Introduction

Education is always seen as the crucial factor for every country in achieving a society
which is globally competent and able to bring about positive changes. When education is
highlighted, teachers are the frontline in imparting knowledge to others in the name of
education. In Malaysia, teachers are equally seen as the agents of change towards
achieving the countrys aspirations and goals, especially Vision 2020 in order to produce
competent human assets to cope with the rapid process of globalization. According to
Rahman (1993), the Vision 2020 statement is:
By the year 2020, Malaysia is to be a united nation, with a confident Malaysian
society, infused by strong moral and ethical values, living in a society that is
democratic, liberal, caring, economically just and equitable, progressive and
prosperous, and in full possession of an economy that is competitive, dynamic,
robust and resilient.
So, the Ministry of Education (MOE) is ensuring that the Malaysia teacher education
(TE) programme is always on par with the national and international standards through
various initiatives. The efforts are essential in ensuring high quality of teachers to be
graduated is commendable and posted to schools to educate the minds of young learners. It
is seen that teachers are not only one of the variables which need to be transformed in
order to enhance the educational system but are also the most significant agents in
educational reform, as quality teachers are the determinants of student achievement (Hazri,
Nordin, Reena and Abdul, 2011). In this essay, the extent to which the Malaysian TE
programme has prepared me to become professional teacher as envisioned in the Malaysia
Education Blueprint 2013-2025 will be discussed. The strengths of the TE programme, my
career plan and what have I gained throughout the programme will also be discussed.

The Positive Strengths of the Malaysian TE Programme

In my opinion, it is to a certain extent that the Malaysian TE programme has prepared
me in terms of teacher development in order to face the challenges of teaching and other
aspects of the education field. According to Glatthorn (1995), teacher development is the
professional growth a teacher attains as an outcome of acquiring increased experience and
examining his or her teaching systematically. The TE programme that is Bachelor of
Teaching (PISMP) is a 4-year degree course. First and foremost, the TE programme is
designed to ensure that all pre-service teachers are equipped with knowledge and skills
pertaining to teaching-learning methodology prior to graduation. Throughout the programme,
I have been exposed to a lot of teaching theories, educational practices and classroom

management skills. As for teaching theories and practices, I have learned and can put into
practice the behavioural, cognitive and humanistic theories. There are also many other
theories which will prove to be useful in my future endeavours as a teacher in school, such
as Total Physical Response (TPR), Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Community
Language Learning, Task-based Approach and Eclectic Approach. All these theories are
essential as they enable me to deal with different groups of pupils with varying needs and
learning styles. Clapton and Cree (2004) stated that there is a need for learning models that
integrate theory and practice in ways that bring the field into the classroom as well as take
the classroom into the field. For example, when I encountered groups of pupils who were
mostly active during my practicum, I could apply the TPR approach to cater to their needs.
Instead of seat work and complete the task quietly, I allowed them to move around the class
and work on the tasks actively in small groups for Scavenger Hunt game. Linse (2005)
suggested that TPR is beneficial for children who developmentally have shorter attention
span. In another instance, I got the pupils to manipulate the realia in front of the class to
show the usage of prepositions of places. I was able to cater to the varying needs of the
pupils by making full use of the teaching approaches which I have learned from the TE
programme.
As for assessment and classroom management aspects, I now know the skills
involved in preparing test items and also the process of assessment. For instance, I could
make use of remedial and enrichment tasks to assess a group of pupils with different
proficiency levels. On the other hand, as for classroom management, I can now apply the
various classroom management techniques. For example, from first phase practicum till the
third phase practicum, I had been trying out and applying different classroom management
techniques to see which technique is the best to address the particular group of pupils,
ranging from giving rewards (behaviourist), befriending the pupils and establishing close
teacher-student relationship (humanistic) to getting the pupils to reflect on their
misbehaviours and coming to a mutual consensus (cognitive). Effective classroom
management skills maximise pupils learning opportunities and establish a productive
working environment (Santrock, 2004). Further studies continue to demonstrate the strong
relationship between teachers classroom management skills and students achievement
(Evertson & Weinstein, 2006). All these result from the training of the TE programme I am
undergoing to become a professional teacher.
Besides that, the TE programme also exposed me to the 21 st century learning
knowledge and skills. Throughout the programme, I have picked up a lot about critical
thinking skills, information and communications technology (ICT) skills, peer collaboration,
innovation and problem-solving skills. For example, I have learned how to produce

interactive multimedia package using PowerPoint to be used for classroom lessons, in which
I also did as the intervention for my action research. In the programme, students teachers
are required to take a compulsory course in Technology in Teaching and Learning and
additional subject of computer-aided instruction which allows them to be skilful in the
preparation and organization of ICT materials for teaching and to resource multimedia
materials (Hazri et al., 2011). I could also produce trailers and videos thanks to my
experiences in preparing those for events and assignments during the course of the
programme. I was also involved in preparing innovative teaching-learning materials out of
recyclable materials to be used in classrooms. These materials will need to adhere to the
aspects of innovation, such as cost-effectiveness, durability, flexibility in terms of crosscurriculum teaching and practicality. During my training, I had the opportunity to learn all
these from a three days innovation course for a limited number of people only, whereby a
local expert on innovative education was the facilitator throughout the course.
In addition, as for critical thinking skills, I had learned about those during Arts in
Education (Seni Dalam Pendidikan) subject and other courseworks for various subjects. I
learned to create interesting, captivating activities for presentations in class. So, this can be
applied to the classroom learning context as a teacher in the future. The TE programme also
equipped me with problem-solving skills through the co-curricular activities (uniform body)
and Teacher Character Building (Bina Insan Guru or known as BIG) programme. I learned
about basic survival skills and problem-solving especially during outdoor camping, whereby I
had the opportunity to produce camping gadgets out of bamboo. All these are beneficial to
me as a future teacher for me to impart knowledge to the young generation in school.
Moreover, the TE programme has enabled me to pick up all the values I need as an
educator. It helped with my wholesome and holistic development in terms of physical,
emotional, spiritual, intellectual and social quotients. According to Hazri et al. (2011), the
programme not only focuses on the incorporation of knowledge, but also skills and noble
values whereby students obtain hands-on learning through the application of theoretical
knowledge to real life situations. It also allowed me to understand the concept of teaching as
a profession. Teaching is on par with other professional jobs such as doctor, lawyer and
engineers. Thus, professional standards of practice and ethics must be met before one
becomes a teacher through TE programme for quality assurance of the teachers produced.
Teaching may be regarded as a profession in its own right, and one that requires a huge
amount of professional expertise and its own code of ethics, which can be expressed in a set
of principles (Ethical Principles for the Teaching Profession, n.d.). Throughout the
programme, the training has allowed me to achieve self-realization whereby I realize the
importance of upholding and practising values in life. Just to name a few, the values include

