Pink will not be beautiful if …

During a self-introduction in a class of a junior high school, the student who was introducing himself in front of the class got a question about color from his classmate. ” What’s your favorite color?” A girl asked. ” White.” He answered. When the classmate continued, ” Why?” He replied: ” Because white is clean. It also feels cool in the sunny day.” For the next turns, most girls in the class answered ” Pink … !” when their classmates asked them about their favorite colors. One of the girls gave the reasons why she liked pink. She said, ” Pink is sweet.  It makes me beautiful.”

Is it  so ? Well, any color will not be interesting if it stands alone. Take for example pink color. Will pink be beautiful if everywhere we see is pink ? Imagine if the street you are walking is pink, the cars which are passing by are pink, the houses along the street are pink, the electric poles are pink, people everywhere are in pink, everything in the world is pink, just pink, no other colors.  Is it beautiful that way ?

Pink will only be beautiful if it is among other colors. We can see it beautiful because we can compare it with other colors. Can we see it beautiful if we can not compare it with other colors ? Or Can we say that pink is beautiful if we compare pink with pink ?

Therefore, we should treat all colors equally because one color will not be favorite color if there is no other colors to compare with. Different colors will harmonically beautify our life. They make our life so colorful and beautiful as well.

For that appreciation, we should say that all colors are our favorite colors when someone asks us what our favorite color is.

Sumaronly

February 24, 2009

I only know a little about Exposition Text.  Is my article above exposition ?

A Story About The Test

It was raining when I left my house for the test. This test was given free for about 20 teachers of our school. I had almost decided not to follow it because of the unfriendly weather. I even had sent two SMS-ies to few friends telling them my possibility not to come to test. But, one of the friends strongly stated that the test was important for all teachers of bilingual classes, especially me, an English teacher. Therefore I rode my motorcycle in the rain. I could not stop to take a shelter because I was already late. A long the way to the institution, I hoped that my jacket was thick enough to let my inside clothes dry.

I got to the English institution after riding around looking for the address. I saw motorcycles were parked in front of it. I recognized some of them as my friends’ . I assured me that I came to the right place. But, when I saw nobody through the door, an uncertainty appeared. Then, I saw somebody in the room. I asked her if I came to right place. She replied me affirmatively. I introduced her that I was one of the test participants form junior high school 1 of  Banjarbaru, and I apologized for being late. From the door of a classroom she gave me a sign with her fingers a direction for me to go to. So, I walked to the direction. I was a bit confused because I could not find what I was looking for. I smiled at some women in the waiting room and asked them if they were also the test participants. They shook heads. My mouth automatically said; ” Oh ? ” as the sign of a big question in my head. I had no choice but sat myself on the chair near them. I took off my wet jacket and tried to open a conversation with them. Thank God, a lady came toward me and I recognized her as an English instructor. She smiled at me and led me to a closed room. It was the room I was looking for !

I entered the room with the undried-clothes. I saw my friends had been there, doing the test. I smiled at them shamefully, felt guilty for being late. But no one cared, they seemed so serious with their test. The lady instructor pointed a chair for me to do the test. I sat at the chair and started to the test. She informed me that the listening section would be in the end of the entire test. I began to answer the questions about the English structure. I felt relaxed that time although I knew I was late and would not get additional time to do the test. English structure was the part I liked to do better than the other parts of the whole test. So, I answered question by question in relaxed feeling. The half-wet-clothes and the cool wind of the AC should have given me inconvenient condition, but I found out that they helped me focus my concentration well instead.

The lady instructor informed us that the time for doing the English structure was up, and that we had to start to do the reading section. It was 35 minutes to do the reading part. But I did not finish the structure test yet, so I decided to continue doing it and let the reading test delayed. I preferred doing the easier ones first.

It was time for listening section. The instructor briefly told us the reason why the listening was in the end of the entire test. She said it was because there were some test participants who came late. And, in order to give complete listening test for all participants equally, the listening tape was played in the end. I silently approved that policy. I would not be able to follow that TOEFL test completely, unless they had the policy.

The tape of the listening test was played. It sounded clearly. I understood well what the speakers said. I don’t always listen well in each of listening test, but the good sound system and good concentration helped me much do that listening test well.

The day still rained, although it was not as heavy as it had been. All of us finished the test. I found out that some other friends of mine had done the test in different room. They said they had the listening test played in the beginning of the whole test. They still talked about it while they were going home. I chatted a little with them because the day was almost dusk. I asked permission to leave for home earlier.

Days went by normally in our school. No one talked about the test. I also did not think about it, but one thing I knew for sure; I could do the test better than what I had done many years before in my old job, at the bona fide private English course.

