Week 18 was SOOOOO much fun 😭✨

Honestly, I loved it.

First of all… it has been AGES since I last boarded a plane ✈️😂. I became one of those people taking photos of everything just for the geotag.

And honestly?

I don’t even care if people think I’m weird 😆📸.

I just cannot help it.

The Nervous Journey Begins😮‍💨✈️

Before departing for the course, I was nervous the entire time.

Not normal nervous.

👉 airport nervous 😭😂

I kept worrying:

• Did I check in my bag correctly?
• What if I missed my flight?
• What if they didn’t allow me to board because my hand carry exceeded 7kg?!

And honestly…
between my:
💻 laptop
📱 iPad
🔋 powerbank

…I really thought I might get stopped 😆

Then came:
😵‍💫 navigating the airport
😵‍💫 finding the cab counter
😵‍💫 trying to look calm while internally panicking

But alhamdulillah 🤍
I safely arrived.

Walking Into a Room Full of Youngsters😂🍎

The next day, the course began.

And BOY… I was nervous again 😭.

The room was almost full of youngsters 😆✨.

It was also the place where I saw:
🍎 the highest concentration of Apple products in one room 😂

MacBooks everywhere. iPads everywhere. Energy everywhere.

The crowd was lively, enthusiastic, laughing, helping each other.

And slowly…

I started enjoying myself 🤍

Cuppa Production ☕🎬

My group was called:
✨ Cuppa Production ✨

And honestly, we worked HARD.

We completed tasks together, discussed ideas, edited videos… and even slept at 1 a.m. finishing our projects 😭😂.

Tiring? Yes.

Fun? VERY.

Learning Beyond Video Editing 🎥✨

I already had some experience making videos through Perky Piung 🐢.

But this course taught me something deeper.

Not just:
👉 how to make videos

But:
👉 how to TEACH others to make videos.

I learned:
✨ step-by-step workflow
✨ planning and publishing process
✨ trainer preparation
✨ how to guide learners creatively

And suddenly, I could see:
🌱 how this connects to my classroom
🌱 my storytelling
🌱 my future projects

The Digital Portfolio Panic 😆💻

We were also required to create our:
📂 digital portfolio

Which…

hahaha I have not started yet 😭😂

So yes.
Another thing added to my:
👉 “School Holidays Mountain of Tasks™” ⛰️😆

But honestly?

I hope I can slowly complete many of them during the holidays 🤍

Teacher’s Day Love🌷🎁

Last week was also:
✨ Teacher’s Day ✨

And I received so many gifts, drawings, and little tokens from my students 🥹💛.

I truly appreciate the love and effort from both the learners and their parents.

And deep inside, I quietly hope:

👉 the love they show me
will slowly become
👉 love for learning too 🤍

Rediscovering Malaysian Folklore🐢📖✨

One of the most meaningful parts of the course was meeting people from all over the country.

The trainers and participants helped me:
✨ understand animation better
✨ reconnect with storytelling
✨ rediscover love for Malaysian folklore

And honestly?

It has been a while since I truly celebrated my own culture like this.

Now my brain is already buzzing with ideas 😭😂

Like…

👉 What if Perky Piung starred in Malaysian folklore stories? 🐢✨

Can you imagine:

• Piung meeting Sang Kancil?
• Piung in Mahsuri?
• Piung wandering through Story Island folklore adventures?

HAHAHAHA 😭✨

Another pile added to my school holiday plans.

But honestly?

I think these ideas are worth exploring.

A Creative Direction Emerging🌱🎨

This course made me realise something important.

I think I want to focus more on:
🎬 animation
📖 storytelling
🎥 video creation
✨ creative learning experiences

Just like:
🐢 Perky Piung on Story Island ✨

And for the first time in a while…

that dream feels possible.

Final Reflection 🤍

Week 18 reminded me that sometimes…

we need to step outside our normal routine to remember who we are becoming 🌱✨

This course did not just teach me animation.

It reignited:
💛 creativity
💛 curiosity
💛 courage

And for that…

Alhamdulillah 🤍✨

Week 17.

