Breaking fast

Finally photos!

These photos show both a boys' class and a girls' class as well as Arlis interviewing students for her school video. Thanks, David, for blog app tip!

Mojokerto Friday

Friday I have been thinking about my sense of place because my ability to connect with home has been so hit and miss. But today, we had Internet and I reset my compass and am good to go after talking to my husband for a while. Our 35th anniversary will be spent apart on exact opposite sides of the world, yet he fully supports my endeavors. He is a good man.  Off to class with Bella. She is the newest English teacher and this morning we have seniors boys. The lesson centers around simple past tense. I am happy that rather than teacher/lecture, she puts the students in small group activities as a competition among the groups. This really motivates the students.  One concern I have that I believe is related to the fact that this is a madrasa school is that the students learn no literary reading, no poems (poesy as they call it), no short stories, no essays...these are key tools in my classroom, a way for me to teach students about the human condition. The English skills taught here are speaking standard English, listening in order to comprehend, writing standard English, and reading. When I ask what they read, I learn they refer to reading their workbooks which includes simple grammar exercises.  When I spoke to our host teacher prior to coming, she told me she taught English literature so I totally misunderstood what that meant. And it saddens me. This evening Arlis and I ventured out for our first public meal. We returned to the mom and pop store where we have made friends with the owners. They were expecting us and had n.managed to find someone to write in English, "What is your name?" and "Where are you from?"  We wrote our names for them and they practiced pronouncing them and we returned the lesson by learning their names were Sriani and Pak Yan. Their two children that were there were Deni and Yeti and Yeti's husband.  The meal was meatballs served in broth with rice noodles and a bowl of rice, a very good, authentic Indonesian meal. And of course, she gave us our "usual" coffee and coke.  Students came by to purchase food or say hello and wanted us to take their pictures. I have found the Indonesian people to be very friendly, kind and generous.

Mojokerto Thursday

Thursday Internet again! How dependent I have become. After touching base with home, I join Mr. Huda for his English class of senior girls. They are looking at the post cards I gave him. They invite me to join them. I give them rose rocks and pencils. Then I observe Mr. Huda teaching the girls close reading skills. After walking around to a couple of other classes, I join Mr. Huda for a second class where girls again are practicing their reading skills.the materials consist of a white board and soft covered notebooks. Students read a short article and answer multiple choice questions. He emphasizes vocabulary and grammar as they read and discuss.  For example, he writes, "quit, quite, and quiet" on the white board and has the students explain the differences.  Classes are generally held outside. Our first class was in a gazebo; our second class was on the front porch of a building. Unfortunately, lots of activity surrounds us. This school is a very noisy place, but the girls are not distracted. They stay focused. I'm not sure my students would fare as well. American schools depend so much on technology and rightly so, but I sense that we could continue educating even with a lot less materially.  Off to the forest with Mr. Nizzam's class to study listening for the national examination. 

Wednesday Much of our morning has been spent preparing for a teacher workshop with the topic of learning strategies for engaging students in English classes. Arlis and I have several great ideas we will share--pair/share, interviewing unit, persuasive debates, interactive notebooks, four corners, exit the classroom tickets. Arlis was instrumental in this planning. I give her much credit.  Lunch was spent in a small roadside shop/home where we had the best coffee. We met the owners yesterday and ventured in again today. We told them we will be here every day for coffee. Tonight I might have supper with them. Oh yes--I bought a coca cola. It's the real thing :)  We walked around the lower grade school today and took pictures with the junior high age students. They are just as excited to say hello as anyone in  After school the boys English club met and practiced reading and sharing letters from American students as the girls did yesterday. Then the boys performed a song and drum music for us. All the boys joined in.  The problem has been lack of Internet connection. This means we post when we can. 

Tuesday Mojokerto  Today, I joined the most beautiful classroom setting I have ever been in, one born out of necessity, but truly a treasure. I went with Mr. Nizzam to his first period, a class of year 3 girls (seniors).  Under  beautiful, tall pines, a blue tarp spread out a classroom on the forest floor. Girls in their white XXxxxx sat waiting for their lesson. They were happy to see that I was joining them.  They were a talkative group for a first period class. They asked the same questions my students would ask--what kind of parties do we have in America, what tests are required to get into a university... What is different, though, is that at the end of the class, each students takes the teacher's hand and pulls it to her forehead in a sign of respect and gratitude. I like that. It shows an appreciation of what their elders have to offer.  English club Today, we had girls come to the year's first English club. Since Arlis and I were available, we spoke to them about the worthiness of learning English. And then we shared American letters with the students. They paired up with one girl reading the letter to her friend and then her friend sharing the information with the group. This was a good way for them to practice reading, listening and speaking English, and of course, they will write letters in response, allowing them to practice their writing skills.  Tomorrow will be the boys' time in the English club. The Muslim way is for boys and girls to be separated at all times. 

Mojokerto Arlis and I arrived in Mojokerto today. Landing at the airport in Surabaya, we had no idea who would meet us. I felt like it was family when I looked up and saw the sign reading Arlis and Nancy, being held by two young men from our host school.   The ride to Mojokerto was bumpy and hot, but I didn't notice that because it was such a joy visiting with my host, Tutik and her students.  I saw so much of East Java during the ride, and while the traffic wasn't as heavy, the roads became quite narrow and I was sure we would be sideswiped! But no--we arrived in one piece, ready for the week ahead.  When I got out of the van at our host school, I experienced being a celebrity. Oh my goodness--all the children gathered round and shook my hand and giggled at my pronunciations.   At the school, the boys were giving campaign speeches for class presidents. The students were all out under a large tent listening to campaign speeches. All the candidates spoke enthusiastically, though understood none of it. But the principal explained the process and I was very impressed with the students' willingness to have a democratic process in selecting class leaders. 

My learning continues...

I am in Washington, DC again for the National Education Association representative assembly. While here, I walked to the Indomesian embassy. If I can discover how to post a picture, that will be my next addition to my blog. I am so excited to meet the students in Mojokerto. I attended an information meeting at the Islam Activity Center in Tulsa, which proved extremely helpful and answered questions I didn't even know I should ask. The other Oklahoma teachers in our cohort also attended. We are nvited to attend Ead? With them in August. I'm sorry if I have that wrong. It's all new to me. Speaking of new to me...I am becoming very familiar with Indonesian geography! This has been such an education for me, and I expect my learning to continue for a long time to come.