Bookmarks

GRADE FOR ENGLISH IS STILL THE LOWEST

2009-06-24T07:15:00.001+07:00

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

2009-05-21T08:31:00.000+07:00

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

2009-05-20T07:24:00.000+07:00

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

2009-05-20T06:43:00.001+07:00

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

2009-03-05T20:32:00.000+07:00

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

2009-03-04T22:21:00.001+07:00

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

2009-03-03T16:01:00.000+07:00

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

2009-03-03T05:52:00.000+07:00

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

2009-03-01T21:49:00.001+07:00

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

2009-02-24T05:40:00.000+07:00

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

2009-02-23T06:17:00.001+07:00

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

2009-02-22T05:43:00.000+07:00

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

2009-02-21T05:09:00.000+07:00

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

2009-02-20T05:14:00.000+07:00

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

2009-02-19T16:22:00.000+07:00

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

2009-02-18T10:36:00.001+07:00

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

2009-02-09T05:58:00.000+07:00

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.

IS RELIGION EDUCATION TOO THEORETIC?

2008-12-13T21:31:00.001+07:00

Reading the news yesterday, the government of Yogyakarta to improve religious education that is considered too theoretical and focused on memorizing so it is not able to rectify the students’ moral, I mused. Is religion education really too theoretical, so it has no impact on the improvement of students' morals?
When I was a boy, and when I and my friends always learnt and slept in the mosque, we had been given a sermon by religious teachers that religious knowledge is compulsory for both men and women of Islam. The obligation is still valid since childhood until to be buried in the graveyard.
Our religious teachers also stated that the Prophet Muhammad was sent to edify. He gave the example of educating the first to his companions before he ordered them to act for the good. And, in this way, he successfully edify.
So, I think, if religion education currently is assessed as not able to edify because too focused on the memorizing, I do not concur. The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, the teachings of morals are written in hadeeth, the hadeeth had been checked the authenticity by great ulama’. From the hadeeth Moslems learn to have a noble. The divine words by the Prophet is the source of noble character. Therefore, the hadeeth are indeed must be memorized so they can be embedded in the heart and can be implemented in the act. In addition, those hadeeth again can be taught to others. By memorizing and conveying the hadeeth, we act as if we are "mouthpieces" of the Prophet.
In accordance with my religious teachers who taught at the surau many years ago, according to my opinion, the reason of the students’ moral degradation is because they do not have role models of what have been taught to them. In the text, they get something that is ideal. However, in reality, they found the opposite. Therefore, they do not deem the teachings as a source of moral value but only as information. As a donkey hauling books written in them knowledge.
The best, students need to get an environment which they can follow in implementing the noble character. The environment where they live, their teachers, should be able to become a good example. Without that, although the method of learning is replaced with something that is considered the best, it is difficult to see significant improvements to the morals of our students.

INSPIRING

2008-12-12T20:56:00.000+07:00

Before I read LASKAR PELANGI, I had read TOTTO CHAN, THE LITTLE GIRL AT THE WINDOW. These two books tell us about teachers, bu Mus and Mr. Kobayashi, who inspired their students to study better and finally find the success. I conclude that one thing that can change education better is inspiring teachers.

INTERNET OR NEWSPAPER?

2008-12-11T20:34:00.000+07:00

Newspaper no longer exists. Paper is more and more expensive; it affects the price of newspaper. Since the paper is made of wood, this will also bear new problem – global warming. So, to record information digitally is the answer of the next era.
But although so, the reality is not all people like the digital record. Sitting and reading news from computer screen will cause eyes strain. This is not comfortable for some people. So, of course, in the future they still want the information printed on papers.
If it is said that newspaper is just waiting for the time to disappear, it’s not one hundred percent true.

