October 2015 Edition
Fulbright ETA Monthly Highlights AMINEF proudly presents the Fulbright English Teaching Assistants’ October monthly highlights. Each month we showcase various activities in which the ETAs are involved, both in and outside the classroom. As you may know AMINEF oversees 34 ETAs who are placed in high schools all over Indonesia.
Magelang, Central Java
Magelang, Central Java
The students from MAN Magelang Grade 11 spent the afternoon sharing about traditional Indonesian musical instruments with ETA Safiyah Ismail. They sang traditional school songs, including the school anthem.
This photo is of children participating in the Independence Day celebration in Magelang. The celebration took place on August 29th in Magelang’s city center and was attended by ETA Savannah Trifiro and other people from her school. This photo was taken as the floats were lining up for the parade.
26 August 2015 Music Hour with Miss Safiyah
29 August 2015 Independence Day in Magelang
Magelang, Central Java 26 August 2015 Hajj Preparations
Magelang, Central Java
1 September 2015 Learning How to Make Batik
ETA Savannah Trifiro celebrating with a woman who is preparing to make a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca. This took place at her house in Mungkid, Central Java. She attended with several other teachers from her school, SMKN 3 Magelang. The photo was taken right before enjoying the food on the table and praying. www.aminef.or.id
This photo is of students at SMKN 3 Magelang teaching ETA Savannah Trifiro how to design Batik in September. This was during the students’ design class. Before this photo was taken, the students showed her the correct way to trace her design onto a white fabric.
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Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung Island
Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung Island
On September 17th, Pangkal Pinang celebrated its 258th anniversary. Nganggung, as it is called, is a huge feast and celebration in the city center filled with songs, traditional music, and lots of food. Here Caitlin Jordan (center), poses with some of her fellow teachers and staff from SMKN 2 Pangkal Pinang.
Kelly Fitzgerald, a Fulbright ETA, is seated with fellow teachers at SMA Negeri 3 Pangkal Pinang, prior to beginning festivities on the morning of Ngangung, a holiday celebrating the birthday of Pangkal Pinang. Fitzgerald and her fellow teachers are seated in the hallways of the school and were joined by the entire student body (not pictured).
17 September 2015 Anniversary Celebration (Nganggung)
Here Ms. Jordan is seen posing with student representatives from SMKN 5 Pangkal Pinang, who asked to take a picture with her. She is wearing a traditional Melayu kebaya and wedding skirt from Palembang and holding a traditional piece of basket weaving from Bangka (that is used for these occasions to cover the food that would soon be enjoyed). There was prayer for the city, its people and Indonesia, followed by a chaotic, noisy but wonderful lunch feast. This picture was taken as the celebration was coming to a close. Here, Ms. Jordan is posed in an adorable style with two of the best friends she has made so far in Indonesia, Ms. Erka (on the left) and Ms. Siska – called Mango by Ms. Jordan – on the right, as well as Pak Ade, who is a sports teacher at SMKN 2 Pangkal Pinang. www.aminef.or.id
17 September 2015 ETA celebrates Nganggung with SMA Negeri 3
Fitzgerald and her co-teacher, Ibu Isnaini, join other teachers in singing and playing rodat, a handheld drum that is an integral part of traditional music in Bangka-Belitung. Many songs were played before eating a celebratory meal together at school. Fitzgerald and Ibu Isnaini, English co-teachers, are seated with students of SMAN 3 Pangkal Pinang. These students were representatives of SMAN 3 at a city-wide celebration of Ngangung in the city center. Following this photograph, each school sang a song, which was followed by another celebratory meal.
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Magelang, Central Java
Magelang, Central Java
The English Community students of MAN Magelang gathered for the first English Club event of the year with ETA Safiyah Ismail. A discussion was held about school systems in America. Students from grades 10 and 11 asked questions about the unique diversity of American students and the typical structure of daily life as an American high school student. Students also wanted to hear more about how Muslim students are able to balance performing prayers throughout the day with a school schedule that doesn’t cater to a Muslim population. Following these questions, ETA Safiyah Ismail discussed typical after school activities that American high schoolers are involved with: including American football, baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball, student council, and National Honor Society. She also discussed her own personal experiences competing on her high school’s Cross Country Team in 5k and 10k races while fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
The boarding students at MAN Magelang and ETA Safiyah Ismail marched through the surrounding villages the night before Idul Adha to make Takbiran and spread Idul Adha cheer to the surrounding community.
