Wednesday, February 23, 2005

P-S-Y-C-H-O

Hmmm... it's been a long time that I don't write like this. And it's also been a long time I don't feel anything like this -psycho-. Yeah... I'm a bit psycho today... dunno why - or just pretending dunno why-.

It's too much uncertainty in life... a feeling of insecurity... a feeling of loneliness, although I know that I'm not supposed to feel like that. :>

Arghhh......................... neverending arghhhhhhhhhh......!!!

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Idiot guide for the newbie tutors - an Interesting guide for the rest of us!

aDinDa: Something to share with my fellow business partners ;) ...

By Chang Han Thomas

Guide for new tutors

So, you’ve finally got a student. But here’s the problem – you don’t actually have much teaching experience!! What to do?? What if the student asks me something and I don’t know how to answer? What if I forgot how to integrate sin²x and differentiate tan x? Oh NO!

Here, here, relax… have a deep breath and listen hard. I’ve been through and done that, so here’s all that I wish I knew when I started out all alone in this competitive world of tutoring.

Here’s a few tips, for starters:

1.Do not be afraid to say “I don’t know”. Say it if you really don’t know how to do a certain question, and get back to them when you do (make sure you do!). If it takes 10 mins for them to learn something, it’ll take another 10 hours for them to unlearn something, so be responsible!

2.Don’t take yourself so seriously. Look the student had a hard day in school, so don’t start the tuition by giving your student another hard day having tuition. Laugh at yourself and your mistake. Laugh at theirs. Better yet, make them spot and laugh at yours!

3.Tell me and I may forget, show me and I may remember, involve me so that I will learn. Or something like that. I’m a staunch believer of this phrase! Do not just tell students the answer. Do not just show them the solution. Make sure you let them discover the solution themselves. How?? Use appropriate questioning techniques to elicit
partial answers from them. Hint them and guide them in their thoughts.

4.There’s more things to be learnt from looking at the mistakes made by students than from the correct answers. Try to understand why students made those mistakes. Often, it may stem from the correct theory or rule but applied in different context.

5.Strike a rapport with students. Simple rule: they like you, they score As. Many students will study for your sake, if you can inspire them greatly. Do not underestimate the charismatic power of tutors!

6.Tutor them not only on the academic subjects, but if you spot that the student is stressed over relationship problem, chip in your 2 cents worth of advice too! Basically, treat them as your mentee and be responsible not only to the subjects you teach but to the development of the whole person. Wow…too idealistic? I hope not!


About Chang Han Thomas
Find out more at http://nextlevel.com.my/tutor/thomaschang.


Copyright & Reprint Notices
This article is copyrighted by Chang Han Thomas. You are allowed to reprint this article on your web site as long as you include the full article text, the author profile information above and this Copyright & Reprint Notices.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Forget New Year’s Resolutions – They Don’t Work

Here is a recent article that appeared at Yahoo News and other media outlets that we thought you would find helpful.

Forget New Year’s Resolutions – They Don’t Work

Goal setting expert explains real success lies in life plans, not in making resolutions.

“You can forget about making New Year’s Resolutions if you’re hoping for a successful outcome. Most aren’t worth the paper they’re written on,” says Vic Johnson, a leading goal setting and motivation expert.

Most New Year’s Resolutions have gone by the wayside before January is over and most won’t even be remembered six months later. And the reason is pretty simple. Most are made in response to something negative; a habit or situation that the person wants to change or end. And therein lies the problem – it’s hard to develop momentum from a negative response. It is always easier to move toward something than away from something.

Consider one of the most adopted goals --- weight loss. No one can get excited about losing weight – it requires deprivation. It’s a negative response to concerns about appearance, health, etc. The results of weight loss New Year’s Resolutions demonstrate their weakness. A 1998 survey sponsored by Gardenburger found that more than three-fourths of all women between the ages of 25 and 54 make diet and weight-loss plans each year. Nearly nine of 10 respondents reported only occasional or no success, while almost half lost little or actually gained weight instead.

“The people who succeed at losing weight and maintaining the loss have usually been motivated by a dream much bigger and more positive than just losing weight,” explains Johnson. “They see themselves living a healthy lifestyle. They begin to act and think like people who are in good physical shape. There’s more of a radical change in a person’s thinking and actions than you see with most resolutions. It wouldn’t be possible to effect and sustain such a radical change unless the person is motivated by a big dream that is positive in nature.”