TEACHER FOR THE JUNGLE CHILDREN

2008-12-10T21:39:00.000+07:00

I knew her about five years ago from a shred of a newspaper. The picture told me that the thin girl teaching the jungle children was a tough and soft girl all at once. Now, although I am sure it is not her purpose, she becomes more popular. Certainly you know her.
Saur Marlina Manurung or famously known as Butet Manurung, a girl who was born on February 21st, 1972 in Jakarta is a scholar of anthropology and Indonesian literature of Padjadjaran University. Her intelligence of course can bring her to a good job. But that she is. She built SOKOLA RIMBA in 1999, in the jungle of Jambi, a school for the jungle children. According to her, anyone must get education, even children who live in the jungle.
She teaches the children reading, writing and counting. Her neighbors, except the children, are mosquitoes, frogs and the silent. But, “This is what I want. I like interacting with the nature. Moreover, I don’t look for money. I look for work.”
Go Butet, Go.

PAPUA NEEDS MORE TEACHERS

2008-12-09T09:19:00.000+07:00

”Teachers of primary and middle school are concentrated in big city. If the city school has twenty teachers, the village school just has one teacher. This condition causes frailness of primary and middle education in Papua.” This was said by Papua governor, Barnabas Suebu,SH.
Papua needs more teachers. Who wants fly there for this purpose?

FREE FROM PAYMENT

2008-12-08T08:27:00.001+07:00

Indonesian Education Minister, Bambang Sudibyo, asked the schools no more collecting school fee from the students. Because next year the government will increase the schools grant so there is no reason for the school to coerce doing that.
That’s the rule. But can it be implemented? To implement the regulation is the hard things. Besides, the control often doesn’t run well. Just wait and see.

MAKE THEM AS MODELS, NOT RIVALS

2008-12-07T05:28:00.001+07:00

We often meet somebody who cannot admit someone else’s achievement. Often, they hate them and think that they are menaces for them. They even don’t want to talk to them and they are grateful for the bad luck that hit them.
It is bad. When we make the success person as an enemy, as a rival, we actually limit our strength. We are busy with the hate and forget to upgrade our competence. The best way we can do to them is make them as models, not rivals.

FROG UNDER COCONUT SHELL

2008-12-05T17:00:00.001+07:00

Yesterday night, finally, I arrived home after about six hours on the street from Malang, the city where I joined the English learning innovation competition. I prepared for the competition for about two weeks. I thought that I had done my best.
But that’s the reality. I lost the competition. My rivals, two from Malang and one from Tuban, won the competition
Once, I felt I was the best. But the reality is I am the frog under coconut shell.

BUNTUT BSE

2008-11-27T07:24:00.001+07:00

Sampai hari ini, Buku Sekolah Elektronik (BSE) masih menimbulkan masalah. Jika di awal – awal kemunculannya, BSE sulit untuk diunduh karena kapasitas file yang besar, ketiadaan jaringan internet yang memungkinkan untuk mengunduhnya hingga upaya penggandaan, kini masalah itu merembet ke industri percetakan dalam negeri.
Sebenarnya, hal ini sudah diprediksi oleh sejumlah kalangan. Namun baru sekarang permasalahan ini mengemuka. Karena, yang sebenarnya terjadi, penerbit sampai saat ini mengandalkan kelangsungan hidupnya dari buku – buku pelajaran. Memang judul buku pelajaran tidak sebanyak judul buku umum, namun dari segi oplah, buku pelajaran jauh mengungguli buku umum.
Bisa jadi permasalahan yang kemudian timbul saat ini tidak diprediksikan sebelumnya oleh pembuat kebijakan Buku Sekolah Elektronik. Pelajaran yang bisa kita ambil bagi kita semua adalah semua keputusan yang melibatkan hajat hidup orang banyak harus benar – benar dipertimbangkan. Sikap terburu – buru hanya akan menimbulkan permasalahan di kemudian hari. BSE salah satunya.

