learn to live with others and become a better you, a nicer teacher, friend, sister, brother, husband or wife.

In conclusion, if you look around you,

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SOSSOS

Dear Lifebuoy,

Many teachers nowadays are losing sight of their main calling which is teaching and

learning in the classroom. They are inundated with unending paperwork and endless irrelevant meetings and marking. How should teachers keep their focus and stay passionate in this environment? Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed,

Stay in touch and well connected with the grassroots i.e. the students. Cultivate meaningful

relationships with them. Then we see the reason behind the paperwork. Marking is not meaningless because it helps us to assess what our students do not understand and also to assess the effectiveness of our teaching.

I did a fair bit of analysis on the Trial Grades of my PMR students to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. In the end I identified 30 students whose grades had not improved from the mid year to the trial exam and who were also very weak in BM and Mathematics. We had these 30 students “adopted” by various teachers (to give them more attention in their weak subjects). I now have a meaningful relationship with the student I adopted. He was totally hopeless in Mathematics previously but now at least attempts some questions

so I feel the paperwork was worthwhile and not totally meaningless.

Lifebuoy 1 Lifebuoy 1 is a PK Curriculum of a secondary school in Kuala Lumpur.

Dear Overwhelmed,

To us who see some paperwork as unnecessary and a waste of resources, to others it is necessary

documentary proof of work done or usage of some thing or conforming to procedures. All the diligently produced paperwork is then nicely bound and shelved in cabinets never to see the light of day again until the next inspectorate or important visitor comes. However much we may argue our viewpoints, these people would just simply disagree.

So maybe we can think about simplifying our paperwork instead. May I suggest keeping your paperwork short and simple and saved on your laptop for easy reproducing with changes later on. Many reports, minutes and letters have similar contents and format. And there is no necessity to produce long reports although again those people think that the thicker the report the better the job that was done. If they at least spend some time reading through our reports, then maybe it would have been worthwhile producing such long

sos: 1 to 1

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reports. But most often they don’t.As to endless meetings, I think it

is because the teacher is one who wears many hats. He or she is not just a teacher, but also a disciplinarian, storekeeper, coach, cleaner etc. So he/she has to sit in many committees to iron out the different issues faced in the different departments. I understand some schools have tried to reduce the number of meetings and shorten them but I also understand that some people love to call for meetings to discuss this and that. And then they love to talk long and impart so-called wisdom.

It would help to shorten meetings if everyone comes well prepared with answers and stick to the issues and not deviate. Since the agenda and previous minutes are sometimes given ahead, we can prepare in advance. The leader of the meeting should control how the meeting flows and not allow anyone to hold the floor for longer than they should. Long-winded people should be interrupted and politely told to summarise their points. It is rude to interrupt but this is surely one exception. Those who easily digress to a different issue when the present matter has not yet been settled should also be cut off and brought back to the issue at hand.

Long meetings often don’t help. People are physically and mentally tired or thinking of what to cook for dinner to be able to contribute anything worthwhile to the meeting. And then people should learn to listen more and talk less. Heed the proverb: A fool is not

known until he opens his mouth. When one has to talk, speak briefly – I mean some people can really say the same things over and over again in different words!

Marking is part of the core business of teaching and so we can’t avoid it. Homework, assignments and projects are given to students so that we may gauge their progress and command of a lesson objective. However, I believe the amount of homework given should not be overburdensome. Remember that we are not the only teachers giving homework for the day. The other teachers may have also given homework and adding it all up, the poor student may have hardly any time left for anything else. We have all heard this but I think it needs repeating here: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

If we are spending too much time marking, we may be giving too much work to students. Please don’t take this as an excuse to avoid marking at all or giving too little homework. I believe too that homework given should be meaningful. There is no point asking students to copy down copious notes from the textbook supposedly to make them read through the text as they copy. Wouldn’t it be better to pose homework questions that require them to read through the text for the answers?