The day of the announcement came. Some of us seemed like they did not care. Perhaps, they could guess the result of their test. Some of us were curious enough to know it. They were mostly from from the group of teachers who were involved in our school bilingual program. Where did I stand ? Well.., I think I was in the second group of us.

A friend told me that I got the highest score. “Really ? ” my heart said. i was not so sure because in our school there were two teachers who had  the master degree. I had the university degree only. To make everything clear, I contacted the English institution which had held the TOEFL test for us. And their answer was;”Yes, you get the overall score 540,  and that’s the highest score among all test participants from your school.”  When I went there, they gave me an envelope with my name on it. I could see my detailed score in it. Only my score ? I impatiently asked them the test score of my friends’. But they calmly replied;”Sorry, Ms. It’s confidential …”

Now what? 540 as the highest score. It doesn’t mean I don’t thank God if there’s still dissatisfaction inside. Because I heard that 550 is the minimum requirement to study abroad, so mine is still lower ! For junior high high school teacher, the score might be good enough. But, for sure I know that my teenage students who were once in my class can get higher than me.  Anyway…, that’s what it really is. Hopefully, it will be better next time. As it is said in a song ” Tomorrow will be better … “

Sumar

September 5, 2008

I’m glad I have enough time to write again

YOU HAVE MANY THINGS IN COMMON (Especially for Dita and Didin )

Reading the comments you have written for my article on this weblog, made me thinking about you; two great young ladies who were once in my class. Then, I started to think about you one by one. How surprising ! I found many similarities between you both ! It might be just a coincidence or is it really a wonder ? I don’t know for sure. Both of you do not know each other and you both have never met (hopefully, you both will meet someday). But let me show you the following list to make you see how similar you really are :

1.   You are both at about  the same age ( 21 and 22 years old )

2.   You both have similar birthday ( April 15 and March 13 )

3.  You are both Javanese descendants

4.  Both of you are the oldest child in your family

5.  Both of your nicknames begin with letter ‘D’ ( Dita and Didin )

6.  You both are excellent English debaters

7.  You both are students with excellent achievements

8.  You have ever taken English course with native speakers

9.  You celebrated your seventeenth birthdays specially

10. You are in America now

11. You know me well ( You both have ever told me your crush, and I have told you mine as a return he he.. Don’t worry Girls, the secrets of yours are safe with me )

12. You like Indonesian food ( and familiar with cendol, dodol and pentol )

13. You have ever shared your candy to me ( as I have shared one to you )

What else? Oh, ya!

14. You care me much ( Dita, you’ve ever looked worried to see some pimples on my face and you suggested me a way to get rid of them, you were still elementary school student at that time ! And Didin, you never forget to visit me every Lebaran, and take some friends with you to visit me. Once, you helped me prepare drink for them and you undeliberately poured unboiled-water into the syrup ! We both realized it when it was too late to tell them. So, we just let it be. Thank God they did not get stomachache. Well, that’s just one example of the kindness of yours )

I know there are millions of people similar in the world but I do not know them, so i do not pay attention on their similarities. However, finding out the similarities between make me really concerned.  The fact is new discovery for me, although I have known  you both since a  long time ago.  And I am amazed to know this.  So far,  I know you as  two  special  girls  with their own  strengths and  weaknesses . I see you as two separated individual in different moment  and situation. So, it never matters  whether you are similar or not. But seeing your names and comments together on my article every time I open my web, made me think . And, this is the result of my thinking…  Well,  HAPPY BIRTHDAY WONDERFUL GIRLS … ( although it’s late )!! KEEP GETTING ACHIEVEMENTS IN YOUR STUDY .. !

Sumar

April 30, 2008

What an ordinary teacher can do for extra-ordinary students

MIPA BILINGUAL PROGRAM IN SMPN 1 BANJARBARU

   In the end of 2007, our school headmaster started to introduce new program in our school, SMPN 1 Banjarbaru. It is a program of using English language not only for English subject but also for mathematic and science subject (MIPA). It is a government program for certain high schools in Indonesia. And our school is the first junior high school in the district which starts to apply this program. It is not an easy job for a school to have bilingual program. Therefore, the former headmaster of our school chose not to apply this program, although it has been offered to us since two years ago. Fortunately, the new headmaster of our school agreed to start this program in our school. But actually, the beginning idea came from teachers to have it applied in SMPN 1 Banjarbaru.

