Serving up plenty of local culture to students<\/p>\n
By Maria Kegel<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Grade Five pupils from Bandung International
\nSchool learned a lot from their recent Outreach Trip to Kampung
\nNaga.<\/p>\n
Academic study, challenging group activities and the
\nopportunity to enhance intercultural understanding were high on
\nthe agenda. But the pupils also gained new perspectives on their
\nown culture.<\/p>\n
After three days immersed in a natural setting without any
\nelectricity, they asked their host, the head of the village, a
\nbefitting question: Why did the village not have any western
\namenities?<\/p>\n
The answer was honest. The people in the village believe that
\nthose amenities bring benefits, but they do not necessarily bring
\nharmony, the village chief replied.<\/p>\n
The profound statement made such an impact on the children,
\nthat they were inspired to bring the chief's words back to the
\nschool, manifesting them in a two-hour musical play around that
\ntheme.<\/p>\n
"They enjoyed the trip very much," head of school Angus Ogilvy
\nsaid, adding that field trips were an integral part of study
\nthroughout the school's many programs.<\/p>\n
Kampung Naga, which is between Garut and Tasik Malaga, is well
\nknown here for its preserved architecture and customs.<\/p>\n
The trip was part of the Outreach program for Grade Four to
\nGrade 12 students, which sends them out for extended periods into
\nthe environment.<\/p>\n
Outreach is just one segment of the Hands Across the
\nArchipelago (HATA) program, which is "all the ways the school
\ninteracts with Indonesia and its culture".<\/p>\n
"The main thrust (of HATA) is that it is a learning program
\nfor the students," Ogilvy said, adding that it was not regarded
\nas a charity for the community services it also does, as its
\nactivities "help people to help themselves".<\/p>\n
Culture is featured extensively in the curriculum at the
\nBandung International School, and there are weekly classes in
\nIndonesian culture for all students.<\/p>\n
Top resource<\/p>\n
Ogilvy said Indonesia was used as the number one resource in
\nday-to-day activities, and experts from all over the country were
\ninvited to the school to make presentations and involve students
\nin discussions of issues in culture and current affairs.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia and its culture is not something that is once a
\nweek, it's spread throughout all the classes and used as often as
\npossible," Ogilvy said.<\/p>\n
Strong art and music programs involve Indonesian connections,
\nas well as doing activities in conjunction with Indonesian
\nartists, he said.<\/p>\n
"Our music teacher is an expert in the gamelan, and the music
\nof that instrument and other local music is featured extensively,
\nespecially in the elementary years as it works well as hands-on
\nmusic for children to learn," he noted.<\/p>\n
In art, middle and high school students from Grades Six
\nthrough 12, have done performing arts in conjunction with
\nIndonesian artists, including musicians, dancers and visual
\nartists, Ogilvy said.<\/p>\n
He explained that the culture course was paired with the
\nlanguage, as "you can't separate the two".<\/p>\n
"But we encourage all of our teachers to have Indonesia and
\nits culture in the curriculum," he said, adding that the
\nIndonesian assistants that work there were an "excellent source
\nof reference".<\/p>\n
Finding the right teacher is crucial according to Ogilvy, and
\nhe said apart from outstanding English skills, the most important
\nattribute he looks for was the ability to inspire children
\nthrough the study of Indonesia and its culture.<\/p>\n
There is a very strong environmental club that meets after
\nschool, and its main thrust is educating students on the
\nenvironment of this country, he said.<\/p>\n
"They go on regular outings to places around Bandung to look
\nat things from an environmental perspective," he said.<\/p>\n
Puppet-making<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, after schools at the Deutsche Schule Bandung, a
\nGerman school, a unique extracurricular project called Jendela
\nIde (window of ideas), involves students and children from
\ndifferent backgrounds outside the school in various workshops of
\npottery, theater, painting and shadow puppet-making.<\/p>\n
There are also cultural discussions, performances, open houses
\nand "cultural encounters" where groups are invited, such as the
\nChinese barongsai, traditional performers of a Cirebon topeng
\n(mask) dance, who also held a workshop, and the wayang (shadow
\npuppet) theater from Rapi.<\/p>\n
"There's a real cultural exchange going on here on our
\ngrounds," Angela Tanudjaja, the principal, said.<\/p>\n
The most popular feature is the wayang workshop, where
\nchildren make shadow puppets from cardboard and also paint
\nbackdrops that are projected on a screen to aid in telling the
\nstories that they narrate themselves.<\/p>\n
"The students are really enjoying it (the activities) very
\nmuch, and the number of people attending the project is growing.