Another way to reduce marking is not to mark unnecessarily. For example, I really don’t think there is a need to mark notes. Have faith in the student to copy notes fully and properly. If he does not, he may learn responsibility when he

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regrets later for his incomplete notes. Mark for the main points or main steps and answers. If the answer is wrong, then we could mark in more detail to rectify the errors. If students’ answers are mostly similar because they either copy one another or from the same sources, there is then no need to read everyone’s answer. If most students make the same mistakes, then there is no need to correct every student’s work in the book. An explanation could be given in class later and have the students do corrections.

CraCKo deFinitionsSchool A place where parents pay and children play.

Lecture An art of transferring information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of the students without passing through “the minds of either”.

Committee Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.

Smile A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Conference The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

Classic Books, which people praise, but do not read.

Dictionary A place where success comes before work.

Principal Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician One who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence after

Experience

The name men give to their mistakes.

Marriage It’s an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her masters.

Paperwork, meetings and marking seem to be necessary evils in our profession. As we can’t avoid them, think creatively how to reduce their burden.

Lifebuoy 2Lifebuoy 2 is a GKMP of a secondary school in Subang Jaya.

If you have a bugging question, feel welcome to send in your queries to In Step at TCF.

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The bus pulled away from the station as Tuck Seng waved goodbye to his parents and

girlfriend. He was on his way to his first school in faraway Kelantan in the small village of Kampung Ipoh. As the bus meandered down windy country roads, Tuck Seng felt very lonely. He sighed and wondered how he was going to fare in a new place and away from his girlfriend. Did he make the right decision to accept his posting? Doubts started creeping into his heart about his choice of vocation as a teacher. During his varsity days, the call to be a teacher had been quite clear – he wanted to touch young lives and teaching was the best avenue to do that. His academic credentials qualified

him for an engineering course but he was sure he wanted to tinker with minds and not machines.

Before setting off on his new posting, Tuck Seng had got in touch with TCF. Now as he disembarked at the bus terminal in Tanah Merah, a TCF member greeted him heartily. Tuck Seng was only too relieved to meet this new friend who helped him ease into his first day in a new and unfamiliar place. The next day, it was time to look for permanent lodgings. Tuck Seng was glad he was not the only one who had just been posted to the same area. With these other new teachers, he went around searching for accommodation. God was good as they found a new low-cost house at a rental

Along the school corridors ...

By Daniel Gan

in a new plaCe

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you can never get on the west coast. There were already other teachers staying in the vicinity. One of them offered to fetch Tuck Seng daily to his school fifteen kilometres away. No, he didn’t need to take a sampan or hike through snake-infested rubber estates to get to school.

Tuck Seng quickly settled down in his new school. The teachers and the students were warm towards him. The villagers instantly recognised that he was new to the place and talked about the new ‘cikgu’ in town. ‘Is he married? Maybe he could marry one of our daughters.’ Tuck Seng was given English classes to handle. He tried to use the techniques he had learnt in educational pedagogy, but it was not easy to put theory into practice. The students did not see a need to speak a foreign tongue. Furthermore, they also spoke a native dialect which compounded the difficulty in communicating his lessons. Night in and night out, Tuck Seng was busy preparing his lesson plans which helped him get over his homesickness.

On weekends, Tuck Seng would take a bus to Kota Bharu to attend church services. Far from the pastoral care of his home church, he knew he had to seek new fellowship if he was to keep close to God. There, he would meet the rest of his Christian friends who had been posted all over Kelantan. It was a good time as they related to one another their new schools, new homes and adventures. The church pastor was very kind and allowed the young teachers to use the church van

after service to go about town. They would go to the beach and enjoy the sea breeze and spend the time joking and sharing. It helped them forget that they were far away from loved ones. As the church was small, Tuck Seng soon got involved with the church work. He led in the worship some Fridays and he also helped in the Youth Fellowship. He found himself gaining confidence in a way he never would have if he had stayed back in his hometown.

Meanwhile, Tuck Seng was getting along very well with his students. Before long they invited him to explore the countryside. They took him on walks along the ‘benteng’ separating plots of paddy fields as far as the eye could see. During the durian season, he walked under durian trees looking for fallen durians, at the same time wary of lurking tigers which also like durians. He went into their thatched huts and had light meals with the families. He got to hear their stories. Even though these people lead a simple way of life, not every family was fine. There were broken families. Tuck Seng was touched to help one student financially. Tuck Seng was most fascinated with the markets which teemed with colours. Womenfolk manned the stalls. Where were the men? Tuck Seng knew he would never regret this experience of village life.