17 September 2015 English Community
23 September 2015 Idul Adha Takbiran
Magelang, Central Java
23 September 2015 Dzulhijjah 1436 H, Iftar with Students on Yawm al-Arafat.
The boarding students at MAN Magelang and ETA Safiyah Ismail gathered to break their fast together for Yawm Al-Arafat in preparation for the following day’s celebration of Idul Adha. www.aminef.or.id
Medan, North Sumatera
23 September 2015 Idul Adha at SMA Unggulan CT Foundation (CTF) Christopher Linnan, an ETA at SMA Unggulan CT Foundation (CTF) in Medan, with his students at Idul Adha on September 24. In this photo Mr. Christopher’s students are teaching him how to cut meat as well as the significance of Idul Adha for Muslims in Medan and around the world, which honors the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son. After they finished cutting the meat, teachers at SMA CTF cooked it and everybody ate together. The rest was distributed to students, teachers, and the poor.
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Magelang, Central Java
24 September 2015 Idul Adha Lamb Slaughtering The boarding students, teachers, administration, and ETA Safiyah Ismail gathered on Idul-Adha to celebrate and commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to follow God’s command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. ETA Safiyah Ismail purchased a lamb to be slaughtered and contributed alongside the lambs purchased by the school. The meat from her lamb was then donated to the boarding students, teachers, and villagers in the surrounding community.
Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta
24 September 2015 Idul Adha at SMK Negeri 6 Yogyakarta
Like many schools in Indonesia, SMK Negeri 6 Yogyakarta had a school celebration for Idul Adha, which ETA Kendra Reiser was lucky enough to join. Idul Adha is the Feast of the Sacrifice and it honors the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son at God’s command, demonstrating his complete trust in God. As Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, God spared his son and Abraham sacrificed a ram instead. On Idul Adha, animals are sacrificed in remembrance of this story of Abraham and his son. The students and faculty of SMKN 6 had no school on Wednesday or Thursday, which is when Idul Adha is officially observed, so that they could celebrate with their families. However, everyone came to school on Saturday ready for round two of the party. www.aminef.or.id
What perhaps makes the school celebration at SMKN 6 particularly istimewa (special) is the school-wide culinary competition. Students cook in teams all morning after the sacrifice of the cows and sheep has concluded and the animals have been broken down. Though Kendra would have loved to be on one of these teams, her cooking skills, or lack thereof, would have ruined the day for whoever was paired with her. Instead, she was asked to judge. She did not need to be asked twice and she essentially ran to the room where the judging would take place. Students brought their food in in their groups and explained their dishes to the judges. When the students realized that they would also have to explain their dishes in English, they worked together to communicate their desired message. With each dish came a story of why the students had selected that course, how they had manipulated the dish from its original recipe, and the reasons behind their creative decisions. One team decided to take the traditional dish of Sumatra, rendang, and make it into a pizza topping and quiche filling; the results were incredible. Another group of students emptied and carved a watermelon as their bowl for their fruit salad. When explaining their food in English, the students did not shy away or giggle as they sometimes had in the past. They had immense pride in their work and were determined to communicate the meaning and intention behind their culinary presentation. Students traded off explaining, when one student would say “apayah?” (what is it?), another student would pick up and elaborate. In the end, Kendra learned about food from all over Indonesia. She learned about the traditional dishes but also how they could be manipulated into the modern masterpieces of SMKN 6 Yogyakarta.
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Magelang, Central Java
Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung Island
This photo was taken at Astana Giribangun, a cemetery located in Central Java for the former president Suharto family. ETA Savannah Trifiro went to Astana Giribangun and Tawanmangu in September with teachers from SMKN 3 Magelang. The trip allowed for a larger group of them to spend time together outside of the classroom/our school.
On 5 October, Ms. Jordan and her site mate Ms. Fitzgerald, took part in their first Indonesian wedding – that of two members of the SMKN 2 Pangkal Pinang teacher and staff family. They bought matching (but different colored) kebaya for the occasion and had make-up done for them by Ms. Siska. Seen behind them in this photo are the crowds of people that had gathered to wish the new couple well.
25 September 2015 Idul Adha Before and After
4 October 2015 First Indonesian Wedding
Education is a slow moving
but
powerful force
Ms. Jordan was asked to join Ms. Siska (in pink) and Pak Sukarman (center with the mic), also from SMKN 2 Pangkalpinang, in singing a song and dancing for the new couple. Though too shy to sing, Ms. Jordan did try her best to dance, even helping a little girl to dance with her as well. At the next wedding, she plans to try her hand at singing!
