By Jahirah Jalal Abidin
School has indeed been our next home in receiving endless and valuable knowledge that we can ever obtain. In school, we were not only taught on the academics but also about our perseverance in achieving our ambition. Before I graduated from high school, there’s always an individual who has influenced me in school, who was my own Oscar winning teacher, Madam Mozita Azura.
She was one person who had influenced me in the positive way to become an English educator one day. She was not only my favourite teacher but also my motivator. There are many reasons why she was well-liked by me. First, she was always kind, thoughtful and generous. She continuously listened to what our expectations were as a student. At the end of each lesson, she always took the time to listen to our ideas, thoughts and suggestions.
Second, she made learning English so much fun. It did not matter whether we were in a portable classroom, where space was limited, or in an actual classroom, she always had many ideas to get us moving and enjoy the lesson. It can be in a lesson in writing or grammar or even public speaking. Besides fun, her lessons were very informative. She pointed out our mistakes and encouraged me to do better next time. Her open-mindedness and opposition to any act of injustice were admired by teachers and students as well. Her popularity was never lowered in the estimation of the public.
Thirdly, her dealings were excellent. Her knowledge in English was impressive since she is well read and she has a vast knowledge. She had a parental care and affection for all of us and she would ensure that we were proper in our behaviour and making progress in our studies. She used to give out several very interesting materials by citing examples from day to day happenings and from books outside our courses. She even stimulated us to increase our activities. She was always a loving and affectionate woman and never a tyrant or a hard-hearted one, even my classmates used to dislike her at some points.
Fourth, I never doubt that she was sincere in teaching and was very hardworking. She would not allow us to be lazy. She made a simple living but her thinking is great. She influenced our young minds with her motherly care. She discouraged the students to waste time carelessly with idle chat and thought, rather she encouraged us to state that time is gold. I always participated in her class even though she called me “Talking Machine”. For example, I would even volunteer to be in any classroom play and performance.
In short, Madam Mozita Azura was an excellent and a fabulous teacher. She had made an impact on my life by doing so. I hope I can pass down the same qualities to young Malaysians whom I will be teaching. Oh yes, I decided to be a teacher just like her. Thank you, Madam Mozita Azura, for the impact and the inspiration you have had on my life.
Photos courtesy of Madam Mozita Azura's Facebook page & Wikimedia Commons