Stories Tuck Seng had heard before about lack of facilities and communication in ‘ulu’ places didn’t seem to hold a strand of truth. There was electricity and there was piped

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Time passed and Tuck Seng was soon posted back to his hometown. Though he was glad to return, sometimes he actually felt he missed his old place. Now caught in the rat race of the city, at times he longed for the greenery and freshness of Mother Nature, the chirping of birds to wake up to in the mornings, and the parade of stars in the night skies. Yes, Tanah Merah was a good episode in this chapter of his life. His life had been a lot more colourful and richer for this stint in Kelantan.

A posting to a new place can renew oneself indeed.

water. There was Astro and so it wasn’t true that one would be bored with no entertainment. There was mobile phone coverage and even internet access. Night times, Tuck Seng would chat online with his loved ones more than half a thousand kilometres away. Tuck Seng found that he could keep a big portion of his pay left over at the end of every month as the cost of living was cheap. The local food suited his tastes and it was cheap. Transport costs was minimal as he moved around initially on a bicycle and later on, a motorbike. He could afford to give to his parents and church and still save some for a future marriage.

As there was no church in the area, Tuck Seng soon gathered together a few Christians for a cell group. The group slowly expanded as word got around and interested friends joined in. He would also follow up on backslidden Christians and it gave him a purpose for being there in Tanah Merah. Tuck Seng worked diligently and got good annual appraisals from the principal. As the school was small and lacked qualified staff, he soon climbed up the promotional ladder quite quickly. He was made a head of English panel in his second year in the school. Tuck Seng also had more time for himself as life was less hectic and stressful. He took up new hobbies and read widely to widen his horizons. In the evenings, he picked up tennis, a game that he had always wanted to learn before but never found the time.

Grow where you are planted.

If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.

When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Mt 28:19-20

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From the Desk of Nga Johnson

In 2007, just a year before I retired, Pastor Lam Kee Hing gave me a book by Bob Buford called “Half Time”.

In the book, the author reminded us that we must be willing to live a life of significance after a life of success in our career. This challenge was instrumental in helping me deal with my retirement and decide what steps to take for the next phase of my life.

I had served for over 33 years as a teacher, teacher-trainer and a school principal in Malaysia. I knew that after retirement, I would not be content to sit at home. I toyed with the idea of serving in an NGO or a Christian organisation overseas. It was through the Teachers’ Christian Fellowship that I came across an e-mail from a Singapore teacher who shared about his stint at the Shanghai Singapore International School (SSIS). I had never contemplated working in an overseas school but I somehow felt led to apply for a job there. Maybe it was the notion of wanting to trace my roots that attracted me to China. Meanwhile, a Christian education consultant in Singapore recommended two international schools in Mumbai and Dubai. I didn’t feel I wanted to be in these two places so I declined. Then SSIS called me for an interview in Singapore and even though I had applied to be an English teacher, I was offered the vice-principal post. Thus, in May 2008, I reported for

work in Shanghai after retiring from government service in February 2008.

The two years in China broadened my scope of experience and knowledge of school management i.e. private international schools. It also expanded my spiritual mission. I worshipped and served in the hospitality and cell group ministry in an international church and it was wonderful to interact with expat Christians from all around the globe. In addition, I had the opportunity to serve in a local migrant church. In Shanghai, the labour force is made up of migrant workers from outside the city and they would set up their own underground church. The one I was involved in comprised Christians from the province of Anhui. I taught the church leaders English and encouraged my fellow SSIS Christian teachers to get involved in this ministry. I also joined a house church made up mostly of old Shanghainese Christians in my Chinese compound. These varied experiences enriched my life in China.

