Saturday 17 November 2007

Mr Clumsy No More...

He was the classic Mr Clumsy. He tripped all over the place, spilled drinks when he put cups where he thought the table was, and watched in frustration as his brother and friends played football in the field. He tried kicking the ball but almost always missed.

But most worrying was the fact that he was also almost always at the bottom of the class, and never completed his homework. But he was lucky that his teacher was concerned enough to look into the problem. She realised that labeling a child stupid doesn’t really help. She called the parents in for consultation and voiced her concern that perhaps it was his eyesight that was the problem.

A trip to the optician solved the problem and he came back with lenses as thick as the base of a bottle. His performance at school began to improve and tying back his glasses with a rubber band behind his head, he began enjoying football in the field. His future, literally looked brighter, clearer and rosier.

This week, Ummar is one of those who scored 5A’s in the UPSR exams. Tahniah kepada sayang Mak Teh!

And congratulations too to the one who is autistic and the one who is hyperactive. Thank you to the parents and teachers who persevere to help them.

Let nothing stop you from achieving success!!

Mentions of GUiT at:
* Tunku Halim
* NZ in NZ * MHI
* Pok Ku
* Ubi Setela
*Lydia Teh *Lifeinside *KC * Eric Forbes
* Berita Harian * Ena Samad * Elviza *Sharon Bakar *Blooking Central *Anak Alam
*hicsuntdracones *Bin Gregory *Victoria Institute Website *Atok *Knizam
*Ms Istanbul *Pak Adib *Athene * Nazrah
* Wonda

45 comments:

NorAiniJ said...

Tahniah to Ummar.. I was imagining Ummar looked like the cute spiky haired whats-the-name-again kiddo with thick glasses in the Jerry McGuire…

Atok said...

well dang ummar!

i dah lupa how it was when i got 5As dulu. all i can recall... one of our teachers berjoget sakan, pasal ramai that year from our school yg dapat 5As. but that party ended soon when news from rival school came in, they got like 4 times more 5As sudents, haha.

------
how was the musical journey? ingat nak gi gak, tapi ada hal last minute.

Anonymous said...

hello..this is mr.clumsy..thank u mak teh..i may be clumsy but i still remember my reward..a trip to london.pay back time..hahaha

Time to colect my RM....I'm rich.....

Kak Teh said...

nj, thanks! You are not far wrong there - especially with the spiky hair and thick glasses.

atok, hehehe - cannot imagine atok pun turut berjoget. Ha1 belated congratulation dr kak teh, atok!

hey, mr clumsy no more! congratulations - dan sebagai hadiah mak teh jemput ummar ke london dalam musim panas sebab rumput di garden di belakang perlu dipotong!

Iskandar Syah Ismail aka DR Bubbles said...

Is this Mr Clumsy no more aka Ummar anak Abe Ajie/Kak Nisah?

Tahniah Ummar!

Fauziah Ismail said...

Salam Kak Teh
Congratulations to Ummar, congratulations to all who helped him too.

Jane Sunshine said...

Kak Teh, miss,miss, miss you oh-so-much. Will try to call later in the day/email. Much love to all at home.

tee said...

salam kak teh,

congrats to ummar... i pun jenis yg clumsy gak... dari kecik sampai la sekarang ni..

niway, berita harian da print review GUIT by u know who.. hehehe.. Show to hubby the article since he's from Ganu too.. Tee tak gi cari lagi kat bookstore... maybe nect week nak pi cari..

:)

Kak Teh said...

Yes, dr bubbles, the same on - but he is clumsy no more...tak macam mak teh dia yang masih clumsy.

Fauziah, thanks. Oh, how we need more teachers who can recognise problems in children and help remedy them. It is so easy to cast them aside as stupid and unteachables.

jane, i am sometimes tempted to just call you up for lunch or tea of dinner and then i realise that you are no longer here. and i feel so sad that you are no longer at the other end of the line. But at least we have the car!!! That is something to remind us of both of you.

Kak Teh said...

tee, thanks. I read the review online and will be getting the newspaper cutting soon. It is so exciting for us. Thanks for wanting to buy a copy for your husband and i hope he will enjoy it.

Kak Elle said...

tahniah untuk Ummar for that 5A's..cepat2 suruh mak teh belikan tiket to London...hahaha

Daphne Ling said...

