When Human learns Humanity.

What’s on my mind when I heard words: HUMANISTIC STUDIES? Honestly, I couldn’t guess what it’s going to be. I ask friends from 2009 cohort, and finally I get some clear explanations then. The story of Humanistic studies begins.

This is my first time to be taught by Pak Hatim Gazali, I don’t why I am a bit nervous. But time to time, it changes my feeling, it reduces my anxiety. At the same time, it was really surprising me that we are going to study, explore “something” which is some people think that it’s kind of sensitive thing (really curious).

In the paragraph above, I mention “something”, is it unclear right? In this subject, we are going to share, explore, respect, and debate about the differences around us. Not only the differences about culture, but also ethnic and religion. I think it must be so challenging, fantastic, but also horrible. Why I said it would be horrible because I just assume that some of my friends seems so a bit fanatic and still consider it as a sensitive thing.

After the class finished, I ask myself some question like “do I think its sensitive thing? Am I kind of fanatic? “. Those questions haunt me to keep searching about the answer.

Finally, I think that I don’t consider it as the sensitive thing so that it means I am not also the fanatic. I am going to explain some evidences that will prove my answers. I live in really democratic family, it means that my father always teach me to respect each other. No matter their background, rich or poor, their ethnic or religion. My father also said that do not judge people because of their differences, because God have made it so colorful so that we can get know each other. It really sticks on my head until now. 

I have some experiences when we have to accept others differences. I had studied in one of Catholic junior high school in Jakarta. Here, I really learned how others (which are Catholic, Christian, also Buddhist) really respected at us who became minority in that school. And when I was here, as SSE scholar, I have really precious memory here. Almost a half of SSE scholars is from other region (not jakartanese) and also has different religion. Here I really adapted and tried to respect others.  Not only because of the religion, also the culture etc. One more thing, when we did “do’a bersama untuk Almh Bu Gum” became the greatest spiritual thing that I have done.

The last, I wish I could be someone who will not judge or stereotype others. Try to accept, understand, and respect others. Be better Gona! :)

Language Teaching FUN Methods :D

I have studied language teaching methods in the previous semester in Language Acquisition and Development subject. I don’t know why I am really interested in learning these things. I chose this lesson to be my LAD poster session last semester. That’s why it wasn’t really surprising me to hear that terminology again. I just remember some language teaching methods in LAD, they are grammar-translation, audio-lingualism, direct method, total physical response and suggestopedia.

            In this subject, I found some new language teaching methods (based on the movie I watched) like Community Language Learning, Silent Way and Communicative Approach. But I think, communicative approach, community language learning, and direct method are almost same because all of them are done through communication. But even I assume all of them are almost same, I still feel confused about those things. Hopefully I could differentiate it by reading some materials, but for this time, yeah I am still confused.

While writing this reflective journal, I did flashback when I was in poster session. I met professor (But I forgot where exactly he was from Hehehe), he told me about the English Village in Korea, he said that it was one of great invention in language teaching method world. I guess, Indonesia has that kind of institution in Kediri, but maybe it’s not as good as there. And I wonder if Indonesia could have this kind of thing here, it must be so super cool.

After watching video and reading some materials, I conclude that each method can’t stand alone, can’t work alone. We are as English Teacher Candidates have to be creative for combining it to be the “Best Ingredients” for our students. Not only focus to deliver our knowledge, but also have to consider our students learning style, multiple intelligence, personality and capability.

LANGUAGE TECHNO :)

In this new semester, I got some new “foods” (means new subject). One of them is Technology and Language Learning. What’s on my mind is why the language learning involved technology?  And suddenly, I answered by myself (sounds awkward -_____-). In this globalization era, technology becomes one of the most important things in our life. The reason why I said like that is because we can see that at least in SSE. Almost every student has handphone, notebook or laptop, internet connection (even Wi-Fi), and how often we access our email or our social networking accounts (like facebook and twitter).  Furthermore, I am as the student of SSE state, that it’s easier for me to get some reading materials by browsing rather than trying to get the book in the library. The other reason is the lecturers prefer accept the typewriting and soft copy submission to handwriting and hard copy.

First and second session of TLL, I learned about how technology affects the language process and the advantages and disadvantages using technology in language learning process. In this matter, I will be the side which supports using technology in language learning process. I think technology really works well to support or help teacher delivering the lesson. Not only about delivering lesson, but also can reduce student’s anxiety because we can use games, video, power point to make our lesson more fun and enjoyable. On the other hand, I agree to prepare those thing, we need big budget. But let’s think about the future of it, we can use it for the next, next, next generation. We don’t want our students become lack of technology, right?