UCAPAN PENGERUSI MAJLIS GURU CEMERLANG SEGAMAT SEMPENA MAJLIS MAKAN MALAM TAHUN 2009

Yang Berbahagia Tuan Haji Yasiran Bin Maskom, Pegawai Pelajaran Daerah Segamat. Yang berusaha Tn. Hj. Sazali Bin Ahmad, Ketua Unit Pengurusan Akademik PPD Segamat, dan dif-dif jemputan. Selamat sejahtera dan salam satu Malaysia..

Selamat Datang ke Majlis Makan Malam Majlis Guru Cemerlang Segamat

Bersyukur kita kepada Tuhan kerana diberi peluang untuk berhimpun bersama-sama dalam Majlis yang begitu bermakna ini.

Untuk makluman para hadirin, Majlis Guru Cemerlang Segamat telah berkembang dengan pesatnya pada tahun ini, dengan bilangan ahlinya bertambah daripada 14 orang pada tahun 2008 sehingga menjadi 66 orang setakat ini. Kami berasa bangga dan berbesar hati kerana dapat mengadakan Jamuan Makan Malam pada malam yang mulia ini bersama-sama dengan pegawai-pegawai tertinggi dari Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah Segamat. Untuk makluman semua, MGC Segamat telah lama tidak mengadakan Jamuan tahunan seperti ini.

Memang tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa perhubungan antara MGC dengan PPD adalah seumpama aur dengan tebing, sandar-menyandar antara satu sama lain. Kami sungguh bersyukur kerana mendapat sokongan yang kuat daripada pihak PPD atas segala aktiviti yang kami laksanakan sepanjang tahun ini. Antara aktiviti yang telah dan akan dijalankan termasuk:
(i) Kursus kajian tindakan pada bulan Februari 2009.
(ii) Program “Immersion” pada bulan Jun hingga November 2009.
(iii) Pembinaan modul P&P berkesan pada bulan Julai 2009.
(iv) Pelaksanaan “Roadshow” modul P&P berkesan dalam bulan Ogos hingga bulan November 2009.
(v) Perealisasian “Laman Web” MGC Segamat pada bulan Jun 2009.
(vi) Menyalurkan tenaga GC Segamat kepada 5 Biro utama, iaitu :-
· Biro Penerbitan dan Dokumentasi yang diketuai oleh saudara Baharuddin Bin Alias.
· Biro Pembangunan Modal insan yang diketuai oleh Saudara Mohd Nor Bin Abdullah.
· Biro Inovasi P & P yang diketuai oleh Saudari Sia Peng Yee.
· Biro Data dan Maklumat yang diketuai oleh Saudari Norhayati Bt. Ahmad.
· Biro Kebajikan dan Sosial yang diketuai oleh Saudari Aziaty Bt. Ahmad.

(vii) Pada Sabtu ini (21 November 2009), MGC bersama-sama PPD Segamat akan menganjurkan Kursus Laman Web MGC Segamat untuk membuka satu gelanggang bagi semua ahli MGC Segamat menyemai dan menerokai bidang keilmuan masing-masing.

Sebagai satu penghargaan kepada ahli baru, Semua ahli MGC Segamat yang baru telah dikecualikan daripada bayaran yuran tahunan. Bagi ahli MGC yang lama, mereka hanya dikenakan bayaran yuran ahli sebanyak RM 20.00 sahaja.Berbanding dengan bayaran RM50.00 ketika kali pertama saya menghadiri mesyuarat MGC Segamat pada tahun 2003. Saya yakin, kalau kita sama-sama berusaha, pada tahun-tahun yang akan datang, kita mungkin tidak lagi perlu membayar sebarang yuran tahunan.

Saya percaya, dengan kepakaran yang ada pada setiap GC, kita boleh mencari sumber kewangan melalui usaha kita bersama. Satu contoh yang baik ialah MGC Segamat bermula dengan sifar pada awal tahun ini, namun kedudukan kewangan sekarang telah menjejak RM6,000.00.

Melalui usaha yang gigih, kami telah berjaya membuka akaun semasa di bank RHB, Perkara ini menjadi satu isu yang rumit kerana semua MGC di Johor tidak berdaftar. Oleh itu , kami tidak ada nombor pendaftaran sebagai prasyarat untuk membuka akaun di mana-mana bank di Malaysia. Saya berharap dengan adanya akaun sendiri di bank, segala urusan kewangan MGC Segamat akan menjadi lebih telus dan lancar pada masa-masa yang akan datang.