Hi Aunty Teh,

Congrats to Ummar! Thank God his teachers were concerned ones =)

Kak Teh said...

kak elle, kalau nak beli tiket ke london musim ni memanglah parah sikit! Insyaallah, bila cuti nanti boleh datang. Dulu kecik2 Ummar dah datang tapi musim sejuk sangat...sekarang mesti datang menikmati musim panas pulak.

daphne, thanks. There are some very good and dedicated teachers. I am sure there are a lot more students condemned as stupid or unteachables can be taught and achieve what is to them unachievable if teachers take time and are patient.

Anonymous said...

What an opening. I remember when I was Akif's age, how much I was just addicted to Mr. Men! Thanks Kak Teh for this little skip down memory lane.

Kak Teh said...

ailin, just goes to show how young you are...I got to read Mr Men to my children!

Anonymous said...

Congrat Ummar. Many more success to grace you way ... insyallah...

Kak Teh said...

thanks elviza- and you are one happy aunty too!

Unknown said...

Hi Kak Teh,

Congratulations to Ummar! Well done.

Boy! What a frenzy with the results students, parents, teachers wooo...It is so competive indeed!

Btw Kak Teh read your write up in NST on London Sinfonietta by Tazul Tajuddin.

Hi&Lo said...

Aunty Choc @ Mrs AG,

My heartiest congrats to Ummar. So sweet his success. From the brink of clumsiness, he claws his way to the top.

We must never stop belieiving in human potential. If everybody is given a fair chance, he can be the best he can be.

Pi Bani said...

Congrats Ummar! And congrats too to those who took the effort to look into his problem.

Yeah, if only we have more dedicated teachers like Ummar's. Many of the problematic kids I know don't get the much needed attention, instead they are just labeled as naughty and stupid. Sigh...

J.T. said...

Congratulations to Ummar and all those who helped him get there. This will be one of his many victories.

ZABS said...

Salam Kak Teh,
Syabas kepada Che'gu yang prihatin tu dan juga Ummar dan keluarga. Usaha yang mengenal jemu, InsyAllah akan membawa kejayaan.

LifeBloom said...

KT: tahniah Umar...Cepat kecek mak Teh tiket ke London...for the most expensive lawn mowing job in London...hehe

On a serious note - kudos to the teacher. This post reminded me of one chinese boy in my class kat primary school. he was always unkempt, slow in class and couldnt read or write. Selalu kena tibai ngan cikgu. I remembered distinctly looking at his exercise book and noticed how he got his bs, ds and other alphabets mixed up. On hindsight - I know now that he is dyslexic and would have gotten a better chance at succeding if the teacher had more gumption to find out the real reason rather than just to label him a sloth....I heard from my classmate that he is now a successful business man! Alhamdullilah!

Mior Azhar said...

Tahniah sama Mr Clumsy No more.

And Kak Teh,
I tak jumpa2 lagi GUIT. Rasa macam frust la pulak. Been going to MPH segala kat Subang Parade and Sunway Pyramid many times but still ... all I got was a blank face from those sales person there. Nak pergi KL (KLCC and Mid Valley) segan ler pulak.

Anonymous said...

Aisey Kak Teh, why do you put my posting? Isk isk. Malu malu. *smiles*

Anyway, congrats to Mr Clumsy. I'm sure he looks forward to his London trip.

We should hang out properly instead of bumping into each other and chat for ages. Maybe I can arrange for dinner or something.

Speaking of age, I was so surprised upon knowing how old your eldest is. *winks*

Anonymous said...

Hi Kak Teh, I am sure you already know about the latest issue of TELL magazine but just had to come visit anyway.

Kak Teh, you gift is you make the everyday count. It calms me down to read all these titbits of your life. My hormonal imbalance can't take too much excitement. Have kids when you are young. It's easier on the nerves.
Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kak Teh,

I put up the GUiT review already in my blog. DO read it in your free time.

I stand to be corrected if any of my writing in the review is wrong.

Takecare

Class Monitor said...

Salam Kak Teh

hmmm....mana nak bayak budak-budak tu Kak Teh?

Raya Korban kat mana?

Wassalam

Kak Teh said...

