Fourth trip: SJK(C) Sam Yoke (8th April 2016)

Today marks another significant day in our social engagement project. This is the second last field trip, and also the last fitness assessment we will be doing. SJK(C) SAM YOKE, yes, it is the school we will be visiting. We would expect a different experience from last few times, as this is a Chinese school.

As usual, we gathered at 7a.m. in the morning, and departed around 7.20 a.m. Of course, all of us reached the school before 8 a.m. Soon we were brought to the basketball court. We will carry out all of the activities in the court. After greetings to all the kids and the teachers, we started the session with warm up. The teachers were being helpful in helping us to conduct the warm up session. Of course, we were always in a spin when there is a new bunch of children for us to take care of even though we had certain experience in dealing with the special child already. It takes time for us to build relation with the children, likewise, the children need time to get familiar with us.

The warm and helpful teachers.

Children doing warm up.

They are just so cute.

Our members stand among the children to instruct and assist the children.

After the warm up, we divide ourselves in three groups to carry out the three assessments. As usual, the yeagley test, the 20m splint, and the 10m dribbling test. We were quite organized as all of us were in our own spot of duty without any last minute discussion. Some did the records, some assists the children to complete the tasks, while some take care of the children who were waiting for their turns, or those who finished their turns.

The document  we used to jot down the records.

 It is a tiring process for everyone of us. Soon we had come to a break, the children had their breakfast at the canteen. So did us. After the break, we continued with the assessments. For some group which finished all 3 tests, we let them rest and looking after them. We tried communicating with every children to deliver kindness and love to them. Below is picture of one of our member hugging the child like father and son.

Cute right?

 

 

After the three assessments, we proceed with the height and weight measurement, and the sir and reach test.

Soon the tests were all finished. There was some time left. We spent it with the children until 12p.m., where they had to leave. The moments were amazing and we really enjoy the time spent here. It is another meaningful day in our life. We will remember this day in the rest of our life.

 

Last trip : SK Sri Kelana (6th May 2016) 

            

Today was our last social engagement activity. We started and ended our activity at the same school which was SK Sri Kelana. This morning, we gathered at our KK gate at 7.15am and reached our destination at around 7.40am by Grabcar. We planned some indoor and outdoor activities for the students there.

            Once we reached our destination and entered the school, all the memory flashback automatically which were all about the moments that we had spent with the students there. I felt excited because I am going to meet them up again. At first, we planned to have three outdoor activities which were transferring water using a sponge, monkey catch ball and three legged race at the school field before their recess time but the field was contaminated with water. We worried about the safety of the students so we change our plan to have it at the canteen. They were all handed to us by their teacher at 8am. Before we began with the games, we were having warming up session which was led by Chun Theng.

  

Warm-up Exercise.

We divided all the students into three groups. The first activity was transferring water using a sponge into a bottle. They were so excited and fully participated in the game. I felt so happy when I saw their laughter. At around 8.45am, we proceeded to another game which was three legged race. We paired them up according to height and tie their legs with clothes. The laughter on their face made me felt that I really do something right and what we had done was really worth it.We met few students who asked us are we still remembering them, the answer was definitely ‘Yes’!. We felt glad and touched that they still remembered us. The moment when you know your contribution had been appreciated was really awesome. This encourages us to involve more in this type of social engagement activity.

Transferring water. (Our group members helping throughout the game)

Second games: Three-legged race.

Giving out prizes.

            They had their break time at 9.30am so they stayed at canteen to have their recess. At around 10am, we headed to their school hall to proceed to our indoor activity which were drawing and sketching. Each group consisted of five students and two of us. They were given a piece of paper where they can use it to sketch anything they like. Some of them sketch according to the sample given which was Doraemon whereas some of them sketched flowers and animals on it. This section ended at 10.45am. The next activity after this was colouring. All of them received a book and started to do their colouring until 11.30am. I assisted two of my students to do some colouring. One of them showed no interest in doing it and actually he only wanted to attract my attention. Another little girl who named Jia Hui was really interested in doing colouring. She asked me to help her and teach her how to do better colouring. 

