favorite teachers

After having a good time in my tutorial yesterday, I was talking to my roommate how I wish psychology had more fun and friendly lecturers :):) hehehe

Let me write about my favorite teachers in my 20.5 years life :P

1. Ibu Tuti (Miss Tuti), my maths teacher in 1st grade junior high school
At that moment, I was a new student in that school, still didn't know anyone. Ibu Tuti was an inspiring teacher for me. She encouraged us to ask questions and she asked us to write new year resolution :) She arranged a game for us to learn counting profit&loss :P. The class was changed to a market that time :P
She told us, "When we were all still little children, we never stopped asking our parents,'What is this?', 'What is that?'" then our parents reached a point when they are tired and scolded us, "You're so talkative, stop asking." then she said, "That might be a factor why it's very hard for us to ask questions now."I remember she said this after I asked a question in class (coz she really encouraged us to ask sth that she hasn't revealed, hahaha) she said, "I think that time Ferninda didn't stop talking and asking her parents until now." Hahahaha..

But now if I remember the class situation, I feel more motivated to pay attention and ask my lecturers. Sometimes I feel sad coz I can't even think of a question. Raising my hand and asking spontaneously has become a hard thing after I enter university. Most likely I will go down and ask the lecturer after the class (or even 'only' email him/her) and I think... I only do it once or twice in one or two modules every semester.

The other sad thing was when even in a small tutorial class, people rarely talk and discuss. Most of the times, The discussion is only limited to the questions that the tutor wrote on the board. I couldn't feel the excitement anymore.

I think that's why I love Southeast Asian studies modules. Last semester, most of my classes consisted of only 13-14 people. We really talked to each other about issues that are related to the main theme. We argued each other, I felt the frustration when I couldn't gave good arguments for my lecturer whose opinion was against mine, I learned how to shape the question in such a way so I didn't offend her but yet at the same time showing that I didn't agree with her, and in other class, I felt a guilt of not reading materials and at the same time, I felt happiness in finding sources from here and there. I asked lots of questions :P and yesterday, I really did tutorial with my friends and lecturer with music and coffee, tea, and milo! what a nice class it is... :):)

Let's go back to Bu Tuti, my maths teacher.
Years and years after that, we still keep in touch. We share with each other about our new year's resolution and the last time I met her was before I left my hometown for studying in Singapore. We spent 4 hours talking-talking-and-talking!! from sitting in pizza hut to eating ice-cream at food court :P We talked about life, love, dreams, faith, and many more :):)

Makasih, Bu Tuti. You are always a great and inspiring teacher for me.

2. Kak Lily, my piano teacher
We met each other when I was 10 years old. She was my 2nd piano teacher. My first impression of her, VERY STRICT! She made me record all my practice timings, she gave me and my brother lots of homework, but...
She's a nice person..
She has vision and she treats every student differently. When she chooses a song for us, she chooses it according to our strength and our characteristics. When she stopped teaching in the music school, I quit from the music school and she became my private piano teacher. When I was 15 years old, during my vacation, I went to her house EVERY DAY to practice for hours and hours, coz I didn't have any piano and my keyboard keys are not enough to play Toccata.

Memorable quote from her:
Ferninda: I dont have time to practice, I have lots of homework from school
Kak Lily: then you should practice playing piano BEFORE you do your homework coz u'll do ur homework anyway. Do the most difficult thing to do first...

I love being her student. She's my friend too. We also often talk about life, my school, her university life, and so on and so forth. It's been 10 years now... I attended her wedding 8 years ago and now she has three children: Do, Re, Mi (alDO, RAchel, and MIchelle). :P Every time I go back to Indo, we still meet each other and talk for hours and hours again..hahahaha...

I think teachers are really a great people. That's why I used to want to be a teacher. In primary school, the teachers teach all subjects. So my thought was like, "Wow..being a teacher is super-cool!!" But it's not only about teaching. It's also about being friends and mentors to your students at the same time. and you'll be amazed how great the impact that you can make on your students. Both Bu Tuti and Kak Lily really influence me  A LOT. They're so inspiring and I love the teachers who don't only talk about subjects in school, but also about life!!

Yeah...maybe that's the problem now.. With minimum 70 people in LT, I can't expect the lecturer to relate with every student.. With 2hours-lecture per week, time is so precious and the only time they have is to squeeze all the lecture materials and talk about their research, no space for 'daily life' stuff.

I want to feel it again.. The curiosity and urge to ask questions, the excitement that I feel when I do research, I really really want to feel it again.

Thank God for this semester. I enjoy my modules sooo muchh :):) and I have great lecturers and make friends with some lecturers :):) One of them is also very inspiring!!! :)

I told my roommate and my mom, "I really really feel guilty for falling asleep in class now coz the lecturers are so smart and so passionate in what they're doing." So......... even though I (still) fall asleep in class ACCIDENTLY :P, I try my best to pay attention :):)

have a nice weekend :)