#2 December this year

[ there must be some faith within… ]

Learning is a process. It takes time. Therefore, teachers should remember that instant result is not the real goal.

Learning is a process of change; from knowing nothing into something. It is a growth.

Sometimes it is discouraging to see and know that some students haven’t changed far from where they start, though we think we have done all effort that we are able to do.

Then sometimes these questions come:

·         Why don’t the students study?

·         Why can’t the students pay attention to the lesson?

·         Why do the students get attached more to FB, gossip,  etc?

·         Why do the students cheating?

·         Why are the students lack of confidence?

And more questions…

Back to my school time, I was so engaged to study [except for some periods of time]. I know that studying was my passion. The best effort I always tried to do. This attitude was grown inside because my parents have trained me so. I remember a sticker that my Dad put on my cupboard door: bermain boleh saja, belajar nomor satu. I enjoyed my study, I loved it.

In short, I got the motivation; both from myself and outside.

This is what I see so far, many students don’t have motivation to study. Maybe, they don’t know why do they need to study and go to school. And then why?? There are reasons.

With this fact, teachers know that they have a harder work: to motivate them to find their own motivation.

Feeling discouraged? Yes, sometimes and it’s normal, human nature, I guess. The important thing is to put away the discouragement and put on a little faith:

Education is a long term achievement. Therefore, the workers, the teachers are doing investment for future; 10 years, 25 years or even 50 years from now. The teachers must be sure that what they invest are the precious seeds. In time they are ready for harvest, they would bear sweet and good fruits.

Lets’ refresh our motivation again and again, we would ripe what we sow

Enjoy your December.

Draw me closer to YOU.

The English Teachers of the English Teacher

Last Thursday I met one of my junior high school’s English teacher. I think he was my 2^nd English teacher. He replaced my previous English teacher because of maternity thing. From his appearance maybe people would easily consider him to be a funny teacher. He always has a smiling face.

I am impressed with him because of the comments and pictures that he used to put on our test paper. A simple thing but memorable and I think is worth to do. [ Well, I can’t draw well, so I do another thing, anyway ^^v]

When I told him that I often see him lately around the schools, I found out that he delivers his only daughter to school. At first I thought his daughter was an elementary school’s student. In fact, she is a student in my school and I know her, a calm girl with a medium straight black hair.

Ow… I have a student that used to be my mom’s student and now a student who is my teacher’s child ^^v

On the next day I also met my another English teacher. She taught me at the third year. In my memory she was an energetic teacher, and is still ^^v. At that time she was still a new teacher, maybe just like me now ^^v. Well, after I work here, I have met her few times; when we accompanied our students in competitions, when we attended a wedding party of our friend, or just when we met on our way home from school like that time.

We talked about some random thing along Kartini street until Kaloka – yes we were in the same public transportation, mostly of course about teaching. And in the end she paid me the fare --- ah thank you, Ma’am ^^v. She was with her two daughters, one with the same uniform that I used to have – from my junior high and the other one was --- if I’m not mistaken in the 4^th grade of elementary school.  Sometimes she chatted with them in the middle of our speaking. What a mother!

I was not closed to both of them when I was a student. I was sort of calm student anyway. Yet, as teachers I can say that they are friendly and inspiring… ^^ Thank you Sir, thank you Ma’am. I’ve forgotten the things you’ve taught me, yet your personal being as a teacher is what I’d always remember.

It’s been about ten years since my junior high. What will be in ten year time from now on? Let’s see.

not about what, but how

Hari ini aku ada kelas tambahan untuk pengayaan kelas IX. Selama 2 x 40 menit tadi kugunakan untuk memperkenalkan SKL dengan beberapa contoh soal dari try out beberapa tahun sebelumnya. 

I just encouraged them to start the learning with a positivity in mind and hopefully they will keep their  enthusiasm like what I saw today. Semangat!!!! ^^ 

Ketika berbaring sore tadi, sesuatu melintas di benakku, sesuatu yang sudah sering muncul. Aku teringat akan guru-guruku di sekolah. Aku tak ingat secara pasti materi yang diajarkan oleh mereka, tapi yang masih teringat adalah cara mereka 'mengajar'. 

Ibu Maria adalah sosok yang masih lekat membekas di hatiku. Guru bahasa Indonesia ini bagiku adalah seorang yang encouraging, pemberi semangat. Beliau selalu berusaha memacu murid-muridnya untuk mengembangkan talentanya ke dalam wujud konkrit. Sebagai guru bahasa Indonesia, secara khusus beliau menyemangati kami untuk menulis.  Entah bagaimana awalnya, tapi itulah yang kuingat. Beberapa dari kami, teman-teman seangkatanku telah menunjukkan hasilnya ketika itu, ada yang menang lomba karya tulis tentang Korea, ada yang masuk opini pembaca di koran, ada yang mengikuti lomba karya tulis dan beberapa hal lagi yang lain. Bahkan setelah angkatanku lulus, aku mendengar banyak lagi prestasi dalam bidang tulis-menulis dicapai. Dalam dirinya aku melihat kesungguhan dalam mengajar. Beliau nampak selalu bersemangat dan cermat. Beberapa teman mengatakan aku adalah salah satu anak kesayangannya. Ah, aku tersenyum mengingatnya. Akupun tak malu mengatakan bahwa, She is one of my favourite teachers. ^^v Beliau juga adalah salah satu orang yang mendorongku untuk terus menulis. Kini, beliau masih bertugas di sekolahku yang dulu. Kami beberapa kali bertemu. Kalau dulu sebagai  murid, sekarang sebagai sesama pengajar. Wah... can't describe how does it feel.

Ibu Siti Muawanah adalah wali kelasku ketika duduk di bangku SMP kelas 1 dan 3 [ VII dan IX ]. Yang langsung kuingat dari beliau adalah kacang hijau. ^^v. Dulu ketika kelas 3 kami ada pelajaran tambahan yang dimulai pukul 6.30 [ah sekarang aku mengerti betapa repotnya bapak ibu guruku dulu harus masuk begitu paginya, thanks teachers]. Kebanyakan dari kami belum sempat sarapan pagi dan dengan kerelaan hati ibu wali kelas kami ini beberapa kali membawakan seplastik bubur kacang hijau untuk kami anak walinya. Wah, that's wonderful. Ya, lebih dari itu, beliau adalah sosok guru yang keibuan, perhatian dan sabar. Aku ingat juga kami sekelas pernah bertandang ke rumah beliau ketika hari LEEBARAN dan tentu saja kami disambut dengan hangat dan penuh hidangan yang nikmat ^^v.

Itulah beberapa guru yang sangat berkesan bagiku. Sekali lagi bukan  materi yang beliau sampaikan yang lekat di pikiranku, namun bagaimana beliau meunjukkan perannya sebagai seorang guru. Ada kasih yang mengiringi tindakannya. Bukan berarti aku mengecilkan peran bapak ibu guru yang lain, each of them is unique and they must have touched different students with their special characteristics. And for me there are some teachers that have left more footprints than the others.

Akupun teringat akan apa yang sekarang aku kerjakan. Sepuluh tahun dari sekarang mereka mungkin sudah tak akan ingat materi apa yang aku sampaikan, bahkan mungkin mereka sudah lupa kalau aku pernah menjadi gurunya. Namun apapun itu aku akan terus  melakukan tugasku. Aku berdoa kiranya apa yang aku lakukan bisa menjadi hal yang baik, setidaknya buat satu pribadi dari mereka.

Bless me, Lord. Amen.