Another popular aim is to quit smoking. Johnson himself was a three-pack-a-day smoker until he celebrated a smoke-free New Year’s eleven years ago. “For over twenty years I had tried to quit many times using every tool and technique I’d hear about. But as long as I was trying to quit, I couldn’t break the grip. Instead, I developed a dream to become a non-smoker. I fell in love with the idea of breathing clean air instead of smoky air, of my body and clothes smelling nice instead of smoky. I thought about how wonderful it would be to taste food again. I decided to start acting and thinking like a non-smoker, and when the thinking took hold I simply quit smoking. In all the years since, I’ve never wanted another cigarette, never even thought about wanting one.”

According to Johnson, the best goal to set is one that calls for the individual to create a plan for their life based on a set of personal dreams. “Most people are in a free-fall through life, careening from one crisis to the next. If you were going to build a new house and you had this idea for a fabulous master bedroom suite, you wouldn’t rush out and start building the master bedroom. You’d have a complete plan before you started. When you approach resolutions and goals in the same manner, you end up with a much better chance of achieving success.”

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Messages from aDinDa

Assalamualaikum wbt.

Today is only the second day after I launch my aDinDa Group of Tutors, I already received a lot of phone calls and email from interested parties who want to know about it. I also received calls from parents or more accurate, 'our potential customers'.

1. aDinDa market analysis

Untuk memberikan perkhidmatan, perlulah ade permintaan.. betul tak? So far... this is what I can tell u.. my potential business partner ;) .

Area yg banyak permintaan : Klang, Shah Alam, Subang.
Subjek yg banyak permintaan : SPM - Fizik, Matematik Tambahan
PMR - Matematik, Sains, English
UPSR - Matematik, Sains, English.

Anyone from those area? Can you teach those subjects? Contact me... your extra money is on da way to ur pockets ;)

2. aDinDa FAQ:

a) aDinDa stands for what?
I'm quite reluctant to reveal it... but, okay.. no problem :D
aDinDa stands for a Din & Da ...
so... 'aDinDa Group of Tutors' means 'a Din & Da Group of Tutors'.
This is only my first project... the list will be expanding... more aDinDa's will follows (my business plan is P n C) . A homepage for aDinDa will follows.. paling awal next month. I will try to get a '.com' or '.com.my' . Insya Allah. Still looking for suitable and qualified webmaster. Anyone interested? Well... u know my email & phone number :P.

b) How aDinDa operates? When is the classes? How frequent is the classes?
Actually, aDinDa (baca saya) offer services home tuition kepada parents, so... kite mengajar kat rumah student... oleh itu, dari segi masa mengajar dan kekerapan, sebenarnya terpulang kepada tutor untuk discuss dengan parents. May be boleh buat malam atau weekend,bergantung kepada kesesuaian kedua-dua belah pihak.
Macam mana service aDinDa beroperasi... aDinDa akan carikan student utk. tutor2 yang register dengan aDinDa, bersesuaian dengan subjek dan area yang tutor tu boleh ajar.

c) How about the charges to parents/students and aDinDa ?
Untuk setiap student yang aDinDa dapat cari kepada tutor... aDinDa akan caj sangat minimum, iaitu RM 100.00. Caj tutor kepada student...terpulang kepada tutor utk. caj macam mana... tapi biasanya aDinDa yang akan buat negotiation tu dengan parents sebab diorang akan contact aDinDa. Let say, aDinDa caj student tu RM 300 sebulan. Tutor hanya perlu membayar RM 100 pada bulan pertama sahaja kepada aDinDa.The rest of the money is yours... it your business now. That's why I call u as my business partner :)

d) How about the syllabus, books etc. Who will prepare?
Tutor kena la usaha sendiri sket.. :> Ingat senang ker nak duit? :P Beli buku dan studi sendiri la.. in fact.. tu jek modal yang anda perlu keluarkan.. + duit minyak. :)

e) What are the requirements to become my business partner?
Skills to teach, commitment and preferably, posses own transport :)

Anymore questions? Interested? Let me know : mudin001@gmail.com

Monday, February 14, 2005

aDinDa Group of Tutor

Assalamualaikum sahabat-sahabat :)

Apa khabar semua? seronok cuti? Back to busy life huh? :)

When I first launch my Home Tuition class.. I don't know that a lot of my friends out there are also interested in doing this kind of part time job.

