WHY MUST WE LOVE OUR PARENTS ?

Parents are the closest and most important people in our lives. Because of them we were born and live in this world. The very important role of parents make all religions command their followers to love and respect them. Moreover, it was stated that we wouldn’t be loved by God if we do not love our parents. So, in this case, parents’ position is very crucial and irreplaceable. Apart of that, there are so many logical reasons why we must love our parents. But according to me, the three main reasons are because of their love to us, their sacrifice and their condition that getting weaker.

As stated above, our parents’ love for us that “unlimited” is the first reason why we must love our parents. They love us very much, totally, but never expect anything from us. There is nothing we can give for them to repay what they have given to us except our greatest love for them. Indeed, it cannot be equated, but minimally we have a little thing to give…, to repay their love…, their greatest love... that encourages them to give us the best in everything..., that give them patience in facing all our naughtiness..., that give them strength to take care of us from infancy to adulthood..., and so on.   So, after so much love they have given to us, is there any reason not to love them?.

Another reason why we must love our parents is their sacrifice for us. For me, the parents’ sacrifice is the kindness that could never be counted or compare with anything. They have sacrificed everything for us, the time, materials, energy and so many more. When I was child up to teenager, it was difficult for me to feel their sacrifices. But now, when I have my first son, that’s really touch my heart. Even, sometimes I shed a tear when I experienced something (associated with sacrifice) that is certainly also experienced by my parents when they brought me up. So, did you ever imagine about that?, Is there any reason not to love them after so much things they have sacrificed for us?.

For the next reason why we must love our parents is because of the parents’ condition. We must love our parents because now they are getting weaker. it is just like what we need and should be loved when we were a baby. Their weaknesses make them cannot do many things and often need us to help.  When they are getting old, they were sensitive and always wants to be noticed. So, always give them more attention because our attention is very precious for them and also it is as evidence of our love to them.

The above reasons shows us that we must love our parents as an expression of gratitude after everything they has given to us. In the rest of their life, there is nothing they want from us except our love for them. So, always make them happy and do not ever disappoint them at all if you do not want disappointed by your child at a later life.

Thanks..

WHY DESCRIBE STUDENTS INTELLIGENCES IS VERY IMPORTANT BEFORE APPLYING A TEACHING STRATEGY

Students intelligences and teaching strategy are two different thing that related each other.  Both of them can affect students in mastering a lesson. In this case, student intelligences are  internal factor and  teaching strategy is external factor. We know that every student have all eight intelligences, but just different in the strengths. So, describing students intelligences is very important before implement teaching strategy. Some reasons why describing students intelligences is important before apply such teaching strategy are to meet each students needs,  to provide interesting teaching method, and also to develop certain intelligences to a fairly high level of competence.

By knowing students intelligences description, we know their strenghts and weaknesses. So, we can support them both behaviorally and academically to meet their needs. By developing lessons that draw on a variety of different intelligences, we can hope to meet the needs of many more students than through one method only. Think of this: If you were asked to do a task that was interesting and that you had confidence, of course could complete it successfully. But now, think of being asked to do a task that you had little hope of completing. Would you finish it with the same enthusiasm? Would you be able to do with the task without distraction? Most people will answer these questions, “probably not.” Think about how many students are faced with the second scenario on a daily life. It must be very frustrating and is likely the cause of many behavior problems we see in the schools.

Just like in the second paragraph, by knowing students intelligences description, we know their like and dislike. So, An interesting teaching strategy can be provided based on their anxiety. For example: on language teaching (English), we can use Story Telling for students with great linguistic intelligence, Science Thinking for students with strong logical mathematic intelligence, Visualization for students with optimal spatial intelligence, etc. All of those strategies will likely spark greater interest, keep them focused on the given task , and also make them feel comfortable in learning material and finally, they will have a great motivation to learn on every next sessions.