HARI GURU

2008-11-26T14:30:00.002+07:00

Seperti tahun lalu, hari guru masih berhiaskan demonstrasi oleh guru di berbagai tempat. Dan yang diusung juga masih sama, kesejahteraan kehidupan guru. Guru tidak sejahtera bukan barang baru lagi. Masih lantang terdengar tentang guru yang menerima gaji 300an ribu rupiah perbulan. Padahal mereka adalah tumpuan keluarga. Beristri dan beranak, kadang lebih dari satu.
Kita berbicara tentang guru – guru non PNS. Guru – guru yang mempunyai beban yang sama dengan guru – guru lainnya, termasuk guru – guru PNS. Guru – guru itu memiliki kewajiban yang sama. Mereka juga mengemban amanat mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa. Mendidik anak – anak Indonesia. Tapi jerih payah mereka tidak mendapatkan imbalan yang sesuai.
Sampai kapan guru – guru kita dininabobokan dengan slogan “Pahlawan Tanpa Tanda Jasa”? “Mereka menunaikan tugas yang luhur meskipun dalam keterbatasan”? Ada hubungan antara gaji guru dengan keberhasilan pendidikan. Tentu gaji yang cukup akan berdampak pada dedikasi mereka terhadap pendidikan. Mudah – mudahan tahun depan tak terdengar lagi berita tentang guru yang berdemonstrasi pada tanggal 25 Nopember.

MENONTON FILM KARTUN

2008-11-24T07:25:00.002+07:00

Akhir – akhir ini banyak sekali aksi penculikan anak – anak. “Karena itulah saya selalu melarang anak – anak saya keluar dari rumah”, kata bu Ari di sebuah acara arisan sore itu. Luar rumah menjadi semakin tidak aman bagi anak – anak. Wajar jika banyak orang tua yang merasa khawatir jika mereka membiarkan anak – anak mereka bermain di luar rumah.
“Apa anak – anak bisa diam jika di dalam rumah? Anak – anak saya selalu bikin rumah seperti kapal pecah kalo mereka bermain di dalam rumah lho jeng?!” Tanya bu Ira. “Gampang, puterin aja film kartun. Mereka pasti diam. Duduk anteng melihat televisi”, bu Ari menjawab dengan semangat. Semua ibu – ibu mengiyakan. Benar juga ya. Bukankah televisi memang dibuat untuk konsumsi anak –anak?
“Tapi ibu – ibu,” kini bu RT yang angkat bicara “Film kartun bukannya aman bagi anak – anak kita. Cobalah ibu – ibu sekali – sekali melihat film – film kartun itu. Pasti isinya tidak jauh – jauh dari kekerasan dan takhayul. Jarang ada film kartun yang baik. Film kartun seperti ini akan membuat anak – anak kita menirunya tanpa sadar. Dan ini berbahaya.”
“oh iya ya” ibu – ibu itu mengiyakan sambil berpandang – pandangan satu sama lain.
“Kalau begitu, bagaimana solusinya bu RT?”
“Mari kita biasakan diri kita membaca dan menyuruh anak – anak kita agar gemar membaca. Membaca jauh lebih aman daripada menonton televisi. Tapi bukan berarti bermain di luar rumah tidak penting lho ibu – ibu. Karena bermain dengan teman sebaya akan membantu mengembangkan kehidupan sosial anak.”

TRUK MENABRAK POHON

2008-11-22T11:15:00.001+07:00

Sebuah truk bermuatan kayu menabrak pohon di tepi jalan yang dilebarkan. Saya juga baru mengetahui hal ini beberapa menit lalu. Pagi tadi saya berangkat ke sekolah menumpang bis yang menurunkan saya pas beberapa meter dari jalan yang dilebarkan itu. Lalu saya berjalan kaki menaiki bukit yang tembus ke jalan raya, menunggu di sana bis – bis operan.
Namun saat pulang sekolah, siang ini, saya membonceng teman yang bersepeda motor melalui jalan yang dilebarkan. Maka dari itulah saya tahu jika ada sebuah truk bermuatan kayu yang menabrak pohon tepi jalan. Namun herannya, mengapa truk bermuatan berat seperti itu diijinkan melewati jalan yang licin berlumpur? Padahal bis – bis angkutan umum tidak diperbolehkan. Bis dari bawah hanya berhenti beberapa meter dari jalan yang dilebarkan itu lalu penumpang dioper ke bis – bis lain yang sudah menunggu di seberang jalan yang berlumpur dan licin.
Saya bertanya ke teman – teman yang melewati jalanan itu dengan bersepeda motor pagi tadi, dan tak ada satupun yang tahu perihal truk yang menabrak pohon. Berarti kejadian ini baru saja terjadi.
Perkiraan saya, truk tadi meluncur tak terkendali karena jalanan yang licin dan langsung menabrak pohon di tepi jalan. Kepala truk itu hancur. Saya tidak tahu perihal sopirnya. Yang jelas, truk itu terguling miring dengan kepala remuk menabrak pohon.