This was a tiring week.

One of those weeks where I questioned myself more than usual.

Every week, I walk into school thinking about growth 🌱. Thinking about becoming better — a better teacher, a calmer teacher, a more effective teacher.

But this week…

I did not feel like the teacher I hoped to be 😔.

The Classroom Struggle 😮‍💨

This week, I felt very demotivated.

I was upset with my learners because no matter what I tried:

• whole class activities
• pair work
• games
• play corner

…I still struggled to keep them from making noise or misbehaving.

And slowly, I began asking myself:

👉 Am I doing something wrong?
👉 Why can’t I command attention the way I want to?

What drains me most is not the lesson itself.

It is the constant:
🔁 reminding
🔁 reprimanding
🔁 disciplining

All these things take away so much class time. Sometimes, it upsets the learners who are genuinely trying. Sometimes, it even feels like the naughty ones become louder because the attention becomes their spotlight 😮‍💨.

And honestly…

I hate becoming the teacher who keeps scolding.

That is not who I want to be.

5B – The Frame Is Slowly Forming✍️🍔

For 5B, we continued working on the guided writing burger.

Many learners managed to write, and although grammar mistakes are still there, I can slowly see the structure taking shape 🥹✨.

The frame is forming.

I truly believe they can become independent writers one day.

But for that to happen:
👉 they need more focus
👉 less talking

And me?

👉 more patience
👉 clearer boundaries

2Z – Singing Through the Lesson🎶🏠

For 2Z, we learned a new song:
✨ The Old House ✨

We sang, used gestures, drew pictures, and practised writing.

They really enjoy singing 💛.

Although many still “eat the words” while singing 😆🎤, I was still happy to see some learners getting the gestures correct.

The topic definitely needs reinforcement — maybe after the school holidays.

But for now, I think:
🌱 some seeds were planted.

3Z – The Hardest Class This Week🌧️

3Z was my most challenging class this week.

I struggled to:

• maintain focus
• encourage work completion
• manage behaviour consistently

And yet…

many learners still managed to earn their play tickets 🎟️✨.

What hurts me most is seeing the learners who are genuinely trying.

I want them to feel happy in my class. I want them to feel safe to learn.

But there were also moments this week where some learners made me feel deeply upset despite all my efforts.

The Teacher Outside the Classroom🌷

The strange thing is…

Outside the classroom, I am a very smiling teacher 😆.

I greet students before they greet me.
I wear bright colours because I know they like them 🌈.
I wave everywhere I go like school royalty 😂👑.
I sashay through the hallways like they belong to me.

But inside?

Sometimes I feel ashamed that I cannot command attention in my own classroom.

Today, I almost cried.

And before I actually did…
I dismissed my students early.

A Needed Breather🌿

Next week, I will be attending an animation course outside school.

And honestly?

Thank God for the breather 😮‍💨🤍

I think I need it.

Not because I want to run away from teaching —
but because I want to return with a lighter heart.

Final Reflection🤍

This week was not my best week.

But maybe not every week is meant to feel victorious.

Sometimes growth looks like:
🌱 showing up while tired
🌱 trying again despite disappointment
🌱 caring deeply, even when your heart feels heavy

And perhaps…

the fact that I still want to become better means I have not given up yet.

Alhamdulillah 🤍✨

This week felt like a true settling-in week — for my learners and for me. 🤍

I finally managed to get into 5B, and much of the focus went into class management 🗂️. We worked on class information posters, duty rosters, and even learned how to manage class money by recording a simple ledger 💰📒. Honestly, it reminded me of my days working in audit — who knew those skills would come back into my classroom life? 😄

We also did some writing ✍️, which I consider a diagnostic task. The learners wrote a short paragraph about themselves — five sentences that needed to be coherent — and this allowed me to observe both their writing mechanics and their ability to organise ideas 🧠📝. I haven’t marked them yet, but I plan to do so on Monday. I’m curious (and a little nervous) to see what patterns emerge 👀. There are also a few more posters to finish, so that’s on my to-do list too 📌.

