A Song of Life: 2015

"Mentoring" is a process that involves communication and is relationship based. One of the many definitions of this word that have been proposed is

Mentoring is a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development; mentoring entails informal communication, usually face-to-face and during a sustained period of time, between a person who is perceived to have greater relevant knowledge, wisdom, or experience (the mentor) and a person who is perceived to have less (the protégé)

The focus of mentoring is to develop the whole person and so the techniques are broad and require wisdom in order to be used appropriately.

'Kursus Pengendalian Modul Mentoring' is a course specially intended for the lecturers (tutors / mentors) of Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Tengku Ampuan Afzan (Institute of Teacher Education Tengku Ampuan Afzan Campus) in order to provide them with the skills to communicate effectively with the trainee teachers (mentees). It was held at TelTTraC, IPG Kampus Dato' Razali Ismail Kuala Terengganu from the 2nd - 4th November 2015. The course was an extremely hectic one which started at 8.30 a.m. everyday and would not stop until late in the night.

Our team of IPG lecturers

The facilitators of the course

Inside the conference room

When lecturers can dance better than Shahrukh Khan

A typical discussion session in the conference room

IPG Kampus Dato' Razali Ismail Kuala Terengganu

Despite our busy schedule, we could still manage to find time to visit some of the most interesting places in Kuala Terengganu. Pantai Teluk Ketapang, with its enchanting and mesmerizing beach, is amongst one of the most scenic views we could see in Kuala Terengganu.

Glad that I could capture the sunset that day

Have you ever wondered what you can see beyond the horizon?

The sunset beach is the most beautiful scene of the day!

The enchanting beach of Pantai Teluk Ketapang, Kuala Terengganu

I have the habit to walk along the beach at sunset

Medan Selera is just opposite the beach. After tiring ourselves walking on the beach, the sight of food was very tempting indeed.

In Kuala Terengganu, ICT stands for 'Ikan Celup Tepung'

Pantai Teluk Ketapang is well-known for its 'Ikan Celup Tepung'

Meal time for our handsome lecturers

Ikan Celup Tepung (or fish dipped in flour)

Ikan / Udang / Bayam Celup Tepung. In actual fact, you can dip anything in flour and fry then fry them.

Kuala Terengganu is also famous for its keropok lekor

Teacher or Lawyer? That was a very difficult decision for me to make 18 years ago. I was a teacher who was doing London University's External LL.B. Programme at that time and just when I was about to complete my final year for this programme, I was offered a place at University Putra Malaysia (UPM) to do a degree in TESL. I wanted to complete my law studies first but at the same time I did not want to delay or reject the offer from UPM. So I ended up killing two birds with one stone. But the problem was that teaching and doing two courses at the same time left me with no time for myself. I was so busy that I did not even have the time to eat. Life was so hectic for me that in the end, I decided to give up my law studies and made up my mind to be a teacher till the end. But today, 18 years from then, I am beginning to ask myself whether I made the right decision to give up my law studies 18 years ago particularly when I was only left with 3 more papers to complete. Did I make a mistake? Am I doing what I really want? This is a difficult question for me to answer now and I choose not to answer. Well, let me reminisce here about those good old days when I thought I would end up being a lawyer and share my collection of law books with my readers. Although I did not complete my final year, I have a very deep, thorough, strong and profound legal knowledge in many legal matters that may be useful to me. After all, knowledge gained is never wasted.

During those days, London University's LL.B. Programme was divided into Scheme A (3 years) and Scheme B (4 years). I started with Scheme A with the LL.B Intermediate where I took 4 papers namely Criminal Law, Law of Contract, Constitutional Law and English Legal System.

LL.B. Intermediate
When I was doing the LL.B. Intermediate, Criminal Law used to be my favourite subject.

J.C. Smith and Brian Hogan's 'Criminal Law: Cases and Materials' was known as the Bible of

Criminal Law at that time.

Holborn Law Tutor's Criminal Law 'Suggested Solutions Pack' really helped me a lot in passing the Criminal Law paper.

I did not really like English Legal System but nevertheless P.F. Smith ad S.H. Bailey's text was indispensable to all law students at that time. Thanks to ELBS Low Priced Editions for making the book available to us(I have yet to find my Contract and Constitutional Law texts).

After completing the LL.B. Intermediate, I changed to Scheme B where I only took two papers in the second year.

LL.B. Second Year
In the second year, I took up Law of Trusts and Law of Tort. I actually spent a fortune buying law books.

Paul Todd's 'Textbook on Trusts' is easier to read and understand than Philip H. Pettit's 'Equity and the Law of Trusts'

Philip H. Pettit's 'Equity and the Law of Trusts' - the main text for Trusts at that time

Equity and Trusts by JG Duddington - a summary of Trusts

L.B. Curzon's Lecture Notes on Equity and Trusts is the best reference book for Trusts

Holborn Law Tutors' Law of Trusts Past Examination Questions and Suggested Solutions

University of London's Study Guide on the Law of Trusts

Tony Weir's 'Casebook on Tort'. I find that Tort is more interesting than Trusts

Winfield and Jolowicz on Tort

AJ Pannett's Handbook on the Law of Torts

Holborn Law Tutors' Law of Tort Suggested Solutions Pack

Vivienne Harpwood's Law of Tort Lecture Notes - the best revision book I could ever have for Tort

LL.B. Third Year

For the third year, I took three subjects, namely, Succession, Family Law, and English Land Law.

Caroline Sawyer's Lecture Notes on Succession, Wills & Probate - the best revision book for Succession at that time,

The Cavendish Q&A Series for Succession by Ian Jones - comparable to Holborn Law Tutors' Suggested Solutions Pack.

Holborn Law Tutors' Suggested Solutions for Succession

University of London's Study Guide for Succession

L.B. Curzon's Lecture Notes on Family Law - the best revision book for Family Law of that time

Holborn Law Tutors' Family Law Suggested Solutions Pack - indispensable to all law undergraduates

Family Law Q&A Series by Chris Barton, Hilary Doupe & Mary Hibbs - comparable to Holborn Law Tutors' Suggested Solutions Pack

University of London's Study Guide on Family Law

Blackstone's Statutes on Family Law by Mika Oldham - indispensable in the exam hall. This was the only book which we were allowed to take into the exam hall.

Martin Dixon's Lecture Notes and Q&A Series on English Land Law - two very useful books for all law students

Casebook on Land Law by Meryl Thomas

LB Curzon's Handbook on Land Law

Holborn Law Tutors' Land Law Suggested Solutions Pack for English Land Law

LL.B. Fourth Year

In the final year I took Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, Commercial Law, and Law of Evidence. Although I attended Kemayan ATC's intensive revision course for the LL.B. fourth year examination, I did not sit for the exam due to my lack of time in trying to handle two university programmes at the same time.