Hasrat saya setelah dilantik menjadi Pengerusi MGC Segamat pada 1hb Julai 2009 adalah mewujudkan laman web MGC Segamat. Daerah Segamat merupakan daerah yang pertama di negeri Johor yang mempunyai laman web sendiri. Kita perlu menyuburkan isi kandungan di dalam bidang tanah yang baru diterokai ini, jikalau tidak, tak lama lagi bidang tanah tersebut akan menjadi gondol dan dangkal. Saya berharap laman web Segamat melebarkan sayap keilmuannya bukan sahaja di sekitar Segamat, tetapi ke seluruh Malaysia, bahkan ke seluruh dunia.

Akhir sekali, saya tidak pandai berpantun, tetapi saya ingin memetik serangkap puisi hasil seni Allahyarham Datuk (Dr) Usman Awang:

Jika hari ini
Seorang Perdana Menteri berkuasa
Jika hari ini
Seorang Raja menaiki takhta
Jika hari ini
Seorang ulama yang mulia
Jika hari ini
Seorang peguam menang bicara
Jika hari ini
Seorang penulis terkemuka
Jika hari ini
Siapa sahaja menjadi dewasa
Sejarahnya dimulakan oleh
Seorang Guru biasa
Dengan lembut suaranya
Mengajar tulis-baca.

Sekian, terima kasih.

SPOTLIGHT SPM BIOLOGY

Hi, guys, have you seen the First edition of Spotlight SPM Biology book in the bookstores in your areas? It was first published in 2010 by Pan Asia Publication Sdn. Bhd.





I would like to express my heartful thanks to all the four co-authors: Terance Yap, Bryan Wong, N. Bala and Ronnie Kueh who took about two years of great pains to complete the writing, reviewing and editing works. Equally thanks and gratitude to the editors:Sing Yin and Hui Lin from Pan Asia, to sculpt out the final products of incredible perfection. The book was launched in January 2010 by the publisher - Pan Asia.





I was trilled by the fact that the book was now out of stock in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia. I recommended the book to my Form 4 and Form 5 Biology students in SMJK Seg Hwa Segamat, on the very first day of the new school semester.





Today is Sunday, which also marked the end of the first week the school reopened after a long pause for year end school holidays. I was so surprised to learn that Spotlight SPM Biology book is now sold out of stock in Segamat bookstores!





Thank you very much to all the Biology teachers, and all the secondary school students in Segamat, and other places in Johor or around Malaysia. Your continuous support may become a motivator and can generate a catalytic reaction for me and my other friends to move forward in the future.





Some competitive advantages in Spotlight SPM Biology in comparison to other Biology reference books in the market are:





First of all, techniques in answering SPM Biology Paper 3 questions are explained in great detail in Chapter 1 according to the SPM question format. Paper 3 is a stereotyped form of question in SPM Biology. But in general, most of the students failed to score high marks in this paper. The main reason may due to one or more of the factors below:


(i) Some of the new teachers are not familiar with the SPM examination question format for Biology Paper 3, and no "guidebook" in the market for the maiden voyager to follow.


(ii) Some students are unable to follow the lesson in the class. They have to depend on their own initiative to look for information from the reference books. Unfortunately, most of them tried in futile effort.

(iii) Some students rely on the tuition teachers to solve problems in order to achieve their ultimate destination. Unfortunately, no Biology tuition teacher is available in small town like Segamat.

Secondly, the SPM Biology has a wider syllabus scope than both Physics and Chemistry. This can easily be seen from the lesser first encountered new topic in STPM Biology syllabus. The reverse is true to both Physics and Chemistry. As a result, it is more difficult to score good grade in SPM Biology compared to both Physics and Chemistry. To seek a balance between a wider syllabus scope and to obtain a good grade, we are introducing many less common biological terms that may be useful for those high acheiver students to satisfy their insatiable thirst for knowledge. These include:

(a) Non-disjunction (one of the answer in 2009 SPM Paper 2) in "Variation" topic

(b) Classification between characters and traits (one of the question in 2009 SPM Paper 2) in "Inheritance" topic.

(c) Interpret graphs for simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion (one of the question in 2006 SPM Paper 2) in "Movement of Substances across the Plasma Membrane" topic.

(d) Cardiac cycle, T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes and helper T cells in "Transport" topic.

Thirdly, Spotlight SPM Biology include a "Learn It Right" section. The main purpose of the section is to remind the students of some common mistakes in each and every topic. Many of the SPM candidates may know the answer for a particular question, but may not be able to get any mark because the answer is not appropriate. Take for example: The function of chloroplast (grana) is "to trap or absorb light energy". The common mistake among students is "to carry out photosynthesis".