\nIt's been a big success," Angela said. At the moment, about 60
\nchildren are participating.<\/p>\n
She said they were very lucky to have gotten excellent
\nteachers; two from the University Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), and
\nMarintan Sirait, a teacher from the art department of the Bandung
\nInstitute of Technology (ITB), adding that it was not difficult
\nto find qualified people through the educational institutions.<\/p>\n
Angela said Indonesian culture was also included in the
\nlanguage classes from kindergarten to Grade 10.<\/p>\n
The Bogor Expatriate School has a separate culture class that
\nruns along with the required language course from preschool to
\nGrade Six.<\/p>\n
Tari Sumitro, the librarian and Indonesian teachers'
\ncoordinator at the school, said there were two culture classes:
\nCulture Arts, which is once a week, and Indonesian Arts, which is
\nonce a month and also features cultural aspects.<\/p>\n
Initiative<\/p>\n
It was the school's own initiative to include the subjects,
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
"It's (the subject) not a must, but the children are aware
\nthey need to learn about the country."<\/p>\n
She said from the enthusiasm the students showed, they really
\nenjoyed the topics they studied in the cultural classes.<\/p>\n
Tari said the students enjoyed lots of activities related to
\nthe topic and they especially enjoyed Indonesian clothing,
\nwanting to recreate the items, and making the different ornaments
\nfrom the regions.<\/p>\n
Tari also invites a woman to the class to model the
\ntraditional costumes of the Sundanese, Javanese and Sumatrans for
\nthe children.<\/p>\n
"I'm really proud of the students. We talk about the country
\nand all its provinces, the dancing, clothing and exhibition
\narts," she said.<\/p>\n
At the end of the year, an Indonesian concert is performed at
\nthe school, and there is drama and dance, Tari said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian culture is also passed to students at other
\ninternational schools.<\/p>\n
Principal Ian Boxall from the Australian International School
\nin Bali said apart from learning the language, "there were some
\naspects of Indonesian culture in the social studies course".<\/p>\n
Russell Keogh, who is the head of the Australian International
\nSchool in Jakarta, said in the early years of the language
\ncourse, which is compulsory from kindergarten to Year 10,
\nlearning about the culture was featured.<\/p>\n
Art is also compulsory for the same years, and Keogh said a
\nlarge Garuda was on display in the art room.<\/p>\n
Although the art program uses some cultural aspects, it is not
\nthe focus, but they do draw from this environment, he said.<\/p>\n
"Music is available from kindergarten to Year Six, and the
\nmusic teacher is Indonesian and he teaches traditional songs," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Native<\/p>\n
Keogh said the music teacher taught all forms of music, and
\nbecause he was Indonesian he also taught some simple native
\nsongs.<\/p>\n
Last year the Indonesian language teachers put on a dance and
\ncultural exhibition at the school, with a performance in
\ntraditional costumes and a display of food and jewelry.<\/p>\n
"The school also has a complete gamelan set purchased by the
\nPTA a year ago, and some Indonesian nonteaching staff are using
\nit after schools, and in time we're hoping to have them teach the
\nstudents," Keogh said.<\/p>\n
The school has a mix of Indonesian and expatriate teachers,
\nand Keogh said it was relatively easy to find people, but that
\nthey needed to be fully trained with teacher's qualifications.<\/p>\n
"They have to enjoy teaching students and be understanding."<\/p>\n
At Jakarta International School (JIS) in South Jakarta, deputy
\nhead of school Jean Vahey said the school went beyond the
\ngovernment requirement of having Indonesian Studies, an
\nintroduction to geography, culture and language, taught in the
\nfourth grade, by beginning the program in Grade Three with
