Just a little step closer

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Assalamualaikum

Title: Just a little step closer

The exact reason why I've decided to take up teaching as my profession? It's because...

"A candle loses nothing, by lighting another candle. " - James Heller

& that shall be the quote that I will strongly hold on to, throughout my journey as a teacher in the future insyaAllah. As I gazed at the night sky outside my bedroom window, I can't help but to smile to myself and let a silent word of thank you out to Allah, for He has beautifully planned the route of my life, wisely.

At 7 years old, my ambition was to become a teacher. When asked by my fellow teachers and relatives on why I had wanted to become a teacher, the answer I had for them back then, was rather silly. I would innocently say: I want to become a teacher because I like writing on the whiteboard. I was laughed at in return. They probably had found my answer to be that of a cute one!

10 years on, now standing at seventeen years of age, I never thought that my dreams to become a teacher, would really come true. I secured myself a place in Early Childhood Education. Perhaps, I am destined to be born to teach. Haha. Or maybe not. But that is the least that I could say for now. If I were to really to take up teaching as a profession in the future, I will be that teacher who inspires. That sounds so idealistic, but I was a student once(and I still am), and as a student I always had thoughts like: If i were the teacher, I would've done this, and wouldn't have done that. If I were the teacher, I will not be biased and show favouritism. If I were the teacher, I will make my lessons more interesting. If I were the teacher, I would maintain a good relationship with my student. If I were the teacher...and the list goes on.

Right now, I am just a little step closer, into making my dreams come true. After maghrib prayers today, I received a call from Darul Makmur mosque. I have been waiting for their call all day long that I almost thought they had found a better candidate than me, to relief the class that I was supposedly supposed to relief on this coming Sunday morning. The ustazah on the line was so lovely. Here was how our conversation was like.

Ustazah: Assalamualaikum. Ini panggilan dari masjid Darul Makmur. Ukhti Suhaidah ke ni?

Me: Ya saya, Su di sini.

Ustazah: Ah, maaf menganggu. Sedang sibuk ke? Suhaidah sihat?

Me: Alhamdulilah, Su sihat. Eh tak lah, tak menganggu. Baru selesai solat maghrib. Ustazah sihat?

Ustazah: Bi khair alhamdulilah. Uhm, mengenai jawatan relief teaching pada hari minggu ni dan hari sabtu depan, Suhaidah betul confirm boleh ye?

Me: InsyaAllah boleh.

Ustazah: Alhamdulilah. Okay, suhaidah akan relief class Secondary 1 teens a.l.i.v.e. pada Sunday ni. Awak okay tak dengan age group tu? Murid-murid lelaki & perempuan campur tau. Do you mind?

Me: Ohh. I dont mind. Its okay, insyaAllah Su boleh handle. Hehe.

Ustazah: Aiwah haha okay. Hmm Suhaidah ada ura-ura tak nak bekerja permanent di sini, mengajar secara part time pada hujung minggu?

Me: Wah,sudah tentu! Saya memang minat mengajar. Lagipun, saya nak gain experience time tengah muda-muda ni.

Ustazah: Bagus-bagus. Suhaidah ada pengalaman mengajar a.l.i.v.e sebelum ni di mana-mana masjid?

Me: Tak pernah. Tapi masa tengah tunggu O level results, Su bekerja part time di Iyad Child Development Centre as an assistant teacher. Mengajar di masjid tak pernah la.

Ustazah: Ohkay. Sekiranya kami nak berikan Su bekerja permanent di sini, what age group will you be comfortable to teach with? Hehe, sebab Suhaidah masih muda kan?

Me: Oh haha. Ya. Hmm, rasanya I can teach children from as young as those that are in playgroup, sampai budak-budak in Secondary 2. Upper secondary nanti, takut saya pulak yang kene bully nanti sebab jarak usia dah lebih kurang dekat dah tu. Saya baru 17 tahun. Heehee!

Ustazah: Hahahahaha. Ya, ya saya paham. Oh okay. Suhaidah free tak.saturday ni? Boleh kita berjumpa di masjid? So I can brief you about the lesson plan and lesson currriculum for your class?

Me: Ah free, free. Boleh. What time will that be?

Ustazah: Okay, alhamdulilah. My colleague will call you again tomorrow, to settle on the time to meet. Terima kasih ya. Kita jumpa saturday nanti. Assalamualaikum.

Me: Waalaikumsalam. Oh okay. InsyaAllah.

As soon as I put the phone down, without taking off my telekung, I dashed out from my room and ran towards my mum who was watching TV in the living room, & informed her about the good news. Mum was equally just as excited. When I went back to my room to do my sujud syukur, I teared up in joy because I am sooooooo soooooo thankful to Allah for giving me this great opportunity. Alhamdulilah!

Please make doa' for me. :)