MASIH MACET

2008-11-21T10:20:00.000+07:00

Hari ini saya tidak jadi mengajar. Jalanan untuk sampai ke sekolah macet. Masih di tempat yang sama sebuah truk sarat muatan selip karena kondisi jalan rusak, licin dan berlumpur. Posisi truk yang menyimpang menutupi jalan. Saya yang naik angkutan umum menunggu dalam bis jika saja truk itu bisa diangkat dari tengah jalan dan semua kendaraan yang berbaris itu bisa berjalan. Tapi sia – sia. Satu jam menunggu, mobil tidak juga beringsut. Saya dan beberapa teman lain memutuskan untuk pulang dan tidak mengajar hari ini.

MACET

2008-11-20T19:49:00.000+07:00

Siang ini giliran saya dan tiga guru lain untuk memberikan les tambahan bagi anak – anak kelas Sembilan yang akan segera menghadapi ujian nasional. Les tambahan ini berakhir jam setengah tiga sore.
Setelahnya, kami menunggu angkutan yang akan membawa kami pulang. Cukup lama juga, setengah jam kukira. Setelah tiba juga akhirnya, saya masih harus berdiri di dalam angkutan itu karena kursi telah penuh.
Setengah perjalanan, tiba – tiba bis menghentikan lajunya. Kulihat antrian panjang mobil di depan. Ternyata jalanan macet oleh dua buah trailer-pengangkut material untuk pembangunan PLTU-yang berpapasan dengan Truk pengangkut sembako. Jalanan yang rusak dan sempit membuat kendaraan – kendaraan besar itu tidak bisa dengan mudah berpapasan. Macet lah akhirnya.
Empat puluh lima menit macet. Dan saya sampai di rumah cukup sore.

PENDAFTARAN CPNS

2008-11-20T06:32:00.000+07:00

Mendapatkan kabar dari pendaftaran CPNS di Bojonegoro membuat saya terisak. Tiga ribuan orang berdesak desakan untuk mendapatkan nomor ujian CPNS. Baru saja berlalu dari pandangan kita tentang orang – orang yang mati ketika antri untuk mendapatkan zakat dari seorang juragan di Jawa timur. Kini di Jawa timur pula kita mendapatkan antrian berdesakan untuk mendapatkan nomor ujian.
Saya membayangkan sebuah kemungkinan buruk masa depan kita. Akankah anak cucu kita kelak bisa mendapatkan pekerjaan yang layak?
Bersyukurlah kita hari ini, mudah – mudahan Alloh merubah keadaan kita kelak

MONSTER DI RUMAH KITA

2008-11-18T08:53:00.001+07:00

Siswi sebuah sekolah kedapatan hamil. Aib ini tentu mencoreng muka semua praktisi pendidikan. Lalu, seorang guru dengan teman guru lainnya, kedapatan selingkuh. Di sekolah. Ini tidak lagi mencoreng muka praktisi pendidikan. Ini sudah melumuri tahi muka praktisi pendidikan.
Semakin hari, kasus serupa ini semakin merebak. Siapa yang perlu kita salahkan? Liriklah monster di rumah kita. Di ruang keluarga kita yang terus berbicara tanpa henti dan kita malah setia mengikuti petuahnya.

