SUNDAYVIBbrought For the love of teaching
This young man’s hands-on approach unleashes the joy of learning among indigenous students, writes
IN this nondescript school nestled within the dense forests of Perak’s hinterlands, every day can be far from ordinary. Here, amid the lush wilderness, where tigers occasionally wander through the school grounds and disgruntled elephants have been known to uproot water pipes, the Orang Asli students sit in rapt attention as Cikgu Shawn Stanly Anthony Dass holds court during science class.
At Sekolah Kebangsaan RPS Banun, lessons can actually take flight. Well, sometimes literally — if Shawn can help it. “How do you even begin to teach these children when they’ve not been exposed to anything?” he muses.
Within these walls, students — for whom the forest is the entirety of their known universe — are introduced to realms and concepts utterly alien to them.
Shawn uses inventive and handson teaching approaches to bridge the gap between his students and concepts unfamiliar to them, ranging from the democratic process of voting to the thrill of air travel, and the discovery of expansive oceans and beaches, making these alien experiences more accessible and comprehensible.
On one instance, he created an engaging lesson on democracy, transforming his classroom into a lively election scene. He selected four students as candidates for the role of class monitor, setting the stage for a handson learning experience about voting.
The exercise went beyond selecting a class monitor; it simulated the electoral process to teach students how to choose a leader based on promises and potential.
Despite their initial unfamiliarity, the students enthusiastically embraced the challenge. Some candidates promised to keep the classroom tidy, while others pledged to ensure books were properly arranged, he recounts with a laugh.
Shawn designed a straightforward voting system for the students, complete with ballot sheets where they marked an X for their choice, and even included candidate photos to simulate a real election.
“I showed them how voting works in real life,” he recalls, detailing how they’d select a candidate by photo and cast their vote by marking the ballot, which was then placed into a ballot box he crafted himself.
After the ballots were cast and counted, a winner was declared, offering a practical demonstration of how leaders are chosen in wider society. Although the students may not have grasped the entire complexity of electoral systems, his innovative approach provided them with a
Creating a ‘beach’ model for his students who have never seen the ocean.
Shawn the ‘pilot’ taking his students on a flight to Paris, France. foundational understanding of voting and leadership.
On another occasion, he transformed the entire class into the interior of an aeroplane. His “flight simulation” idea was mooted when one of his students asked: “Best tak kalau naik kapal terbang? (Is it nice to go on an airplane?)”
He shakes his head and says quietly: “That question somehow bugged me for days. These kids didn’t have any opportunity to even go out of their village. Even a trip to town was a big deal to them.”
Continuing, he sighs: “I’m not super rich. If only I could buy my own aeroplane and take them all on a trip!” Shawn transformed his classroom into an airplane’s cockpit, dressed in a pilot’s uniform, and turned the projector aimed at the whiteboard into the airplane’s window.
Using a hailer, he spoke to the transfixed Orang Asli students, mimicking the announcements a pilot would make. On that day that “Air Banun” took its inaugural flight.
During this imaginative “flight”, he transported his students to diverse destinations such as Paris, the pyramids of Egypt and the Himalayas. “At each stop, I shared interesting facts about the location!” he recounts with a smile, quipping: “That’s when I realised my degree in international relations really came in handy!”
Running his hand through his wavy hair, the bearded young man beams at me as he recalls his experiences in Gerik, Perak. It’s evident that teaching isn’t just a job for him, but a true calling he’s deeply passionate about.
HUMBLE START
Shawn, the youngest of three siblings, grew up in Penang. His father was a lab technician and his mother worked as a cleaner. “We lived simply,” he shares.
“Initially, I attended an international school’ where my father was employed, but when I turned 7, I transitioned to a government school,” he recalls. He continued his education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu Lanchang up until Standard Six.