- J. William Fulbright
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Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung Island 5 October 2015 ETA participates in Drama Kolosal
Wedding parties in Bangka have a bit less pomp and circumstance than other parts of Indonesia. People are not required to stay for the entire party but can come and go as they please, at the beginning and the end however, you must greet the bride and groom and their families. This group photo was taken as the group was leaving (to go to another wedding party in fact!). Here Ms. Jordan, Ms. Fitzgerald, and other teachers from SMKN 2 Pangkalpinang surround the bride, Bu Nisa, and the groom, Pak Despri.
Medan, North Sumatera
5 October 2015 Dinas Pendidikan visits SMKN Binaan On Monday, October 5, ETA Izaak Earnhardt‘s host school SMKN Binaan played host to a program from Dinas Pendidikan, Indonesia Youth Icon. The program is meant to emphasize the Indonesian state philosophy, Pancasila. He was lucky enough to watch from the booth with the hosts as students participated in highly choreographed exercises to showcase their patriotism. He was really excited to see that some of my students were selected as school finalists for their achievements and high character.
Kelly Fitzgerald, a Fulbright ETA at S M A Negeri 3 Pangkal Pinang, p o s e s with students in class 12 at her school. Fitzgerald and the students were actors in Drama Kolosal, a large-scale play that reenacted military history in modern Indonesia. The students are soldiers in the Dutch army and Fitzgerald was cast as a General in the Dutch army. Fitzgerald and fellow officials in the Dutch military, also actors in Drama Kolosal. In this photo, the actors are seated in a military Jeep prior to entering the show. Seated behind Fitzgerald is Ibu Kunlistiani, headmistress of SMAN 3 Pangkal Pinang.
Pangkal Pinang, 6 October 2015 -- Fitzgerald’s participation in Drama Kolosal made headlines in local publications Bangka Pos and Mambo Square the following day. www.aminef.or.id
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October 2015 Edition Fulbright ETA Monthly Highlights Wonosari, Central Java
7 October 2015 English Club at MAN Wonosari The first week that MAN Wonosari’s English Club met, the 14 students in the group discussed their goals for the organization. On the top of their list was learning about storytelling, speaking English without fear, and public speaking. In order to hone these skills ETA Bryan Thomas decided to host a collection of activities that would allow them to discuss and study storytelling in English. To start, they are watching the Disney movie Mulan in English with English subtitles. They watch the film in 20-30 minute increments and for each installment he generates a vocabulary list defining key terms and concepts. The attached picture is from their first viewing session. Before watching the film, they did a pre-viewing activity where they looked over the vocabulary and at the pictures on the cover of the DVD and discussed what the film might be about based on this information. After watching the segment, they walked through the characters, setting, the simple story, and the basic themes already present in the film. Once they finish discussing and re-telling Mulan, a scripted story, they will move onto a silent, short film. The members will then generate their own stories and create basic dialogue based on what they see. After that, they will move onto telling a story as a group using Story Dice as prompts. Finally, they will break into smaller groups and begin creating stories with only a single image as a prompt
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Martapura, South Sumatera 7 October 2015 A Day at SM Martapura
ETA Patrick Dougherty with one of his 11th grade classes on 7 October. During class they played Bingo to learn the past tense versions of many commonly-used irregular verbs. The kids enjoyed playing this game, which was new to all of them. After class, they took a photo because his co-teacher, Awaluddin, and himself had previously planned to wear clothes that resembled the students’ uniforms for Wednesday. The students appreciated this show of solidarity.
Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta
8 October 2015 Rock Climbing with Teladan Hiking Association: A recreational outlet for adventure. After a week of intensive mid-semester exams, the students of SMAN 1 Teladan, Yogyakarta unwound with a recreational trip to the local rock climbing wall. English Teaching Assistant Julia Xia teamed up with SMAN 1 student alumni to organize a rock climbing trip for that students grade 10 through 12. All students were belayed by either Julia or other belay certified alumni, and students were able to safely experiment with a new sport.
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Medan, North Sumatera
Bandar Lampung, Lampung
Every three months, the students at SMKN Binaan have an exposition event to show off their talents and some of the work that the different majors at the school do. ETA Izaak Earnhardt attended one of these expositions on Saturday, October 10.
On Sunday Oct. 11, Ramon Caleon participated as a judge in a speech and storytelling competition for the Language Learning Club (LLC). LLC is a community of individuals (mostly university students) who are interested in learning foreign languages, such as English, Japanese, French, and Korean. Even though it is only in its second year, LLC already boasts 30 members from 6 different universities across the city.