DEMI PERBAIKAN

2008-11-18T08:52:00.000+07:00

Seorang guru yang rajin, berdedikasi, disiplin dan terus meng-update ilmunya. Dia disegani setiap guru lain. Namun beberapa saat lalu dia berubah. Dia masih rajin, berdedikasi, disiplin dan terus meng-update ilmunya. Namun dia kini mulai mencela, menggunjing dan terus menerus mengkoreksi teman gurunya yang lain, yang dia anggap tidak sebaik dirinya.
Jerih payah yang ia lakukan dalam membina dirinya, kesimpulan saya, tidak lah untuk digunakan sebagai upaya perbaikan mutu pendidikan, namun hanya untuk modal mencela dan merendahkan teman guru yang lain. Yang memang belum sebaik dirinya.
Sayang. Kebaikan yang ia lakukan tidak akan membawa perbaikan.

DOLANAN

2008-11-06T07:32:00.000+07:00

Di halaman tetanggaku yang lapang, tiap siang sehabis sekolah, dulu kami berkumpul bersama. Menanti jumlah kami cukup untuk bermain betengan. Permainan yang mengasyikkan ini membutuhkan dua kelompok yang mempertahankan daerah kekuasaan masing – masing, sebuah pohon, dari serangan musuh. Juga berusaha agar anggota kelompok tidak tertangkap dan ditawan oleh musuh sehingga mengakibatkan kekalahan. Permainan kejar – kejaran untuk menangkap dan menyerang daerah pertahanan musuh ini sangat menyehatkan. Biasanya, kami mengakhiri permainan setelah berpeluh.
Malam hari, saat malam berpurnama, kami bermain delungan. Masih di pelataran tetangga yang luas itu. Satu orang yang menjaga pohon agar tidak tersentuh teman – temannya yang bersembunyi di kegelapan malam yang temaram oleh sinar bulan, sambil berusaha menemukan persembunyian teman – teman itu. Seperti betengan, permainan ini juga sangat mengasyikkan.
Satu hal yang harus kita cermati, permainan tradisional seperti ini mempunyai banyak keuntungan. Pertama, menyehatkan badan. Kedua, terjalin pergaulan sosial yang baik bagi perkembangan mental.
Namun, kini permainan itu tidak ada lagi. Tanah lapang semakin sulit ditemui. Dan sepertinya, jika pun tanah lapang tersedia, pasti tidak ada anak – anak yang akan memainkannya karena mereka lebih sibuk dengan video games dan menonton televisi. Sangat memprihatinkan kita semua.

ASI DAN KEBERHASILAN PENDIDIKAN

2008-11-05T14:15:00.000+07:00

Ibu – ibu masa kini kebanyakan memiliki waktu yang sempit akibat banyaknya jumlah dari mereka yang bekerja dan beraktivitas di luar rumah yang sangat menyita waktu. Yang terjadi, aktivitas di luar rumah menjadi aktivitas primer, sedangkan mengurus rumah menjadi aktivitas kedua yang baru dipenuhi setelah aktivitas pertama selesai dilakukan.
Karena hal inilah banyak ibu – ibu yang kemudian tidak menyusui anak – anak mereka karena mereka dituntut untuk segera bekerja. Urusan anak – anak banyak diserahkan kepada pembantu rumah tangga dan ASI digantikan susu formula. Padahal, sebagus apapun kualitas susu formula, tetap ia tidak akan dapat menggantikan kualitas air susu ibu.
Terlebih, beberapa penelitian menyebutkan bahwa asupan ASI yang mencukupi dapat meningkatkan IQ. Menurut konsultan laktasi, dr Utami Roesli, SpA, anak yang disusui ASI, IQ-nya lebih tinggi 12,9 poin pada usia 9 tahun.
Maka sangat disayangkan jika masih saja ada ibu – ibu yang tidak juga memberikan ASI kepada anak – anak mereka karena alasan kesibukan. Lebih disayangkan jika mereka menghindari memberikan ASI kepada anak – anak mereka karena alasan kecantikan.
Manfaat ASI tidak habis – habis diteliti. Penelitian terakhir menyebutkan bahwa seorang ibu yang mencukupi asupan ASI bayinya tidak pernah melaporkan adanya masalah perilaku dan mental pada anaknya selama lima tahun fase pertumbuhannya. Namun, ditemukan anak yang cuma disusui selama dua bulan berpotensi berperangai buruk dibanding anak yang ditunjang ASI selama satu tahun.
Kita berharap pemerintah menerapkan regulasi berkenaan pemberian ASI ini. Karena jelas – jelas pemberian ASI yang cukup memiliki andil dalam membentuk generasi masa depan yang lebih dapat diharapkan.

