Saturday, July 30, 2005

For years I have been trying to locate this JC tutor of mine. He also happens to be our civics tutor.

He taught my class mathematics and his sincerity is most touching. He has helped us through some really rough times and have been there constantly available, encouraging us.

I still remembered how he was so frantic days before his wife was due to birth their first child. I still remembered how despite his personal commitments, he never falter once in being available to lend a helping hand or ear when us little rebellious ones conspire in private to boycott his lessons.

After I have sat for my A levels, he was transferred to a secondary school to become the head of department for mathematics and subsequently using his same sincerity touched much more students and had 100% passes in his cohort.

That I think is what makes a really good teacher - a teacher who despite all odds, never failed to believe in their students and urged them to perservere

Despite having been many years since my A levels, I have not forgotten how I wanted to say "Thank you" to him in person.

I did not managed to find him after my graduation and I only learnt about his post in the secondary school when I saw his familiar face in a friend's sister's graduation book. When I went to look for him at that secondary school, he was already not there.

On wednesday just passed, I saw him. Nothing stopped me from getting to him, although it was crowded and it was peak hours. I had to tell him "Thank You".

To tell the truth, I was so happy to see him, I almost cried!

I finally managed to tell him what I wanted to tell him and after the encounter, still buzzing from excitement, I had to sms my JC classmate, who also had fond memories of this teacher of ours.

even though her initial sms reply was " Im busy, say lar" to my act cute one " You never guess who i saw today!! Haha", she did not stopped sms-ing me when I told her it was our JC civics tutor.

I know it is too early for a teacher's day message, but if only the world is filled with such dedicated teachers, the world now would be a much better place.

Wont it be?