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ADVERTORIAL: JIMS
Size: 4 x 25 cm/ FC
JIMS offers high-quality education with excellent facilities
Selecting an international school that provides a high level
of academic achievement, excellent sports facilities and
beautiful surroundings, all at an affordable price can be
extremely difficult, and would probably involve compromise.
One Jakarta school however provides all of the above. The
Jakarta International Montessori School (JIMS), is a family like
school located at the International Sports Centre of Indonesia
(ISCI) on Jl. Ciputat Raya, South Jakarta.
Surrounded by trees and overlooking a lake, it is very easy to
forget that you are still in Jakarta. The natural beauty,
tranquility, and serene atmosphere remind one of a holiday
resort.
However, JIMS offers much more than simply a picturesque
setting. The school exists out a desire to provide quality
education, that assists children in making the most of
themselves, by enhancing their self-esteem, self-confidence and
independence.
The school's mission, according to Sherisada Manaf-Richardson,
chairperson of the Montessori Association of Indonesia, and the
founder and director of the school, is based on a strong belief
and respect for the natural ability and intrinsic motivation of
children. The aim is to expand to the limit children's natural
capacity and desire to learn.
"We do this by putting special emphasis on treating children
as individuals and recognizing their differing needs and talents.
Thereby facilitating the development of the whole person, body,
mind, and spirit,"
The school has under 100 students aged between three and 15
years old, who are divided into four levels: Preschool for three
and four-year-olds, Reception for the four and five-year-olds,
and Primary and Secondary school of the older students.
JIMS is owned by a private foundation and is dedicated to
teaching the world-famous educational principles of Dr Maria
Montessori, in which students are encouraged to take
responsibility for themselves and to become lifelong learners.
The curriculum is based on the British national curriculum,
leading up to the Cambridge international GCSE exams, while
teaching materials are drawn mainly from Britain and Australia.
As well as the core subjects of Mathematics, Science,
English, History, Geography, Computer studies, Art, Religious and
Physical education. The school also teaches French, Japanese and
Indonesian.
JIMS classrooms, including one outdoors, all overlook the lake
and each is uniquely decorated with students own work. Most
students are foreigners of various nationalities, including
British, American, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Australian,
Filipino, Dutch, Serbian and Singaporean. There are also several
Indonesian students.
All JIMS teachers are qualified, and each is assisted by their
Teachers aide. They all adhere to the following three Montessori
principles: Observation, Individual Liberty, and Preparation of
the Environment. Observation means being totally aware of events
and occurrences. Such sensory awareness by the teacher is
comparable to that the true scientist: open-minded, non-
prejudicial, inquiring, humble and patient.
JIMS' teachers' commitment to Individual Liberty permits
mistakes to occur in the classroom. Freedom of choice is for the
child is vital to enable such qualities as self-discipline and
independence to develop.
Individual freedom, however, does not necessarily mean that
the students are totally free to do things that their own will,
as they are also taught to be self-disciplined. Students who make
mistakes are not punished. Instead, they are given room to
explore and are expected to learn from their mistakes.
"We prefer to reason with students rather than punished them,"
says Sherisada.
At JIMS, the child's behavior is seen as being directly
influenced by the surrounding environment. Thus, in order to
manage misbehavior, it is the environment, and not the child that
needs to be controlled. Teachers treat the students not merely as
children, but also as people who need to be treated with respect
and care. This includes, among other things, listening to their
opinions.
At JIMS, having a close relationship with the parents of
children is also seen as important, since the student's life
outside school also has a direct effect on their school
education and behavior.
Compared to the other international schools, JIMS charges low
fees while maintaining a high standard of education. Due to its
scenic lakeside location, it is also the only school in town that
offers sailing as one of its 'on site' extracurricular
activities. Its other extracurricular activities include modern
dancing, arts and crafts, Girl Scouting, and Tae Kwon Do.
Students at JIMS also have regular field trips combining
Indonesian cultural studies with excursions to places like
television stations, post offices, and markets, as well as
orphanages and local kampongs to help them better understand the
real world, and prepare them for their futures.
The school needs to be visited to see the real quality of
education that is provided and feel the impact of this stunning
environment.