For 2Z, the learners progressed with their alphabet writing this week 🔤✨. Only two of them still did not bring their books, which honestly frustrated me 😮‍💨. However, I’ve informed their parents and I’m hopeful things will improve next week 🤞. On a brighter note, their class rules chant is getting better! 🎶👏 I can see more confidence, and I truly hope that soon some learners will begin to take the lead during the chant 🌟.

My 3Z learners moved into their textbook content this week 📖, and I was so glad to see them getting into the groove of writing in their exercise books 🖊️📘. I noticed some really nice handwriting — moments like these genuinely make me feel proud 🥹💛. Many of them were able to understand the words in the paragraph we wrote together. Next week, I plan to challenge them a little more by starting with fill-in-the-blanks ➡️ then moving into parallel writing. I hope this gradual scaffolding will help them gain confidence and mastery 🚶‍♀️📈.

One common issue across all three classes, though, is that none of them have formed the habit of writing the day and date on the board before I enter the classroom 🗓️✏️. This is something that will definitely need consistent drilling and reminders until it becomes second nature 💪.

On top of teaching, this week was packed with school activities — the cross-country event 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️, the Bantuan Awal Persekolahan programme 🎒, and a three-hour briefing on discipline matters 📋😵‍💫. That briefing, in particular, left me feeling a little overwhelmed with the amount of work ahead — one of those moments where it feels like I might tumble straight down the rabbit hole 🐇🕳️.

Still, as tiring as it was 😅, it was meaningful 🤍. I truly hope I did my best in balancing everything.

As I look ahead, I hope that next week my learners will begin to settle into their learning routines, just as I am slowly settling into my teaching rhythm 🌊. My hope for this year is simple but big: I want to teach my learners well 🌟. I want them to be able to speak and write confidently, and I know that to get there, I must first strengthen their listening and reading skills 👂📚.

Here’s to patience, consistency, and growth — for them and for me 🌱✨

Wish me luck! 🍀💛

Ever since I began my teaching career 21 years ago, I have been embracing this quote 💬:

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” ✨

For many years, I found myself torn between teaching content 📚 and teaching life 💛 in the classroom. Teaching young learners often means that the academic content is manageable—but classroom management, attending to learners’ needs, disciplining, guiding, listening, and caring take up most of the time 🧠🤲. There were moments when this made me feel sad 😔, even inadequate, as if I wasn’t doing “enough teaching.”

But returning to this quote helped me pause and see things more clearly 🌤️.

I realised that everything I do in the classroom is education 🌱. Every reminder, every act of patience, every boundary set with kindness, every moment of care—these are lessons too 💫. They may not appear in a syllabus 📄, but they shape hearts ❤️, habits 🌼, and humanity 🌍.

I am not failing when I teach life alongside content.

I am not wasting time when I pause to guide, correct, or comfort 🤍.

I am a teacher 👩‍🏫.

And in every moment, in every way, I am always teaching ✨📚

This year didn’t come with a neat lesson plan. It came with questions, courage, late nights, small wins, quiet doubts—and so much growth. As I look back, I realise this wasn’t just a year of doing more as a teacher. It was a year of becoming.

I started the year with one simple hope: to be a better teacher for my learners. Not louder. Not trendier. Just more present, more thoughtful, and more brave in trying new things—even when I wasn’t fully confident yet. 💛

Learning to Learn Again 🎓💡

One of the biggest shifts this year was stepping back into the role of a learner. I explored professional learning more intentionally, asked more questions, and allowed myself to not know—which, honestly, isn’t always easy as a teacher.

Becoming an Apple Learning Coach was a milestone that reminded me that learning is deeply personal. It’s not about tools first; it’s about people, purpose, and practice. Soon after, earning my Gemini Certified Educator badge (with a score I’m still quietly proud of 😌) deepened my understanding of AI—not as a shortcut, but as a thoughtful partner in teaching. I learned about bias, hallucinations, ethics, and most importantly, the human-in-the-loop principle.

