The smiling 'Bu' Kasur, educators' inspiration
The smiling 'Bu' Kasur, educators' inspiration
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Many adults can still vividly remember the way the late Bu Kasur
used to teach them how to sing when they were children on a
program broadcast by the state owned TVRI.
Her patience and motherly encouragement never failed to
motivate children from three generations, even the most shy ones,
to sing along and clap their hands.
Bu Kasur, whose given name is Sandiah, died on Oct. 22, 2002
from a stroke and high blood pressure. She is survived by five
children and 11 grandchildren.
She was known as a modest woman, a dedicated educator, a
children's song composer and a loving mother figure not only to
her children and grandchildren but also to thousands of other
children, who she and her husband, the late Pak Kasur, nurtured
together.
In 1946, Bu Kasur married Pak Kasur, whose given name was
Suryono. The name "Kasur" was a misnomer that came from "Kak Sur"
or Big Brother Sur.
The couple set up the Mini Setia Balita Kindergarten at their
own home on Jl. Cikini V, Central Jakarta in 1968 and now it has
four branches in Jakarta and Tangerang. They also set up the
Sanggar Taman Putra and Taman Pemuda groups, where noted
comedians Ateng and Iskak, singer Broery Pesolima and President
Megawati Soekarnoputri once played.
When Pak Kasur died in 1992, she ran the kindergartens
herself.
Bu Kasur always modestly said that it was Pak Kasur who
introduced her to children and education. Both dedicated their
entire lives and works to children.
Some child educators described the couple as extraordinary
figures, others dubbed them Dwi Tunggal (inseparable duo), whose
patience and dedication provided many children with good examples
and proper guidance.
"A good upbringing is important for children aged 4, 5 and 6
years old so they can grow and become civilized people with
personalities and sound moral values. And I think, many children
received it from both Bu Kasur and Pak Kasur. We are lucky to
have an unparalleled couple, like them," says noted children's
song composer A.T. Mahmud.
Mahmud remembers Bu Kasur as a kind, sincere and consistent
person with a warm personality when he was still working with
TVRI. "Although we never worked together I knew her and her
husband well," he added.
The work of the couple inspired other child educators like
noted child psychologist Seto Mulyadi, who once worked at the
couple's kindergarten. Seto once said that he personally and
professionally looked up to Bu Kasur, whom he described as a rare
role model for teachers.
Children's story book writer Murti Bunanta recalls that apart
from her dedication, Bu Kasur was also humble, down to earth and
always wanted to learn more about the world of children.
"Those are the qualities that made her a good example. And
even though she was more experienced than I am, she always wanted
to learn from others, including younger and less-experienced
people.
"I noticed her attentively listening to my explanation during
a seminar. She also attended the launching of one of my books,"
Murti says.
Murti says that she and Bu Kasur share a common but not yet
materialized goal, which she cannot revealed just yet. "I
received constructive input from her on how to achieve that and
am very grateful for that," she said.
Most remember her as a smiling teacher.
Suyadi, whose voice was recorded for Pak Raden a character
from the Si Unyil puppet show, recalled that Bu Kasur's presence
and her smiles could induce happiness to her surroundings.
"I've never seen her frown, sad or mad and when she taught she
never did it without menggurui (or dictating). Children can
easily ingest her simple yet advice-loaded words," he says.
And though at first Bu Kasur only helped her husband with
lyrics, she eventually created dozens of her own songs, including
the well-known Kucingku (My Cat), Bertepuk Tangan (Clapping
Hands) and Main Sembunyi (Hide and Seek).
"Her songs are educative yet short, simple and easily
remembered by children, so are her children's stories," Suyadi
recalled of the smiling teacher.
"I remembered back in 1985 when we were invited to Sweden, Bu
Kasur taught Swedish children a song, which goes like this
"tiga ... tiga ... sayang adik kakak" (three, I love my older and
younger brother/sister) but local children, mostly single
children, could not understand it and Bu Kasur just smiled and
kindly explained that the song was written for Indonesian
children," Suyadi says, laughing.
