The Sampoerna Foundation Teacher Institute (SF TI) had successfully delivered 13 workshops aiming to improve teachers’ professionalism by enriching their knowledge and skill. These workshops were attended by more than a total of 136 dedicated teachers and principals of all levels of education, team leaders, members of e-learning department and KPK (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi). The variety of topics that were discussed covered the areas of leadership, language teaching, fundamental teaching skills, education physiology for counseling teacher, early childhood teaching, and SF TI’s own PAIKEM methods.

January

In January, three public workshops were presented to a total of 25 participants. The topics consist from introduction to innovative teaching methods in “PAIKEM 1: Mind Mapping and Six Thinking Hats” and “Teaching Mathematics with Simple Teaching Aids”, as well as education physiology for counseling teacher in “Counseling Skills for Educators.”

In “PAIKEM 1: Mind Mapping and Six Thinking Hats” lead by SF TI facilitator Desiree, eight participants, a melting pot of kindergarten and SD teachers and principals, members of KPK and e-Learning Department, were introduced to brain-based learning, mind maps, and the six thinking hats. In addition to the knowledge learned, they also had the opportunity to put into practice what they had learned and basic introduction to MindManager, a computer application to creat mind maps.

“Counseling Skills for Educators” by Raymond Setiawan is intended to equip subject teachers or classroom teachers with basic counseling skills because it is believed that they are the first line in dealing with students’ issues. Topics covered in this workshop included the teachers’ and counselors’ roles in guiding the students, attending skills, and also nine basic counseling techniques. Based on the participants’ evaluation results, it is proven that this workshop is highly useful for them and met the intended objectives of the workshop.

– Clockwise from top left, Participants mingle during a break session in “PAIKEM 1”; Raymond Setiawan (far-left) attentively observing participants' discussion; Anton Noornia's “Magic Box”; An animated workshop by Anton Noornia (left).

The last workshop in January, titled “Teaching Mathematics with Simple Teaching Aids” were presented by education practitioner Anton Noornia to eight SD, SMP and SMA teachers from Sekayu, Pekanbaru, Tangerang and Jakarta. Equipped with his box of simple teaching aids which he dubbed his own personal magic box, Anton Noornia from the State University of Jakarta (UNJ) had participants riveted to his simple yet effective methods. His simple teaching aids were constructed out of everyday, ordinary items such as paper clips, push pins, popsicle sticks, and playing clay. Some of the teaching aids constructed were 2-D shapes and clocks (out of popsicle sticks and snap-buttons), simple scales (out of plastic cups and a few sticks), and a geoboard which is a piece of plywood with pushpins arranged in squares. 

February

In February five workshops were held and attended by a total of 58 participants. The topics discussed include two leadership workshops: “Roles and Responsibilities of School Principals” and “Being a Good Leader”; fundamental teaching skills: “Curriculum Development for SMA” and “Lesson Plan Design”; and innovative teaching methods: “PAIKEM 2: Multiple Intelligences and Bloom’s Taxonomy.”

“Roles and Responsibilities of School Principals,” an interactive workshop with a variety of activities, ran for about 6 hours lead by SF TI Director Kenneth Cock and assisted by SF TI facilitator Nurhasanah. The topic was about “Improving School Quality through School Management and Operating Systems”. Most of participants came from private schools and joined this workshop to learn about school management and operating system standards that are usually applied in private schools. They asked a lot of questions to the facilitators regarding the problems they faced in their respective schools.

In “Being a Good Leader,” presented by Raymond Setiawan to 15 principals, several topics were discussed and covered, namely the roles of a leader, leadership styles, leadership readiness and tasks regarding person-oriented styles of leadership. There were several self-assessment activities in this workshop with purpose of providing principals with the knowledge and self awareness about their own personal leadership styles. In addition, another topic, the compatibility between the leadership styles and the staff readiness, was also delivered. This is very crucial since one leadership style can not be applied or generalized to different staff characteristics.

– Left: SF TI Director Kenneth Cock (standing) presenting leadership for principals workshop; Right: A relaxed yet engaging group activity in “Being a Good Leader.”

