My First Impression

yes, i'm going to take my part in in one of great schools in Bandar Lampung. but i won't tell about how i got there, or what school it is, or how is my feeling about being one of them, but this is about my first impression in their school's systems.

so, this noon i got a chance to meet the headmaster at his place, and fortunately we had a good chit chat there. so after a long chat, he told me about his school programs and systems. i'll divide and explain it in a long list.

1. they are a full day school: to balancing the teaching and learning needs and the parents's activities. as we know, parents these days are quite busy with their work. it's a typical reason for this kind of parents to leave their children in trusted hands, such killing a time till they finish their work. Helping the parents to take a good care at the children is great, nothing wrong with it. but, i've watched a TV program about how long kids need to study everyday, and shockingly for kids around 7-12 years old, they just need 4 hours of study and for more than 12 years old kids, they need not more than 6 hours. they said kids in that age still need their playing time. so is this a bad idea for kids to stay in school till afternoon? i'll answer it latter.
2. there is no rank list in every class: every student is number one. every kid is different, they have their own interest, they have their own skill. teacher's job is to find what kind of skill they have, and help them to develop it. we can  compare it with this picture.
    
                           www.conlanrios.com  
   
   
   i think the picture says it all. no more explanation.
3. the kids with same interest and skill will be shorted into groups: when you meet someone with similar interest (crafting, sports, etc), it will be fun right? they can share and discuss it happily. doesn't matter what grade the students are, they will become one in their own thing. perhaps it can gives you a hint about the question in number one.
4. they have disability students in their regular class: every human has the right to be treated equally. in developed countries and most of developing country have applied this thing since a long ago, really long ago. but in Indonesia this is my first time hearing this. the headmaster said, as we have expected, they need more attention in the class. but it will help them to develop their social life, and the additional, for the regular students, they can grow their unconditional love to anybody. it will give more job for the teacher of course, but it's a good idea, indeed! a teacher may not be picky in teaching someone!
5. to support the point above (number 4) and other reasons, they put two teachers in each class+every class have small amount of student: to give the attention equally. when i was a university student, i had an experience in teaching mischievous students who often skiped the class. at that time i was a volunteer there, i didn't know how that can be started or why that can be happened. one day, i taught at their class, because of i was a new teacher for them, all of them took a seat. when i got started, the mischievous kids who sat behind the class start to making a mess and didn't pay attention at me. i wonder why, the students who sat infront of the class had big will in learning, what was wrong? so i came to them and asked them if there's anything that i can help, they said they didn't understand what i had taught them, and started to make fun to the object. but i didn't get mad, i helped them instead. at first they just smiled at each others, but then they started go get serious. after that day, they had a big will in learning, often gave their opinion, their thought about the object, they never skiped my class even once, they also took a part in in my tutoring class. then one day, i asked them why they used to skip the class back then, and shokingly they said the original teacher like the smart students instead of them, she never payed attention to them, they feel like they're invisible. aah then i realized, they just need attention. that's it! a teacher has to treat the student equally, so they will never feel such pain.
6. they have used 2013 curriculum before the ministry of education officially announced us to do so: improve their methods in learning. once again, their role models are developed countries, no wonder. in this curriculum, the teaching and learning activities are based on the students themselves, makes them more active, brave and critical. and for the addition, this curriculum demands to divide the subjects into small group, make it easier for the students.
7. beside 2013 curriculum, they also use Islamics curriculum: aiming to be thankful, humble, and always close to their own god. this is a complement for the points above.
   
   
   
   so what is my impression about this school? really good school indeed! for the question in number one, who need the answer now? when a school become your playground, it doesn't really matter how long kids should stay.
   
   
   my conclusion is, it's such a big honour to take my part in in this school, and i'll get to see their programs and systems by my ownself in next monday.  as a 'newbie' teacher, this is kind of big challenge :D