Friday, May 16, 2014

(not) Forgotten Teachers



When you were asked about your school teacher, who do you still remember? What memory do you have about them?

As an  Indonesian who spent 2 years in pre-school, 12 years in primary, junior high, and high school, i have been taught by probably more than 50 teachers. From all of them, i still remember the names, the faces, including some of their teaching styles.

I try to find out why the memory of some are stronger than the others. First, it might be they are funny. Yes, students like funny teachers. Especially back then when schools consisted of students who listened and took notes of what their teachers are saying.

Second, they are “killer” teachers, who are more than just assertive that can make you sweat to death even before they get into your classroom.

Third, they are different in a good way. I can say that “creative” is the right term to describe that. Recalling my memory, creative teacher is one out of ten at that time. I remember Bu Rini as one of them. She’s my english teacher when i was in junior high school. She introduced me to the concept of role play. So late, huh? When preschoolers nowadays learn that, we –the older generation- had that years after we were born.
The role play was a mini drama that the students created during the lesson, a week preparation before we presented that, and the final one- involving costumes and setting. We really enjoyed the sessions.
And now i’m thinking again, who else taught differently?  

My primary school teachers...mmm, no. My junior high teachers...only Bu Rini. My high school teachers, maybe Pak Agus, who liked to bring us studying outdoor and discussed in a circle. That’s all.

No games, as long as i remember.

So when i started to teach, and searched online for some inspiration to live up the class, i got amazed! There are so many warm up activities, icebreakers, games, even lesson plan that we can find and do in our class. Sometimes i used exactly the same games, and i also like to combine it with my ideas, or use my own ideas.
If our teachers long time ago knew about creative and fun teaching, we would have enjoyed school more, right? ( Although i never felt that bored to go to school with that teaching method)

Well, at least i know now how to teach in a more fun-understandable-memorable way (inshaa Alloh). I still respect and be thankful to all teachers who taught me, no matter what. They had their own style and consideration of how to teach, and more importantly, they shared what they had. I still remember multiplication, i know what natural resources found in what province, I understand why Indonesian heroes seldom won the war against the Dutch, and more...  It means what they shared  are not forgotten, although i might have forgotten their names and faces.


So, i think, the point of becoming a teacher is not how to be remembered, but how they remember what you teach (and understand). 

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