10 October 2015 SMKN Binaan Talent Expo
11 October 2015 Language Learning Club
A combination of a science fair, a cultural performance, and a school dance, the event was a fantastic chance to engage with students from the school that he doesn’t usually work with as well as to learn about local Batak culture and see some of the students’ musical talents.
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The club meets every Sunday, but this Sunday was particularly special, since it organized its first competition for its members. This competition was held in Universitas Lampung, and consisted of both a speech and a storytelling component. The speeches revolved around the themes of the environment, education, and politics, with topics including rubber trees, students’ morality and taxation. Contestants’ stories were just as varied, ranging from romantic love to a fable about a fox and goat. Ramon was quite content in hearing the opinions and anecdotes regarding a variety of topics from Indonesians in his age group. Contestants were judged based on their confidence, pronunciation, body language, and matter of speech. Each judge also offered constructive criticism to each of the contestants. Finally, the competition concluded with a theater production and a group discussion. Ramon was able to give advice about how to improve members’ confidence in speaking with native speakers and suggest some ways for them to practice their English. Overall, it was a successful day of cultural exchange for all.
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October 2015 Edition Fulbright ETA Monthly Highlights Bandar Lampung, Lampung 12 October 2015 New Classes, but Still Learning
On Monday, Oct. 12, since his usual co-teacher needed to evaluate the performance of an education student interning at his school, Ramon was able to co-teach in English classes with other English teachers. This was a good way for him to interact with other 10th grade classes apart from his usual students. In a class co-taught with Ibu Effi Hindrianti, Ramon introduced the topic of giving instructions by playing Simon Says with the class and then doing a competitive group activity wherein each group had to make a set of instructions and other groups had to guess the purpose of those instructions. Ramon also co-taught with Ibu Anita Yuliastanti, introducing the topic of narrative texts. In the class, he introduced a storytelling competition in which each group member would add one sentence to try to complete an assigned Indonesian folk tales (e.g. Malin Kundang, Sangkuriang). It was a great day to be a guest teacher in other classes.
9 speaking it. Recently, several of Mr. Christopher’s students entered a regional English language speech competition and one them, Efdal, was selected to advance to the finals, which will be held in Padang during the week of October 19. Efdal will compete against other students from all over Sumatra and will give a speech about human rights and the death penalty.”
Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung Island weekly ETAs host Bukit Tani neighborhood English Club
Medan, North Sumatera
Kelly Fitzgerald and Caitlin Jordan, Fulbright ETAs and housemates in Pangkal Pinang, began an English Club for young neighborhood children in an effort to initiate communication and cultural exchange outside of school. In this photo, Caitlin Jordan, a Fulbright ETA at SMK 2 Pangkal Pinang, poses in front of a sign announcing the time of Bukit Tani English Club. English Club is held weekly and is open to all neighborhood children ages 3-15.
“English Club is held three times a week at SMA CTF, and is usually led by an English co-teacher and ETA Christopher Linnan. The students practice public speaking, story-telling, and play games together to practice their English. Sometimes they compose speeches about current events and sometimes they play Scrabble together. The main purpose of English Club is to improve the students’ English language ability and their confidence in
Neighborhood children at the first meeting of Bukit Tani English Club. In this photo, the children are locating Bangka island and observing the distance between Indonesia and the United States of America. Fitzgerald and Jordan bought supplies for Bukit Tani neighborhood children to decorate notebooks for use in English Club. Nearly 50 children have created English notebooks and use them to write new vocabulary both in English club and on their own.
Weekly SMA Unggulan CT Foundation (CTF) English Club
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Bukit Tani English Club in action. In this photo, children are creating their English notebooks and writing their first entry about classroom supplies. Fitzgerald and Jordan have taught topics ranging from numbers to colors to body parts.
Medan, North Sumatera
Weekly SMKN Binaan English Debate Club
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English Club meets twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:00 PM. A mixed-level space, English Club has so far focused on developing vocabulary and word association through games like Apples to Apples, Scrabble, Boggle, and various spelling games. In coming weeks they will be beginning work on poems focusing on students’ personal histories as well as a project to make online resources to teach basics of some of the local Batak languages (Karo, Toba, Mandailing) to speakers of English.
English Debate Club is getting off the ground. Students spent three weeks researching and writing a collaborative essay in English on the topic of controlling children’s access to social media under the guidance of ETA Izaak Earnhardt. On October 15, three students, Anjali Latersia, Rully Sianipar, and Taro Mendrofa presented a speech and PowerPoint presentation on the topic at the regional competition. In coming weeks, they will be shifting working in smaller two-a-side debates to develop fluency as well as rhetoric, logic, and argumentation skills.
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