Undeniably, Spotlight SPM Biology is a good book for Form 4 and Form 5 students who are taking SPM examination in Malaysia. By and large, the First Publication is difficult to achieve zero error perfection, but I am very optimistic that in the coming second edition, a zero defect target can be hit.

About Me

My name is Tan Liong Kea. I was born in Sungai Mati, Muar, Johor, Malaysia in the year 1958.

I was brought up in a poor rural family. In my studying life, I never know what tuition is all about.

I finished my primary school education in SJK(C) Chong Hwa, Sungai Sendok, Muar and SJK(C) Pei Hwa, Sungai Mati, Muar. My lower secondary education was completed in SMJK Pei Hwa, Sungai Mati, in the year 1974. In 1975, I continued my upper secondary school education in St. Andrew School, Muar. I left the the school in 1976 after got through my MCE examination.

I was then successfully applied into High School Muar to pursue for my Lower six education in 1977. I passed my HSC in 1978. During my two years in High School Muar, I was really suffering! Although the government had already implemented the borrowing book scheme (SPBT) for poor students in 1977, but the privilege never come to me. Thanks for some of my classmates who were able to buy their own books, but at the same time were also given the borrowing of books priorities, shared out some of their books with me.

My dreamed to enter into one of the local university was tarnished when I failed to obtain a scholarship. Lucikly, I was given the opportunity to the Teacher's Training College- MPRM in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan in 1978.

I was graduated in 1981 as a Chinese Primary school teacher. I started my teaching life in SJK(C) Pei Hwa, Teluk Kembang, Pengerang, in 1981. The whole school has only two classrooms and one headmaster. I was the only teacher in the school, and was given the Standard 4, 5 and 6 jioned class to teach. Standard 1,2 and 3 joined class was under the headmaster himself. Of course, both of us had to teacher all the subjects in our class(es). My teaching practical was carried out in a school with such a deplorable condition!

Unfortunately, towards the end of my practical teaching, my brother passed away. It was a big blow to me, because my parents lost their sole support in the family. I tried to apply back to my hometown to look after my parents, but was unsuccessful. I once opted to quite the teaching post, but was withdrawn later becauce I could not afford the compensation payment to the government.

In 1984, I successfully applied into UKM Sains Hayat Faculty. I was graduated from UKM in 1988. My first posting school was SMK Vokasional, Segamat, in Johor. The school was not offering the Biology subject, so I was teaching Science subject in the school for about 6 years until 1994.

In 1993, I heard the school was going to convert into SM Teknik with no Biology and Science subjects in the school. I applied for the transfer to teach Form 6 Biology in High School Segamat. In April 1994, I was being transferred out to SMJK Seg Hwa, Segamat. As I received my transfered letter in the middle of the year, the Principal of the new school made the assumption that I was a problem teacher.

I was under tight scrutiny all the time in my new school. In 1994, KBSM was just implemented. I was the JU for Science subject, so I used the "student centered" teaching method in my new school, but was strictly warned by the principal!

In 1995, I was very frustrated and fed up with my teaching. I started to look for private sector post and went for many interviews, but unsuccessful.

The turning point of my life began in 1996, when I was accepted into UUM, Sintok, Kedah to follow the twinning Master Course sponsored by IAB. I graduated as Master in Science (Management) in 1997. I applied back to the same school again because the old Principal had already retired.

With higher qualification, I regained my confidence. In 2003, I applied for Guru Cemerlang. After being assessed by the inspectorates, colleagues and students, finally I got through all the obstacles and was promoted from DG41 to DG48 in the year 2003.

IN 2007, I started to write Biology reference book and reviewed STPM Biology books for the publishers. At the same time, I applied for Guru Cemerlang DG52. I was being assessed by two inspectorates for the whole morning. The good news came in 2008, I was again successfully promoted to the DG52 Guru Cemerlang post.

I got married in 1990. I have 3 children now.

I have keen interest in table tennis. I play table tennis, and also involve in table tennis umpiring. I was awarded International Umpire (IU) by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) in 2002. In the year 2006, I was appointed as Malaysian Umpire for the Commomwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

I have to forfeit the opportunity to become international umpire after I was appointed as Guru Cemerlang. The Guru Cemerlang post gives me a lot of extra workload. Furthermore, I am now the chairman for Majlis Guru Cemerlang Segamat.