So my friends... here is an opportunity to become my business partner... I'm setting up 'aDinDa Group of Tutor' (aDinDa)... to give opportunity to all of u to make extra money.. Insya Allah. And this is just a 2nd step to make my 'big dream' become a reality .. ehe :D. Ise will knows what I'm talking about.. rite Ise?

So... kepada sahabat2 yang berminat... please sign up as a member of aDinDa by sending an email to me at mudin001@gmail.com. Please give details as below:

Name & contact no :
Subjects offered to teach (and also level - SPM/PMR/UPSR) :
Areas to covered : (eg. Serdang, Ampang etc)

So... why wait? FREE registration!!! Very interesting.. u will never regret it. Register NOW!!! :D

Got to go... got class with my students tonite.

Wassalam.

Saturday, February 12, 2005

HOME TUITION


Memerlukan Guru Tuisyen di rumah untuk anak-anak anda?
Kami sedia membantu….

Kami menawarkan perkhidmatan HOME TUITION untuk pelajar-pelajar SPM dan PMR

Subjek-subjek yang ditawarkan :

SPM : Fizik, Matematik Moden, Matematik Tambahan, Kimia.

PMR : Matematik



þ Tenaga pengajar yang komited dan berkebolehan

þ Sesi pengajaran dan harga boleh dirunding


þ Satu sesi percubaan FREE OF CHARGE
selama 90 minit.

þ Meliputi kawasan-kawasan berikut:
Bangi, Serdang, Cheras, Pandan Indah, PJ, Shah Alam.

Sila hubungi En. Najmuddin di talian 013-9208443 atau email ke mudin001@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Salam Muharram

Entry 1: Salam Muharram

Assalamualaikum wbt.

Salam Muharram... Selamat Menyambut Tahun Baru Hijrah kepada semua... Alhamdulillah, setahun lagi berlalu... semoga kita semua tergolong dikalangan orang2 yang tidak rugi, yang sentiasa bertambah baik dari hari ke hari. Insya Allah.

Selamat bercuti kepada semua... walaupun aku rasa, majoriti akan membaca posting aku ini sekembalinya kalian semua dari bercuti nanti :).

Lamanya cuti kan? 5 hari lagik ... beshnyer...... tapi... apa ada dengan cuti? Bercutikah kita sebagai manusia? Erk... got what I mean? Ehe... nevermind :)

Erm... cuti lama ni... aku tak kemana2... balik kampung pung idak. Baru jek balik Raya Haji bulan lepas. Tetiap bulan balik lari la budget aku. Lagipun sejak aku pakai WMK 8507 tue... tak sampai pun dua bulan lagi... dah dua kali aku balik Kelate... mileage nyer.. jangan terkejut, dah nak mencapai 8000 km. Huhu... kesian kat keta aku :(

Alhamdulillah... walaupun tak balik kampung, ada jugak benda berfaedah yang berjaya aku buat... apa dia? Read Entry 2 kat bawah...

Entry 2: Home Tuition

Momentum adalah terdiri daripada kuantiti-kuantiti asas yang berikut iaitu
A: jisim dan panjang
B: jisim dan masa
C: panjang dan masa
D: jisim, panjang dan masa

Ha... sape bleh jawab? Jeng jeng jeng. Hati-hati... anda semua sedang membaca blog seorang 'cikgu' Fizik SPM :D. Don't worry... 'cikgu' Fizik ni still the same 'cikgu' yang ajar akak2 semua buat blog dulu... cuma skarang dia dah tukar subjek :D. It's just that he need additional income for his coming 'big day', yang semakin dekat.. huhu.

Yerp... hari ni aku start mengajar home tuition. Baru dapat 2 student... Alhamdulillah. Subjek2 yang aku offer utk. ajar ... Fizik, Modern Math, Add Math,Kimia (SPM) dan Math (PMR) . Sila lihat My Tutor Profile. So, kepada ade sesape yang ade adik ker, anak ker, anak buah ker, anak jiran ker... yang memerlukan khidmat tutor... boleh la tolong promote2 kan aku yerk? Harga boleh dirunding... komisyen boleh dirunding ;). Insya Allah :)

---^---

Okay lah... hampir Maghrib dah... tahun baru bakal menjelma...

