Last Friday, I wrapped up Unit 5 of my Apple Learning Coach journey — and let me tell you, this unit was a rollercoaster of learning, reflection, and creativity. 🎢✨

Unit 5 was all about planning: timelines, evidence of success, refining goals, evaluating samples, thinking deeply about the coaching cycle… semua ada!

And honestly, it stretched me more than I expected. 😅

🌱 The Tough Parts

This unit was challenging because the coaching planning suddenly became very detailed.

I found myself rereading sections, getting lost in terms, and having to pause just to digest the steps.

At one point, I realised:

“If I really want to understand Unit 5, I need to revisit Units 2, 3, and 4.”

So that’s what I did.

I went back to:

• Unit 2 → coaching cycle

• Unit 3 → coaching strategies & reflection

• Unit 4 → refining goals and planning

Only then did everything click.

It was like Apple was slowly preparing me to think the Apple coaching way, and Unit 5 was the moment everything stitched together.

It was tough — but also the unit that helped me unlearn and relearn the most.

💛 Rediscovering My Coaching Philosophy

Revisiting my coaching philosophy was another highlight. Mine is centred on empathy, trust, and walking beside teachers — not leading from the front.

✨ I listen first.

✨ I build rapport.

✨ I connect tech to what teachers already do.

✨ I want coaching to feel joyful, personal, and meaningful.

And Unit 5 forced me to express this philosophy through a Coaching Philosophy in Action Project.

🎨 The Freeform Adventure I Did Not Sign Up For 😂

Ahhh Freeform…

When I saw the instruction to “showcase your coaching philosophy using photo, drawing, video, or music,” I confidently chose drawing.

…Until I started drawing.

And suddenly I was an 8-year-old again. HAHAHA. 🤣🎨

I made three full drafts.

All messy. All confusing. All very “I’m trying my best, okay??” energy. 😭

I reset colours.

I rearranged shapes.

I erased and redrew.

I tried switching styles — cute, clean, Gen-Z aesthetic… nothing worked.

In the end, I submitted the version that felt the most me,

even if it looked like it came straight out of a cheerful Year 2 sketchbook. 😆💛

But it represented my heart:

✨ Trust

✨ Empathy

✨ Listening

✨ Confidence-building

✨ Joy in learning

✨ Walking beside teachers

Perfect? No.

Authentic? Yes.

And that’s enough.

📅 The Bigger Picture

Unit 5 helped me realise:

• Coaching is structured and intentional.

• Timelines matter because teachers are just as busy as I am.

• Evidence matters because growth needs to be visible.

• Reflection keeps the coaching cycle grounded.

• And listening ALWAYS comes first.

It’s one of the units that shaped me the most — not just as a coach, but as a colleague and a reflective practitioner.

🚀 Moving Forward

I’m stepping into Unit 6 with:

✨ A clearer mind

✨ A stronger foundation

✨ More confidence

✨ A slightly improved Freeform skillset (maybe 😆)

Onward, Asniem and Coach Asniem — we’re almost there! 💛✨

🌟 Fun Learning Adventure – Your Group Slides 🌟

Welcome, explorers!

Today, you will join Perky Piung on a fun English reading adventure. Each group has its own slide space — just click your group name below to open your quest page.

Have fun, be creative, and do your best.

Good luck, young adventurers! ✨🐢🌈

We can’t wait to see your amazing work!

🗺️ Navigation

Click on your group to go to your mission slides:

Whiteboard on Slide 5 and 18

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8

Group 9

Group 10

Group 11

Group 12

Group 13

Group 14

Group 15

Group 16

Group 17

Group 18

Group 19

Group 20

Group 21

 Week 2 on Wonderful Words Island was full of warmth, drawings, discoveries — and a handful of funny surprises. Our checkpoint this week focused on family and friends, and it turned into one of the most heartwarming weeks so far.

📖 Session 1: Shared Reading — “Piung’s Family”

We started with shared reading of “Perky

Piung’s Family”. Learners love hearing about Papa Piung, Mama Piung, Brother Piung and Sister Piung — the familiarity helps them make sense of the vocabulary.

Together, we explored words like:

mother, father, brother, sister, friend

Reading about a topic that is familiar to them is comforting to them; it makes learning feel communal and safe.

