10th Nov, in my room, fresh after a good night sleep. I sit in front of my computer and start to write my assignment. Lots of questions pop up on mind. I stopped writing and read my brief paragraph through. Am I on the right track, have I understand the question correctly? What if I didn’t?

And then come anxiety, will I be able to argue it critically, provide strong evidence, use academic vocabulary and etc…..Urgh..… a big sigh!.... I need to read some more articles to support my arguments. I need to focus and concentrate.

Oprah Winfrey said : Energy is the essence of life. Everyday you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, by maintaining focus (O Magazine, July 2003).

I got up. I need to make my cup of coffee. Maybe by then I can continue on my assignment again and maintain my focus.

Developing creativity

Assalamualaikum and Hello everybody…

It’s been quite some time since I last write on this blog. Well, actually I do love writing, especially creative writing, it’s my passion. I write short stories, radio and tv scripts but it’s all in malay though. I’ve never tried to write in English. I send my stories/scripts to our local paper and tv station. When my first 13-series drama script was broadcast on tv, I was so delighted and nervous at the same time.

Creativity is the theme topic I chose to talk about this time. Creativity in Wiktionary means the quality or ability to create or invent something, originality. Some people think, creativity is a gift or born-talent. Well, maybe it’s true to those renowned lifetime legend, like Shakespeare, Mozart, Leonardo Da Vinci, etc…etc…

But researchers also believe that creativity can be build, enhanced and nurtured through hard work, mistakes, observation, experiments, experiences, critical thinking and etc. Everybody has the ability to be creative and should have all the opportunity to develop their creativity. So, it’s the responsibility of teachers, parents and communities to cultivate, foster and develop the creativity in the life of their children/students.

There are many ways of developing creativity. Asking silly questions for an instance, yes probably, you’ll get silly answer but maybe creative, in a way. I’m sure with ICT and other multimedia as a tool, it will be a more interesting and motivational process.

So teachers, parents & friends… keep the goals high… who knows you may create another Einstein or Beethoven in the future?

Here’s an inspirational quotation from the man himself ;

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."-Albert Einstein

Thousand miles away from home....

Assalamualaikum and Hello Everybody...

I feel homesick today out of the blue.. it's because I just talk to my sisters, nephew (Harris) and niece (Hessa), via a 3G phone this afternoon. It's lovely what technology can do today. Eventhough they're thousands miles away from me, it seems that they're so near and I could talk and see them directly as if they're just next door.

I remembered when my aunt and uncles studied in UK in the 1980's, we hardly receive any news from them. When my aunt came back home from UK, I eagerly waited for her at the airport and I just looked at her, admiring her cream brownish dress with small roses design, her nice wavy shoulder length haircut and her fair skin.

Nowadays, I called my family every week via phone, or sms or e-mail them and my friends... like everyday... well, thanks to all those scientists, inventors, ICT specialists, engineers, etc for pioneering the creative and innovative inventions.

Communication certainly has changed tremendously over the years. From the era of traditional/manual communication (horses, on foot etc) to the era of telecommunication or mass communication (telephones, telegraph, radio, tv, internet, sattelite, www, etc).

Comes to think of it... Do you think these superb technology has taken over human life?Hmmm... I wonder what's today's life will be without tv, computers, play station, mp3, internet, etc...? Well, whatever it is, traditional or advanced technology, it has both advantages and disadvantages.

And I do agree with this quotation from Antoine...technology do bring all the people together.

" Transport of the mails, transport of the human voice, transport of flickering pictures— in this century, as in others, our highest accomplishments still have the single aim of bringing men together" -Antoine De Saint-Exupery, "Terre des Hommes" (translated into English as "Wind, Sand, and Stars"), 1939

Eid, Technology and Forgiveness

Hi All There...

It's the first day of Syawal... Selamat Hari Raya or 'Eid Mubarak' to all my muslim friends. I spent my first day of Eid in London today. We've 'takbir' and prayer at 8.30 am at Brunei Hall. I didn't want to think about Hari Raya so much because it'll make me sad especially the moment where I usually asked for forgiveness from my loving parents and family. I didn't want to be so melancholy in this blog so I better not talk about it. Maybe I should talk more about how Hari Raya or Eid has changed with the development of technology.