AI didn’t replace my teaching. It refined my thinking.

Teaching With Heart (and a Little Chaos) 🧠💬

My classroom this year was noisy, imperfect, and very real. I taught learners who were energetic, distracted, fasting, curious, tired, excited—all at once. Classroom management challenged me. Some days, I questioned myself. Other days, I laughed it off and tried again.

What helped was designing learning that felt alive.

That’s how Story Island grew—slowly, playfully, and with a lot of heart. With Piung by our side 🐢, my learners wrote, explored, imagined, and moved through stories step by step. I learned that low-level learners don’t need “less”—they need clearer, kinder, and more engaging pathways.

And sometimes, they just need us to believe they can.

Creativity, Culture, and Connection 🎨🌴

This year, I leaned into what I love—stories, visuals, culture, and small joyful details. From Malaysian-themed writing tasks to playful vocabulary videos like Piung Word Pop, I saw how creativity opens doors, especially for learners who struggle with words.

I also found my voice online—as Teacher Asniem—reflecting, sharing, and documenting the messy beauty of teaching. Writing became my way of processing growth. Of staying honest.

Faith, Gratitude, and Growth 🤍🌱

Through it all, I’m deeply grateful. For mentors, colleagues, learners, opportunities—and for the quiet strength that carried me through moments of doubt.

This year also reminded me that growth doesn’t stop after exams end.

After the final year exam, when energy is usually low and everyone is counting days, I chose to begin something new.

For my Year 5 learners, I initiated a reading challenge—not because it was required, but because I wanted them to rediscover reading as something meaningful, personal, and achievable. Watching them participate, try, and stay engaged reminded me that small initiatives can still create impact.

For my Year 2 learners, I took the leap with a Project-Based Learning (PBL) experience. The marks are still being tabulated, and the reflections will come later—but I already know this: I’m proud that I tried. I’m proud that learning didn’t stop at assessment, and that my learners were given space to talk about themselves, their families, their friends, and the places they love.

Sometimes, the success isn’t in the final numbers—it’s in the courage to start.

A Closing Dua 🤲✨

Ya Allah,

Grant me a heart that is gentle with its own shortcomings.

Help me forgive myself for the lessons I didn’t get right, the moments I felt I fell short, and the days I questioned my own worth as a teacher.

Teach me to take wisdom from every downfall, clarity from every mistake, and strength from every challenge.

When I stumble, guide me to rise with humility.

When I feel tired, renew my intention.

And when I look ahead, fill my heart with hope, courage, and trust in Your plans.

Let me continue to grow—not just as a teacher, but as a person who teaches with sincerity, compassion, and faith.

Ameen. 🤍

Here’s to another year of becoming.

Me on the last day of the academic year!

— Teacher Asniem 💚

Amidst all this, I found light-hearted joy in working with Perky Piung. Creating captions, visuals, and little sparks of creativity reminded me that teaching thrives on both the serious and the playful.

✨ This September reaffirmed for me that teaching is a bridge — a way of paying tribute to the past, while preparing the next generation for the future.

The other day, while scrolling online, I stumbled upon a video about Malaysia’s journey and how other nations tried—but failed—to replicate it. Listening to it during this Merdeka month made me pause. I felt a deep sense of pride. Truly, Malaysia has achieved so much for a country of our size: peace, stability, diversity, and progress.

Of course, I can’t verify all the sources cited in the video. But even so, there was truth in what I heard. It reminded me of how blessed we are to live here, in a nation that—despite its imperfections—has given us so much to be grateful for. And yet, it also made me feel a little afraid. History teaches us that nice things don’t last forever. Stability and prosperity are fragile, and they need to be nurtured carefully.

As a teacher, this thought weighs heavily on me. What can I do to ensure my learners grow into a generation worthy of tomorrow’s peace, stability, and prosperity? I don’t have the power to guarantee Malaysia’s future. But I do have the responsibility to shape the minds in front of me today.

