Teach me well

~picture Googled~

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
~William Arthur Ward~

There are people who have left a permanent impression on me. Even decades later I can remember exactly how they changed my life forever. Teachers have the privilage of having direct access to our minds. Throughout the years, some have been excellent and amazing people who have inspired me, others less so but also left their mark on me.

So today, on Teacher's Day, I want to share my memories. No names will be mentioned.

• 1985-1987: There was a really amazing teacher that that taught me at that International school. She was so unconventional, she taught us love songs during English (none of which we were allowed to sing during our school open day). I guess such things were frowned upon in Jeddah.
• 1987-1989: I know this sounds bad, but I can't specifically recall any of my teachers in this primary school (except I remember that my class teacher was always so nice to me). I guess it was because, after going to a school where creativity was encouraged, adapting to the Malaysian education system really put a damper on me. I do however remember that although I always came top of my class each year, the headteacher always forgot who I was. I guess he had too many kids to worry about.
• 1989-1994: I loved my school teachers in Edinburgh. They encouraged everyone to work at our own pace and let us develop our own interests.
• 1994-1995: Re-adjusting again to the exam oriented system here. I loved my science teacher who was super strict but managed to cultivate my love of competition by having pop quizzes for every lesson. I also hitched a ride to school with a great husband and wife teaching dynamic duo.
• 1996-1997: MRSM Jasin. My homeroom teacher who was my home away from home, a history teacher who was willing to stake her reputation when I was unjustly accused of cheating (yup, probably the worst memory I have of school), a maths teacher who told me to my face that he didn't think I was smart enough to be in the top class (granted, I was surrounded by really smart kids- still hurt but I worked my butt off to prove him wrong) and a chemistry teacher who made learning a great adventure.
• 1998-2005: Unbelievably commited people who fueled my hunger for knowledge and pushed me to be the best that I could be. These were the people I wanted to impress. Even the one lecturer who made me cry in the toilets after each teaching because despite my best efforts he couldn't even remember my name (and there were only 8 of us!). He remembered it after I scored my first clinical distinction in his subject though ;). In the end I managed 7 distinctions out of a possible 9 (Year 4-5).

Even before I went to medical school, I knew that I wanted to become a lecturer. I knew, I wanted to teach. It's in my blood. I knew that I would not be satisfied to just treat people, I wanted to help mold people. I have dreams of what kind of teacher I want to be, I know I may not be able to accomplish it all but I am going to try.

May my children be blessed with great teachers too

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY to all my teachers at

• Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Skudai
  
• Leith Walk Primary School
• Tollcross Primary School
• James Gillespie's High School
• Sekolah Sultan Ismail
  
• Maktab Rendah Sains MARA Jasin
• IKIP-IIUM Matrics
  
• and Kulliyyah of Medicine, IIUM.

Each and everyone of you made me the person I am today and I will never be able to repay you but I hope to join you in your noble profession soon.