Finding His Place & Peers - Standard 4

20th - 24th January 2014

This week, my 10 year old wore his scouts uniform for his first Scouts activity. The teacher got all the Scouts to gather in the school field and asked each boy to step in front and recite the Scout's oath. He didn't know this was coming so he didn't get it right. When I asked him if the teacher had given him the oath to memorise, he said no. I have to find it myself I guess.

After about an hour of Scout activities, the children were asked to join their respective clubs/societies. He had earlier signed up for Maths & Science but he said he ended up in a classroom where the teacher gave them an essay to write, entitled "Aku Seekor Monyet" ( If I Were A Monkey). Puzzling, don't the teachers check on the kids?

The week went well for him because of two boys who he is now close with, T and K. He hangs out with them often. Sometimes T and him walk around the school field looking for leaves. Also this week he managed to do many things on his own, including buying his own books.

I saw a boy teasing and berating another boy about why he does not speak in Bahasa Melayu. I heard the reply from the harassed boy too, he was trying to be polite when he said, "because my name is Alex.". This exchange actually took place in front of the harassed boy's father whom I guess didn't want to get involved. To this, the boy who was harassing said," cikgu kata kita mesti cakap Bahasa Melayu" (teacher said we must speak Bahasa Melayu).

Hmm, scary, as my own son is not really that good yet in speaking Bahasa, simply because he is out of practise. I am sure he will catch up soon. I think SK school kids should be encouraged to speak both languages, and the only place where most Malay kids get opportunity to speak English is in school with non-Malay speaking friends, so why not make use of it? In fact, why not allocate 2 days in aweek as 'English Speaking Day'.