First, about Hari Raya Card or Eid Greetings. Nowadays, people don't send Hari Raya Card as they do before. I still remember I used to order the printing of my Hari Raya Card months before Eid. After quite some time, I didn't order them anymore. I just print my own Hari Raya card using my PC. I even put poems or my family pictures to put more personal touch on them. Nowadays, E-Card is more popular as it's easier, convenient, accessible and available on-line for free. It's just only a click away. SMS and MMS is also a popular media for sending Hari Raya greeting.. I received lots of sms and mms from families and friends back home. But, no matter what media people use, what matters most is the thoughtfulness & rememberance, right?...

Secondly, about the foods, biscuits or cakes. My grandma used to make all those Ketupat and rendang (a traditional food) and stayed up all night preparing them on the eve of Hari Raya. I know some people still make it a tradition but for some working housewives it's easier to find an instant ketupat and instant rendang where you just bought them at the supermarket, defrost and then cooked them up. It's ready within minutes.. And instead of baking cakes and biscuits, people now prefer to order or buy biscuits and cakes which are available anywhere, even order them on-line. But again, no matter how you prepare the food and dishes, what matters most is how you received and treat the guests at your home, right?...

Thirdly, about visiting relatives. When I was a child, I enjoyed going around the village, going from one house after another. Collecting sweets, chocolate and coins, of course. I don't think children today have the same amusement as before...maybe not in the same way. I don't receive that many children visiting our house during Hari Raya. And when they do visit families or close friends, they'll just sit infront of the tv, either watch the varities of Hari Raya special programmes or play PS2 or other games. Well, maybe, that just happend in my village...I don't know.. But again, no matter how you celebrate it, what matters most is the togetherness and closeness of family and friendship ties that you're creating, right?...

Well, no matter how Hari Raya or Eid may have change, be it in sending cards, baking cakes or visiting practise, what matters most, above all, is the forgiveness that we're seeking for, right? So, during Eid, it's best time to ask for forgiveness from Allah, families, friends or even enemies and importantly, forgave others in return...

I end today's theme with a quotation from Mahatma Ghandi "The Weak Can Never Forgive. Forgiveness Is The Attribute Of The Strong".

leadership

Hi everybody..

My theme this week will be about ‘leadership’. Why did I choose to talk about it? On my first day attending the ‘Leading Learning’ module, I was assigned to select a quotation on leadership. I haven’t got the chance to choose one so I think I’m just going to talk about it in this blog.

I choose a simple quotation that I found in the internet. It said:

"The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says, 'Go!' - a leader says, 'Let's go!'"
-E. M. Kelly, Growing Disciples, 1995

Although this quotation sounds simple yet it has a meaningful idea of leadership. When a boss, just say ‘Go!’, it means they’re just telling or instructing you to do a task or to accomplish something. Yet, when a leader says ‘let’s go’, it means that they will be guiding, motivating and bringing you all the way to success.

Being working in the education field, I think this quotation is related to teachers as leaders. And I believe it is important for a teacher to be a leader. Why?

Because a good teacher will not just instruct their student but will also guide, motivate and bring their student to achieve success in their life.

So, I hope every teacher will realise how important their role are as leaders. They should have a new perspective on how they could contribute more to the students and education as a whole.

I end my blog with this quotation:

When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.
- Hugh White

Hi All.. Welcome To My Blog!.. I named my blog Hafida's Notts Diary because it's purpose is to record any events, memoirs and whatever experience I've had and will gone through here in Nottingham. I plan to have one theme to talk about every week / in two weeks. Some of the theme I've been thinking about are about globalisation, ICT, friendship, sisterhood etc. So, I would like to invite all of you to suggest any theme topic that I can talk about in future.

As my first theme, I would like to talk about "The World of Nottingham University". What do I mean by that?.. Since I arrived in Nottingham few weeks ago, I've met lots of friends from all over the world. On my first day itself, I met Jesicca from Taiwan, Ivan and Irina from Malaysia, Anisa and Irene from Indonesia. Now I've met a lot more and more friends from Mauritius, Kenya, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Iran and etc.

So by being here with all friends from all over the world, it's not only about studying my MA but it's more about understanding, sharing, learning from each other. I hope to be able to interact and learn more from each other, value one's culture and beliefs, share each other's experience and knowledge.

I believe Education has bring the world together and I hope through education we could have a better understanding and mutual respect for each other. For the better future of the world...