And though she already died, sweet memories of Bu Kasur will
live on with the parents she taught to sing as children, and
their children's children.
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Many adults can still vividly remember the way the late Bu Kasur
used to teach them how to sing when they were children on a
program broadcast by the state owned TVRI.
Her patience and motherly encouragement never failed to
motivate children from three generations, even the most shy ones,
to sing along and clap their hands.
Bu Kasur, whose given name is Sandiah, died on Oct. 22, 2002
from a stroke and high blood pressure. She is survived by five
children and 11 grandchildren.
She was known as a modest woman, a dedicated educator, a
children's song composer and a loving mother figure not only to
her children and grandchildren but also to thousands of other
children, who she and her husband, the late Pak Kasur, nurtured
together.
In 1946, Bu Kasur married Pak Kasur, whose given name was
Suryono. The name "Kasur" was a misnomer that came from "Kak Sur"
or Big Brother Sur.
The couple set up the Mini Setia Balita Kindergarten at their
own home on Jl. Cikini V, Central Jakarta in 1968 and now it has
four branches in Jakarta and Tangerang. They also set up the
Sanggar Taman Putra and Taman Pemuda groups, where noted
comedians Ateng and Iskak, singer Broery Pesolima and President
Megawati Soekarnoputri once played.
When Pak Kasur died in 1992, she ran the kindergartens
herself.
Bu Kasur always modestly said that it was Pak Kasur who
introduced her to children and education. Both dedicated their
entire lives and works to children.
Some child educators described the couple as extraordinary
figures, others dubbed them Dwi Tunggal (inseparable duo), whose
patience and dedication provided many children with good examples
and proper guidance.
"A good upbringing is important for children aged 4, 5 and 6
years old so they can grow and become civilized people with
personalities and sound moral values. And I think, many children
received it from both Bu Kasur and Pak Kasur. We are lucky to
have an unparalleled couple, like them," says noted children's
song composer A.T. Mahmud.
Mahmud remembers Bu Kasur as a kind, sincere and consistent
person with a warm personality when he was still working with
TVRI. "Although we never worked together I knew her and her
husband well," he added.
The work of the couple inspired other child educators like
noted child psychologist Seto Mulyadi, who once worked at the
couple's kindergarten. Seto once said that he personally and
professionally looked up to Bu Kasur, whom he described as a rare
role model for teachers.
Children's story book writer Murti Bunanta recalls that apart
from her dedication, Bu Kasur was also humble, down to earth and
always wanted to learn more about the world of children.
"Those are the qualities that made her a good example. And
even though she was more experienced than I am, she always wanted
to learn from others, including younger and less-experienced
people.
"I noticed her attentively listening to my explanation during
a seminar. She also attended the launching of one of my books,"
Murti says.
Murti says that she and Bu Kasur share a common but not yet
materialized goal, which she cannot revealed just yet. "I
received constructive input from her on how to achieve that and
am very grateful for that," she said.
Most remember her as a smiling teacher.
Suyadi, whose voice was recorded for Pak Raden a character
from the Si Unyil puppet show, recalled that Bu Kasur's presence
and her smiles could induce happiness to her surroundings.
"I've never seen her frown, sad or mad and when she taught she
never did it without menggurui (or dictating). Children can
easily ingest her simple yet advice-loaded words," he says.
And though at first Bu Kasur only helped her husband with
lyrics, she eventually created dozens of her own songs, including
the well-known Kucingku (My Cat), Bertepuk Tangan (Clapping
Hands) and Main Sembunyi (Hide and Seek).
"Her songs are educative yet short, simple and easily
remembered by children, so are her children's stories," Suyadi
recalled of the smiling teacher.
"I remembered back in 1985 when we were invited to Sweden, Bu
Kasur taught Swedish children a song, which goes like this
"tiga ... tiga ... sayang adik kakak" (three, I love my older and
younger brother/sister) but local children, mostly single
children, could not understand it and Bu Kasur just smiled and
kindly explained that the song was written for Indonesian
children," Suyadi says, laughing.
And though she already died, sweet memories of Bu Kasur will
live on with the parents she taught to sing as children, and
their children's children.