The smiling 'Bu' Kasur, educators' inspiration<\/p>\n
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Many adults can still vividly remember the way the late Bu Kasur
\nused to teach them how to sing when they were children on a
\nprogram broadcast by the state owned TVRI.<\/p>\n
Her patience and motherly encouragement never failed to
\nmotivate children from three generations, even the most shy ones,
\nto sing along and clap their hands.<\/p>\n
Bu Kasur, whose given name is Sandiah, died on Oct. 22, 2002
\nfrom a stroke and high blood pressure. She is survived by five
\nchildren and 11 grandchildren.<\/p>\n
She was known as a modest woman, a dedicated educator, a
\nchildren's song composer and a loving mother figure not only to
\nher children and grandchildren but also to thousands of other
\nchildren, who she and her husband, the late Pak Kasur, nurtured
\ntogether.<\/p>\n
In 1946, Bu Kasur married Pak Kasur, whose given name was
\nSuryono. The name "Kasur" was a misnomer that came from "Kak Sur"
\nor Big Brother Sur.<\/p>\n
The couple set up the Mini Setia Balita Kindergarten at their
\nown home on Jl. Cikini V, Central Jakarta in 1968 and now it has
\nfour branches in Jakarta and Tangerang. They also set up the
\nSanggar Taman Putra and Taman Pemuda groups, where noted
\ncomedians Ateng and Iskak, singer Broery Pesolima and President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri once played.<\/p>\n
When Pak Kasur died in 1992, she ran the kindergartens
\nherself.<\/p>\n
Bu Kasur always modestly said that it was Pak Kasur who
\nintroduced her to children and education. Both dedicated their
\nentire lives and works to children.<\/p>\n
Some child educators described the couple as extraordinary
\nfigures, others dubbed them Dwi Tunggal (inseparable duo), whose
\npatience and dedication provided many children with good examples
\nand proper guidance.<\/p>\n
"A good upbringing is important for children aged 4, 5 and 6
\nyears old so they can grow and become civilized people with
\npersonalities and sound moral values. And I think, many children
\nreceived it from both Bu Kasur and Pak Kasur. We are lucky to
\nhave an unparalleled couple, like them," says noted children's
\nsong composer A.T. Mahmud.<\/p>\n
Mahmud remembers Bu Kasur as a kind, sincere and consistent
\nperson with a warm personality when he was still working with
\nTVRI. "Although we never worked together I knew her and her
\nhusband well," he added.<\/p>\n
The work of the couple inspired other child educators like
\nnoted child psychologist Seto Mulyadi, who once worked at the
\ncouple's kindergarten. Seto once said that he personally and
\nprofessionally looked up to Bu Kasur, whom he described as a rare
\nrole model for teachers.<\/p>\n
Children's story book writer Murti Bunanta recalls that apart
\nfrom her dedication, Bu Kasur was also humble, down to earth and
\nalways wanted to learn more about the world of children.<\/p>\n
"Those are the qualities that made her a good example. And
\neven though she was more experienced than I am, she always wanted
\nto learn from others, including younger and less-experienced
\npeople.<\/p>\n
"I noticed her attentively listening to my explanation during
\na seminar. She also attended the launching of one of my books,"
\nMurti says.<\/p>\n
Murti says that she and Bu Kasur share a common but not yet
\nmaterialized goal, which she cannot revealed just yet. "I
\nreceived constructive input from her on how to achieve that and
\nam very grateful for that," she said.<\/p>\n
Most remember her as a smiling teacher.<\/p>\n
Suyadi, whose voice was recorded for Pak Raden a character
\nfrom the Si Unyil puppet show, recalled that Bu Kasur's presence
\nand her smiles could induce happiness to her surroundings.<\/p>\n
"I've never seen her frown, sad or mad and when she taught she
\nnever did it without menggurui (or dictating). Children can
\neasily ingest her simple yet advice-loaded words," he says.<\/p>\n
And though at first Bu Kasur only helped her husband with
\nlyrics, she eventually created dozens of her own songs, including
\nthe well-known Kucingku (My Cat), Bertepuk Tangan (Clapping
\nHands) and Main Sembunyi (Hide and Seek).<\/p>\n
"Her songs are educative yet short, simple and easily
\nremembered by children, so are her children's stories," Suyadi
\nrecalled of the smiling teacher.<\/p>\n
"I remembered back in 1985 when we were invited to Sweden, Bu
\nKasur taught Swedish children a song, which goes like this
\n"tiga ... tiga ... sayang adik kakak" (three, I love my older and
\nyounger brother\/sister) but local children, mostly single
\nchildren, could not understand it and Bu Kasur just smiled and
\nkindly explained that the song was written for Indonesian
\nchildren," Suyadi says, laughing.<\/p>\n
And though she already died, sweet memories of Bu Kasur will
\nlive on with the parents she taught to sing as children, and
\ntheir children's children.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-smiling-bu-kasur-educators-inspiration-1447893297",
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