🌳 Before Session 2: Drawing Their Own Family Tree

Before moving into writing, learners drew their own family tree. Since they had drawn Perky Piung’s family tree in the previous session, they immediately understood what to do.

Their drawings were adorable and full of personality.

Some drew fathers with superhero muscles. 

Some lovingly showcased their baby sister. 

And a funny discovery:

Many didn’t actually know their siblings’ names — they wrote “Abang”, “Kakak”, or “Adik”, because that’s what they call them at home. It was such an honest glimpse into how children think about family.

But what amazed me most was how proud they were of their drawings. They paid attention to hairstyle, favourite colours, tiny details — their families really mean something to them.

✏️ Session 2: Guided Writing — Fill-in-the-Blank Paragraph

Next, learners completed a fill-in-the-blank paragraph about their family.

This was more challenging.

While they could identify “mother” or “brother” easily, the difficult part was choosing hobbies.

I learned a lot of funny family secrets this week:

“Teacher, my father likes sleeping". 

“My mother likes TikTok”.

“My baby sister likes crying.” 

Even though they struggled, they stayed motivated.

Some needed help identifying hobbies, but they tried and that effort is what matters most.

🎨 Session 3: Creative Work — Appreciation Cards

We ended the week with a simple but meaningful activity: appreciation cards.

Before starting, I taught them exactly what to write — they copied a short, clear sentence onto the card. This full guidance helped every learner succeed, including those with limited writing skills.

Once the writing was done, the magic happened.

They loved decorating their cards:

✨ colouring

🎀 drawing

💖 adding stickers

🌟 making it uniquely theirs

A simple sentence transformed into something filled with love and pride.

💭 My Reflection

This week was soft, sincere, and surprisingly funny.

The repetition across reading, writing, and drawing is starting to show results — they’re beginning to remember words, rely less on me, and feel more confident.

And even when support is heavily guided (like the appreciation card writing), their creativity takes over beautifully.

This week taught me that:

🌟 children express love openly

🌟 learning becomes meaningful when linked to real life

🌟 creativity makes even guided tasks feel personal

🌟 family is a topic that brings out their best stories

🌟 effort matters more than perfection

Week by week, step by step, the island becomes more alive — and with Piung cheering them on, we’re building not just language skills, but memories.

Our journey on Wonderful Words Island continued with two colourful and challenging sessions. This week, my learners worked in their Buddy Shell groups to create their “This Is Us!” posters — a task that required teamwork, creativity, and a little more thinking than the previous session.

🐚 Session 2: A Challenging Start, but a Creative One

This task required learners to introduce their Buddy Shell and their friends using simple dialogues. They had to draw speech bubbles and write what each friend was saying — something new and slightly abstract for many of them.

And yes, they did find it challenging at first.

Some were confused about where to place the speech bubbles, how to match the sentences with the drawings, or how to organise their poster. I needed to repeat instructions several times, and eventually asked a few of my more proficient learners to mentor three groups who were struggling.

These groups had mediocre to low English proficiency, so having a peer mentor beside them made a big difference — not just in understanding, but in confidence.

Despite the confusion, one thing carried them through the task beautifully:

✨ They absolutely enjoyed drawing and colouring.

Their joy in decorating their posters kept them engaged, even when the writing part felt hard. And sometimes, that little spark of enjoyment is all they need to keep going.

🌈 Session 3: “Ohhh, so that’s what the speech bubbles are for!”

When we moved into presentations in Session 3, something clicked.

As they took turns introducing their Buddy Shells in front of the class 

“We are the Coral Shell.”

“This is Aizat. He likes to play football.”

“This is Hana. She likes to look at shells.”

Many suddenly understood the purpose of the speech bubbles.

The moment they heard their classmates present, they realised how the drawings and dialogues worked together to show who they were as a group.

The room felt lighter.

The posters felt more meaningful.

And more learners were able to complete the task successfully.

Out of 30 learners, only 5 required extensive help with reading during the presentation, yay! celebration!!

                                   

💭 My Reflection

This pair of sessions reminded me that “challenging” doesn’t mean “unsuccessful.”

Sometimes, the struggle is a form of learning.