BANGGA BERBAHASA INDONESIA

2008-11-03T20:20:00.000+07:00

Kini semakin sedikit orang Indonesia yang bangga dengan bahasanya. Banyak dari mereka yang memilih menggunakan bahasa Inggris karena bagi mereka bahasa ini lebih baik daripada bahasa Indonesia.
Padahal banyak orang dari luar negeri yang belajar bahasa kita ini karena kagum akan fungsinya sebagai bahasa persatuan.
Nampaknya kita belum bisa menghargai apa - apa yang kita miliki.

BREAK THE BUSTLE

2008-11-02T05:07:00.001+07:00

I do not post new articles on education in this blog for a long time. I'm too busy, at least, that’s the reason that I proposed to myself. The burden of work accumulates at this time. Then, I will move to new house in a moment. Many of time needed to resolve the various issues that must be done and must be fulfilled immediately. So, my blog is neglected.
One time, I shared with a friend on the unstopped bustle. I say; when will I get spare time for reading books such as the young? When will I get enough time to be able to write articles, small books, or daily record?
Some friends say that it's experienced by all people. We have leisure when we were young. But when going adults, being married, having children, many of time spent to get subsistence, to educate and to keep the children. It’s reasonable if we can not do things - like when we were young.
Is this a phase that must be passed by each person? All have been determined as it does not need to be mentioned?
I almost accept the opinion, until a teacher said to me that we actually have much spare time we can take advantage to do various things that are useful. Only, he said, we are often less smart to set the time so it can be used well.
He then told stories about leaders of the past era who left their names in history as the people with the extraordinary ability to do. Useful even for people at the present time. I nodded, confirming nod. It is not wrong.
Then why the leaders in the past were able to do big things but we cannot? The facilities of the past and today are much different. In the past, there had been no electricity, no quick vehicles, the book was still minimal, many scientists walked for months to find a qualified teacher in the field to study to him. However, they could write hundreds volumes of books, laying the foundation for modern science. Why? I asked.
Because the facilities that we enjoy now, is a blessing and a curse for us at once, he replied. Facilities do not help us but only make us lazy to work hard. Indolence is one that can deface human potential.
After that I pondered the words of my friend. I remember what I do during my days that I call them as full of bustle days. And I know that I have much spare times. And that is true; I am not that kind of busy man.
I teach a maximum of half an hour until lunch. After that I go home. Until getting the house, while lunch, I can still read the book. Even after lunch, while maintaining my children playing, I still have some time to read up ashar time.
After ashar, after my children take a bath and usually eat their dinner with their mother, I could write one or two paragraphs. After Maghrib, I still have time to teach my children to read the Koran and read Latin letters. After ISYA ', after my children sleep, I can still continue to read books or write. Still plenty of time, until I can’t open my eyes.
In fact, I wasted a lot of free time only to watch television, sitting and chatting not important things and I can still say that I am really busy.

