The contemporary pedagogy of the school where I am teaching and other International schools around the world has been embracing and highlighting “the process” more instead of “results” in teaching and learning. As it emphasizes in process, it then promotes students’ independence, sense of responsibility, and ownership of learning. It uplifts students’ dignity as human beings as mistakes are allowed and considered a part of learning, So learning is safe, engaging, and fun.

The learning journey develops  four aspects of learning; 

Cognitively; students are encouraged to be resourceful, actively question, make connections, use their imagination and reason

Emotionally;  students learn to manage their own distractions, increase self-awareness, and persevere, to keep going in the face of difficulties.

Socially;  students are encouraged to collaborate in learning, to contribute to the group positively, to listen to and respect different perspectives

Strategically;  students are encouraged to make a plan, set their goals in learning, reflect, to learn how to learn (meta-learning, metacognition). 

It values how the brain works best in learning as it appreciates even a baby step.  A little achievement should be worth celebrating.  There are so many “AHA” moments – an indication that learning is happening (Vygotsky’s term about ZPD; Zone of Proximal Development), a condition when the human brain seeks an equilibrium every time it catches new information or new knowledge. And this is how dendrites grow! It doesn’t grow through doing a pile of worksheets or just listening to what the teachers say. 

Those are the light of education. Those are the answers to the quest of the world-renowned psychologists and education experts, name them a few; Vigotsky, Piaget, Howard Gardner, Bandura, Jerome Bruner, etc. Their premises influenced the flow of the learning journey that evidently promote students to grow to be critical thinkers, independent learners, and great collaborators. 

Those are what Indonesian schools and educators need to implement if what they pursue is a better future.  As Nelson Mandela once  said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nothing is more important for a country than its education.

Since I am now a part of this community, who feel and experience directly how teaching and learning happening there, the school is becoming my hope. A hope to be able to share more, a hope to contribute more to Indonesian schools and education. A  hope that more and more schools and teachers come to visit, to experience, to elevate their knowledge and expertise. 

With those kinds of teaching methodology, the school provides a comfortable and safe environment for students in learning. Students enjoy their school days, actively involved in many activities to grow more academically, emotionally, and socially. 

Undoubtedly, many consider that the school has been a second home for students, teachers, and staff. I couldn’t agree more with this. 

I always see the sun shining above this home. Days are colorful and meaningful. The sky is bright flashing the lights of hopes that I always bear in my mind. 

Then suddenly a big storm stroke this home.  So out of the blue. Everyone inside the home who listened to the news gaped in disbelief. Everybody was hurt deeply by the fact that one of our young and beloved members of the family was stricken by this storm. 

Then tears were shed in every part of the home. We put every effort to do the best we can to save the kid. Tears came down and flew like a waterfall, evaporated and condensed in the sky to form heavy clouds. The clouds blurred the sky. Dark and somber, just like our hearts. 

Those heavy clouds above the home then make people outside there who never knew, never heard or let alone visited this beautiful home, what they can manage is – to see that dark and gloomy firmament. 

The blame game started. It is easy to play. But, it never helps to overcome the aftermath. 

The whole family inside the home is still in grief and sorrow. The tears have not yet dried when I am writing this. The tears that come down for our vulnerable and innocent kid, the tears that come down for the peaceful home environment that was shaken by this tragedy. 

However,  the journey of the family must go on. With a deep sadness from within, the school that I call home even looks stronger. The shido seems to be protecting the family, even uniting them more. 

Every cloud has a silver lining, people say. The cloud is still there, hanging.  It might be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever. Hold on! 

The community keeps hugging the big dreams in their wings, just like Jatayu, one of the characters in Indonesian puppets! Stay strong like Naga! When a dream seems to be falling apart, only hope that will save us. Hang on! The time will come. The time when the cloud is gone, when the sky above us becomes clear and bright as before. There when people will see the beauty of the truntum and the vibes that keep spreading the essence of learning. 

We will always be with you, in good times, in bad times – as we have found love, joy, a home, a family – in YOU.

Jakarta, 30 May 2014