By Ida Lopez, Lecturer, School of Arts & Social Sciences
At one of the sessions that I attended for SLATT, we were asked to select “words of wisdom” that we find most significant to us (we were given a long list to choose from) and I chose this – “We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how”. Indeed we are all looking for that person or people, whose impact on our lives is so profound, that we look forward to each day with so much excitement.
My late father had inspired me to practise prudent financial management. My teachers in school inspired me to take up teaching as a profession – well, they were certainly a dedicated bunch (just ask my colleague, Boon Yee – we went to the same Secondary School in Mentakab, Pahang). I was lucky that I once had the opportunity to work with an Academic Head who had inspired us with his high ethical values, discipline, impartiality, openness and most of all, his humility. I remember too my counterparts in partner universities, who had inspired me with their teaching styles. Once, when I visited my former College, an ex-colleague commented that I was an inspiration to them – as I am a frank person who strongly believes in voicing out dissatisfaction. I am not sure though whether this trait is appreciated by all!
At one of the sessions that I attended for SLATT, we were asked to select “words of wisdom” that we find most significant to us (we were given a long list to choose from) and I chose this – “We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how”. Indeed we are all looking for that person or people, whose impact on our lives is so profound, that we look forward to each day with so much excitement.
My late father had inspired me to practise prudent financial management. My teachers in school inspired me to take up teaching as a profession – well, they were certainly a dedicated bunch (just ask my colleague, Boon Yee – we went to the same Secondary School in Mentakab, Pahang). I was lucky that I once had the opportunity to work with an Academic Head who had inspired us with his high ethical values, discipline, impartiality, openness and most of all, his humility. I remember too my counterparts in partner universities, who had inspired me with their teaching styles. Once, when I visited my former College, an ex-colleague commented that I was an inspiration to them – as I am a frank person who strongly believes in voicing out dissatisfaction. I am not sure though whether this trait is appreciated by all!
Students and young people certainly need inspiration. It is not just students who need to be inspired, but also those who work most with students, the teaching team – who have so much placed on their shoulders. There are students who provide inspiration to their lecturers, thus influencing the lecturers’ approach to teaching. I believe the greatest inspiration for lecturers come from their own former students who have succeeded in life and in their careers.May we all realise that in some way, we too could provide inspiration to others and that there is nothing else that can give us greater satisfaction than this. The time is right for us to ponder – how can we be an inspiration to others?
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