You can read the Indonesian version here

MENYIASATI KESIBUKAN

2008-10-19T10:05:00.000+07:00

Telah lama saya tidak memposting artikel – artikel baru mengenai pendidikan di blog ini. Saya terlalu sibuk, setidaknya itu alasan yang saya ajukan pada diri saya sendiri. Beban – beban pekerjaan begitu menumpuk saat ini. Lalu sebentar lagi saya akan pindah rumah. Banyak waktu yang diperlukan untuk menyelesaikan berbagai hal yang harus dikerjakan dan harus segera terpenuhi. Maka, blog saya ini pun terbengkalai.
Suatu saat saya berbagi dengan teman tentang kesibukan yang tiada henti ini. Saya katakan; kapan waktunya bagi saya mendapatkan waktu luang untuk bisa membaca buku seperti saat muda dulu? Kapan saya mendapat cukup waktu untuk dapat menulis artikel – artikel, buku – buku ringan, atau catatan harian?
Beberapa teman mengatakan bahwa memang begitulah yang dialami oleh semua orang. Pada saat muda banyak waktu terluang. Tapi saat beranjak dewasa, sudah berkeluarga; beristri – beranak, waktu banyak tersedot ke urusan – urusan mencari nafkah dan mendidik serta menjaga anak – anak. Wajar jika kita tidak bisa mengerjakan hal – hal seperti saat kita muda dulu.
Benarkah ini sebuah fase yang harus dilalui oleh setiap orang? Semua sudah ditentukan seperti itu jadi tidak perlu disesalkan?
Saya hampir – hampir menerima pendapat itu, sampai seorang teman guru mengatakan kepada saya bahwa sebenarnya kita banyak memiliki waktu luang yang bisa kita manfaatkan untuk mengerjakan berbagai hal yang berguna. Hanya sayang, kata beliau, kita seringkali kurang pintar untuk mengatur waktu – waktu luang itu sehingga dapat termanfaatkan dengan baik.
Beliau lalu menceritakan kisah tentang tokoh – tokoh besar jaman lalu yang membekaskan namanya dalam sejarah sebagai orang dengan kemampuan berbuat yang luar biasa. Bermanfaat bahkan untuk orang – orang di masa kini. Saya mengangguk – angguk membenarkan. Memang tidak salah.
Lalu mengapa orang – orang besar pada waktu dahulu mampu berbuat hal – hal besar namun kita tidak? Padahal fasilitas masa lalu dan masa kini jauh berbeda. Jaman dahulu belum ada listrik, belum ada kendaraan yang cepat, buku – buku masih minim, banyak dari para ilmuwan jaman dahulu yang harus berjalan kaki berbulan – bulan untuk dapat menemui seorang guru mumpuni di bidangnya untuk dapat belajar kepadanya. Namun mereka mampu mengarang beratus – ratus jilid buku, meletakkan pondasi bagi ilmu – ilmu modern. Mengapa? Tanya saya.
Karena fasilitas yang kita nikmati sekarang, merupakan berkah sekaligus kutukan bagi kita, jawab beliau. Fasilitas tidak membantu kita namun malah membuat kita terlena dan malas untuk bekerja keras. Malas – malasan merupakan satu hal yang menumpulkan potensi manusia.
Setelah itu saya merenungkan perkataan teman guru itu. Saya mengingat – ingat apa yang saya lakukan dalam sehari yang saya sebut sebagai hari – hari penuh kesibukan itu. Setelah saya timbang – timbang, ternyata banyak waktu luang yang saya miliki. Dan yang sebenarnya adalah; saya belum sesibuk itu.
Saya mengajar maksimal sampai jam setengah satu siang. Setelah itu saya pulang. Sampai di rumah, sembari makan siang, saya masih bisa membaca – baca buku. Bahkan setelah makan siang pun, sembari menjaga anak – anak saya bermain, saya masih punya beberapa saat untuk membaca sampai waktu ashar.
Setelah ashar, setelah anak – anak saya mandi dan biasanya mereka makan sore bersama ibu mereka, saya bisa menulis barang satu dua paragraf. Selepas maghrib, saya masih punya waktu untuk mengajari anak – anak saya membaca Al Qur’an dan membaca huruf latin. Setelah isya’, setelah anak – anak saya tidur, saya masih bisa membaca buku ataupun meneruskan menulis. Masih banyak waktu hingga saatnya saya benar – benar tidak dapat membuka mata karena mengantuk.
Ternyata banyak waktu saya terbuang percuma hanya untuk menonton televisi, duduk – duduk dan mengobrolkan hal – hal tak penting dan dengan bodohnya mengatakan bahwa saya sangat sibuk.