By describe students intelligences, we know the strong intelligence of each students to practice and also their weaker intelligence to develop. Further, It can change the teachers and students think about learning something. A simple test which shows which intelligences students are strong in can really give them a new perspective. It can get them to change their attitudes towards their own intelligence and learning and raise their self-esteem. For example: if students know that he is strong in Naturalistic intelligence but doesn’t excel in Logical-mathematic intelligence he can get a whole new perspective on his abilities and change his view about learning. I believe it is very important for teachers to focus on students’ strengths and students intelligences’ description can help with that.

All of the reasons above show that describe students intelligences before apply such teaching strategy is very important to consider. It is also make us more creative to design various teaching method and increase students’ interest in their studies. That way also give a chance for everyone to shine and feel comfortable in the classroom. Finally, The teaching and learning process become more like the real world and gives students the opportunity to develop their special abilities which is very usefull in their later life.

SHOULD ENGLISH REMOVED FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM ?

Lately, there is a sparring whether English still needs to be given at the elementary schools or removed for some consideration. The sparring comes after the government raised the opinion to remove English from elementary school curriculum. The government’s reason to remove English from elementary school curriculum is to make students more focus in learning national and local languages as the basis of national culture. According to them, giving English at elementary school just will add burden for the students. But according to me, that way just like an “escapement” that would never solve the problem, and I really disagree with that. At least, there are three reasons behind my disagreement. First, it is because childhood is a golden period to learn English. Second, the failure of English language teaching on elementary school (so that incarnated as a burden) is not because of its subject that too difficult, but the wrong method/technique on delivering the materials. And the last, if that policy is applied, there will be many teachers lose their job.

Eric H. Lennenberg, a neurologists, stated that before puberty, the power of thought (brain) of child is more flexible. Hence, it is easier to learn a language. While thereafter will increasingly less and its achievements was not optimal. So does Dr. Bambang Kaswanti Purwo, chairman of the English Applied Linguistics Program, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta, write on his book “Pangajaran Bahasa Inggris di SD dan SMTP”, said that the age of 6-12, is a golden period or the most ideal to learn a language other than the mother language (first language). The reason is a child's brain is still plastis and flexible, so the language absorption process is smoother and easier. Besides, the language absorption power on child functioned automatically. So, if government remove English from elementary school, it means that they “rob” our children’s opportunity to learn English easily. While we know, as a developing country communities, however we need to prepare our young generation with a good English skill to build cooperation with other countries so that our country can be developed and equal with them.

The government policy to remove English from elementary school under the pretext of reducing student’s burden and prioritize Indonesian and local languages ​​are also I think less appropriate. I agree that we have to give more portion for Bahasa Indonesia and other local languages than English, but not remove it at all. Moreover regard it as a burden that should be eliminated. I think it is a very big mistake. How can we regard it as a burden whereas we really need it ?. Like I’ve stated above that the failure of English language teaching on elementary school (so that incarnated as burden) is not because of its subject that too difficult, but the wrong method/technique on delivering the materials. It happened because of inadequate teacher competencies. So, something we have to do is tighten up the selection in recruit English teachers for elementary school and also give them more training on how to teach English for young learners properly.

Removing English from elementary school also will make many teachers lose their job. This policy will be very painful for those teachers. Moreover, to get a job in recent times is very difficult. According to me, it should be avoided because still many options can be taken to resolve this problem. Like I’ve stated above, giving training for the available teacher who had inadequate competencies, and tighten up the selection in recruit English teachers for elementary school are only some of them, and probably still many more options when we strive to think about it. So, why government should choose that bitter option ?.

As conclusion, government’s opinion to remove English from elementary school curriculum, according to me, is not appropriate. But, letting English delivered in the wrong ways also things that cannot be accepted. So, there must be other solutions for that. And I have stated mine. So that no one becomes a victim of that policy, neither students nor the teachers. And one more the most important thing, to the government, please don’t reduce our opportunities to become the next English teachers ^_^ .

Thanks..