Guiding them on coloring.

            At around 11.30am, we started to clean and clear all the things because it almost comes to the end. We took a group photo with them before we handed them back to their teacher. Today, Dr. Eric came and visited us to understand the activities that we gone through and for today’s activities. 

The happiness that shown on their face.

Their final product!

Group photo.

After today's event,we get to know much more about how to communicate with them. It is because last time we divided them into a big group where today we divided them into small group. We got much more chances to interact with them and get to know them and we are nearer to their heart and they willing to tell us their taught because they trusted us. They teach us to never judge a book by its cover and to look deep within a person and pick out what is wonderful just like what happen during coloring session, they impressed us when they showed their product, it is creative and beautiful. Some of them might face physical difficulties but they are strong in arts on the other side. The moment we spent with them was really precious and valuable. 

This is our last visit for Social engagement, but it definitely not the last in our life. We will appreciate it and remember it forever. Throughout this 5 trips for social engagement, we learned many things that never taught in our school for the past 15 years, this teaches us humility, compassion and how to be human. These are the things that we cannot learn base on theory, formula or calculation, all these grow in us by experiencing from time to time.

3rd Trip: Car Free Day MBPJ (27th March 2016)

Our third social engagement was held at Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya.  We started our journey from University of Malaya at 615am and we reached  at 7am. Several roads in the area were either closed for the event between 6am and 2pm. On our arrival, the booth was already set up for us to decorate. Then, the ornaments for us to grace the booth arrived. We started decorating and make the booth more attractive.

Setting booth.

Later, we were given a short briefing regarding the flow on that day. We were divided into several groups with different tasks such as distributing flyers and handling the booth. Before the cycling event started, they carried out aerobics for the visitors and the instructors were so energetic leading the aerobics and the crowd seems having a good time. After the aerobics finished, the cycling event started. Then, we began the task that assigned to us. The flyers and surveys were distributed to visitors who were not involved in cycling and  the people who passed by the event. The feed backs that we got from the surveys were positive and satisfied with the event. Activities that have been held at the booth were selling t-shirts and playing games. 

Games that carried out.

Short briefing from the organizer.

Other than that, there was a  poster for painting. Other activities were aerobic exercises, bicycle sprinting and children’s art competitions, roller skating, skate boarding, games and lucky draws for visitors. There was a disabled fun ride for 2km which around 50 folks in wheelchair enthusiastically participating in the race at 8am including cyclists and joggers on a 38 km path. This programme is an initiative taken by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) in creating a greener neighbourhood by encouraging more people to concern about the environment by cycling and walking instead of using motor vehicles. It is also an effort to create a society which will be more responsible in maintaining a cleaner environment.

Final product for poster painting !

         We hope that everyone can concern more about the environment, cars and trucks are one of the leading causes for air pollution. Car pool can help to save our green environment from pollution. Let our next generation enjoy the beauty of nature like sounds of bird chirping but not the sounds of motorcycles exhaust. Support Car Free day and we wish we have the chances to join all those go green event in the future.

 Everyone looks satisfied with today's outcome.

2nd TRIP : SMK Kelana Jaya (4th March 2016)

           

            Today is the second time for social engagement. We felt so excited before this day and We were looking forward for today’s activity. As usual, we gathered at kk gate at 7.00a.m. by Grabcar. We will carry out the fitness and health assessment with the special needs secondary school students at SMK Kelana Jaya.

           

            Before the event started, we thought it will be more easier to handle the secondary students between the ages of 13-16 years old. But our expectation does not go that way, it’s so hard for us to keep an eye on them. They were handed to us at 8am. We started by warming up as usual which leads by Danesh. 

Warm-up exercise leads by Danesh.

