My Biodata

I am Siti Sarah and I have always aspired to become a teacher. Currently in my 2nd year of study at the National University of Singapore and majoring in Life Sciences, I hope to impart the knowledge and skills I have acquired over the years to my students. With my MOE Teaching Award, I hope to ‘mould the future of the nation’ holistically and serve as a role model for my students. My motivation to become a teacher comes from the Prophet (Muhammad), who is the Mu’allim- al-mu’allim (Arabic for ‘teacher of all teachers’). I optimise the opportunity to teach and communicate from voluntarily mentoring madrasah students weekly at Madrasah Al-Irsyad.

NUS has given me the opportunities to enrich my undergraduate days. This September, I will be participating in a Student Exchange Program (SEP) at the University of British Columbia. I hope to gain not only experience and a wider social network but also learn more about the Canadian education system and pedagogy.

Thus far, my leadership qualities can be exemplified through my involvement with the National Police Cadet Corps (up till the rank of a Cadet Inspector) and NUS Muslim Society. I am currently the Honorary Secretary of the Society and I already have led a mountain expedition to Kelantan and participated in a Youth Expedition Project to Cambodia last summer.

My wealth of experience has made me grown into a mature and responsible adult I am, ready to face the world and all of its challenges.

Why Is It Just So Hard To Talk To Her?

Have you ever been in a situation where you try to speak to your grandmother and realise that you hesitate to think of what and how to say it to her? I know I have. Mind you, it’s not just about the age gap or the suitability of the conversation topic. The hesitance is actually due to the fear of offending them.

The older you are, the more emotional you’ll get. On television, seniors are often portrayed as cranky and grumpy (next to spoilt kids). They can be labelled ‘high-context’ because they are simply, unpredictable. Communicating with them requires patience and the need to speak their lingo. We also need to understand the root to their behaviour so as to comprehend them better.
One cause is the pain that they suffer from their medical conditions such as arthritis and other age-related illnesses, which can result in depression. Seniors also feel that their presence is a burden to their children because they can’t contribute financially. This further accentuates the disappointment they have on themselves.

Thus, it is important that we make them feel appreciated and welcomed. Apart from strengthening relationships with our elders, other reasons on why we need to communicate well with them is because they can be our future in-laws, potential stakeholders, or even our employers. It is important that we understand them before we make any important decisions hastily. Also since Singapore has a large ageing population.

How else do you think we can communicate effectively with them?