Ilal liqa'... Wassalam.




Sunday, February 06, 2005

The Fourth Pillar of Success: Positive Self-Direction

At the end of last year, I did a series of TIPS based on
the Foundation and Four Pillars of achievement. For over 30
years, I've studied and worked with highly effective people,
and I've looked for the ESSENTIALS that allow some people to
run circles around the competition. Why do some people get
so much more out of life? How do successful people achieve
the extraordinary results they get? These are some of the
most important questions in life.

I do not believe it is necessary to live, as Henry Thoreau
said, "lives of quiet desperation." There is no reason for
so many to be poor, or poor in spirit, or frustrated or
lonely. Whatever type of success you desire - from making
more money to having more time or better relationships -
other people have figured out how to do it, and once you
know the recipe, you can do it, too. I believe that with
all my heart!

So, I've been trying to share the central components, the
keys or essentials, these past weeks.

We started with the unifying foundation: Know Thyself. It
is hard to live someone else's life or follow someone
else's path. Success is achieved by creating and living "a
life of one's own." First, "know thyself and to thine own
self be true."

Second, there are four essential "pillars" that high
achievers use to create and build the life they want. We've
covered the first three: the pillar of Positive Integrity,
the pillar of Positive Passion, and the pillar of Positive
Simplicity.

Now we come to the final ingredient, the pillar of Positive
Self-Direction, or if you prefer the power of self-
discipline.

This is the most powerful and the least popular of the four
pillars. It is the pillar we avoid because we are the "me"
generation. We want "instant gratification." We are not
known for our patience or the ability to delay impulses. We
are used to credit cards, variety and pleasure. We love to
be "spontaneous" even if it means we have to "pay later."

But this is not true of high achievers. They have an end-
result in mind (see the Pillar of Positive Passion) and
they stick to it. They have a sense of Positive Integrity
that keeps them on-track, and a life of Positive Simplicity
so they are rarely distracted or confused. They know the
power of self-discipline, and understand the virtues of
patience, dedication and persistence.

They know that "Rome wasn't built in a day." They know that
the Wright brothers spent years experimenting, failing,
taking notes and moving toward their goal of building the
first airplane. They love the story of the woman who ran up
to Vladimar Horowitz after one of his concerts and gushed,
"I'd give my life to play like that!" and his reply,
"Madam, I have."

High achievers know that positive self-discipline is the
raw material of greatness. Brian Tracy has made the harsh
observation that "if you cannot save money, the seeds of
greatness are not in you." Self-discipline is the ability
to decide on a course of action, and stick to it. Whether
it is saving money, losing weight, inventing the airplane
or building a business, success requires the Pillar of
Positive Self-Direction.

Know your desired outcome and let nothing distract or
divert you. High achievers know (and announce) their
direction in life. They know their goals and the path they
will take to "get there." They know the power of daily
action, and that, "inch by inch (day by day) anything's a
cinch!"

As we begin a new year, renew your commitment to living a
life of responsible, ethical self-direction. Whatever your
most important goals or desires, develop the self-
discipline to achieve them. Success may require some
sacrifice. So what? If your goal is important, the price of
achievement is tiny compared to the rewards of success.

The winners in life have always known that Integrity,
Simplicity, Passion and Discipline are the keys to a great
life and that success is a much easier path than failure.
After all, who would choose a life of chaos and frustration
over the elegance and clarity of doing the small daily
disciplines of success? Use the Four Pillars to create the
life you truly want so you can "Thrive in 'O5!"


source: TIPS

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Jenayah: Apa nak jadi Malaysia

Wednesday, February 02 @ 19:03:47 MYT

Oleh NIK ABDUL AZIZ BIN NIK MAT
Saya rasa, kita boleh mudah memahami kekecewaan Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan trend peningkatan kes-kes jenayah. “Apa nak jadi pada negara kita.” (Berita Minggu 30 Januari 2005).

