Me No Speaka The Englees ...

A couple of days ago, my younger boy came to me and asked me to help him with some Math questions. After looking at the questions, I gave him the old 'go ask mommy' routine. I mean, ask me anything but Math! I've never been good at Math and I worship the ground the inventor of the calculator walks on. If he or she never invented the calculator, I'd be having to use my fingers and toes to count during those countless sales pitches that I do. How bad am I at Math? Well, for me 2 + 3 = 7.25, that's how bad I am at it!

So, with a look of utter disgust, the little fellow heads to mommy who easily helps him with his home work ... LOL! But that really isn't what I wanted to post about. Before I sent him packing to his mommy to help him with his problem, I read through the questions in his Math book which was entirely in English. Now, for a little insight for the sake of some of my foreign readers, Mathematics and Science are thought in English over here and the rest of the school subjects are taught in our national language, which is Bahasa Malaysia.

Recently or should I say for quite sometime now, there has been a big hoohaa about those two subjects being taught in English and there are cries from many quarters demanding that it be reverted back to Bahasa Malaysia which I find utterly ridiculous. And some of the reasons given for wanting it to be reverted back to our national language is cos some people (our leaders included) think we'll lose our heritage or something along those lines if Math and Science are taught in English. Like I said, utterly ridiculous.

But that didn't really bother me much cos it's exactly what I expect of some of the leaders of this country. They don't really have much grey matter when it comes to making sense but lets not get into that. But what I want to post tonight is what I read in the local media here recently that said some teachers are 'going mad' as they cannot handle teaching Mathematics and Science in English. And that these teachers have to even take additional English classes to improve their command of English.

Now, if these teachers can't even have a decent command of English to begin with, why are they even teachers to start with? And worse yet, why are they even teaching our children? Is it so difficult to teach Math and Science in English?

I went through my sons Mathematics book and found the English in there to be really basic, nothing that would drive you to the point of becoming mad, that's for sure. I don't know, maybe the English in the higher levels here are different. Maybe it's much harder to teach in English and it really is driving them mad, but judging from my sons Math book, I seriously don't think so.

I have some readers here who are teachers, namely Carol and Perry. Maybe you guys could tell me if it really is all that hard to teach in English. Maybe I'm seeing things the wrong way. You guys have first hand knowledge of the education system here.

I've read both your blogs and in the short time I've come to know you guys, I can tell that you have the passion and desire to be teachers, that this is something you want to do, not just something to earn a living. I've read your posts about how happy you guys become when you see your students achieve something. And to me that is the dedication and love you guys have for your industry.

These new generation of teachers on the other hand probably became teachers out of a necessity to irk out a living with no passion and desire to really teach. I don't know I could be wrong and this is just my opinion anyway but tell me something, If a non native Malay speaking teacher can learn and master Bahasa Malaysia to teach effectively, then why can't the same be achieved for the English language?

Is it really that hard to teach in English? I really want to believe it is but having gone through my sons book, it just doesn't hold water. I mean, when you become a teacher you should already be able to at least have a decent command of English, so teaching just two subjects in English shouldn't really pose that much problem unless you're just plain incompetent and if that is the case, then I don't think you should even be a teacher to begin with.

I've been to Parent-Teacher meetings here and the amount of teachers who can't speak proper English is astonishingly high! Last year, when I attended one of these meetings, there was this male teacher who had to do the introductions and when he spoke in English, it was so bad that I was embarrassed for him! What has happened to us in this country? Teachers who can't speak proper English and claim to be going mad from having to teach just two subjects in English.

I remember back in my time, every teacher in my school could speak and teach in English if the need arose. Even the teacher who taught us Bahasa Malaysia was able to teach in English and could chip in when our regular English teacher was on sick leave or something. I don't think that could ever happen today. Even our leaders and government servants back then had such a great grasp of English unlike the ones we have today.

It's not like you're going to lose your identity if you have subjects that are taught in English right? I speak Malay and I don't fret that just because I do, it'll make me a lesser person. And I'm not afraid to speak Malay if I have to. I'm proud that I'm bilingual, in fact, I can understand Cantonese too with a smattering of Tamil :D Why are these teachers and a small portion of the people in this country so against subjects in schools being taught in English is way beyond me.

Anyway, on a happier note, I've basically found the wireless router I want. Remember I mentioned that my boss gave me his MacBook? Well, he took it back and gave me a brand new Compaq laptop (which I will tell you guys about in another post) and that I've been wanting to get a wireless router? I just couldn't find one that I was happy with.

Well, I've found one I have my eye set on which is this sleek looking Belkin N1 Wireless Router. I've been doing loads of research on routers and this is just what I'm looking for. It has an extremely great range and fast speeds that deliver quick and efficient ways to distribute video, music, photos and files among all the PC's connected to my network at home. The most important aspect is the fact that with it's great range coverage, I can just sit outside my porch with a nice steaming mug of coffee and surf away all day with no wires limiting me to just the location of my room.

Will you look at the time, it's way past my bed time, I'd better post this now or I'll be going on for hours and hours ... LOL! Good night people and happy Sunday :D
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