NGANJUK: Cooperative Learning

There are many misunderstandings about children's cooperative learning. What often happens is that one child in a group does some writing, while the others just watch. Really cooperative work is more appropriate for activities such as discussion and experiments. When it comes to writing things down, all the children should write - because all children need to practice writing and should have their own notes.

In SD Jatirejo 1, Nganjuk there was a very good example of cooperative work. The children were writing about 'the Earth'. Each child in the group was finding information and writing about a differrent aspect, including rotation, revolution, the globe, the parts (or layers) of the earth and the shape of the earth. After they had done their writing they shared their information (see the photo above).

PACITAN: Using the Environment in Science In grade 7 science lessons at SMP 3 Pacitan about the ecosystem and the effects of population density the student used the environment as a learning resource. Starting from the issue of environmental damage connected with illegal logging and flooding disasters, the children examined the school pond to identify the components of the ecosystem and define ecological terms. They grouped their data into organic and non organic components, and identified populations, communities, calculated population density, found interactions between the components of the ecosystem and so on. The children used the organic data to understand the food chain and the food network and to group organisms based on how they get their energy and food. They ended up with groups of producers, consumer 1, consumer 2 etc., as well as a group of decomposers. The children also learned to group living creatures according to their food, such as herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. They made a diagram of the organic components of the ecosystem in the form of the food pyramid. In other lessons the students have been given the opportunity to design apparatus to purify water, using materials from their environment such as old bottles, coconut casing, stones and charcoal. Then they did an experiment using the apparatus and made a report at the end of the lesson. The students who felt that their design had been successful in purifying dirty water were very pleased with themselves. Edy Winarno, Teacher at SMPN 3 Pacitan

TRENGGALEK: Grade 1 Children Learning About Weight

The grade 1 children at SD Karangan 3, Trenggalek compared the weight of various objects in and around their class.

They made a simple balance using a ruler. They wrote down the results in their exercise books. This is a simple but effective activity and the children's work was very good. See the photos below!

Schools in Trenggalek Making Portfolios

Teachers in a number of schools in Trenggalek are saving the children's work in portfolios in order to record their progress. This portfolio will be shown to and discussed with their parents. On the right a grade 3 teacher, Rita Widayati is looking at the portfolio belonging to Ahmad, a child in her class.

MI Yapendawa

The school principal at MI Yapendawa in Pogalan sub-district in Trenggalek, Bpk Imam Syaean has drawn up indicators of the changes he expects his teachers to implement after being trained in PAKEM. The indicators include:

This is an effective way of making sure real change occurs in school.

A School to Visit

One school which has already implementing SBM and where there are signs of PAKEM in every class is SD Kedunglurah 1 in Pogalan sub-district. Also many of the students are very good at speaking English, not just answering, "What's your name?". They can conduct an extended and meaningful conversation. On the right Nana, a grade 5 student is talking to Lynne Hill, an MBE consultant.