From 2008 to 2010, I saw two massive earthquakes in Sichuan and Qinghai which destroyed thousands of lives and buildings at the blink of an eye. In my travels, I delighted in the natural beauty of Jiuzhaikou and the majesty of the Xian Terracota army but I realised that their significance could also be wiped out in a second. The devastating events in China reminded me how fleeting our

Be siGniFiCant

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lives were – indeed we are “like a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes”. They taught me that I am to pitch my tent wherever God has placed me but I must also build my altar on God who is steadfast and eternal. I once asked a colleague the secret of her surviving in the school and China for more than 10 years. She said she was not bothered by what was going on around her and urged me to stay on by ignoring the issues that bothered me. “But don’t you want to leave an impact on those around you or do something significant for China?” I challenged her. I asked myself if I wanted to live such a life of indifference.

In July 2010, I completed my two-year contract and God impressed upon me to return to Malaysia. In Shanghai, I saw how people came and went in my school, including my care group, and how this affected and numbed my

students. I realised how transient and momentary our lives were and that our commitment must lie in something more secure and permanent. The comfortable life of an expat in Shanghai can lull one into a sense of contentment until one becomes a lotus eater. The turning point in my decision to return to Malaysia came when I heard of the torching of churches in Malaysia. When my CG prayed about this occurrence, my thought was that I wanted to be in Malaysia with my fellow Christians. Earlier in 2010, Indy, the General Secretary of TCF, had asked if I would like to join TCF to head a new project. After learning more about the job requirements, I accepted the post as a part-time staff worker. I learned to let God, let go and get ready for my Second Half. I look forward to working with TCF in leading a life of significance and impact for God in Malaysia.

TCF Malaysia Holiday Trip to CambodiaDates: 3 - 6 June 2011Estimated costs: USD135 (excluding flight)

Keen to join? Do the following:1) E-mail Esther Ding at khmervillagehomestay@yahoo.com or dsiewbing@yahoo.com and book your accommodation in Phnom Penh and Baray. All payments are to be made direct to her in USD in Cambodia. Do not send TCF any payment.2) Book your own Air Asia air-tickets:3 June 2011 - Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh - Flight AK2726 June 2011 - Phnom Penh to Kuala Lumpur - Flight AK275

Please forward a copy to TCF at tcfmy@pd.jaring.myFirst come first serve basis. Khmer Village Homestay can only take a maximum of 80 people.

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Indy has been excitedly planning and coordinating the TCF 50th anniversary preparations since Dec 2009.

In partnerShIp

By God’s grace, TCF will celebrate her golden jubilee on 27 August 2011! This is a very special celebration as it not

only marks our 50th anniversary but is also the first time we are celebrating a TCF anniversary!

We are most grateful to DUMC Sr Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho for allowing us to hold the event at the Dream Centre in Petaling Jaya. By faith, we are expecting 300-500 members and guests at the anniversary celebration. So, do come and join us!

Preparation for the celebration has been a great learning journey for the TCF leadership and staff. We poured over old photos (laughing at how young and slim many of us looked then), flipped through old issues of IN STEP (wow, there were many inspiring stories and testimonies of all those who have gone before us!), researched our TCF history and unearthed a lot of interesting information which we didn’t know about such as the number of TCF chairmen from 1961-2011, the most popular annual conference venue in the early years, and the number of staffworkers we have had so far.

The exco and staff had a most meaningful session in November when we charted the timeline of TCF from 1961 to 2010 with each group highlighting the significant events in

By Indyrany Kannaiya

each decade. Indeed we saw the hand and the plan of God in our organisation in the last 50 years from the birth of TCF Malaysia in December 1961.

We thank God for our founding chairman, Ms Elena Cooke, and her team for establishing TCF. We thank God for the countless leaders and members who went the extra mile in helping TCF grow from strength to strength.

Without a doubt, Christian teachers have a special place in God’s heart. The Lord knows how much His educators care for His sheep in the schools, colleges and universities. He knows and sees your heartaches, struggles and tears. Indeed no one stands alone. TCF was and is God’s precious gift to all of us teachers so that we may be a community of Christian educators to help fire each other up for the Lord in our calling as the Master’s teachers.

As we celebrate our golden jubilee, let us remember and thank the Lord for the ability to teach, the courage to lead and the strength to stay on course in our calling. Let us pray that He will enable each one of us to impact lives and change futures for His glory!

Happy 50th Birthday,TCF Malaysia!