Malaysia -Living Values

Shahida Abdul-Samad (Ms)
Director Noble
Integrated Childhood Education

Focal Point for LVE

malaysia@livingvalues.net
Phone: +603-5630 0800
Fax: +603-5630 0570

Current Status 2009

Malaysia’s Focal Point for LVE, Mrs. Shahida Abdul-Samad reports a busy 2009 for the Living Values Team there. They have conducted four LVE Educator Trainings and one TTT covering both East (Borneo) and West Malaysia. 321 preschool teachers and assistant teachers successfully attended the workshops in the states of Perak, Kelantan, Pulau Pinang and Sarawak. These trainings are part of an effort to train all preschool teachers from the Unity Kindergartens so that preschoolers and their teachers can benefit from a conducive and positive learning environment. Similar workshops were conducted in 2006 and 2007 in the state of Negeri Sembilan and in Kuala Lumpur key teacher trainers were selected to attend the program.

In April 2009, LVEP Malaysia took part in the National Values Education Conference in Canberra Australia. Shahida was invited to conduct two workshops at the conference where participants were able to get a flavor of LVEP and the process of the trainings that we conduct.

In November 2009, LVEP Malaysia assisted our sister organization, LVEP Indonesia, in conducting the LVEP Train the Trainer workshop for representatives from NGOs from all over Indonesia.

In 2010 we plan to deepen our existing efforts with the kindergartens by emphasizing the importance of implementing as many values activities as possible as well as educating parents about the program.

Before LVEP, I hated myself & my life. I never felt appreciated. After practicing the skills I learnt, my life is now calm and peaceful. I am happier & grateful for what I have – my family, my career & my friends. I now share this LVEP knowledge when I conduct trainings. I am touched by the stories I hear. I now realize how beautiful life is! Let’s not destroy it.

My father has always told his children that we must all give something back to our country which has given us so much. I never knew what it was or how I was going to do it - until I attended the LVEP TTT program. I realized that this is what my father told me and I have volunteered myself to become a LVEP trainer.

As the director of the State of Johor and now the State of Penang, I was pleasantly surprised by the change that was brought about my two teacher trainers who attended the LVEP training conducted by Shahida. Not only did they both win the 1st and 3rd prize at the National Level for the best kindergarten in Malaysia but just going and visiting their kindergartens is truly an living example of peace and love and a teacher who unconsciously has created it through her positive role model and skills acquired at this program.

I have a boy in my class who never used to communicate due to his mother tongue being Thai. That was a problem I didn’t know how to manage. I tried different approaches but it didn’t work. After attending LVEP, I started practicing “Positive Behavior Building Skills” and using “Praise” as techniques to bring about the change in him. Now he is a confident little boy who wants to learn & communicates well.

Even though my involvement in this program has been that of a coordinator, I have learnt new ways. I have practiced LVEP at the office and my colleagues are surprised at the change in me. At home, I have started Circle Time with my family. We do this as a ritual every night. Everyone shares their positive feelings about their day. This type of communication has enriched my life as a mother and I feel more genuine as a human being.

Besides being teacher trainer I also work closely with the community especially the Jiran Wanita as well as the police. At one of my training session, I applied the techniques I learnt from LVEP and the person most impressed by my approach in introducing values, was the Bilal of the local mosque. Being a non-muslim, I felt so inspired that this program can transgress racial and religious beliefs and can bring us to see the good in all humankind. The women in the community are asking for more values courses.

It was a challenge for me as a teacher to ensure that there was enough students in my tabika and to meet the necessary requirements of the Department. After attending LVEP and applying the tools and skills I have learnt, there has been a change in the environment in my tabika - the children, parents and the teachers can feel it and see it. The impact – the enrolment in my tabika has increased!!

I used to be a very strict person and I wouldn’t hesitate to met out severe punishment and instill fear in others – this was how I would control my class and my life. After LVEP, I have come to realize the loving and caring nature in myself. I like being that way. I also created the “LUVRS garland” in my class to acknowledge the positive qualities of the children. Even my husband can’t believe the NEW me is here to stay!!

Presentation of the "Living Values Young Adults" book to Her Royal Highness Tuanku Najinah Bte. Tunku Besar Burhannudin in celebration of Women's Day, 24th August 2001 at Women's Institute of Management, Malaysia.

Background

Living Values Education in Malaysia (LVE) is in its 7th year of implementation. Since its representation at the veryfirst Living Values Educational Initiative Train-the-Trainer session in 1997 at the Global Retreat Centre in Oxford, England, the Malaysian team has never looked back!