With my expertise, I can help them see that what they are doing now—learning, studying, working hard—is an investment for the future. Their effort today is not wasted; it will bear fruit later in ways they may not yet see. At the same time, I want to teach them the values that matter: respect, kindness, perseverance, and gratitude. These values are what will guide them not just as students, but as future Malaysians.

To be part of a prosperous Malaysia means more than enjoying what exists now—it means contributing to its growth, protecting its harmony, and building its future. That is the lesson I hope to pass on.

So, as we celebrate Merdeka this year, I am grateful for the path that has been paved by those before us. And I am hopeful for the learners of today, who will one day carry the torch of tomorrow. May they grow to be strong, wise, and worthy of this beloved Malaysia. 🇲🇾💙

This year, Malaysia celebrates her 68th Merdeka, and I can’t help but feel excited and grateful. Looking back, our country has come such a long way. What I treasure most is the stability and prosperity we enjoy today. None of this would have been possible without the struggles, sacrifices, and courage of those who came before us—the heroes who carved the path towards independence. May they all rest in peace. 🙏

As I think about Merdeka, I also find myself reflecting on my own journey. Reaching where I am today was not without struggles. I’ve had regrets and mishaps along the way, but I’ve come to see that they are part of what shaped me. The person I am today—the one people see—is the sum of all those experiences, both good and bad. In a way, that too is my Merdeka: the freedom to grow from my past, to stand as who I am today.

Time comes and goes, and nothing stays the same forever. But as long as I live, I want to cherish this life and the experiences that have been given to me. I also feel the need to say sorry—to those who may have been hurt or saddened by my actions. I sincerely hope for their forgiveness.

Now at 46, I believe my journey of learning is far from over. There is still so much to understand, so many mistakes to correct—not to erase the past, but to grow into someone better. One thing I know I must work on is learning to prioritise. I often take on too much at once and feel overwhelmed. Bit by bit, I’m trying to set things in order so I can truly succeed in what I set out to achieve.

Isn’t that what our country is also doing? Bit by bit, Malaysia is striving to improve—to be better, to right past wrongs, to celebrate those who have contributed, and to support those who are still growing.

So today, I just want to say: thank you, Malaysia. Thank you, Malaysians. Let us be grateful, let us continue striving, and let us remember that life, with all its ups and downs, is truly wonderful. 🌺✨

Merdeka! 🇲🇾

Here, I am sharing Perky Piung's Merdeka Portrait. Hehe, hope to have mine soon...

It’s been a month since I last wrote here, and wow… so much has been going on! 🌪️ Life lately feels like a patchwork quilt—teaching, creating, learning, and just living day by day. Sometimes it feels chaotic, sometimes magical, and sometimes just plain funny. So here’s me gathering all the little seashells 🐚 from the past few weeks and laying them out here.

Teaching Life 🍎✏️

This past month, I’ve been busy refining my Story Island module 🏝️🐢. It’s getting more polished, but I haven’t had the chance to let my students try it yet. Between daily teaching routines and school activities, it’s still waiting for its big debut.

Most of my time has been packed with Kahoots 🎮, spelling bees 🐝, and of course, the daily flow of listening 🎧, speaking 🗣️, reading 📖, writing ✍️, and language arts 🎭. Those are the real heartbeat of the classroom, and they keep me on my toes!

I’ve also started intervention sessions based on classroom-based assessments. I grouped my learners into “red” 🔴 and “yellow” 🟡 depending on their abilities. To support them better, I changed their seating arrangements, and guess what? It’s working! 🙌 Students are more engaged, they submit tasks on time, and classroom discipline is so much more manageable. Tiny changes, big results! ✨

Creative Projects 🎨💡

Outside of teaching, I’ve been bubbling with creativity.

One project I’m excited about is Piung Word Pop (PWP) 🐢💬—a fun little vocabulary video series where Piung introduces words in short, playful clips. So far, we’ve covered words like whiteboard, desk, chair, fan, light, and door. Simple words, but Piung makes them come alive 🌟.

