His name is Mr. Wong Theam
Kat. I still use ‘is’ because I still see him once in a while. He is old but
still energetic and he walks with an umbrella accompanied by his daughter at
the supermarket in Ipoh
The good natured Mr. Wong really impressed and encouraged
the class and especially me. I was then in Form 3A and I think everyone like
him.
He taught us Mathematics then. He was a wonderful
teacher; being patient, knowledgeable and understanding. He really knew his
subject. There was never a moment when he had to refer to the book for an
explanation. He had never raised his voice or scolded us. His constant reminder
and advice encouraged us. We practically enjoyed every lesson with him and
looked forward for the next.
Logarithm being an unfamiliar topic was made so easy due
to his clear explanation. We could use the log tables with ease. His approach
was simple yet effective. Even at this moment I can still imagine him advising
us to place a ruler across the table and the figures. This was to prevent us
from the mistake of looking at the wrong columns and rows.
We learned to use the compass, set squares, protractor
and the ruler that are part and parcel of the tools in the Mathematics Box. With
these tools we learned to draw shapes, squares, triangles, rectangles,
trapeziums, cones and even pyramids. We also learned to draw parallel lines and
angles.
Mr. Wong would use the same gadgets but they were bigger
and were made of wood. To use the compass, he would insert a piece of chalk at
the end of the compass. With this he showed us how to draw circles, arcs,
angles like 30o, 60o, 45o and so on. We
marveled at his expertise and learned to hold all these gadgets properly.
I can still imagine using the set squares to draw
parallel lines, a pair of compass to draw arcs, circles, arcs, angles and
division of lines; and measured angles with a protractor.
I am not sure if these skills are still taught in
schools. I believe these skills are very useful in life. Thank you Mr. Wong.
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