My school life in Australia

The school system in Malaysia is way too different from Australia. It lacks of skills and techniques of teaching students interacting with people. From my point of view, teachers in Malaysia have less abilities in promoting students' soft skills when interacting with the students. Perhaps it is too harsh to say that they are also lacking in the skill.... I am not referring to all teachers, but some of them yes they do. I know what it feels like as I had been living in Australia for almost four years.

When I first arrived in Australia in 2009, the first thing that came to my mind was school. At that time I was only 9 years old. I was so excited to be in Australia as this is my first time being in overseas. It was super cold when I stepped out of the airport. The weather was like 5 degrees Celsius and I was super excited to wear gloves and thick jackets as the weather in Malaysia is hot. You know when you breath out, there’s vapour coming out of your mouth and nose. I was doing that the whole day and I thought to myself that I am actually in Australia!

The first time I breath in the cold air!

Mom told me that I would be going to school in 3 months. I was actually excited but nervous at the same time as I was expecting to have a very exciting and enjoyable school life. While I was preparing for school, I thought for countless of time whether my school life would be the same as I had in Malaysia. So, when it was the time where I had to start schooling, I was quite nervous. 

The school’s name was Clayton North Primary School (CNPS). Every time you transfer to a new school, you have to meet the principal. My mum’s friends also had 3 children going to the same school as me and my younger sister. They are Afeeq, Hazeeq and Aaisyah. So, we all went together to the principal’s office as this is our first day of school. I was quite worried that the principal may be fierce but it was the other way! She was an outgoing person and likes to interact with her students. 

I still remember the day when the principal asked me about my thoughts living in Australia. I was too embarassed to answer it and only gave her a shy smile. My mom answered for me. At that time, my English were not so good at all. That was one of the reason why I didn’t answer her question. Seriously, it was that bad.

My family and Hazeeq's family just after meeting the school principal

Then she showed us where each of us will be in. Hazeeq and I were in grade 4 but in different class. I was in 3/4A while Hazeeq in 3/4B. Thank goodness that our classes was only next to each other. Brad, the homeroom teacher introduced me to my new friends. He then asked me to introduce myself but I was too embarrassed. As the day ended, I made new friends and learned new things.

We were going to our classroom for the first time

Rukshana the school principal introducing my sister to her classmates

As usual, Rukhsana asking who could help the new students

Rukhsana introducing me... I was so shy!!

My homeroom teacher Brad, talking in a nice and friendly style

My new friend.. she is very helpful

In my school, we have sports sessions for about one to two hours every week. In Malaysia, we only have sports for only about 30 minutes. Thirty minutes of playing isn’t enough time. You can tell the huge differences between Australia and Malaysia. In sports sessions, we get to play any kind of sports with our friends to increase our strength and to keep ourselves fit. I was taken aback when I had my first sport session. Edward, my sports teacher told us to run two laps around the oval(field). Then I asked my another Malay friend, Afiq “Is this a punishment?” You know what he replied? He said “Of course not! This is only a warm up exercise!” He was laughing. I was shocked because I had this mindset of if we have to run around the field, we are actually being punish. You know the reason why? Because I saw some students at my old school in Malaysia, they had to run around the big field because they did something bad. So, when I knew it wasn’t a punishment, I started running around the oval. This was something new to me and I was happy that I get to play with my friends. After that, we played various kind of sports with Edward.

The teachers in Australia actually encourage their students to be sporty and active so in the future, you will have a great sportsmanship in yourself. This is something great that I like about living in Australia! To be honest, in Malaysia, the teachers only focuses on academic and gives students a big pile of homework. This can lead to stress which is bad for our health. We’ve got no time to play around even though we are suppose to. But look at this amazing style the Aussies have! Their academic and co-curiculum are well balance! 

We have an art session every week. The art room is full of students’ handwork and displays hanging around the room. We get to paint, draw and make things out of clay and so on. It is a great session where students get to polish their abilities, show their creativity and learn different kinds of art with full equipment. I like arts especially drawing, graffiti and decorating. Thanks to my art teacher, Jen, I am pretty good in drawing, graffiti and decorating things! Everytime we are making something, she would always say “Let out all the creativities inside of you. When you get back home, you can proudly say to your parents “I did this today during art session! Isn’t it awesome that I could be this creative?!” That phrase make me get all work up everytime I make something! Its all thanks to her encouragement that I’ve got to polish my skills where it had been hiding inside me for 10 years and I can now brag proudly about skills to my friends! Even my friends envy me on how I make and decorate things so beautifully! 

Unfortunately, since the day I start to schooling in Malaysia, I draw and graffiti less.You know why? First of all, THEY don’t have art session in the school system. Secondly, piles of homework are given to us every week. And lastly, we got no free time to draw and graffiti as we are too occupied to HOMEWORK! Yes, HOMEWORK! I don’t know how many times I am stating homework as the reason of why I don’t like schools in Malaysia! 

Why can’t the government change that "burdening" rules?! They not only make us stress and depress but also make us lose all the skills that we have inside of us, vanishing into thin air! That’s why I was upset and furious knowing I had to go back to Malaysia knowing myself would be in that school system. I miss the day when every morning I would walk to school with my sister enjoying the surroundings, the air and the beautiful sceneries along the road. I just hope I could go back in time where I had fun all day long with my friends without worrying about homework.

Do you want to know more about school in Australia? 

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