Beliau selanjutnya mengeluh dengan kata-kata “seolah-seolah penjenayah tidak takut kepada undang-undang sedia ada.” Selaras dengan inilah, Perdana Menteri mahu kaji kemungkinan mewujudkan undang-undang yang lebih berat.
Pada saya, undang-undang yang ada sekarang memang tidak berkesan. Jika ia berkesan, sudah lama gejala sosial dan jenayah dapat dipantau, dikawal dan ditangani. Keluhan berat Perdana Menteri mengenai kes-kes rompakan bersenjata, rogol, bunuh, zina, sumbang mahram, pengedaran dadah, samseng jalan raya, penipuan dan VCD cetak rompak (Berita Minggu 30 Januari 2005) mengesahkan perihal gagalnya sistem keadilan ciptaan manusia tajaan Umno yang berkuatkuasa di Malaysia.

Kita kena faham yang dunia dan segala makhluk yang dibenarkan hidup di atas muka bumi ini adalah ciptaan Allah S.W.T. Dia lebih mengetahui kaedah terbaik untuk melahirkan kesejahteraan. Agama Islam yang diturunkan adalah satu-satunya manual yang sah. Mematuhinya dengan lengkap dalam satu sistem yang menyeluruh akan menjadikan seluruh ciptaanNya bergerak mengikut fitrah yang saling membantu, saling membangun dan saling menyelamat.

Inilah puncanya PAS jadikan mottonya yang berbunyi “MEMBANGUN BERSAMA ISLAM”. Kita akan makmur dengan pembangunan kebendaan dan akan terus aman. Seperti yang kita sebutkan tadi, Islam wajib dilaksanakan keseluruhan. Setiap komponen yang meliputi peranan ibu bapa, guru-guru, kurikulum pendidikan, media massa, institusi penghulu, penggawa, seluruh penjawat awam, kod-kod etika yang menjadi teras perkhidmatan, menteri dan pemimpin masyarakat keseluruhan wajib dicorakkan oleh Al-Quran dan Hadith. Ertinya, seluruh aspek hidup meliputi pembangunan ekonomi, akhlak individu dan warga negara di segenap sektor seperti pendidikan, sosial seni, hiburan, sains dan kebudayaan wajib diselaraskan dengan kehendak Islam.

Mustahil jenayah rogol, zina, sumbang mahram dan khalwat boleh dibendung jika lesen nite club, pusat-pusat khidmat GRO, gedung-gedung judi dan majalah separuh lucah dibenarkan terus beroperasi dengan bebas. Nampaknya di sini, pemimpin UMNO di dalam kerajaan seolah-olah membuat usaha promosi dan penggalakan. Kira-kira dua minggu lalu, Perdana Menteri juga ada melancarkan kempen hidup berbudi. Itu baguslah tetapi kempen rakyat supaya berbudi sahaja tidak cukup jika pemimpin asyik gemar meluluskan kegiatan-kegiatan yang menyuburkan maksiat.

Saya masih ingat lagi bagaimana pegawai-pegawai pencegah maksiat dari JAWI menangkap 100 orang pelanggan pusat hiburan di Kuala Lumpur. Di sini, siapa yang meluluskan lesen? Saya boleh faham jika ia beroperasi secara haram tetapi jika ia memiliki premis yang sah dan ‘dihalalkan’ oleh undang-undang, maka bagaimana?

Banyak terdapat contoh-contoh melampau yang boleh disebutkan. Pusat judi di Genting Highlands? Jualan arak tanpa kawalan. Pertandingan akhir Akademi Fantasia. Sure Heboh. Malaysia Idol. Konsert Scorpion. Mariah Carey. Ini semua kegiatan-kegiatan hiburan yang terang-terang menggalakkan remaja bergaul dan berpakaian bebas tanpa batas. Ia anehnya ditaja oleh kerajaan. Kerajaan itu yang kempen rakyat agar hidup berbudi tetapi kerajaan itu jugalah yang buat tidak faham jika remaja menunjukkan “body” baik depan atau belakang. Sekali mahu semai kesopanan dan kesusilaan seperti yang dirukunkan dalam rukun negara tetapi di satu ketika yang sama beri racun yang boleh melalai dan menghanyutkan.