“Curriculum development for SMA,” a workshop by Head of Research and Development SF TI Riris Lumban Tobing, is a training session which is intended to promote high school teachers’ knowledge and skills in curriculum mapping and analysis. Within the sessions, participants discussed the components of the curriculum and problems they were facing in implementing the curriculum.  They later analyzed the curriculums of elementary, lower, and higher secondary schools, and shared their findings.

“Lesson Plan Design” focuses on designing lesson plans for SMP and SMA teachers. Kartika Yulianti facilitated participants by exposing them to methods that focus on steps in designing a lesson plan, applying Bloom’s Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences in learning activities.

The workshop started with a general discussion about KTSP and teachers’ experience in applying the curriculum. Then, they discussed the 10 steps to develop an effective lesson plan. Discussions and games about applying Bloom’s Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences were held in the second session. Afterwards, the teachers worked in groups according to their subjects to design a lesson plan applying Bloom’s Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences in which they used a MI-BT grid to learn more about how those two topics apply to themselves. In the next session, teachers presented their lesson plans and conducted micro-teaching.

The second part of the PAIKEM methods workshops, “PAIKEM 2: Multiple Intelligences and Bloom’s Taxonomy,” focuses on Multiple Intelligences and Bloom’s Taxonomy. As usual, participants were exposed to methods that focus on active, innovative, creative, effective, and fun teaching. The facilitator, Desiree started with general sharing of ideas regarding the topic including how every person may have a different prominent type of intelligence and the general characteristics of each. Discussions about Bloom’s Taxonomy and how it applies to teaching were held, as well as games and a Multiple Intelligence test for the participants. Afterwards, the teachers tried to create a MI-BT grid based on topics assigned by the facilitator. Participants were also encouraged to complete a computer-based MI test.

March

A total of 53 participants took part in five workshops conducted in March. Different topics were covered including fundamental teaching skills, early childhood and language teaching. The workshops delivered were: “Classroom Management 2:  Motivation, Behavior Management, and Restitution,” “Children Development Stage & Their Learning Process,” “Inquiry Approach to Learning in Kindergarten,” “Beyond Grading: Assessment for Learning,” and “Methodology for Teaching English (Primary Level).”

Education practitioner Oscarina Dewi  hosted a workshop attended by eight participants titled “Classroom Management 2: Motivation, Behaviour Management, and Restitution.” The workshop discussed about knowledge on students’ behaviour, motivation when it is linked with school health and safety, and practical approaches that can be easily adapted in classroom.

“Children Development Stage & Their Learning Process” was intended to give the participants clearer ideas of changes happening during the development of children’s lives physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. Facilitated by psychologist Justiana Tjaya, eight participants also learned about the differences of the learning styles and processes, followed by developing a lesson plan suitable for children in a certain developmental stages and according to their learning styles.

In early childhood teaching series, Hazzah Wirdah, a practitioner of child psychology who has been involved with early childhood development for many years, presented “Inquiry Approach to Learning in Kindergarten.” Eleven kindergarten teachers as participants learned about the principles of Inquiry Approach, supporting factors of inquiry approaches to learning, and its implementation in kindergarten. To wrap up and complete the workshop, participants trained in creating lesson plans utilizing inquiry approaches.

– Three facilitators in their classes: (l-r) Tatang Suratno (standing), Oscarina Dewi, and Justiana Tjaya, Psi (far right).

“Beyond Grading: Assessment for Learning” is designed to arm participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct assessment for learning. Eight participants discussed the relationship between assessment and learning, methods to increase skills in facilitating student outcomes through various approaches, as well as reflection and the progression of assessment, facilitated by Tatang Suratno.

SF TI facilitator Poltak Zener Simanjuntak lead a workshop titled “Methodology for Teaching English (Primary Level)” for 18 participants. Most of the participants came from private schools and joined this workshop to learn about how to apply cooperative learning in ELT, techniques in integrated language skills usually applied in private schools. The workshop was very interactive with a variety of activities. Participants were engaged and highly enthusiastic throughout the session especially during group discussions and created group activity.