GRADE FOR ENGLISH IS STILL THE LOWEST

For Middle Java Junior High School students, The English grade, compared with other lessons, is still on average the lowest. According to Middle Java Education Service data, the National Examination average grade for English is 6,05. It is lower than other lessons. The average grade for Bahasa Indonesia is 7,26, Mathematic is 7,25 and Science is 7,05.
As a teacher of a remote Junior High School like me, it is indeed hard to teach English. The hardest thing is how to make your students to study. I find my students as smart students. But they really consume a little time to study.

400 MAJOR UNIVERSITIES OF THE WORLD

Three Universities of us fit in 400 major universities of the world. The three universities are the Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), and the University of Indonesia (UI). While some other universties entry in the 500 major universities of the world. They are the Bogor Agriculture Institute (IPB), Airlangga University, and Diponegoro University. Brawijaya University (Unibraw) is in the world ranking of 502.
In order to become international class university, the Government has spent billions of rupiah.
But unfortunately, for the middle to lower classes, the universities in the country are still quite expensive. It’ll be very ironic if the universities have entered the international range but they can not be enjoyed by most of the people of Indonesia.
Once, UGM was known as campus for the poor but with high quality. Now, the label appears no longer attached to it. Many parents complain about the high cost of higher education in this country.

TIKA'S MAYDAY

I know Tika (28) late, solo girl who created Mayday song. Her Mayday song served as an official track of labour union headquartered in Detroit.
Mayday song was written unseriously. Tika, then, uploaded it to her Tika on Myspace Music. She never thinks that in fact many people appreciate her songs. Her Mayday songs downloaded by hundreds of people from overseas. One of the radio in Detroit even ask permission to play that song a few days before the labour day, First of May ago.
Here is a snippet of Mayday song lyrics by Tika:

Rise and shine
do not go to work today
and teachers alike strippers
realize we're one and the same

cause it's Mayday first of may
The Streets gonna march today
yes it's Mayday first of may
merry merry labor day

Tika who is a graduate of LaSalle College and Art Institute of Seattle in 2003 utters equality through music. But for me, while knowing Tika history, erupt a question: when can my students in the village familiar with the latest technology sot they can market anything they can create through the internet? My students are also talented in many things. Unfortunately, the Internet is still relatively expensive.

I AM BACK

It has been a long time for me not to post any article in this blog. But, I'll post as soon as possible.

BACK TO RELIGION

An allegation appears that David, the Indonesian students who studied in Singapore, committed suicide because his scholarship would be terminated. David is known as a smart student. No one thought that the brilliant students had to die because of despair.
David phenomenon reinforces the Goleman’s theory of Emotional Intelligence. According to Goleman, intellect which is shown by the high IQ is not enough. To enjoy the life well, someone must have what something called as Emotional Intelligence. After so long hailed, IQ is no longer seen as the only that determines the success of someone in his life. And, as I said earlier, suicide carried out by David reinforces the truth of the Goleman’s theory of Emotional Intelligence.
Why do smart people seemingly not survive in a hard situation? Why could people who can think deeply restrained in the narrow mind and do an action that endangers others and themselves? You can find the answer by reading Goleman’s book by yourself, Emotional Intelligence. But I want to discuss something that was also mentioned by Goleman in his book. Intelligent people can do something stupid, something that should not be done by people like them, because their lives are only oriented to the world. There is no room in their minds that the world is actually fields where they sow and the harvests will be got later in the Hereafter. When thinking about the Hereafter is absent in their framework of thinking, every failure of their natural life is considered as a threat on their lives entirely. That is why when they fail, they feel that their lives are no longer useful. Suicide becomes an option to solve the problem.
So, to compensate our tendency to the world, we must return to religion. I think, back to religion is the only way to maintain us on the fixed rail of life. Only by running the command of our religion, we can always realize that everything we do in our lives, basically determines the goodness of our lives after death. An eternal life.

THE DANGER OF PORNOGRAPHY

A teacher is suspected involved in obscene acts with his student. More unscrupulous, the act was recorded in the camera phone and, whether intentional or not spread among the students. Some time ago, the sordid scene in the world of education recorded in the mobile phone was only done between a student with a student. Now, seemingly unscrupulous act has infected the teachers.
There are two things to note in connection with the sin done by the teacher with the students. First, the role of media in the act of transmitting criminality to its viewers. Instead of giving information to the audience about the various criminal acts, criminal news broadcasted massively provide inspiration to others to do similar acts. You still remember the case of Ryan, the mutilation criminal from Jombang, East Java. Few days after reporting Ryan, we heard more mutilation cases in other places that also involved a homosexual. The immoral act case between teacher and his student that was published in several news media is certainly also inspired by media coverage before.
The second, the use of camera mobile phone at this time is very worrying. Camera mobile phone can be considered have bothered the privacy of someone. By using it as hidden camera, mobile phones can be used to record things that should not be enjoyed by other people. Therefore, the use of camera mobile phone, appears to be restricted immediately. If not in a broad scale, at least the restriction made in the education environment. Some States reported have also prohibited the use of camera mobile phone because the use of it has been violated private area.
The mobile phone is not the only cause on the deviant sexual act. Previously, the porno magazine accused as the cause of the problem. But now, with estimation that Internet users continue to grow each year, pornography is easier to be accessed. The burden of parents and teachers are now more serious. Moreover, when it is known that children and young people who addicted to pornography will have deviant behavior and intelligence capabilities. Pornography is a quite serious issue not only for parents and teachers but also the government.

