NUR FADHILAH BINTI MOHD SHAHER

0610/1989

PART A
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The wealth of a nation lies in its people - their commitment to the country and community, their
willingness to strive and persevere, their ability to think, achieve and excel. Our future depends
on our continually renewing and regenerating our leadership and citizenry, building upon the
experience of the past, learning from the circumstances of the present, and preparing for the
challenges of the future. The development of the education system in Malaysia reflects the
multi-faceted role it assumes in creating a united Malaysian society. Malaysias Vision 2020
steers the nation towards achieving the status of a fully developed and industrialised country.
All efforts are channeled towards Malaysia becoming a fully united nation; a democratic
society that is strong in religious and spiritual values; a society that is liberal and tolerant,
scientific and progressive, innovative and forward looking. In Malaysias drive to move
vigorously ahead, the development of human resources, their talents, skills and creativity is the
ultimate goal. This is reflected in the mission statement of the Ministry of Education to develop
a world class quality education system which will realise the full potential of the individual and
fulfil the aspirations of the Malaysian nation. Underlying the aspirations towards developing a
world class quality education system, the principles of the National Philosophy of Education
forms the cornerstone of the Malaysian education system.
The National Philosophy of Education states that Education in Malaysia is an on-going
effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner,
so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically
balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is
designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess
high moral standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving a high level of
personal wellbeing as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the
family, the society and the nation at large. The culmination of the National Philosophy of
Education is in itself a result of sustained developments and a multitude of transformations in
the education system.

NUR FADHILAH BINTI MOHD SHAHER

0610/1989

2.0 THE ROLE OF TEACHERS

Imagine a school where teaching is considered to be a profession rather than a trade. The role
of teachers in a child's education has fundamentally changed. Teaching differs from the old
"show-and-tell" practices as much as modern medical techniques differ from practices such as
applying leeches and bloodletting. Instruction does not consist primarily of lecturing to students
who sit in rows at desks, dutifully listening and recording what they hear, but, rather, offers every
child a rich, rewarding, and unique learning experience. The educational environment is not
confined to the classroom but, instead, extends into the home and the community and around
the world. Information is not bound primarily in books; it is available everywhere in bits and
bytes.
Deweys philosophy on education, published in Experience and Education (1938), is an
analysis of both traditional and progressive education. Where traditional education focused
upon curriculum and cultural heritage for its content, progressive education focused on the
learners interest and impulse, unconstrained by the educator. According to Dewey, neither of
these systems is adequate. Traditional education consists of a rigid regimentation, ignoring the
capacities and interests of the learner. Progressive education allows excessive individualism
and spontaneity which Dewey says is a deceptive index of freedom. Today, the seeds of such
a dramatic transformation in education are being planted. Prompted by massive revolutions in
knowledge, information technology, and public demand for better learning, schools nationwide
are slowly but surely restructuring themselves. Leading the way are thousands of teachers who
are rethinking every part of their jobs including their relationship with students, colleagues, and
the community; the tools and techniques they employ; their rights and responsibilities; the form
and content of curriculum; what standards to set and how to assess whether they are being met;
their preparation as teachers and their ongoing professional development; and the very
structure of the schools in which they work. In short, teachers are reinventing themselves and
their occupation to better serve schools and students.
Teacher leaders can also be catalysts for change, visionaries who are never content
with the status quo but rather always looking for a better way (Larner, 2004). Teachers who
take on the catalyst role feel secure in their own work and have a strong commitment to
continual improvement. They pose questions to generate analysis of student learning. Aside
from rethinking their primary responsibility as catalyst for change, teachers are also taking on
other roles in schools and in their profession. They are working with colleagues, family

NUR FADHILAH BINTI MOHD SHAHER

0610/1989

members, politicians, academics, community members, employers, and others to set clear and
obtainable standards for the knowledge, skills, and values we should expect children to acquire.
They are participating in day-to-day decision making in schools, working side-by-side to set
priorities, and dealing with organisational problems that affect their students' learning. Many
teachers also spend time researching various questions of educational effectiveness that
expand the understanding of the dynamics of learning. And more teachers are spending time
mentoring new members of their profession, making sure that education school graduates are
truly ready for the complex challenges of today's classrooms. Reinventing the role of teachers
inside and outside the classroom can result in significantly better schools and better-educated
students. But though the roots of such improvement are taking hold in today's schools, they
need continued nurturing to grow and truly transform the learning landscape.

3.0 CONCLUSION
Becker, Green and Rosen (in Walstad, 1994) suggest that student learning is critically impacted
by teacher ability and preparation. Researchers have used proxies such as years teaching
economics, postgraduate credit hours earned, and the number of economics and general inservice hours completed to control for the preparation and ability of teachers. Their findings
consistently show that teacher knowledge, years teaching and preparation are significant
predictors of better student achievement. Therefore, in order to ensure ESL teaching in
Malaysia to benefit from more effective structures of teacher professional development, there is
a need for educational environment in Malaysia to pursue the current trend of more selfdirected, collaborative and inquiry-based approach of professional development programmes as
well. Besides, the adoption of these alternative structures will address the importance of more
individual oriented notion of professionalism as a crucial part to the prevailing forms of teacher
professional development programmes in Malaysia, which generally pivot around institutionally
endorsed and publicly heralded definition of professionalism.
It is important for students to learn to appreciate that not all creativity is easily achieved,
more the opposite. Most creative individuals have had to persevere and apply themselves over
long periods of time - and for some this involves intense practice. Creative individuals are
challenged by ambiguity and comfortable with seeing things from a range of perspectives using

NUR FADHILAH BINTI MOHD SHAHER

0610/1989

what some scientists call enlightened trial and error; or in the art world constant improvisation.
Creative teaching is no easy option but an exciting experience in itself with all the risks and
wrong turnings of any creative activity. It requires a faith in young people, given the right
conditions, to take a growing responsibility to develop their own personal meanings. Not a
career for those with tidy minds who feel it important to measure and pre-plan everything.
It all boils down to a belief in teachers of a child's right to an identity based creative
thought and personal expression. Creative teachers, to survive, need an enlightened vision of
education that appreciates the importance of developing every learners interests talents, gifts
and dreams and, most of all, an openness in all learners to new learning. Our future society
needs all the 'creative capital' it can get. Schools have an obligation to ensure every student
develops his ,or her, particular mix of talents.