In November last year, all English and MIPA teachers of our school were so busy attending some trainings of bilingual program. We invited some speakers who had known more about this program to share their knowledge to us. There were speakers from The Educational Department, from Unlversity of Lambung Mangkurat, also teachers from school that had applied bilingual program earlier. Then, we also held an urgent English course. English teachers of our school had to give English lessons for our mathematic and science teachers. We can actually send the MIPA teachers to follow an English course at a bona fide English course in town, but because our school has very limited budget for this program so we prefer to use our own human resource, that English teachers, to do this job. Later, when the government have supported our school with enough budget, we will send our MIPA teachers out to learn English.

As one of the English teachers in our school, I take part seriouslyto have this program run successfully. During the preparation of this program last year, my English colleagues and I helped the MIPA teachers up grade their English by giving them extra lessons after school. These lessons included the material about common English language used in teaching and learning process. Also, material of general English to help them accustomed to speak English in daily activities.

In January this year, our headmaster chose some English and MIPA teachers to be in a core team of the bilingual program. Mrs.Fakhriati, the first English teacher, was chosen to assist two mathematic teachers, Mrs.Dasmi Nil Wardah and Mrs.Titi Wahyu. And I,the second English teacher, was chosen to assist two science teachers, Mrs.Rusmilu Gaya Murti and Mrs.Lisna Fara Wahdini. Each of the English teachers has to help the MIPA teachers to teach mathematic and science lessons well in English.

I, automatically, have double jobs now, my main job as a second grade English teacher and my additional job as English colleague in science team. I have 28 teaching hours a week now; 16 hours from the main job and 12 hours from the additional job. I try to cooperate well with Mrs.Rusmilu and Mrs.Dini. They mostly need my help in translating the Indonesian science material into English. They also need me to help the students to use correct English answers for each questions from them.

Compared to mathematic team, science team have more English language to comprehend. It is because in mathematics there are more numbers to deal with than language to deal with. Fortunately, symbols of number are the same both in Indonesia and in English. I give my salute to my science colleagues who have good enthusiasm in doing their jobs. They really work hard to perform science lesson in English language. Mrs.Rusmilu might feel this job is a big respondsibility for her, that is why she thinks hard of it most of the time. And it might be the reason why she is not in her fit condition now. Mrs.Dini and I are very sorry for her. A week ago Mrs.Fakhriati from the mathematic team, was also similar. She had to get a medical treatment for over a week, for her unhealthy condition. She works very hard for this bilingual program. from the beginning she was one of the teachers who made a hard effort to have this program applied in our school. Now, she also has 28 hours to teach in a week. In the future, we hope we will be able to be strong enough to do this job well, so that in the year 2010 our school will have the real bilingual program that requires all teachers of all subjects to speak English during the teaching and learning process. Amiin…

Sumaryani

February 28,2008

NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN

Learning things are started since someone is a baby. He learns how to communicate with others by using his cry. Then, as his age

increases, the ability to communicate also increases. A toddler starts to be able to use a language, it is usually the language of his mother (mother tongue). At the same time, the very young child learns about things around him. He learns how to play with toys, balls, games etc. And the learning process will continue on and on, till the unlimited time.

Now, it is the era of sophisticated technology. Electronic things, as the examples of technology, are developed year by year, month by month, week by week, or even day by day. Things which might not exist yesterday, might exist today. Things which were not needed yesterday, are needed today. Therefore, as an human being who lives in the era of sophisticated technology, someone has to learn how to deal with those things (if he does not want to be left behind). The problem is the ability to learn of old people is not the same as young people. In at about 40 years old, someone might have different enthusiasm, courage, or ability from a teenager or a young person. The effect is shown in the process of learning technology product. A 40-year-old-person tends to learn things slower than a teenager or a young person.

I am, personally, not a young person and live in the era of sophisticated technology. I, like it or not, have to learn how to use the product of technology. Frankly I tell you that I need longer time to learn it. And it gets worse because I cannot afford to buy the product, right now (I hope I can afford it soon). I might be able to go to public places where I can learn to use the things, but it, of course, spends more time, especially when I have lots of things to do after work ! What I actually want to say is, I can’t learn how to use internet faster. My students seem like they can do it more quickly and easily. Some of my friends can also learn it quickly. Some members of my family have also been able to operate it well, too ! So, Why do I learn slowly? Well, I don’t have to push myself that hard. I know I learn this thing quite alright, I just need some time more because I can’t learn thing which must be done in certain time required. I can’t learn thing under pressure. I can 0nly learn thing relaxingly. So, I’m sure I will be able to operate internet very well someday. It’s never too late to learn ……

February 26, 2008. while watching students doing their try-out examination.

Sumar