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE, MAKE FAULT

I had just entered my house, when a figure at animated cartoon that was watched by my children said: “Accept the challenge, make fault.” That animated cartoon was a story of a teacher and her students who learned a lot of things by doing it straightforward, not only by reading book. While students started doubt with what they do, the teacher said one sentence which made me stop my step. The teacher said a very inspiring words.
I teach at a village school where the students, can be said, have no confidence. They come to school with a feeling that they are stupid and “villagers”. Rarely from them who want to speak to their teacher. No one raise their hand to ask something unclear. No one stands up for the teacher’s calling to solve the problem on the blackboard
Seemingly, the sentence spoken by teachers at previous animated cartoon needs to be taught to them. The sentence that was believed by Edison, by Einstein and by many other big scientists. Scientists that came to the world with the spirit of accepting challenge and making mistakes.
Well, tomorrow I will say the sentence that was said by the teacher at that animated cartoon: “Accept the challenge, make fault ”.

WHEN THE SMARTS ARE NOT RICH

This is my primary school friend, Tutik. When in the first year to the third in primary school, she was absurdly foolish. She couldn’t read when all her friends had been able to read smoothly. Moreover, if teachers taught maths, she certainly could not afford the problem given by the teacher. But wonders happened to her. In the fourth year, she became very prominent in each lesson. Not only in Indonesian and science, in Mathematics she was most proficient. We, who originally mocked her, respected her. Tutik continued to most favorite junior high school in our city. In that school she was not invincible. Still number one. From the junior high school, she continued to the most favorite high school in our city. And when she was in high school, she could not be dammed. Her intelligence was promulgated outside the school walls. I, an SMK student, amazed when I was aware that almost every person knew Tutik because of her intelligence.
But unfortunately, the brilliant student was obstructed by poverty. Tutik’s mother was widowed. She sold fried fish in the market. Tutik desired to continue her study in IPB, her dreamed college, but she couldn’t. She could only attend school at a local university, which is not good in quality. But, even called as a school that is not good in quality, Tutik entered it with great difficulty. To pay for any monthly fees she must pay it by becoming a teacher in private schools.
Fortunately Tutik ingenuity was not lost just because she could not attend school in IPB. When he finally graduated from the school, she passed the CPNS test to become a high school teacher in the village.
Tutik can be quite successful. If I have a friend like Tutik, I believe many people have friends, neighbors, brothers who have not enough money to study in university. I can not imagine how many intelligent people in this country who are not able to show their ingenuity to the world. They should become doctors, engineers, lawyers who are able to work with the most brilliant works, but they only become a laborer because they cannot get higher education.
I can not imagine what would happen if every intelligent person in this country was born from a poor family.

INSIGNIFICANT DEVOTEE

Because beauty is adored and hunted by every person, then each person also wants to be beautiful. Because the intellect is welcomed by people, then each person also wants to be smart. Because the richness is praised by every person, then each person shall have a desire to be rich. Because the position means the glory, then each person dreams that they have position. All people hope that all praises are for them. So each person dreams to have beauty, intellectual, wealthy, and position.
No. It is not blamed for people if they true struggle to get it through the praiseworthy way. If people get it through the right way, through hard work, sacrifice, sweat and exhaustion, it is commendable. But if all of those are found through a shortcut, without hard work, and are applied within a few days or even a few hours only, it is blamed for the humanity. Not the glory.
I met a woman. Perfect beauty. She uses long hours resistant perfume. It can prevent perspiration odor. Fine clothes. Certainly expensive price. She wears the flashy jewelry. Her smile is sweet. When she talks to someone, she makes him proud. She was humble. Her steps are accompanied by smile. But all of those are done when she needs people, when she needs people in her surrounding areas, the ordinary people. While she no longer needs the people, she returns to her original mold. It is she who only wants to interact with her peer.
I meet a seemingly clever man. He wears simple clothes. He wears no special accessories. Ordinary man. But he is too silent. He speaks when it is necessary. It appears that he was an extraordinary thinker who worked hard with his brain for the mankind. He never interacts with the meatball seller, with a coolie, with the scavenger, his neighbors. If he spoke, he uses a language which is not understood by those people. That is why he does not talk. Not useful for him to speak the paltry. Just wasting time. His level is the scientific journals, the graduate-level lectures. What can be donated by a coolie for mankind? meatball seller only works for himself and his family. He, the cleverest, works for all people including the meatball seller. People of this rank are the noblest. No one knows if the Doctor forges his scientific work. He studied in only one semester university.
I had a talk with a fat man. Each time, his speaking topic is only about political issues. Problems of people. But he talks the most piercing when the discussion switched to his salary increasing. He wants one hundred million rupiah a month when the people who was wanted to be prosperous wrestle with hunger.
I get around my town and see the row of schools. The schools race to beautify themselves. They have high fences. Magnificent new buildings. At the board, written the words that show the standard of the school. National or international standard. Students, as well as teachers walk, drive with pride. Self determination as a bright future for the nation make a certain kind of aglow face.
From these schools, graduated beautiful women, intellectual man, and powerful politician. I do not know if I have to be ashamed or proud.

