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The Parents Start to Play a Role
One of the MBE target schools, SDN 4 Penganjuran (SD Brawijaya) in Banyuwangi sub-district has already made preparations and improvements in connection with implementing PAKEM, even though have not yet received the formal training. As one of the more popular local primary schools, SDN 4 Penganjuran feels the challenge to change its pattern of teaching which is conventional, class oriented and more based on lecturing.
At first it was difficult. There was no positive response. The school principal, Ibu Hj. Suhemik, and one of the teachers of the higher grades, Ibu Borotin, who had the initial idea didn’t give up. The two of them became SBM trainers at district level, and did their own training in PAKEM with a group of teachers from SDN 4 Penganjuran for six days after school hours. After this training the teachers gained insights into the patterns of teaching using PAKEM. In a fairly short time, by the middle of December 2003, almost all the classes were involved in change.
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Before PAKEM the children used to sit quietly listening to lectures (left)
Since PAKEM was implemented the students are learning in groups, the teacher has become a facilitator and the atmosphere is more enjoyable (right)
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When the students are asked, “what is your opinion about the group work system?”, they generally answer that they enjoy much more working in groups because they can exchange ideas with other members of the group, so that they are better able to solve the problems and finish the tasks that are given them by the teacher. The displays of children’s work have become an attraction in themselves. At break times when they used to spend their time playing, they now prefer to look at their friends’ work displayed inside and outside the classes. In the classrooms which are used in turns by two classes (early morning and mid-morning) the display space has been divided into two, for example class 1 on the left and class 2 on the right. With the new improved neater arrangement of the classrooms they appear less crowded, happier and more interesting places.
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Selain didalam kelas karya siswa dipajang di luar kelas untuk memupuk kreativitas serta menjadi sumber belajar dan inspirasi
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Besides PAKEM, the community, in particular the children’s parents are very concerned about their children’s development. This can be seen from the level of participation in school activities among the parents in providing materials and supporting student activities.
After the community learned about SBM they became more active in their participation and not only confined themselves to fund-raising. The mother who wait for their children at school help the teacher put up displays in class, which previously they could not have done, since that was purely the teachers’ responsibility.
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Children’s parents enthusiastically join in helping the class teacher to display the children’s work (left).
In-school SBM training for the teachers of SDN 4 Penganjuran (right).
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Not only on school days, but also during holidays the parents check what their children need at school. The active role of the community has included the formation of class parents’ groups. Recently the committee at SDN 4 Pengajuran has become a mediator with the district in a struggle to change the use of a hall which until now has belonged to the local military command to turn it into a school asset.
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Livening up the Library
Many schools have libraries but looking around libraries it appears that most are similar in the following respects:
- Few visitors. The library is only used when a teacher is away or by students who cannot take part in sports lessons, or by students whose hobby is reading.
- The collection of books is small both in numbers and the kinds of books.
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Libraries have books, are organised neatly – but are rarely used!
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The schools which are involved in the MBE Project are encouraged to improve their libraries in several ways:
- Link lessons in class to the library, e.g.
- during Bahasa Indonesia lesson the children can read library books and write summaries or appreciations;
- in social studies lesson children can find information from library books
- Allocate at least one period a week in the timetable for children to read in the library
- Provide a ‘newspaper on the wall’ to encourage and facilitate an interest in reading (normally children are very interested in reading newspapers
- Ask parents who are waiting for their children (normally in class 1) to read books in the library or help manage the library
- Ask each child to contribute at least one book to the library when they leave school
- In primary schools, if there are no special staff or no room for a library, the library can be managed by the children or a ‘reading corner’ can be developed in each class.
If there are any schools which are doing innovative things with their library, please let us know….
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