Silent Happiness

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And, here I am, after a year teaching Secondary 3. Wow! A year! Indeed, a year! It means I have not written anything at all for 12 months; it means I have been quite consumed with the load.

What a big relieve! I should have written some of my ups and downs in Secondary! Yea, I’ll make my time for jotting them down next time!

As short as one single sentence, I was announced to teach Primary 6 again last Friday. I was not able to really express my happiness at that time. It was like in between joy and being careful of showing it. I was only opening my mouth, gasping and smiling at those friends who were cheering for me. I did not want to show my superiors that I was glad leaving Secondary as, in fact, after a year, my heart is sort of settling down there.

Anyways, I thank God for granting my wish. The wish that I have been praying for since months ago. Right now, it feels so good to have my own classroom for English 6 and typing these words and thoughts I have in mind in my blog. Tasting every single bit of happiness in silent. Cheers! 🙂

My, both, Uncomfortable and Comfortable Place

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I still remember that time when I cried after hearing the decision. It didn’t sound ‘scary’ for me when I was inside the office. Somehow, I felt the optimism, the excitement and flat at the same time. It was only when I went out and met my colleagues that I cried by the decision.

How I felt ridiculous, again, to remember that I called this place I’ve been for 5 years as a place where I feel uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time; that I called this place as my ‘kawah Candradimuka’. And now, once more time, I am right on that uncomfortable spot.

Today, the ‘peak’ of the ice mountain has started to melt. I finally met a hundred something young learners that I’m going to be with for the next one whole year. It was like riding a roller coaster at the first minutes, being there for the assembly and to be introduced for the first time. Gracious God! Things got better after that. The pulse was getting steady. Devotion, first class, short break, second class, third and the last one. The day was over. Day one was down!!

Thank you, mr J. Though it’s just the first day, I believe you’ll walk beside me to go through this academic year. Why am I being transferred to Secondary might still be a mystery to me, yet I know for sure it is to complete my spiritual journey and You will always take part in it. I will oblige.

Aku Cinta Pramuka

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Sri berjalan pelan penuh kewaspadaan menyusuri lantai dua koridor sekolah. Hari ini hari Rabu, seharusnya Sri ikut ekstra kurikuler komputer sepulang sekolah. Ekstra kurikuler komputer memang wajib diikuti siswa siswi SMP disekolahnya dan hari Rabu dijadwalkan untuk kelas 2, kelas Sri, tapi ia malas mengikutinya. Ada banyak rumus yang mesti dihafalkan dan Sri sudah beberapa kali merusakkan disket yang ia punyai. Ia seringkali lupa untuk tidak menyentuh apalagi menggeser-geser bagian belakang disket, padahal bagian itu sensitif dan tidak boleh disentuh. Sri malas dan takut untuk, lagi-lagi, minta Bapak membelikan disket baru. Lagipula, Iwan, teman sebangkunya selama ekstra kurikuler selalu menakut-nakuti ketika rumus yang Sri ketik salah dan tulisan “error” muncul di layar komputer. Fyuuuhh..

“Aduuh!!” bisik Sri sambil membungkukkan badan dan bersembunyi dibalik dinding koridor. Pak Dodik, guru komputernya, tiba-tiba keluar ruang komputer dan berbicara dengan seorang pegawai sekolah. Jantung Sri berdetak kencang, ia khawatir pak Dodik sempat melihatnya sebelum bersembuyi. Dengan berjalan jongkok, Sri membalikkan badan dan pergi menjauh dari ruang komputer, bersiap diri untuk ikut ekstra kurikuler Pramuka.

“Sri, Shinta, Deny dan Ari.. Siapkan pasukan, bagi dalam empat regu. Abimanyu jadi pemimpin upacara. Kita akan segera mulai!” perintah kak Hapsoro, pembina pramuka di sekolah. Kak Hapsoro salah satu dari empat pembina yang sudah membuat Sri jatuh cinta pada pramuka. Ia seorang angkatan laut Republik Indonesia dan tetap memberikan sedikit waktunya sebagai pembina pramuka karena ia juga cinta pramuka.

Suatu waktu, kak Hapsoro bercerita pada Sri dan teman-teman sesama Dewan Galang di sekolahnya. “Waktu itu kak Hapsoro masih SMA dan dikirim jadi wakil sekolah dalam Jambore nasional. Kakak pakai tas ransel hijau mirip tas ransel tentara. Disana ketemu banyak sekali pramuka Penegak dari seluruh propinsi di Indonesia. Tidurnya di tenda yang kami bangun sendiri, kami bersepuluh. Di sebelah tenda, kami buat jemuran darurat dari tali pramuka, tempat meletakkan sepatu dari tongkat dan tempat meletakkan topi pramuka dari ranting-ranting pohon kering. Supaya semua barang teratur, tidak berserakan. Lalu di sekeliling tenda kami buat selokan kecil untuk menaburkan garam kasar. Ini supaya tidak ada ular masuk ke area tenda.  Kami juga masak sendiri, bawa kompor dan parafin serta alat memasak lain, bawa beras dan telur serta sayuran dan makanan instan untuk dimasak. Salah satu dari kami bisa membuat api dari batu loh… Pagi sampai siang hari kami ikut kegiatan halang rintang. Kami diberi tugas dalam banyak pos dan berlomba dengan regu lain untuk sampai terlebih dahulu di garis akhir. Kami masuk hutan, menyeberang sungai, membuat drakbar, mountaineering, dan banyak lagi….” cerita kak Hapsoro panjang lebar. Sri dan teman-temannya mendengarkan dengan rasa kagum. “Kalian pasti pengen juga kaann?” goda kak Hapsoro sambil tersenyum lebar. Sri dan teman-temannya tersipu malu. Siapa yang tak tertarik mendengar cerita kak Hapsoro, batin Sri.

  • sedikit cerita mengenang kegiatan pramuka waktu aku masih SMP. ^_^  SALAM PRAJA MUDA KARANA! 

Ms or Miss?

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Earlier, the word “miss” was used more frequent than the word “ms”. It was only around 1900s that the word “ms” was started to be commonly used. That word was promoted by women’s equality to men’s movement.

“Miss” refers to a woman that is not married yet. It is a shorten form of Mistress. So, whenever we call a woman with this word the definite assumption is that woman is not married yet. While the word “ms” does not denote to its person’s marital status. It is either unknown or unimportant to be implied.

Which ever we use, we should remember that those words are to show respect.

Fact or Fiction

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Some students are just not into writing. It seems so difficult for them to put their thoughts and imaginations in words. Inspiring them to write and giving them constant possibility to write are important. Not to forget providing them with new and interesting styles of writing.

Once, my 6 graders read a story of a platypus and they ended up with amazing stories that blend fact and fiction. A story  that blend fact and fiction is simply a mixture of fact and fiction. It would be a great combination as students need to know facts and at the same time develop their imagination.

Lets have a look at those amazing stories by the 6 graders without any edition or addition. What an imagination!

Fabulous Pets

Written by : Josephine Valencia, Nathaniel, Claudia, Degoldie Sony, Gifta Gelyana

 

There was a girl named Gina. She owned a kitten named Kelly and a puppy named Piere. One day, Gina bought a platypus named Peeter. Gina always took care of Peeter and forgot Kelly and Piere. So, they had a plan to get rid of Peeter because they were jealous.

“Hey Kelly! What shall we do to get rid of that ugly platypus?” asked Piere. “Yeah! That old little platypus shall get a Continue reading →