My learners are still building familiarity with English words through repetition — and I can already see how exposure is helping. Their progress wasn’t instant, but it was clear.

What mattered most was this:

🌟 They stayed engaged.

🌟 They worked together.

🌟 They enjoyed creating something of their own.

With each checkpoint on Wonderful Words Island, I hope they’ll continue growing more confident with the words they hear, say, and write. We’re moving slowly — but we are moving. And that’s a win I’m grateful for. 💛

 

Today, I officially completed Unit 4 of my Apple Learning Coach journey — and honestly, this one felt different. It felt like everything from Units 1, 2, and 3 suddenly clicked into place. 💡

Unit 4 wasn’t just about learning anymore — it was about designing, planning, and shaping who I am as a coach.

🌱 A Unit That Pulled Everything Together

What I loved most about Unit 4 was how it kept reinforcing the essentials — the coaching cycle, the coaching philosophy, and the Everyone Can Create approach. Each time these elements reappeared, I felt a little more at ease. The repetition didn’t bore me; it grounded me.

It reminded me that coaching is not about perfection — it’s about clarity, intention, and humanity. And, most importantly, it reminded me why I started this journey:

👉🏼 to lend a helping hand to teachers. 🫶

 

🎨 Finding My “Coaching Philosophy in Action”

In this unit, we had to start brainstorming ideas for our Coaching Philosophy in Action project.

For me, the idea that stood out the most was exploring Keynote animations — something I’m still a beginner at, but absolutely love learning.

It’s fun, visual, expressive, and honestly? It makes me feel young again. 😄

And I want the teachers I coach to feel that same spark of joy.

I realised that my philosophy naturally shapes the kind of coach I want to be:

✨ Empathetic — meeting teachers where they are

✨ Practical — sharing workflows, resources, and baby steps

✨ Supportive — through demo lessons, co-teaching, and check-ins

✨ Reflective — always learning with the people I coach

Not imposing. Not overwhelming.

Just walking together.

🧭 Crafting My Coaching Timeline

This unit also pushed me to draft my first coaching timeline — something that used to scare me 😅 but now feels doable.

I built it around:

• Weekly check-ins 🗓️

• Bi-weekly one-on-one support 👩🏻‍🏫

• Monthly creative workshops 🎉

Linking it back to Unit 2’s Action Plan and Unit 3’s coaching reflections made everything feel connected — almost like I’m building my own personalised coaching system.

💛 The Heart of It All

When I stepped into this course, I thought it was purely about edtech.

But Unit 4 reminded me again and again:

Coaching is human work.

It’s about trust, pacing, confidence, and connection.

Technology is just a tool.

People are the purpose. 💛

 

If you’re following along my journey — thank you.

If you’re a teacher reading this — I see you.

And if you’re a future coachee — I can’t wait to learn with you. 🌿💫

1 Minute. 1 Story. 1 Stronger Reader.
💬 Teacher Asniem’s Note

Hello, Story Islanders! 🌴💚

This month, I’m thrilled to launch a brand new Perky Piung adventure — the 1-Minute Reading Challenge! It’s simple, fun, and full of expression. Every learner from 5 Zamrud has chosen their story and will practise reading it out loud — with voice, gestures, and confidence! I can’t wait to see how each story comes alive in your voices. Let’s make reading our daily habit, even if it’s just one minute a day!

Hai, warga Story Island! 🌴💚

Bulan ini, saya sangat teruja untuk memperkenalkan satu aktiviti baharu di bawah Perky Piung — Cabaran Bacaan 1 Minit! Aktiviti ini mudah, menyeronokkan dan penuh ekspresi. Semua murid 5 Zamrud telah memilih teks bacaan masing-masing dan akan berlatih membaca dengan suara yang jelas, penuh gaya dan yakin! Saya tidak sabar untuk mendengar bacaan hebat kamu semua. Mari jadikan membaca sebagai amalan harian — cukup satu minit sehari pun sudah hebat! 📖✨

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A Note to Parents

Dear parents, your encouragement means the world to our young readers. 🌟

Please take a moment each day to listen to your child’s one-minute reading. Cheer for their effort, enjoy their expressions, and celebrate their progress together! Reading aloud helps build confidence, fluency, and love for stories — and with your support, every learner can shine brighter on Story Island. 🌴💚

