Author: graciellekinahingan

August 10, 2018

Day 7

Sir Mifta, Great Crystal School Head

Ma’am Neni my mentor

Me wearing UNESA blazer and necktie

UNESA’s gift

August 9, 2018

“Nama saya Gracielle Kinahingan, saya dari Benguet State University, Philippines, saya orang Filipino. Senang bertemu dengan anda. Terima kasi banyak.” (My name is Gracielle Kinahingan, I’m from Benguet State University, Philippines, and I’m a Filipino. Nice to meet you and thank you very much).

            This day we had our welcome party at the Rectorate Building Lidah Wetan Campus Universitas Negeri Surabaya. Concerned department heads, welcoming schools and students who participated are present. I introduced myself using Bahasa Indonesia and it really made me happy because they were pleased and liked it. My mentor, Mrs. Neni, even commented ­­that she was shocked by my Bahasa since it’s good and that she’ll speak to me using Bahasa. By learning a bit of their language, I was hoping that somewhat I was able to show my gratitude to the UNESA administration and its staff and members for the warm and homey welcoming they had shown upon me.

            Though what I showed isn’t that much, they are the reason why I was able to adapt and connect with the new environment quickly. My worrisome and uneasy feeling faded immediately, and so are with my family they are confident that I’ll be okay.  “Being able to adapt quickly and learn something new is what you must have during this program,” Yuni Sri Rahayu, the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs said said. It is truly with their help that I was able to manifest this with such an ease. So I daresay thank you very much UNESA and thank you very much SEAMEO for showing me this special experience.

Day 6

August 8, 2018

Me and my buddy Rosyela were officially introduced to the whole faculty, though it is so late I am so grateful to them, especially for Pak Mifta for accepting us wholeheartedly.

Great Crystal School is a private institution and it actually have nice facilities that supports the learning of students. They have their  own swimming pool that has 3 different depths that suits students height, there is a school library wherein you need to take off your shoes before going in, it has books for school purposes like the ones used for class discussion, books for entertainment like children literature, it also has magazines and newspapers. In addition, there is also a computer room for IT classes that has 25 computers, there’s also a separate laboratory for Science and Math, and there are rooms for special lessons such as dancing and pianica.

The teachers usually discusses using the books, they just need to explain further through  an interactive question and answer with the students. But before the discussion starts the teachers gives pre-assessment to students from a printed worksheet to check on their background knowledge.  After discussing what is in the Course Book and answering what is in the Activity Book the students are given quizzes which is the same worksheet from the pre-assessment to see if the gaps were met. Then at the end of the day all Activity Book  must be returned and all worksheets must be stapled on each student’s journals before going home.

For the students, they have their own book for each grade level and sections and also a notebook designed by the school.  For each subject they have a book for discussion or Course Book and a book for seat works or Activity Book. Their book is printed colored, so it is attractive enough. In addition they also have a journal book wherein reminders for parents and students are written everyday for example are upcoming quizzes, things to bring and occasions.

Creating an environment that is conducive and convenient, GCS has it, I remembered when I was young, that if the weather is cold we need to endure it, if the weather is hot we also need to endure it, the books are also not enough so as a class we need to share. Today, with just one click it is now there, it can make things change so easily. But well, change is change and will always change.

Day 5

August 7, 2018

           With Graciousness, Confidence, Success and Perfection as our school motto, we aim to give our students the best quality and the highest standard in education. This is achieved by offering our pupils a comprehensive education from Toddler – K12. (www.great.sch.id.)

          Great Crystal School and Course Center offers a Collaboration Curriculum:  (1) national curriculum composed of  (KTSP) and K13 and (2) international curriculum which uses Singapore and Cambridge International Examination. The teaching staff is composed of 70% non-local teachers and 30% of local teachers (for national schools it is the other way, 70% local teachers and 30% non-local teachers) and English Language is to be used as the main medium of instruction.

They have English, Chinese, Math and Science as their major subjects. While for minors they have Information and Communication Technology where students will learn about design, animation, e-learning and office skills. Another is Health and Physical Education  where they do Swimming, Futsal, Badminton, Kyukushinkai, Table Tennis and Basket Ball. In addition, they also conduct weekly gymnastic for all students and teachers.

            The school also offers Extra Curricular Activities to enhance students other skills like Robotic, Kyokushinkai, English, Chinese, Cooking, Dance,  Pantomime, Futsal, Drawing and others activities.

            Being introduced to a new curriculum, is just like meeting unknown persons also. I need to know the whats, hows and whys. The reason is to be able to determine things needed to be done and to be able to create a great and solid foundation.

Day 4

August 6, 2018

              Five kilometers from where I stay, the Great Crystal International School has taken up the challenge to be part of the SEA Program. It seems like a perfect match for a new beginning because just like me it is their first time also on the said program.

               It is a school full of diverse people from the students to the teachers. They differ in religion, some are Christians, Buddhists and Muslims, they also differ in their nationality, their are Americans, Indonesians, and Chinese. From the faculty, I met an American who told me to be not afraid in trying Indonesian food, I also met a Chinese Professor to whom I was able to converse with the word “Ni Hao Ma,” and it feels so good being able to use foreign words I’ve learnt from reading, watching and interacting with people.

              Together with my buddy Rosyela, we were toured around the school by Sir Mifta Churohman, the school head, then I was introduced to the Primary 2, the class I am going to be with during my stay. The class was composed of sixteen (16) students which has 4 students who needs special attention which was being handled by 2 teachers: Ms Niti Sitia Hartiningsih, the class adviser, and Ms. Merry Puspita, the assistant teacher . I was kind of surprised because I was expecting that  the main composition of the population would be pure Indonesians, instead most are Chinese, not only in my class but for the whole school.

             I then asked myself “What should I do?”  Lots of questions entered my mind which I cannot answer. So  I just whispered to my self that “I can do this,” and just remembered all things I have done that helped me got here and I know someone is watching over me.

Day 3

August 4, 2018

            “We are going to land,” the captain of the airplane announced through the intercom. Mixed emotions flushed through me because I am now on a different page and I have no idea what is going to come but I am sure it’s going to be great.

                I thank the good Lord for watching over my flight that I have have arrived safely and I am very thankful to my mentor, Ma’am Neni, for waiting for me despite the fact that it is supposed to be bed time.

Me and my buddy Rosyela at UNESA

UNESA lake

UNESA buildings

           On same day I got to know my roommate Poppy, from Thailand and my buddy Rosyela and despite the differences in culture, belief, tradition and religion, we got along like old acquaintances and this is a treasure that I will forever remember, meeting them is a gift, being a part of this program is a gift, and I am so blessed and thankful for such a wonderful present. It felt like just home, the way they treated me, I felt comfortable and secured so in return I have to do my best and show them what I’ve got.

“Respect begets respect.” Treat other people on how you’d like to treat you.  It is a common thing to people but for me, being out of my comfort zone, being away from the place I got used to, I felt a different impact wherein I got to appreciate much more of it.

Day 1

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton