I as 'Pak Pandir'

This week, from 26th to 29th July, I attended a course on how to teach literature to Secondary School Students. Its activities were fun and enriching. We did jigsaw-reading, poster-drawing, a forum, poem-writing and many others. On the final day of the course, the facilitator showed us how to use miming as a means to familiarize our students with different characters in novels and short stories.

Six teachers were randomly picked to take part in this activity. I was caught off guard when the facilitator called out my name. It was not an honor but a disgrace. Being hopelessly weak in acting,parodying and the like, I was the unlikeliest person to take part in the skit.

The facilitator gave each of us a card. It contained the name of the character we should mime. I looked at mine and the name on it shocked the daylight out of me. It was Pak Pandir, a funny character who is the Malay version of Mr. Bean. He epitomizes the most absurd and outrageous things in the world. Why? It was not even the character of any literary texts used by secondary school students! What made the facilitator write it on the card? What should I do? Could I say no to it? How bad to have a silly job foisted upon me.I hated it! I repelled it!

"Ladies and gentlemen," announced the facilitator in a deep voice. " Those holding the cards are given eight minutes to think of how to mime their characters. When the time is over, each of them will act in front of you and you have to guess what character he or she is acting."

"Lo, how privileged you are," said a teacher, nudging me with his elbow.
"You have been quiet throughout the course. Finally we are able to see you act," chirped a young female teacher.

I could only answer them with a wry,bitter smile.

As a quiet, introverted person, I found it too humiliating to bring the character to life through silly gestures. I did not want to become a laughing stock. I had had lots of that when I was a school kid. I could feel the blood draining from my face. I was beside myself with fear and panic!

Soon the miming show began. All the five teachers before me presented their roles with no reservation. They sent everyone into fits of laughter with their funny actions. They were really good in portraying their mimed characters. I could not imagine myself acting like a fool as they did: crying, sashaying around, hobbling sideways like a crab, lolloping, skipping, pouting their lips, slapping their bums and walking around holding their stomachs. When it was my turn, everyone grinned at me, expecting the same funny actions from me. Their stares petrified me and I stood motionless in the center.

"C'mon, Lo, start miming now," prompted the facilitator.
"I can't," said I, looking pleadingly at the man. "I don't know how to delve into my character."
" I have given you eight minutes to think of how to act and I'm sure you can do it," said the facilitator, oblivious to the mercy-seeking expression on my face. "Unleash your inner talent now."
"But I can't," replied I. " I don't know the character on my card well."
"Are you sure?" The facilitator looked at me in disbelief.
"Yes! I am." said I, trying to sound firm. I knew my reason was not convincing. Everyone in Malaysia knows Pak Pandir well, but it is not easy to mimic the antics of the character.

"Don't chicken out, Lo," persuaded the facilitator." Teachers are supposed to be good actors."

Sensing that the facilitator was actually taunting me, I said adamantly: " I really can't do it. I mean what I say. "

The chattering buzz around me fell into a dead silence. The man stared at me for a few seconds and said, "Okay, you may go back to your seat now. Give me your card."

I gave him my card and returned to my seat. Dozens of eyes were following me. I tried to feign an air of nonchalance.

"Okay, everyone," the facilitator raised his voice."I will act on behalf of Lo. Sometimes we need to offer someone a helping hand."

With that, he started his miming. He cocked his head jerkily from left to right and put on put an 'air Songkok hat' on it. Then, he acted as if he tripped over something and fell. He struggled up comically, picked up an imaginary stone and tossed it into an imaginary sea. Everyone except me laughed and clapped hands. Some female teachers doubled over in laughter. When he had finished, he bowed.What an impressive performance!

"Who am I" asked the facilitator.
"You are Pak Pandir!" shouted a lady.
"Pak Pandir!" shouted another lady.

The facilitator looked very pleased and he bowed a few more times to us. The room was abuzz with cheers and clapping. He soaked up the adulation smugly.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the facilitator,"What is the moral of this activity?"
"Be confident to assume new roles and responsibilities," opined a lady.
"Yes," said the facilitator." We can teach our students to be positive in taking up new roles. What else?"
" We can help uncover hidden talents. Our students will become more creative," said a guy.
"You're right," said the facilitator."We can help our students to tap into their creativity."
"I like what we did just now. It encourages mutual learning. I am sure my students will enjoy it," remarked a teacher.

"Yes," said the facilitator. " the activity enables students to identify the personality traits of different characters in any literary text. As a teacher, you should tailor your activities in such a way that they are student-centred. Students learn best through a hands-on experience.
To make your lessons exciting, you should be ready to assume different roles. You can be Charlie Chaplin, P.Ramlee, Clint Eastwood or Julie Andrews. Your students will be highly inspired by you. Hence, do not put too much of yourself into your role as a teacher. As the fore-runners of education, we should be proactive, innovative, resourceful and forward looking."

The course came to an end amidst clapping. A lot of participants shook hands with the facilitator. I did not shake hands with the man because I was not happy with what he said in his closing speech. He seemed to be hinting that I was not positive enough.

Mmm, did he really mean that? Am I too negative?