        

             They were all grouped up and form a circles in order for us to know their names during ice breaking session. But we couldn’t get their attention, some of them just walk around themselves and have difficulty in speaking. We try to get their attention by singing along with the students. We still carry out the same activities like what we have done in the previous project to get their fitness result. We changed the strategy from taking care of a station to taking care a group of students because we get to know more with certain students instead of keep changing group by group. We used to some students’ attitudes and we knew the way to handle them.However, there are few students who are out of control, they refused to listen to everyone of us. We tried so hard to let them finish their fitness assessment by accompanying and running together with them.

A student carrying out 20m sprint.

We keep an eye on some students that are out of control.

          We continued with physical assessment after their recess at 10.30am. We measured their height, weight, flexibility and stability. It was a tough time for us because we can’t really handle the huge amount of students and they were refused to listen to our instruction but fortunately, we managed to done all the activity and record their results with all the cooperation from our team members.

Last test-Stability test !!

          Before saying goodbye, we took a group photo to keep as a memory. Throughout this event, we  found that we need to be patient when taking care special needs children. We should show them unconditional love and care because they just want to get the attentions.  We are not just getting to know a new community; we are getting to know ourselves. For example, we get to know what we lacking of like patient, manner and determination, we can learn from the mistake and make ourselves a better me. This is the most valuable things we can learn from. Moreover, the students taught us how to love again and love purely, without judgments or biases. Do not give up on them as they are kind as an angel and a gift from God.

Group photo with students and teachers.

1^st TRIP OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT- SK Sri Kelana (26^th February 2016)

          After a month we decided where and what to do for our social engagement, Finally we decided to do it at SK Sri Kelana as our first workout of Social Engagement. We done our meeting a week before to discuss about the activities that relevant to do since we involved with special need students.SK Sri Kelana has established in 1986 with 230 students and 9 teachers at first. This elementary school located at Jalan Ss 5B/3, Petaling Jaya, Selangor and roughly takes 20 minutes to arrive from University of Malaya.

         On 26^th February 2016, time shows 7.15 a.m. where we all promised to get ready and gather in front of main gate KK3.We booked grab car as our transportation to SK Sri Kelana. The activities started at 8.00a.m. And we all managed to arrive at SK Sri Kelana before 8.00 a.m.

                                                                    Group Photo.

       More than 60 students and most of them are special need students who get involved with our activities. First before our started the activities, we have done simple warming up to increase their stamina because we prepared for them outdoor activities.

                                                               Warm-up Exercise.

          After done the warming up. We have divided them into 3 group so that easier for us to watch and handle them. There are few activities we have prepared for them likes 20 meters spring, weight and height measure. In fact, they very active person but they very slow to catch up our instruction. Even, we have to do demonstration again and again but still they need us to guide them in order to accomplish the task given. This moments bring to open up our eyes that although it is look easier to us but for them in very little thing them need someone to stand beside. At the same time, it built our patience and strength to serve them in a good way since at the same time they also very sensitive person.

Group member guiding student to carry out activity.

Measuring their height & weight.

        The activities queue first to give time have their recess. Their recess at 10a.m to 10.20 a.m. We watched on how their teacher gives instruction and how the students react toward their teacher’s instruction is very polite. None of them try to disobey the instruction. Reflect to ourselves, sometimes we loved to deny what peoples ask us to do. In Fact that things is good to us but we choose to ignore. Here, what actually we need to realise is a feeling grateful when we notice we still have someone who taking care about us. The same activities continue at 10.30a.m. Where 3 group do exchange activity after all student in that group done their activity. All the activities they have accomplished have been recorded.

Having breakfast together with the children.

         We ended the activities at 12.00p.m. Before dismissed, we took photo together with the students and their teachers. Again, before they going back to their class, their teacher have asked us to do a line. At first, we wonder why to do so. But then, we realised all the student  has asked to greet and without asked they directly said thank you to us. We felt high of appreciate because none of us will aspect this moment can be happened. However, we managed to accomplish 4 hours activities from 0800 to 1200 with them and within these 4 hours we learnt so many thing from them. We believed we have spent our precious time with them wisely instead of wasting time scrolling facebook and watch drama in room on this wonderful friday. Before leaving, we made a promise to visit them again for others activities.

                                                               Is time to say Goodbye.