Ruby, yes, I was at Tazul's concert - cant say am into that kind of thing BUT it was after all the world premier and am glad to be among the first to hear the national anthem that wasn't.

hi&Lo, I dread to think about those who lost their chance - those, whose teachers and parents just couldn't be bothered and those banished to the back of the class. You are right, we must never stop believing in human potential.

pi bani - labeling them stupid and lazy is an easy way out. Trying to solve the problems and help the children involves a lot of red tapes, knocking on doors that wont open, talking to ears that wont listen...I think you know what i mean.

Kak Teh said...

jt. yes, let us hope so. Ummar will be so inspired to read all these comments.

zabs, terima kasih. harap lebih banyaklah guru-guru yang lebih prihatin.

lifebloom - that's a wonderful story. But last week i heard a very sad story about a dyslexic businessman. He was given special lessons and was coping very well inhis mother tongue - spanish, and then he decided to learn English as a second language. The dyslexia came back!! and he was back to square one. that is sad.

mior, tak jumpa lagi?? entahlaah kak teh tak tahu macam mana depa stock. even in shops that stock the book, some sales assistants are not even aware of it. But I have also heard very encouraging reports that some of them are really helpful. I suppose - depending where you are.

Kak Teh said...

ms istanbul, ish apa nak malu pulak!!. Anyway, yes, we must meet up properly. Sorry I termissed you yesterday - just came back from Paris and was very3 hungry and was just concentrating on my food when i caught sight of you. Yes, I got your salam.

tembam, i have just heard about TELL and I think it is the most wonderful thing that can happen - apart from the culrpit/s being caught. Ena smsed me while i was in Paris but didnt even mention this wonderful development. No one will ever forget that image! I think someone did that on Myra Hindley's picture - and put small pictures of children - that is such in bad taste. But yes, well done ena and her team and of course to you too!!

elviza, i saw, i read and commented! thanks. I was away and internetless for a few days.

Kak Teh said...

class monitor, raya korban tak tau lagi nak pi mana - cadang tu nak balik sana laaa, tapi tak tentu lagi.

svllee said...

Hi there..kak, would love to take a portrait of AG one day, can you arrange it. I have an image of him in my mind..

Anonymous said...

It is good that people are beginning to be more aware of the different needs of children.

Congratulations to Ummar.

Lee said...

Hello Kak Teh, just popped by say hello.
You keep well, UL.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Ummar! Teachers and parents play a role. Happy for him, but very sad for Subashini who ended her life due to her unstatisfactory result.

Kak Teh said...

steven, as I said in my email, u shd have captured the look on his face when i told him!

judy, yes, there's more awareness now. and when do we meet up?

Kak Teh said...

uncle lee - u're welcome anytime! And dont forget my chilli crabs.

alice - that is such a tragedy. The pressure on children to perform is so great back home. and it starts so early too.

Tunku Halim said...

Kak Teh - Congratulations to Ummar. Hope all is well with you and GUIT is doing well too. I'll be doing a review of it soon!

Anonymous said...

Liz....met Aji, Nisa and the geng at Laili's over the weekend. They had bbq pool partee but I had visitors so met up later. Thank you for GUIT yang Aji forgot to bring along nampaknya!! They were going to Perlis to check out the school yang Ummar wanted to go - so brave one...schooling in Perlis :) And I was so shocked to meet up with Hilman and Sofeya yang cute banget!!! Didn't even know that there's more after Iman!!! And Adam & Ummar........wowwwwwwww.....and we never grow a day old...:) See you in Dec? This time, I must be the top in your list!!!Cheerio

Kak Teh said...

TUnku, Thanks and looking forward to the review!

Samantha - hmm tu dah kali kedua depa lupa GUiT for you!! Abt December - ams till counting money . Dok kira belum cukup lagi!!! But Insyaallah! Salams to bapak and kak long and co.

CAO- Chef Azura othman said...

Congratulations to Ummar,
it would be a lush gift to go to London.
It is great that his parents and educators took noticed .

Daphne Ling said...

Hi Kak Teh,

It's been a while since heard from you...Just popping by to say hi, and hope that is well over in UK...=)

Take care...

Kak Teh said...

daphne, thanks for asking - am fine - just a tad busy - hope to see you soon. And i think real soon.

lifeinside said...

Am always proud of uncle as a fellow terengganu would feel :)