leadership, empathy, teamwork, responsibility, punctuality and lifelong learning. Values

develop with time and maturity. The aforementioned BIG programme indeed helped me to
view things differently as it taught me many things. For example, I could still very well
remember about having to feed a friend, imagining that he is our parent. It actually showed
me to care for people around me when I still can. The same goes when I will be teaching in
schools in future, whereby I should care for every school community regardless of ones
background and condition. In another instance, I had the opportunity to expose Year 4 pupils
about life principles and values during second phase practicum. I enlightened them about life
and the importance of working hard in order to bring about positive changes to their lives.
So, this was one of the many examples which the TE programme has prepared me to
become a teacher. The aforementioned strengths of the TE programme are in line with Shift
4 in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 2025, that is to transform teaching into the
profession of choice. Therefore, the quality of teachers produced will be upheld and adhere
to the required standards.

Aspects Which Can Be Improved and Career Plan

The knowledge and skills that I have benefited from the TE programme are vital for
my self-development. Out of the five stages of mastery, I believe I have achieved the first
two stages, namely novice and advanced beginner. These stages are the foundation I had
achieved through the TE programme which is crucial in preparing me as a beginner teacher
upon finishing the programme. I believe I am now able to analyse and reflect upon my
weakness and come up with solutions in order to address them for self-improvement as a
beginner teacher. However, I realize that this is only the beginning of my career as an
educator. I still have a long way ahead of me in order to become a fully-developed expert
teacher. Realizing the significance of lifelong learning, a proper planning the career plan is
of utmost importance to me. The learning process and professional development do not stop
when I have finished the TE programme and instead of settling down and teaching in
schools until retirement, I aim to achieve more in the field of education. In general, I can take
the initiative of attending seminars and courses to further enhance my teaching pedagogy
and knowledge. According to Ganser (2000), professional developments could be either
formal experiences (such as attending workshops, professional meeting or mentoring
sessions) or informal experiences (such as reading professional publications or watching
documentaries pertaining to academic disciplines). Along the way, reflecting critically on my
teaching experience will prove to be beneficial in identifying and utilizing my strengths and
weaknesses. Eventually as I progress in the field of education, I ought to further my studies

to the highest level possible and immerse myself in research and development sector to
better myself.
Despite the benefits and things which I have learned from the TE programme in
preparation to become a professional teacher, there are also aspects which can be
improved. Firstly, I personally feel that the aspect of special education was not given enough
emphasis. During the programme, I had learned about special education but only to a very
small extent in certain subjects or courses. The special education is usually only a chapter in
the course towards the end of the module. Although I had learned about the types of special
needs students, I do not know the specifics for every type of special needs student
especially on the dos and donts when teaching them in the classroom. As inclusive
classroom is becoming common, I will need to prepare myself with the specific knowledge
on how to confront the varying types of special needs student. This is parallel to the
statement from the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 2025, whereby The Ministry plans
to make special education needs a core subject in IPG and IPT syllabi, to ensure that all
teachers are equipped with basic skills and awareness of the needs of the students with
special education needs. Therefore, I would better understand the special education needs
of the pupils if there was a core subject by itself on special education. As part of my career
plan, I can take the initiative to collaborate with special education teachers in the school.
This will allow me to have the knowledge and skills to effectively address the needs of
special needs children. I can also involve myself in the learning community, whereby
exchanges of information, courses and training among teachers from several schools in a
particular district are organized. Hence, the special education knowledge and skills that I am
lacking can be bolstered.
Besides that, the aspect of co-curriculum needs to be given greater emphasis
throughout the TE programme by upgrading the facilities and promoting co-curricular
activities among teacher trainees. Due to lack of sports facilities, the sports offered were also
limited and there was little community involvement and healthy competition to further better
myself. However, it could have been better if more facilities are added on to complement the
existing ones, such as a swimming pool or a running track. It would allow me to explore the
wide range of other sports, which can in turn be taught to the pupils in schools when I
graduate as a teacher. This will allow me to be an all-rounder teacher, who is capable in both
academic and co-curriculum. Once again, I can also participate actively in the learning
community, whereby I can further enhance my knowledge of sports through training courses,
such as athletics and coaching. This will in turn develop me into the third stage of mastery,
namely beginner teacher.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that the Malaysian TE programme has prepared pre-service
teachers to become professional teachers as envisioned in the Malaysia Education Blueprint
(2013 2025). It is vital for me to continuously better myself holistically in order to ready
myself in facing the challenges of the education sector. Hopefully, I will be able to touch the
lives of the young generation and lead them towards success.

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