Written by: Johanna Tobing
I've just read few articles displayed on the e-newspaper and/or a mailing list, and I have to admit that it breaks my heart that many people still have prejudices on International Standard Schools. As a teacher that has been living from those kinds of schools for almost 10 years... and will still be as long as I get the chance to do so, I witnessed that having International Standard Schools in Indonesia is actually a fantastic move. Why? We should remember that in the early of 1990-s, many parents seemed so enthusiastic to send their young children to have early educations in some countries, such as Singapore, Australia, and even USA. The effect to that phenomena is of course a challenge for the children to have their basic Indonesian self-identity, as they have to face a lot of differences in the cultures and life-values of the people in those countries, not to mention the money their parents have to spend for sending them abroad.
So, why don't we just bring the education nearer to us, here, in Indonesia?
I also remembered that few years ago I found out that any Indonesian teacher could compete with any foreign ones if only the teacher wants to improve, to keep on learning, to be humble enough in receiving inputs even in term of curriculum, standards, processes, policies, and try to understand the underlying concepts of many different ways from different sources of countries.
I learned that the curriculum taken from those countries emphasizing the student-centered and active-learning and profile-based processes. We, both teachers and students, do learn about knowledge, but we do try our best to master the skills for living.
However, I have to admit before teaching in International Standard Schools, my background is in Indonesian national schools and universities. Though, I could speak, listen, read and write in English well. I don't need to have the proof of foreign diploma just to show that skill. By more learning-by- doing-in- teaching, my performance in teaching maths and science in English is even improving. So, everyone has the same chance to do and get the best out of him/her, of course with the same level of efforts.
I had the experience when I had to learn in a class filled with 40 students. I had gone through some periods when the teachers didn't come to classes with no clear reasons. I also had felt the chance to fail and succeed. It's just like a complete scene that builds up the personality to see others not because what they have but try to appreciate that everyone has the same equality as a human and differences of points of view.
On the other hand, besides teaching in International Standard School, I, and I'm sure many National-Plus teachers do the same thing, still could put myself teaching street children or fishermen's children in the remote area of Cilincing. It's only the matter of how we try to see others just like the way God see them, and of course, just like the way God see us, valuable and meaningful.
Therefore, I don't really agree if many people accuse International Standard Schools violating the Indonesian Laws (in terms that education is for all). Anyway, people like me, and many other staffs get our living from those schools, and still we do our best to be there, we don't get it for free.
Maybe, what needs to be improved in some schools is the ratio of teacher-student in the classroom, the attitude of the teachers during the teaching-learning process.
Deeply I just hope that cooperation and collaboration can be formed between those schools, International and National ones, to educate Indonesian youngsters in their challenging and competing world with open hearts and minds.
Just one tips for parents, I think every parent should begin to draw a big mindmap of how they want their children's education in the future. Looking at my experiences, it doesn't matter whether you put your beloved ones in International or National Schools, the point is that how you accompany them throughout the journey of their education, how you can discuss trivial-up-to- complicated things with them, how you encourage and believe them in showing their efforts.
Keep on moving, teachers, parents, and students. It's based on us to make what kind of schools we want.
