Project News

Facilitator trainings were conducted in the three new target areas of PELITA Program, namely in Padang city on May 10-11, 2012, in District of North Minahasa on May 15-16, 2012 and in Banjarbaru city on May 24-25, 2012.

In Padang city, the facilitator training was attended by 30 Math and Science teachers and school principals, 4 teachers and principals from Islamic schools (MTs), 6 personnel from Education Office of Padang City, 2 lecturers from the State University of Padang (UNP), 1 personnel from MORA office of Padang City and 1 from education and training center of MoRA (BDK) in Padang CIty. Open-Class was conducted at MTsN Lubuk Buaya.

In the opening speech on Facilitator Training activities, Mr. Jufril Siry (Head of SMP Division, Education Office of Padang City) expected that the goals and expectations to implement as one of the pilot areas LS would be realized. Mr. Kasmir from MORA office of Padang city in his speech thanked the Education office of Padang city to have appointed MTsN Lubuk Buaya to host this training activity. Under MORA Office of Padang City, LS activities has developed in all subjects and base-camps of Islamic schools (MTs) in Padang city using the budget of the MORA Distric Education Office.

The activity continued with an explanation by Mrs. Rusyda, model teacher about her Open Class. After open class, all participants reflected their observation on students studying process. There were only several students who knew what to do when the teacher gave them a task at the beginning of the class. All observers and model teacher discussed about what they can do whenever they find this condition in the future

The 2nd Day of the training was an attempt to make facilitators think and understand students' way of thinking. Interestingly, none of the participants gave a possible incorrect answer from the students. Mr. Tsukui, one of JICA experts stated that, in making lesson plans, one of the most important things is the teacher's ability to predict student responses. Teachers, who are capable to understand and predict their students' responses in making a lesson plan, will have more possibility of achieving the objective of the lesson. This capability is still a weakness for teachers in Indonesia. Mr. Tsukui expected the facilitators to predict the students' response not only from the perspective of fast learners, but also from the perspective of the slow learners. He also asked the facilitators to share this new knowledge with other teachers at each base camp.

Trainees are working on the task Mr. Atsushi Tsukui gave.

Trainees are showing their work to the speaker.