This document is a reflection by an English lecturer on their teaching experiences at a college. They feel like an entertainer to disengaged students but still finds teaching rewarding when students appreciate their efforts. The lecturer enjoys reading novels by Indian authors like RK Narayan in their spare time instead of newspapers, as their father had insisted on. They have influenced a colleague to also enjoy RK Narayan's works.

1. The Newspaper and Me matter of fact, I sometimes feel so silly to be here in the
Every time I sit and decide to write, I usually start English department working, arranging and stimulating
with dialogues, just like that, I believe it gives a brief and lessons for my students, knowing the obvious truth that the
interesting start, perhaps just to convince myself that it’s a students care less of whatever is being taught in the class
good start. Simple yet different, just like we don’t like to lie room.
but at times we are just helpless. I am not any
extraordinary. And as I finish, I usually feel that I am not Worse still, I feel like a clown at times, standing in
done. front of adult students whose approximate age are between
18 to 19 years old blinking their eye balls having their
It’s an obvious long, boring, hot and lazy eyebrows raised up as if it’s a tool gifted by God to help
examination day for a teacher who invigilates. Pulau their eye lid from clipping like magnets from drowning into
Pinang Matriculation College, so grand at the say of its the sleeping land. Yes, it’s funny, that at times I just cut off
name. Well, I am a staff here, English lecturer, a boring dry whatever I plan to have with them and just end the class 15
subject for the students, unfortunately IMPORTANT and minutes earlier to please myself. What’s so wrong, their not
it’s a compulsory paper mind you! But it’s fine…hmm no, interested anyway!
no. I must say it doesn’t matter if you fail to obtain a good
result at it, because English language is not incorporated in Sometimes I fell… I feel….I feel great teaching here,
your CGPA score, so where is the big deal? I would have the students appreciates me and my talents but most of the
just the same judgment if I am a student here. Having this time I feel more like an entertainer to them because I can

2. hardly see anyONE of them taking note of any factual know the problem raising. When you ask and discuss about
issues we discuss apart from having the class on the move it with them, they seem to give their piece of mind, indeed a
lively. Maybe I am comparing too much with my time and great disappointment, but what’s the point? Nothing
style during the days I was at the universities. But what the changes and the conversation ends up with, what to do, we
hell! One can’t just record everything taught in the just follow the instruction and command from the
classroom. Worse scenario, as the time reaches the 50th authority. My jaw drops listening to the discussion, and
minute, just before I call up the class, they seem to hit the slowly manages to place it back. Yet, I am not convinced,
delete button of their brain system and then fling whatever honestly. But later came to comprehend that there must be
they have learnt into the recycling bin and walk away for reason for them to give up and say so. What can we do
the next lecture. They make me wonder if they react the anyway, and do we have a choice? Hmm…, you figure out
same for other subjects too. The answer is definitely ‘NO.’ your own convincing answer, some things are better to be
They didn’t come here just to waste their time, did they? left untold!
And yet, I can’t be lecturing them on the importance of
picking up English language when the Education Ministry
of Malaysia themselves doesn’t bother about it, can I? What Newspapers! I’ve seen people hunting for it as soon
the hell? as they open their eyes early in the morning as if, if they are
not informed of what’s happening around them, earth
Come to think about it, there are a bunch of senior doesn’t go round! Well, my father, Mr. Kanni is one of such
lecturers in my department, whom of course seem to really a kind, not exactly but some what. He gets up sometimes

3. early in the morning and most of the time late! Either way, either The Star if it’s English paper or Tamil Nesan for a
he gets up and sits on the bed with his eyes shut, rub his tamil paper. He’ll take his time reading through the papers,
hands, opens it apart having it placed side by side near to at times when I go through the paper, not to read basically
his chest, utters some morning prayers, I think or just to browse through the zodiac section, I normally come
something near to it, I am not so sure and raise his hands at across his scribbles of comment or a noticeably huge tick on
the same posture to his face and wipe it as if a Muslim man each article he has read, some of it which he has seriously
finishes his payers with ‘amen’ and finally opens his eyes to scrutinized. At times I feel that he would have suited better
see his grandson or granddaughter by his side lying in deep being a retired school headmaster or a lawyer instead of a
sleep, he would caress their hair with great care. I always retired X-Ray film developer.
love to see that. Then he stands and stumble to wraps
himself up with his dhoti around the waist and off he goes I don’t read newspapers, really. I own this habit ever
to finish his morning routines. The next very thing he does since I was in high school. My father, again Mr. Kanni got
is ask my mother; a classic Indian beauty with her forehead pissed off, frustrated, irritated, distress, devastated name it
filled with their marriage kumkumam to get his tea ready whatever at the fact that his daughter, does not read
while he’ll drive to the shop not far away from our home to newspaper! Lately, rather traumatized at another fact; his
get his newspaper. By the time he returns home his tea will daughter is in the teaching profession and she doesn’t read
be ready on the table. He sips slowly and let his throat newspapers! For him, a teacher is ‘sagalamum arinthavar’ a
enjoy the hot tasty tea his wife made for him as his eyes person who knows practically everything! How on earth? If
browse through the headlines of the newspaper, it must be you ask him, he’ll answer you, Read! Reading is the tool,

