Winona State University continued its mission of building a global community of learners by providing a second year of professional development for K-12 educators and sports coaches in Malaysia.
This initiative, led by WSU Business Outreach Coordinator Julie Kiehne and WSU alum Waihon Liew, offered specialized training through workshops in Selangor, Malaysia, delivered in both English and Malay, expanding its reach to a diverse audience.
The first topic of this two-part workshop series was titled “Effective Teaching for the Malaysian Educator,” and it focused on equipping teachers with essential traits for effective teaching, such as positive expectations, classroom management, mastery of lessons, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Educators explored these core principles and left the workshop prepared to create classrooms that encouraged both academic and personal growth.
By the end, participants had identified the critical traits of effective teaching, developed action plans to implement these traits, and set specific, measurable goals for their own ongoing professional development.
Trainer Waihon Liew observed that participants appreciated the opportunity to develop these often-overlooked skills, noting, “Most participants said these four effective teaching traits are critical to student success, and they now have a framework to develop them.”
Feedback from participants highlighted the workshop’s impact. “Teaching is more than transferring information; it’s about inspiring lifelong learning,” reflected Ms. Vida Abigail of Genesis Excel Academy, while Ms. Choo of Glory Academy in Kuala Lumpur added, “No child likes to fail—they just need an environment to help them succeed.”
The second workshop, “Transformational Coaching for Malaysian Sports Professionals,” introduced sports coaches to the Inside Out Initiative philosophy, emphasizing how sports could transform lives by shifting from transactional to transformational coaching approaches. Participants developed their own coaching philosophies to foster both athletic success and personal growth in their athletes.
By the workshop’s conclusion, coaches had differentiated between transactional and transformational coaching, created tailored action plans to apply transformational traits, and set specific goals for continual improvement.
Trainer Waihon Liew praised the enthusiastic participation of 24 national track coaches, including Coach Zaki Sadri, who emphasized the importance of this training for the future of Malaysian athletics.
Workshop participants shared how the session helped them focus on their coaching philosophies. “Parental involvement is crucial for student-athletes’ success,” stated Josephine Mary, an Olympian and Asian Games medalist. Keney Martin, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, added, “Designing a coaching philosophy that instills lifelong learning and a winning mindset is essential.”
Through these workshops, WSU’s initiatives in Malaysia continued to foster growth for educators and coaches, empowering them to make meaningful differences in the lives of their students and athletes.
About the Instructor, Waihon Liew
Waihon has a BS (Human Resource Management) and MS (Educational Leadership) from Winona State University. He also has a master’s degree in cross-cultural studies from ACTS International College. Before working as an educator, he had worked four years at a bank in Malaysia in the human resource department.
He has been working with international students and new immigrants in Winona and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota since 1995 as a volunteer, program advisor and educator.
Waihon has taught at the university level (both in Malaysia and in Minnesota) and at public schools in Minnesota (K-12). He has been a head coach for three years for badminton at a public school in Minnesota, coaching his team to the state tournament for three consecutive years (2015-2017).
Since 2015, Waihon has been teaching at a public school that is predominantly made up of students from refugee families. He enjoys working and serving as a mentor and life coach to these students.
Waihon is a mentor to preservice physical education teachers under the Physical & Health Education Canada since 2019. He is a brand ambassador for two major fitness and wellness companies: Buddy Lee Jump Rope and Whirlyboard. Waihon is also a certified personal trainer through National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is awarded The Distinguished Alumni of Last Decade by his alma mater in 2023.
About Adult & Continuing Education
Adult & Continuing Education (ACE) at Winona State University offers a wide range of non-credit and for-credit course offerings to enhance professional development.
Whether through online learning, immersive classroom experiences, or hands-on training, Winona State strives to meet student needs so that they can reach their personal and professional goals.
For more information on continuing education and workforce customized training opportunities at WSU, contact Julie Kiehne at
jk*****@wi****.edu
.