In Malaysia, Noble Integrated Childhood Education (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (NICE) is the national representative for Living Values Education in Malaysia. It is headed by Ms. Shahida Abdul-Samad who also assists in LVEP activities in the region of South East Asia. NICE is an Institution of Higher Learning accredited by the Ministry of Education Malaysia and the Selangor State Department of Education.

This collaborative effort between LVEP and NICE, is our response to the call of our Minister of Education in 1994, the Honorable Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, to do "something" for our future generations:

"Seeing that we have slightly more than five years left before the 21st Century, we certainly have a lot of work ahead of us. We believe that it is our duty and responsibility of our present generation to do something for our future generations. We would have failed in our endeavours if we do not respond positively to this call of duty."

Forum on Future Generations
August 1994
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In 2003 there were many LVEP trainings and programs:

Listed below in reverse chronological order are some
of our accomplishments over the past seven years:

22-23 Dec, Selangor: LVEP TTE for teachers from Sri Dasmesh School Core team of 30 teachers for private school in Kuala Lumpur.
10-11,13-14 Nov, Selangor: LVEP TTE for Sri KDU Smart School The participants consisted mainly of new teachers. Many expressed the benefits of the reflection and how it made them relate to their inner values. They recommended that this program be conducted for all parents and caregivers.
17-18 Oct, Pahang: Intro to LVEP for Kindergarten (Tabika) teachers under the Ministry of National Unity and Social Development This was a first for us as the training was done completely in Bahasa Melayu. It was very well received and more trainings for the Ministry of National Unity and Social Development are expected in 2004.
12-14 Sept, Selangor: LVEP TTE for SRI KDU Smart School Facilitated by Shahida, Hamidah Merican and Pauline George. Participants felt that they gained so much in these three days and experienced the magic of LVEP work!
6-8 Sept, Selangor: LVEP TTE for SRI KDU Smart School Malaysia's premier Smart School, Sri KDU aims to introduce a values-based educational system in 2004. The principal was totally committed to the aims and objectives of LVEP and she sent all the teaching staff to attend the program. Session facilitated by Shahida, Kana (Singapore Country Coordinator) and Patricia The.

12 Aug, Penang: LVEP Introduction Talk for ASEAN participants Mathematics and Science teachers from nine ASEAN countries attended a three-hour introduction to LVEP. Facilitated by Ruth Liddle, South Korea Country Coordinator.
11 Aug, Penang: Introduction to LVEP for counselors of Penang State Education A one day workshop for secondary school counselors was held at RECSAM, Penang. Facilitated by Ruth Liddle, South Korea Country Coordinator.
10 Aug, Penang: Talk on Keeping the Balance for a Caring Society Public Talk for parents and caregivers. Facilitated by Ruth Liddle, South Korea Country Coordinator.
9 Aug, Penang: Parenting Skills at Zhineng Qigong Center A session with parents and caregivers of young children. Facilitated by Ruth Liddle, South Korea Country Coordinator.
9 Aug, Penang: Youth Session A three and a half hour youth session in Penang. Facilitated by Ruth Liddle, South Korea Country Coordinator.
29 Jul 3 Aug, Oxford UK: LVEP International TTT The Malaysian contingent consisting of experts in the field of Early Years Education as well as management trainers attended the GRC TTT in 2003. One of the comments made about the TTT was that the atmosphere was one of so much unconditional love and giving.

7-8 June, Selangor: TTE for Peter& Jane Kindergarten After the training of all the teachers and staff, Patricia, the owner of the kindergarten, mentioned how much easier it was to manage the kindergartens with less conflicts and a more responsible staff. This session was facilitated by Shahida and Kana.
2-4 March, Selangor: TTE for Peter& Jane kindergarten and three of NICE's facilitators Initially five teaches from Peter & Jane Kindergarten attended this session. They recommended it to their principal. A second session was conducted involving all 24 teachers of their kindergartens including the principal and her parents! Session facilitated by Shahida, Kana and Hamidah.

In June 2002, Ruth Liddle (LVEP Coordinator, South Korea, and international LVEP trainer) led a number of LVEP programs in West Malaysia:

20 June: LVEP introductory session for 150 headteachers arranged by the Education Department at Disted College, Penang.
21 June: How to instill values in children Part I: a three-hour LVEP workshop for parents.
21 June: How to bring out the best in LVEP kids without tears: a two-hour LVEP talk for parents.
22 June: LVEP introductory session for 68 teachers at Berapit Secondary School, Bukit Mertajam.
23 June: Bridging the Gap: a three-hour LVEP parenting workshop attended by 42 parents with separate values workshops for the17children and young adults who accompanied them.
25 June: How to instill values in children Part II: a three-hour LVEP workshop for parents 29-30 June: a two-day seminar, titled: Teaching Values in the ESL Classroom for 20 trainee teachers at Temenggong Ibrahim Teacher Training College, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The workshop was sponsored by the English Studies Unit.