4. what else it takes for a person to be knowledgeable, and will get elated in one way or another and frequently ask me
you as in a teacher, should know everything, must know to read out aloud. There, the problem arises. I was not
everything! He will say with a great stress as he utters the fluent in reading as I was in speaking the language. So of
word Read, he would blink his eyes as if it would roll off its course I would stumble about reading with extraordinarily
place any moment. Tool, he would raise his eyebrow and bizarre pronunciation which he will patiently correct as I
hold it high up proudly, knowledgeable, you and teacher read from one line to another and there was never a day I
almost in whispers and he would end his sentences with his successfully satisfy him. His head escorted with his long
hands up on the air as if teacher means the world! Now this face swings from right to left at my reading skill. Once in a
reminds me of a Hindi movie I watched some time back while I pick a glance at him and speed my reading. When
directed by Sanjeev Leela Bansali “Black” where Rani he can’t effort to correct the mistakes, he’ll just leave telling,
Mukerjee, a blind girl who says “Teacher means ‘The read more and practice and you’ll improve. Would I
World’ I wonder for a second, could he have watched this continue? Nah, that’s a relief for me, I’ll chuck it away and
movie? I’ll quickly dismiss the thought but by then I would continue what I desire to do. Appa has completely stopped
be snorting with laughter. asking me to read newspaper. He has tried his level best I
should say and have decided to stop pressuring himself
Now, he has retired telling me to read newspapers. I trying to instill the newspaper reading habit in me. Poor
somewhat miss him bugging me to read them and for appa, he is a great man. I admire his ability, devotion to us,
instance, it’s always a great risk to pretend talking up his his daughters, his knowledge and many more though I’ve
advise by pretending to read newspaper in front of him. He never told him this. I guess that’s a part of him in me. He

5. hardly phrase any of us, I guess he knows how far we
would flatter about it. What’s the best part? I have successfully influenced
Usha akaa, my colleague who is more a sister to me to
And trust me, till date 16th January 2007, I haven’t become very much attached with R.K’s too. She always
instilled the habit of engaging myself with newspapers. comes with a wider grin whenever she has something to
Occasionally yes, but not more than 20 minutes. God knows share about R.K. and I love watching her facial expression
why! But I love reading, I read novels and my wide choice as she runs her eyes, hidden behind her spectacles over his
will always be English Language novels of Indian writers writings, funny, sweet, and so innocent.
like R.K Narayan’s! He is my cuppy cake, sugar plum, cone
sweet favorite author. His pieces are marvelous, never fail Apart from R.K, Raj Anand Mulk, he is an excellent
to move and make me laugh! I enjoy every bit of his socialist writer. His first masterpiece I read was ‘The
writings! I won’t be surprise if reading his work has Untouchable.” I still remember the satans in the name of
influence on my way of writing. Hey, he did something my saints among Hindus. He states that all people are equal
father couldn’t…though it’s an obvious lame excuse but and should share equally in the wealth of the country or the
hey! I am reading! Great writer! Even though I’ve discover political system. He is a man who portrays the life of these
it pretty late. Jacqueline one of my best friend, introduce me people and tells us that they are as much humans as we are
to R.K’s collection. She is as well 27 years old and was and deserves as much as we do. You should read for your
familiar with R.K’s years back. Upon asking her, she told self of the dreadful world those poor people lives in India
me this and my response? ‘Oh!’ and a wide grin.

6. and strangely they are people that they are living with not dreams come true, the first thing you have to do it to wake
demons yet demons like. up! I enjoyed writing this; hope you enjoyed reading it too!
Leaving that apart, many more other writers like 16th January 2007
Shobbha De, Arunthathi Roy, Rani Manicha, Anita Desai
and her daughter Kiran Desai, V.S Naipaul, K.S Maniam,
Chitra Baneerjee Divakaruni and many more whom I can’t
recall.
It’s almost an hour now since I’ve started to write,
and it’s almost time for their Biology paper to end and I am
yet to start what I intend to say. It happens, I told you! And
all of the sudden, the long, boring, hot and lazy
examination day became so much of an interesting and
beautiful one. Language has it and that is only if you
realize. Remember, my father, the great man gave up on
insisting me to read newspaper. It’s when he stopped that I
started to read, which is obviously late, but hey I am
catching up on it, you can too! Remember, to make your