We really don’t give our teachers enough credit. While most of us are trying out new recipes and the latest TikTok trends, this teacher is experimenting with the 21st century way of learning.
In a tweet that has since gone viral, chemistry teacher, Siti Faridah Matt, shared her efforts in teaching her students virtually during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
The 21-second video showed Siti Faridah explaining the periodic table with the pop up of said table behind her, all thanks to the technology of the green screen she made use of right at home!
Faridah told Astro Awani that she is still familiarizing herself with the use of the green screen and has her husband, Mohd Hafizuddin Ahmad Dahalan, who is also a teacher in the Perlis State Education Department, to thank for assisting her.
Photo: Twitter Cikgu Siti Faridah
“In the first phase of the MCO, we used only what was in the house to produce the videos, using a green cloth tied to a rope.”
"When the second phase of the MCO was announced, we gradually upgraded our equipment as we have taken a liking in doing these videos by purchasing additional equipment online," said Siti Faridah, who is determined in improving the quality of the videos as well as the learning content for each and every one of these videos.
Photo: Instagram Cikgu Siti Faridah
Besides having her husband helping her, she also learned the basics of using the green screen from 'Cikgootube', a group of teachers who voluntarily publish their own learning content on YouTube.
"The Cikgootube team has over 3,000 teachers from all over the country and we are also actively involved in producing creative content for EduwebTv and TV Education," she said.
Faridah added that her methods are in line with the government's recommendation for teachers to diversify their teaching and learning methods from home and that it could attract more students to value the learning content she is presenting.
Siti Faridah also acknowledges the fact that there might be students who face difficulties in accessing her live videos due to poor internet connections in their homes and said that she would make the learning videos available for the students even after the MCO.
“That's why I uploaded the videos and 'live streams' on YouTube to make them accessible to students at any time. These videos I will use later after the school opens with the 'flipped classroom' method,” she said.
Since her tweets have gone viral with more than 7K retweets, many have praised Siti Faridah for her determination in ensuring her students get the education they deserve during the MCO. Some have even asked her for tips on how better to conduct classes virtually.
Even Yuna, Malaysia’s favourite singer and her old classmate, applauded her amazing effort too!
What do we do without our teachers? They really are the greatest gift to us all.
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