CHOICE

Choose one of these: “you fight and become a looser but then you get information, very useful information for the next fighting. Or you just stay home, not fighting. Not becoming a looser or a winner.
I hope you will choose the right choice.

LOOSER

My students attended an English competition.
And they didn’t win it. They looked very disappointed.
What should I say to relieve them?
I said:
“You had tried. And you had tried your best. God gives us a time to win so we can taste victory. And God also gives us a time to loose so we can taste failure.”
“Soon we will realize that the most perfect is God”
I hope they will be relieved.

DEBATE CONTEST

Becoming an adjudicator in an english debate contest makes me aware. Two groups which are in the debate stage should explore the topic deeply and equip themselves with various valid data. If not, one of them will be the looser.

LAZINESS

Most of my students are lazy to study. They have many reasons when I ask why. Anytime I ask them to study even in fifteen minutes. I think it is better than never. I hope they will listen and do what I ask them to do.

GOOD JAVANESE OR GOOD INDONESIAN

We are Javanese. Among the Javanese, we show our respects to older people by using higher lever of Java language (krama inggil) when we talk to them. Often my students can’t use the proper Javanese when they talk to their teachers.
So, often I say:
“Students, say it in good Javanese. If you can’t, use your good Indonesian. Okay?!”

MY STUDENT, SUPARMAN

On a bus which took me to the school, I heard someone called me; he was my student when I still taught high school students, Suparman. Soon, we talked anything, from the past things to the present. I knew that he had had a five months pregnant wife. And he told me that now he sold banana to get money.
Suparman’s house is about five kilometers from my school. So he got out the bus before me. Before getting the bus he told me about an advice I ever told him that he mustn’t be timid of becoming a farmer even though they got high education.
Becoming a civil servant isn’t the best occupation. Farmer is also a good job. Why must we shy of becoming a farmer or a seller?
Silently, I am proud of him.

Inilah Aku

Aku seorang guru di sebuah kota kecil, Pacitan. Sekolah dimana aku mengajar berada di sebuah desa yang terpencil. Pacitan kota terpencil, desa dimana sekolahku berada adalah daerah terpencil yang ada di sebuah kota terpencil. Mengajar di sana penuh tantangan. Banyak suka duka. Inilah awal dari yang akan aku ceritakan padamu semua. Semoga ada gunanya untuk kita semua.

Comic for Education

Comic book is getting more popular nowadays. Children and also adults like reading it. Modern comic book was inadvertently born by two employees at the Eastern Color Printing Company who collected a number of popular newspaper comic strips and arranged them into a tabloid-sized magazine (Wright, 2001). Since 1933, the year when the two employees gave birth to the modern comic, comic has become more and more popular.
Music and film have been commonly used as media in learning process. But comic has not. Although comic is relished by many people of different ages, hundreds of people believe that comic is not good for children. Most comics, indeed, contain bad things that parents are worry if their children will imitate the bad attitude they find in them.
But then, many experiments show contrary view. According to Gene Yang (2003) comic has five strengths to use in education. Those strengths are:
1. Motivating
Hutchinson (1949) found as the result of his experiment that 74% of teachers surveyed found comics "helpful for motivation".
2. Visual
Sones (1944) noted that students of "low and middle intelligence levels" were especially helped by comics' visual quality.
3. Permanent
Using comic as learning media is much different with using film or animation. If students don’t understand a scene of a film or animation, they cannot repeat the unknown scene. But we can do this if we use comic.
4. Intermediary
Karl Koenke (1981) suggests that comics can lead students towards the discipline of reading, especially those who don't enjoy reading or have a fear of failure.
5. Popular
Timothy Morrison, Gregory Bryan, and George Chilcoat (2002) suggest that, by incorporating popular culture (comic, for instance) into the curriculum, teachers can bridge the separation many students feel between their lives in and out of school.
Comic can be an alternative media to learn English. Just try it.