On the blogging side, I’ve been shaping my teacher identity as Teacher Asniem 🌺. Alongside Perky Piung, I’m also building Story Island Diaries with the subtitle Adventures in Teaching, Words & Wonder. My color palette—seafoam green, coral pink, and sand beige 🩵🌸🤎—makes it feel warm and beachy, just the way I like it. I imagine it as a cozy space to reflect, share, and celebrate little wins.

I’ve also been learning more about social media 🌐—experimenting with captions, hashtags, and even apps like Buffer and Metricool for posting across platforms. It’s another juggle, but honestly, I enjoy seeing ideas take shape in different corners of the internet.

Daily Moments 🌞🎶

Now for the small but special moments.

One highlight: I coached my Year 2 class for a singing competition 🎤🎵. They sang their hearts out and—drumroll please—took 2nd place! 🥈💖 I was so proud of them. Seeing their smiles on stage made all the hours of practice totally worth it.

Day-to-day teaching and learning can be a beautiful mess 🤹🏻‍♀️. I often want to do so much in so little time ⏳, and it leaves me feeling a bit overwhelmed sometimes. But I keep reminding myself: baby steps 👣, set priorities, and breathe. 🌿

And here’s something super exciting—I’ve been accepted into the Apple Learning Coach programme 🍎🎓 this year! I’m nervous 😅 but also thrilled 🤩 to start this new journey. On top of that, I’m juggling the Apple Teacher Portfolio 🖥️📂, which is challenging but so fulfilling. It feels like I’m slowly levelling up as a teacher, one badge at a time. 🏆

Even with the chaos, the competitions, and the extra commitments, these little wins remind me that growth is happening—even if it’s messy, even if it’s slow. 🌈

Looking Ahead 🚀🌟

When I look back on this month, I see a colourful mix of threads: teaching 🎒, creating 🎨, and just figuring out life step by step 🪴. My classroom projects, like Story Island and Piung Word Pop, keep me dreaming up fun new ways to teach. My blogging and social media experiments spark creativity. And those everyday moments—whether it’s kids singing their lungs out 🎶 or me nervously prepping for Apple Coach 🍏—add so much texture to my story.

Life hasn’t slowed down, but maybe that’s a good thing. It means I’m living fully as a teacher, creator, and learner. 💕 Writing this down makes me realise: even when the days blur together, every little thread matters.

Here’s to another month of weaving, wondering, and walking forward step by step 🌺🐢✨.

Not all lessons land the first time—and that’s something I’m learning to accept with more patience.

Last week  session with this class was tough. We focused on listening and vocabulary related to the days of the week and months of the year, using a listening activity as the main anchor. The plan was simple: listen, match words to pictures, and build towards sentence construction using key phrases.

In reality, the class struggled to cope.

Even with support, the learners had difficulty keeping up with the fill-in-the-blanks tasks. I found myself pausing frequently to help individuals catch up or re-explain the activity entirely. Despite breaking down the instructions and reducing the language load, many learners were still lost midway through. By the afternoon session—when we revisited the same vocabulary through another listening-based fill-in-the-blanks exercise—it became clear: they weren’t ready to move on yet.

In hindsight, the lesson needs to be repeated next week. But this time, with a stronger emphasis on sentence patterns and structured vocabulary reinforcement.

What Didn’t Work

One major hurdle was the textbook itself. The presentation was too crowded, too wordy, and didn’t guide the learners’ attention to key ideas. The layout overwhelmed rather than supported. I’ve now realised that for this class, I need to adapt the materials much more carefully—simplified visuals, clearer focus, and just one language skill at a time.

Moving Forward

This weekend, I’ll be planning a full one-cycle lesson built around the four core skills:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing

Plus a little Language Arts for creativity and fun.

The centre of it all? Vocabulary and sentence patterns. If learners can grasp these clearly, the rest will follow more naturally.

The goal isn’t speed—it’s clarity. If it takes two or even three rounds to get there, then so be it.

Some classes push me to teach differently—and this is one of them. They’re not less capable, just differently paced. And it’s my job to meet them where they are.

Let’s see how the next cycle goes. Am praying hard.