In June 2001, there was a presentation to Assunta Primary Schools (1) & (2), Selangor at Parent-Teacher AGM and Staff Development Session, March 24 & 31, 2001.

Led the LVEP Train-the-Educator workshop for Raffles Girls Secondary School in Singapore, March 12-14, 2001.
In 2000, Shahida was the invited Speaker to share the Asian Experience at a workshop co-organized by UNESCO and LVEP on the subject of "Integrating Values in Early Childhood", Paris, November 20-22, 2000.
Led the LVEP Train-the-Educator workshop for the Association for Early Childhood Educators Singapore (AECES) in collaboration with LiVES Inc, October 20-22, 2000.
Invited Speaker to share the Malaysia LVEP Experience at the Arab Regional Seminar: Quality-based Education organized by UNESCO's Beirut Office, Lebanon, May 15-17, 2000.
Presentation to the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) general assembly meeting at Hotel Dynasty, Kuala Lumpur, January 29th 2000.
Co-organized a LVEP Train-the-Educator session for Moral Education Teachers with the Perak State Department of Education, September 1, 1999.
Co-organized a LVEP Train-the-Trainer session with the Curriculum Development Centre, Ministry of Education at the Puteri Resort, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, April 19-22, 1999.
Presentation to Jemaah Nazir Sekolah (School Inspectors, Ministry of Education Malaysia), December 4, 1998.
Presentation to Telekom Berhad on the importance of values-based educational approaches for the Smart School Project, May 18th 1998.
NICE's Living Values Seminar Series - A Parenting Workshop, March 15, 1998.

Certificates of Appreciation

A number of certificates of appreciation have been given by
various organizations. Kindly click on certificate for enlarged view.

International Training

Participants at "Values Education: Principles and Practice - The Living Values Model" : a Seminar and Train-the-Trainer held by LVE and the Beijing Institute of Education in Beijing, China from 10th to 14th August 2001

Shahida Abdul-Samad of Malaysia jointly conducted this Seminar in Beijing. Living Values has a core group of LVE trainers that travel around the world to conduct Training programs.

Shahida Abdul Samad of Malaysia is the regional representative of the Living Values Education (LVE). She comes with an impressive international background in values training having worked with some of the world's largest multinational corporations such as Exxon Mobil Corporation and USA Today. She was instrumental in implementing the Vision and Values Program for Exxon Mobil Companies in Malaysia and implemented quality initiatives which brought about cost efficiencies and increased productivity in the organization.

In the last 5 years, she has trained numerous educators and policy makers in the Living Values Education (LVE) worldwide. She has shared her knowledge and expertise with educators and policy makers in implementing values-based educational systems in Singapore (Association for Early Childhood Educators), Lebanon (at UNESCO's Arab Regional Seminar in Beirut on Quality Based Education), France (at UNESCO's International Workshop on Integrating Values in Early Childhood Programs) and more recently in Beijing (at the Beijing Institute of Education).

Shahida also heads IQRA International Institute in Malaysia, a college of higher learning that stresses on values-based educational approaches. She sits on the Board of Directors of 3OPP, a local manufacturer and supplier of I.T. and telecommunication equipment. She obtained both her B.Sc. (Finance) and M.B.A. and graduated with Distinction from University of Nevada, Reno, U.S.A. She was recently accepted by Oxford University, U.K. to pursue her post-graduate work in values-based education.

Number of Sites Using Living Values Education
Total number of sites 80

Impact

Feedback and Comments from Teachers who have attended a TTE or TTT

"Thank you for giving me this experience to learn and grow."
" I really got to know myself better."
"My knowledge of what beauty lies inside of people's mind and their imagination will help me carry out my job as a teacher more positively."
"I benefited tremendously from the skills provided on how to create a values-based environment, active listening and conflict resolution skills."
"The value activities are an excellent resource to help teachers help children in exploring and instilling their values."
"The sessions made me aware of my own positive values and now I can put them into practice."
"I never knew how to conduct a lesson on Peace until now"
"Now I have learnt how to resolve conflicts and to be an active listener. I am ready to use these skills immediately."

Living Values Making Headlines in Malaysia!!

Letter of the Day
Values-based education makes for a caring society.
New Straits Times, 22/9/98
Letter of the Day
Teachers need to tap into pupils' creative energy.
New Straits Times