\nIndonesian teachers.<\/p>\n
"The cultural instruction begins in the early prep (age three
\nto four year olds) curriculum," Vahey said.<\/p>\n
She said the priority of the curriculum was to help the
\nstudents develop skills necessary for effective communication and
\nculture.<\/p>\n
Current affairs<\/p>\n
In Indonesian Studies, students learn about the geography of
\nthe five main islands in Indonesia, its location, climate, flora
\nand fauna, natural resources, places of interest, the
\ncharacteristics of the people, including population, language,
\nlifestyles, ethnic history, celebrations of birth, marriage and
\ndeath, religions, food, as well as the current affairs of each
\nisland.<\/p>\n
"The diversity of ethnic groups in Indonesia is discussed in a
\nperspective of language and cultural awareness," she said.<\/p>\n
Apart from the course, Indonesian culture is integrated into
\nthe regular program, with students studying the gamelan in the
\nmusic program, the sports of Indonesia in physical education
\nclasses and making batik items in the art classes, she said,
\nadding that there was a deliberate focus on Indonesian dance in
\nthe upper level dance program.<\/p>\n
"Field trips in elementary school to such areas as Taman Mini,
\nBandung and Cirebon allow our students to learn and experience
\nthe richness of the Indonesian culture," she said.<\/p>\n
A five-day celebration of Indonesia's diverse culture, called
\nIndonesian Week, is featured in elementary school, while students
\nfrom Grades Six through Nine spend a week in an extended study
\nprogram learning about their host nation's culture.<\/p>\n
She added that the social studies program there integrated the
\nstudy of culture into each of its grade level curriculums.<\/p>\n
Vahey said the Indonesian Studies teachers were highly
\neducated and enthusiastic about teaching the culture and language
\nto expatriate students, and many expatriate teachers also had a
\nspecial interest in Indonesian culture and shared their knowledge
\nwith colleagues and students.<\/p>\n
Artists<\/p>\n
"We use national teacher aides as resources, too, and we also
\ninvite parents, guest speakers, craft persons and artists, who
\nare experts in their field, to come to JIS and give presentations
\nand workshops for our students," she said.<\/p>\n
The weavers of Sumba frequently visit JIS, as do the artisans
\nof Cirebon, she added.<\/p>\n
Certain cultural activities, such as dancing and wayang orang
\nare offered as after-school activities, she said.<\/p>\n
"The school supports faculty initiated fellowship projects
\nthat continue to support a celebration of Indonesian culture by
\ninviting local artists to spend sustained periods of time with
\nour students and faculty in the study of dance, games, drama and
\nmusic," Vahey said.<\/p>\n
She said the students enjoyed the lively activities, such as
\ndancing the traditional dance, outdoor adventures, Indonesian
\ngames and plays, cooking and dining, mask making and painting,
\nweaving, playing musical instruments, creating models of housing
\nfrom different ethnic groups in Indonesia, making batik, ecology
\nof the rice field, digging the excavation archeological sites of
\nthe Majapahit Kingdom, a Balinese type of painting called
\npengosekan and puppet performances of wayang kulit (leather
\npuppets) and wayang golek (wooden puppets).<\/p>\n
"Since Indonesia's culture is so rich and varied, each school
\nyear in our elementary school we focus on a different aspect of
\nIndonesian culture or on a different region of Indonesia," Vahey
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"Our students are involved in many projects that help children
\nin orphanages and street children. They support several
\norphanages and three houses that provide homes for over forty
\nstreet children," she said.<\/p>\n
Vahey said exchanges with various Indonesian schools allowed
\ntheir students to interact with Indonesian students and teachers.<\/p>",
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