Competitive and Creative Action Songs- District Level

Since the end of September, there was a stir sweeping across the district schools. The Pasir Puteh PPD Co-Curriculm Unit invited all schools in the district to attend an English Carnival. The English Carnival included different events for the different year levels. The event offered story telling, action songs and scrabble. The winners of each category will represent the district in state level competition. The action song competition was designed for year 3 students. Mentors from two of my schools decided to rise to the challenge,  SK Bukit Abal and SK Banggol Pa' Esah.

Teacher Siti Basirah and Teacher Salmah teamed up with Teacher Maznah and SKBA's music Teacher Wan Azurainee and took the lead in training their team everyday after school.  I was fortunate enough to attend most these sessions. My luck did not end there. Teacher Nor Azizah assembled her top squad of Teacher Asisiah and Teacher Adzura to get practice going at SKBPE after the late morning break daily. I was favoured to frequent the majority of these sessions as well. The teachers selected their songs and arranged their teams. We worked together, the respective school's teachers and students, to rehearse with a game face (big smile) for the upcoming competition.

It was a process that involved lots of heart and patience to train a group of 9 years old kids to perform. It's not easy to synchronise steps of such energetic individuals. However the teachers not only trained their teams, they polished them to shine publicly. SKBA chose Mambo #5 and Hokey Pokey for their songs. SKBPE chose the campfire favourite Boom Chika Boom.

The starting point was teaching them these English song titles. Next, they had to work on pronunciation after memorising the songs.  Then the bulk of the work was to choreograph the students and help them keep the time. If that wasn't enough, the teachers made it fun for their teams. It was a metamorphosis of ability from the starting point to competition ready. Oh yeah, you can't forget colourful costumes on a lean budget. Not to mention, these talented teachers of each school had added flare, swagger and zest to their schools students' performances.

The Pasir Puteh English Carnival Day began on Wednesday the first of October at SK Kamil 2. I was nervous, but I revved up both schools equally. I was impressed to see other teachers came out to cheer their schools. SKBPE's GB Tuan Hajji Jusoh Bin Abdul Wahab was present to encourage his school. The students looked darling and were into a tizzy to perform. After some spectacular efforts by both schools, the Judges decided first place to SKBA and third place to SKBPE. I wanted to congratulate both schools on astonishing performances!

The performance wasn't over yet, the teachers from SKBA and SKBPE had one more encore. It could be a scene from an after school movie. In an act of mutuality mindset, the teachers from SKBPE lent their team's skirts to SKBA for the state finals. This is a breathtaking legendary moment of cooperation and professionalism that makes a mentor marvel. 

A standing ovation please for the teachers of SKBA and SKBPE!