Cracker hacked Police site

2008-09-09T09:24:00.005+07:00

ARTIKEL PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA - Traffic Management Center (TMC) Polda Metro Jaya site was defaced. This site usually presents Jakarta’s traffic. The background of this site turns to white with some sentences that debase Indonesian Police. These are the full sentences the cracker said:

Our indonesian police are

"The 3rd corrupt organization in 2005
The 2nd corrupt organization in 2006
The most corrupt organization on 2007"

where the justice will go?!!

Today all indonesian police websites are
OWNED!!

message to computer underground
- our next target are -

Indonesian selebrities which have willing to be part of politics
Have no experience in leading an "RT"
They wnat to lead a country??
What a joke!!

Where our country will go?!!

Please check yourself here

LEARNING INDONESIAN

2008-09-06T11:38:00.002+07:00

ARTIKEL PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA - Do you want to learn Indonesian. Perhaps Pondok Bahasa is a right site to choose.
This site contains any articles about Bahasa Indonesia. Anyone can write an article(s) and send it to the blog administrator to post.
Just click, Pondok Bahasa and start learning.

BEGGARS AND DONATION

2008-09-05T17:21:00.004+07:00

ARTIKEL PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA – Muslims must help those who are poor. They must give donation to those who are suffering from hunger. It is an obligation.
But it is bad to hear that some people then take advantage of the Muslim ruling to give donations, especially during the sacred month, by begging at terminals, train stations, traffic lights and shopping malls.
This bad mental must be omitted.

FREE EDUCATION

2008-09-03T16:51:00.004+07:00

ARTIKEL PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA – How do you find about free education? Do you agree? Of course. As anything is expensive nowadays, free but quality guaranteed education must be expected by all residents. Here is good news for all of us. School tuition will be free of charge for students of elementary and secondary as of 2009.
This will be realized if government truly allocated 20 percent of its budget to education.
Just wait and see. We all hope this will be real.

FUKUDA, AN EXAMPLE

2008-09-02T13:42:00.003+07:00

ARTIKEL PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA – The world has many great people to follow. This time we meet Fukuda, the Japan’s Prime Minister. He announced his resignation Monday (1/9) after less than a year in office.
Resigning is hard. What do you think if you have to set free a bird you dreamed for a long time? It’s like to let go your beloved girl. But great person like Fukuda taught us to ignore our need so the more important necessity can be realized. Fukuda said in the press conference, ”I decide to resign today. We need new person to start new parliament meeting. If we want to prioritize people’s utilization, it implies that we must see no political emptiness or policy failure. We need new team to carry out the policy”.
We must realize our specialty and also our shortage so we can place ourselves in the right site. If one place is not fitting, we can choose the right one. Because if we urge ourselves to occupy a place that is not fitting, we can only produce a damage.

Indonesia's Open University meets an obstacle. Read my comment on this. Click, Artikel Pendidikan Indonesia here.

WHO KNOWS?

2008-09-01T13:22:00.002+07:00

ARTIKEL PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA – Once again one of my neighbors died this morning. Two of my neighbors died several weeks ago. Every death makes me scare because I don’t, not me myself but all of us, know when the time will come to us.
It is a sadness to hear my beloved person leaves us. But we must realize that there will be a time for us to leave the other. We don’t know when the time will be. No one knows the time will be. It’s God’s secret.
One thing we should take note of; we hope when we die people who still live will remember us as a good man. We hope people will suffer a loss. We hope people will not feel happy because of our death.
But the key is in our hands. What we do when we are still alive determines.