We also marked exam papers. I marked a total of 136 pieces of paper 1 and 2 General English, and 56 pieces of paper 1 and 2 English for Science & Technology. From these papers, I marked 68 summaries, 136 essays (each student wrote 2 essays as the requirement of the exam) for General English and 28 essays for EST. I spent two weeks of school holiday glued on my seat.

While evaluating their essays, I felt like I was going through a series of electrical shock whereby I was constantly shocked or surprised and thus realized how serious I need to be when I am teaching English. Students are weak in English because English is not a second language but a foreign or more appropriately alien language here. I also briefly went through the essay exam papers of Esther’s and Charles’ to get a better picture of this matter.

The main problem is that there is no environment for them to speak English except during English lessons. When we learn language, we need to use it to communicate so that learning the language makes sense in our brains.

The wholesome goodness of marking exam papers is it prepares me to teach my students. I know the proficiency level of my students as well as their needs. Most importantly, the activities that I was going to prepare for my lessons are suitable or easy (not too difficult or beyond their proficiency level). The idea is to scaffold them yet they still feel comfortable and do tasks or activities that are achievable. I won’t say I fully understand my students because that requires interaction and building relationships with them in a long stretch of time. I admit I still don’t fully understand them despite being there for two months.

The Gawai Dayak Festival was also celebrated during the school holiday. It is usually celebrated on the 1^st of June. The Gawai Eve is held on 31^st May where participants can witness the Miring ceremony performed by the headman of the village. The villages we visited during this festival with Pastor Wilson, Margaret, pastor’s mother and cute Dayang were Kampung Pueh and Kampung Sebat. Both villages are inhabited by the Bidayuh Selakos. We joined other people and ate together in their houses. They held open houses. Tuak (an alcoholic drink produced by rice fermentation) was not served to guests in respect of pastor.

Before that, we shook hands with all the hosts and took our seats. After the Christian prayer, everyone began to eat. Usually there are 10 or more hosts who prepared and served the food at one of the host’s house. This is a good way to collaborate and build friendships among friends and neigbours.

Kampung Pueh (Pueh Village)

After we had a hearty meal, the next round of guests will enter and continue eating the food served by the hosts. I do not know if this cycle is repeated for a few days but this usually depends on the hosts. Before we leave, it is a courtesy to go around and shook hands with the hosts as a sign of gratitude and respect. It is also compulsory to accept the food and drink offered by the hosts. Otherwise, one is considered rude.

The dishes that everybody looked forward to and devoured like hungry horses is the Ayam Panso and Ikan Panso. These dishes are prepared without using vegetable cooking oil. The chicken and fishes are put inside the bamboo and cooked near the fire. Salt, lemon grass and other ingredients are added into the bamboo. When you have eaten Ayam Panso, you’ll find Kentucky Fried Chicken can’t taste better than it.

A bowl of water is also served to the guests (shown in the above picture). It is for washing their hands after they had eaten.

Besides that, Kuih Tumpik (brown, circular and fried food shown in the above picture) and Lemang, a traditional food where the rice is wrapped in leaves is also served to the guests. At Kampung Sebat, the Lemang is served with rice wrapped in pitcher plant. Very creative. Yet they still taste the same.

We also learnt that the Selakos called Chinese as “Sebat” instead of “Cina”. “Cina” is deem rude. Both terms are fine with me.

We also celebrated Teacher’s Day. Visit Charles for more information.

Our school also celebrated Gawai Dayak Festival. The most unique event was, we had the rare opportunity to see the Bidayuh Selako’s traditional dances. These dances were taught by the headman from Kampung Serayan. We also get to see their unique and traditional costumes.

Photograph by Charles Cheng W. King

This festival was celebrated by the teachers, school staffs, students and their parents. It was held at the dinning hall. Delicious dishes are served especially the most mouth-watering dish – Ayam Panso.

Photograph by Charles Cheng W. K.

These are the dancers who performed the rare and unique Selako (or Bidayuh Selako) traditional dances. Their costumes were beautiful.

We were very lucky to be able to witness these traditional dances. These dances were not performed at Sarawak Cultural Village.

The most interesting food I found that day was this.

The rice (white rice or specific “Kampung rice”, that is, rice planted and harvested at Sematan villages) was wrapped in these leaves. These leaves gave the rice an aromatic fragrance and one can actually taste the sweetness of the leaves in the rice. It was beautiful. I forgot what this is called and the name of the leaves. There are two types of leaves used to wrap the rice. This is so unique. I didn’t know that rice is not only wrapped in banana leaves!

Of course, not forgetting that I was observed and evaluated six times in 1 month! It was a stressful and hair pulling month. I’ve got to meet my lecturer and teacher counselor’s expectations and hope that things go well during my lessons.

That’s my lecturer evaluating me. He was writing comments and marks during the observation. My teacher counselor was also evaluating me at the same time.

I would like to say a big thank you for the support and guidance from my teacher counselor, Mr. Cosmas Oh and my lecturer, Tuan Haji Zakaria. With your guidance, I have made improvement in my teachings. Thank you so much.

Our school also had Academic Day. It was a success. This was the day teachers and parents met to discuss about the conduct and performance of students in school. Student attendances were compulsory.

Many parents turned up that day. All the seats at the dining hall were taken and parents had to stand outside but near the dinning hall to listen to the speech given by our school administrators.

At urban schools, only students who had failed their subject papers in exams were compulsory to attend Academic Day with their parents. In this school, attendance is compulsory for all students. Many parents were also present in the schools. This is a positive sign.

After the speech, parents and students met with the form teachers to get their children’s report cards. Teachers will inform parents about their children’s performance in school.

Photograph by Charles Cheng W. K.

[The lady in pink is Teacher Margaret Choo. She represented the form teacher of 4B who was absent that day. She was giving advice to Annete and her father. The girl sitting next to the teacher in the class assistant of 4B named Azyrn. Both Annette and Azyrn are Selakos and lived in the hostel. It is compulsory and a custom by all the hostel students go home during the weekends. They have very strong and intact relationships with their families. Thus students still go home even though it is only for one day.]

The majority of students in the classes I visited had their parents or guardians present that day. Hostel students also took their parents to see the hostels that they are staying.

Photograph by Charles Cheng W. K.

Parents and students inside and outside the classrooms. They were waiting to meet the form teachers.

I was surprised with myself when I entered the classes I taught and shook hands with all the parents. It was a natural instinct. I informed them that I was their English teacher and I am a teacher trainee here. I also asked my students about their exam performance in other subjects. And I did know more about my students that day.

And finally the day came when observations were over. The cloud had passed. I breathe a sigh of relief. I taught my classes with an air of calmness over the next few weeks before my practicum finally ends.

I also took 34 students on a trip to the Sarawak Cultural Village. This event will be featured in another post.

Charles, Esther, me and Teacher Lim Siew Hoon.

Photograph by Teacher Yeo Nga Ping

Before we make a permanent departure from SMK Sematan, we had dinner with our principal, Mr. Ivor Lim, our principal assistant, Miss Lim Siew Hoon and Miss Yeo Nga Ping, a Science teacher. It was a combination of hearty and sad meal. I feel sad to leave this school but also feel compel to return to university. We need to register and continue with our TESL courses.

Nevertheless, it was a great learning experience and we will never forget the lovely memories we share with this school and everyone in this school. Once again, we would like to thank all the students, teachers and staffs for making SMK Sematan a great learning experience and joy for us. Thank you!

* The End *