Berkaitan dengan cadangan untuk mengetatkan lagi hukuman, tentulah ia sesuatu yang baik bagi Malaysia. Akan tetapi undang-undang mana? Jika undang-undang yang hendak diperketatkan adalah masih berteraskan undang-undang manusia, maka saya tidak nampak. Sudah berdekad-dekad, Malaysia telah mencubanya. Hasilnya? Inilah hasilnya. Kita masih mendengar keluhan demi keluhan.

Dalam konteks ini, tidak terlintas sedikitkah untuk kembali kepada Hukum Allah S.W.T. Belum tibakah keyakinan dan keimanan yang Hukum Hudud itu adalah hukum terbaik? Perlu tunggu apa lagi jika sudah yakin dengan kebaikannya. Tarik balik saman seorang peguam yang terlebih handal, yang menjadi Wakil Parlimen UMNO itu ke atas pelaksanaan Hukum Hudud di Kelantan dan Terengganu dan bermulalah dari sekarang untuk mencari jalan ke arah melaksanakan hukum Allah S.W.T. Percayalah, selagi perintah Allah S.W.T. itu dinafikan penguatkuasaannya, tidak akan ada jawapan mudah mengenai formula menangani kejadian jenayah di Malaysia.

Jika Datuk Seri Perdana Menteri bertanya “apa nak jadi dengan negara kita”, maka saya boleh meneka jawapannya iaitu, “Malausia akan binasa.”. Saya tidak mahu ini berlaku tetapi apalah daya kita untuk menolak bala yang bakal ditimpa ke atas kita oleh Allah S.W.T. Bagaikan tsunami yang diturunkan Allah S.W.T. pada 26 Disember 2004, demikianlah juga bentuk binasa yang bakal didatangi jika kita masih menolak hukumNya. Jika tidak esok, lusa!

“Dan sekiranya Ahli Kitab beriman dan bertakwa, tentulah Kami tutup (hapus) kesalahan-kesalahan mereka dan tentulah Kami masukkan mereka ke dalam Syurga-Syurga yang penuh kenikmatan.”

“Dan sekiranya mereka sungguh-sungguh menjalankan (hukum) Taurat dan Injil dan Al-Quran, yang diturunkan kepada mereka dari Tuhannya, nescaya mereka akan mendapat makanan dari atas mereka dan dari bawah kaki mereka. Diantara mereka ada golongan yang pertengahan. Dan alangkah buruknya apa yang dikerjakan oleh kebanyakan mereka.”
(Surah Al-Maidah; Ayat 65 dan 66)

Di sini, tidak syak lagi yang kita meniru Eropah. Proses sekularisasi yang memisahkan negara dengan gereja pada abad ke 12 dan 13 telah diimport dan diterima masuk oleh pemimpin sekular kita daripada UMNO yang berteraskan faham kebangsaan. Dalam konteks Malaysia, kita letakkan negara dengan Islam dalam dua entiti yang terpisah. Ini jelas dalam Perkara 4 Ceraian 1 Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Inilah punca yang menjadikan Malaysia seolah-olah dibiarkan membawa diri untuk terus berjauhan dari agama.

Kita boleh bercakap soal kegawatan sosial dan keruntuhan akhlak tetapi kita masih boleh melupai agama sebagai formula penawarnya. Alangkah kroniknya penyakit kita. Pertanyaan yang berbunyi , “apa nak jadi” sebenarnya cukup melambangkan perihal jauh tersesatnya kita memilih jalan. Dalam menggambarkan keadaan sebegini, Ibn. Taimiyyah ada mengumpamakan kisah seorang yang menuju ke lorong gelap. Apabila jauh berada dalam kegelapan, maka terus dipadam pelitanya. Maka sempurnalah sebuah kesesatan.

Jika Perdana Menteri mengeluh, “apa nak jadi”, maka saya akan jawab: ENTAH!

“Hai manusia, sesungguhnya telah datang kepadamu bukti kebenaran dari Tuhanmu, (Muhammad dengan mukjizatnya) dan telah kami turunkan kepadamu cahaya yang terang benderang (Al-Quran).”
(Surah An-Nisaa’: Ayat 174)

Bertarikh : 21 Zulhijjah 1425/
1 Februari 2005

sumber: Harakahdaily