Ibu bapa yang dihormati, sokongan anda amat bermakna kepada anak-anak kita. 🌟Luangkan sedikit masa setiap hari untuk mendengar bacaan satu minit mereka. Beri pujian, raikan usaha dan nikmati gaya bacaan mereka! Aktiviti membaca kuat membantu membina keyakinan, kelancaran dan minat terhadap cerita. Dengan dorongan anda, setiap murid pasti dapat bersinar di Story Island! 🌴💚

📚 About the Project

Over the next 3 weeks, our young readers will challenge themselves to read aloud for one minute — with voice, gestures, and confidence! Each learner has already chosen one of the 7 reading passages prepared for this special project.

To make practice easier, the audio recordings for all seven passages will be uploaded here soon. Learners can listen, repeat, and improve their pronunciation and fluency anytime. 🎧✨

🎧Audio Recordings

📅 Project Timeline

Week	Activity
Week 1–2 (Nov 1–15)	Practise your chosen passage daily using the blog audio.
Week 3 (Nov 16–25)	Record your final 1-minute reading performance.
Submission Deadline	🗓️ 25 November 2025

🏅 Assessment Criteria

Learners will be graded based on 3 simple criteria (maximum 9 marks total):

1. Reading Fluency – smooth, confident reading with clear pacing.

2. Expression & Gestures – lively voice, face, and movement to bring the story to life.

3. Pronunciation & Clarity – correct and easy-to-understand words.

🎁 Prizes!

The Top 10 Readers will receive Perky Piung goodies and a special mention during our class celebration. 🌈🐢✨

So, grab your story, practise daily, and let your words grow on Story Island! 🌴📖💚

Unit 3 of my Apple Learning Coach journey was such a joyful ride! 🌈 It was a full-day live workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., packed with energy, creativity, and collaboration. 🎨🤝 Teachers from all over Malaysia 🇲🇾 came together — each with their own ideas, styles, and sparkle! ✨ Everyone was so professional, punctual, and on task. Many were young teachers, and their enthusiasm was absolutely contagious — I honestly felt younger too! 😆💪

The focus of this unit was bringing the Inquire–Plan–Act cycle to life 🎯 — not just in theory, but in real, hands-on coaching experiences. 💬💡 We brainstormed, shared, built, reflected, and laughed through every activity. Moving between groups gave me new insights into how coaching can look and feel different — yet equally powerful — for every teacher. 🌻

More than anything, Unit 3 reminded me of why I love coaching. 💖 Just like I said in my introductory video 🎥 — coaching is about walking beside teachers, not leading from the front. 👣 When we listen first 👂, understand their needs ❤️, and build confidence together 🌱, professional learning becomes personal, joyful, and lasting. 🌺

I ended the day feeling inspired, grateful, and full of new ideas for future collaborations! 🚀💭 It was truly a day of learning, leading, and laughing together. 🥰✨

Perky Piung’s Wonderful Words Island

Our adventure on Wonderful Words Island began with smiles, laughter, and a curious little turtle named Piung. 🐢✨

In this session, learners listened to the short story “Piung Wants to Meet New Friends” and joined in the fun Name-Action Game, saying things like:

“My name is Aisyah. I like to dance.”

“My name is Adam. I like to run.”

 

It was such a joyful way to reconnect with English after exams — a balance of movement, speech, and confidence-building.

💭 My Reflection

I was pleasantly surprised at how well my pupils understood the sentence structures. They remembered them easily and could say them with confidence.

When it came to writing about the things they like to do, many still needed guidance — but what touched me most was how independently they looked up activities in their textbook to find the right words! 💚

It reminded me that our previous learning truly stays with them, even when we don’t realise it.

Their ability to apply what they’ve learnt — that’s the kind of progress that fills me with quiet joy and gratitude.

They also absolutely loved decorating their work — colouring, adding stickers, and turning simple sentences into something proudly their own.

🌈 A Happy Start

This first session reminded me that learning doesn’t always need to be complicated — sometimes, it just needs to feel alive.

If the rest of the project stays as joyful and engaging as this session, I know we’re in for a wonderful journey on the island.

✨ 27 out of 29 learners submitted their work on time — a wonderful start indeed!

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