Have we really been listening? — Wan Afiqah Anis Wan Ahmad

On September 22, English lecturer Wan Afiqah Anis Wan Ahmad received an unexpected birthday gift from her students: singing and bouquets. The flowers caught her attention the most, as she had always placed emphasis on listening in her lectures, believing that it was essential for student success. She pondered whether she had truly noticed how much her students were listening not just to the subject, but to her as their teacher.

While grading and teaching are her primary responsibilities, the students' gesture reminded her that empathy and acknowledgment are equally important. She realized that often, we evaluate attention based on what can be seen in a classroom, such as a student looking up or answering first. However, the real measure of attention is how someone makes another person feel valued.

The author reflects on the importance of listening beyond just accuracy, which is typically measured by grades and transcripts. She believes that true listening involves remembering and acting upon what makes someone happy, even if it may seem trivial or insignificant. In this case, the students had worked out that a bouquet would make their lecturer happy, demonstrating that they had picked up on her preferences and preferences for small gestures of kindness.

While the author acknowledges that the students' gift may not have been intended to address every aspect of her teaching, she felt appreciated and seen as an individual, rather than just a student. This experience made her question whether she had been attentive enough to her students' individual needs and emotions, not just their academic performance. Ultimately, the author emphasizes that the small, thoughtful gestures we receive from others can carry just as much weight as more substantial displays of affection.