Modernization Era

Modernization is rising nowadays, especially in a big city or in a capital city of province. Take a look in Jakarta, the modernizations is really amazing for some people. Every sight in old Jakarta in 1980’s has changed into wonderful modernization in every corner at Jakarta nowadays. We can see a lot of condominium fill up Jakarta. Besides, any modern vehicles are in Jakarta’s traffic. For example; bus way (public transportation), and modern train. Some people are astonished to realize how significant the differences between Jakarta in 1980’s and Jakarta at present are.
We can see such a big alteration in building between Jakarta in 1980’s and Jakarta at present. There were only a few buildings which filled up Jakarta in 1980’s. The buildings are not such a kind of condominium as we can see nowadays, but it is only simple building such as traditional store buildings and restaurant buildings which sold ancient cuisine. Unlike Jakarta in 1980’s, Jakarta at present has more buildings which are definitely advanced. There are a lot of buildings a long the road in Jakarta nowadays. Moreover, the design of buildings is more complicated than the past. The shape of buildings and the room are not merely square but also more complex such as hexagon, trapezium, and so on.
Not only buildings which are getting advanced, but also the traffic in Jakarta nowadays is more complicated than Jakarta in 1980’s. The traffic at Jakarta in 1980’s was really rare. Moreover, they were only traditional vehicle, such as; Pedi cab, carriage, and cart. the road was still simple. Different with the traffic in Jakarta in 1980’s, Jakarta’s traffic nowadays is much more crowded. Even people sometimes are trapped in traffic jam. Furthermore, the vehicles are really advanced. Unlike the road at Jakarta in 1980’s, nowadays the road is modern, such; fly over, so that we can ride our vehicle comfortably.
At the other hand, Jakarta nowadays is more polluted than in Jakarta in 1980’s. In 1980’s there were less pollutions’ so that people could still breathe in fresh air, drink with clean water, and grow any plants in fertile soil. It is really contradictive condition with Jakarta at present; everything in Jakarta has been polluted by factories and vehicles. It is difficult for people to find fresh air, clean water, and it is also rather hard to find fertile soil to grow a plant.
Some people feel a little regret when they see Jakarta as a bustling town. Now they can not visit and enjoy the old Jakarta which used to be quite anymore.

Taken from Writing-3 Project

Torturing Classroom Management for Students

This article tells about a student of the high school in Yogyakarta. He feels that the education system in Indonesia is not more than a prison for students. Because students must take some lessons that are less in need, but that system is difficult to change, because it has been running long enough. He is not trying to imitate the foreign schools, but he thinks that we need to try first. As what has been done in his school today; which have accelerated classes; at the second grade of SMA (Senior High School). This is just an experiment, but keeps applying.
Nowadays, his school is trying to deliver the lesson material using a computer, even though the school facilities is not adequate, but there is a teacher who wanted to apply this new system in his school. Even though once opposed by many teachers and even the headmaster, but it did not discourage his intention, and it's going pretty smoothly. The student support conveying lesson material by using Power Point and it is quite pleasant and quite clear. Some time ago our school was visited by several school headmasters in Yogyakarta to see the system of using a computer in classroom activity.
Actually the writer does not want to blame anyone, but it makes him and another students feel tired and bored. Many students skip school because of boredom; every day the same contents and activities. Nowadays many students do not respect to their teacher at all, and I think this is the fault of a chaotic system.
Critical Reflection
In particular places, there are still many schools which keep Teacher-center as a method of teaching-learning process. I strongly agree with the writer’s opinion who state that school (teacher-center learning) seem like a prison. Most of students will fell bored during the lesson, all they hope are the lesson will over soon. Most of students will feel cheerful when it is holiday or the lesson finish earlier. It occurs because nothing interesting from the lesson to the students. The teacher only gives the lesson and the students accept by listening; Students more like vessels that will be poured water (knowledge) by the teacher. Sometime this boredom condition will make some students hate the teacher and won’t respect the teacher at all.
I think the best solution of this case is making attractive classroom; like what has been done by the writer’s teacher (delivering the lesson by using computer). Sometime that kind of bright idea will get some barriers from surrounding, because of conventional thought (in remote area especially). Teenagers will be attracted with something new and unusual. As a teacher we must be clever to make use that condition. Teacher must stimulate the students by conveying materials begin with what they like and improve to the more specific ones.
Beside the teacher factors, we still have another barrier in creating an attractive classroom activity. Because of expense limit that we have, as we know that the government does not give enough expense in supporting education. On the other hand, we have to be aware that we live in developing country and keep finding another less expense solution with remarkable result.

Taken from Critical Pedagogy and Literacy Project

Teacher’s Feedback in Students’ Speech

Actually it was my neighbor’s experience in getting some feedback from his teacher in classroom activities. He is 2nd grade students of SMA____. His school obliges all of the students to use English (full English). Whatever, whomever they talk; they have to use English.

In this school also apply some punishment as a feedback; for students who found out using another language outside English. They have to wear “caping” (head cover of woven bamboo of broad conical shape) as a symbol that they have used another language outside English in school area, while they are talking.
One day, His talk with his friend in Javanese, actually he did not merely talk in Javanese. But he talks Javanese only in one sentence, but he got difficulty to convey some sentence in English, so he convey that sentence in Javanese to make it more understandable. He talk “ montore di gowo deknen ra di balekke, jebule di gadaike”. As the rule, he has to wear caping on his head all the day; as the punishment of running over the rule. Some students judges him as a stupid boy, he get very embarrassed and threatened at that time. Actually he is quite talkative boy, but since at that moment; he becomes a quiet boy. He does not have enough bravery to speak up anymore, he tend to be silent rather than making mistakes in speaking and being punished. The thing that makes him discourage in speaking up the most is being judged as a stupid boy by others.
Critical Reflection I do not agree with this kind of feedback. I think every teacher has to avoid any feedback which cause negative impact; discouraging learners. According to Reid (1993; 218), “feedback is any input or response from teacher as an initiator to the students, as producer which consist of information for revision towards errors or praises in order to encourage students.” I think the biggest impact toward the students is it could really discourage them in performing ability. I think children have certain psychological characteristic. On that age, children are easily offended and sensitive to criticism they can be restless and self conscious. That is why the teacher has to be wise and careful in providing feedback.


When the students feel embarrassed, they will lose their confidence in performing their skill and tend to be silent rather than making mistakes in speaking and being punished. I think making some mistakes are something common and protruded thing to do in learning activity. Sometime it is very useful for the learners; so that the learners will not repeat the similar mistake, by learning from their fault (will not fall at the same hole. Moreover, in this case the student actually has made some big effort in speaking English.
I think the best thing to do is the teacher has to aware the kinds of errors to be given feedback, when to give feedback and how it should be done. Because giving correction to the students is also teacher’s job; the teacher are seem to be like a mirror, so that the students could realize their fault. Making some follow up exercise, and ask the other students for correct answer of incorrect answer which has been made; are some good way in giving feedback I think. As I assume that the main goal of giving some feedback is to help the students to improve their ability and encourage them.

Taken from Critical Pedagogy and Literacy Project

Ability Measurement Based on The Final Examination

Actually it was my friend’s bad past experience; when he failed to pass final examination for SMA graduation (UAN). He was not stupid; even he was always on the top ten ranks in the class every semester. He could not pass UAN, because he could not fill up the minimum standard grade for graduation (4.25). He got only 4.10 for his English course UAN.

Actually he was good enough in English, he often involves in class discussion; he was active students. He almost never skipped the class; he paid much attention toward the lesson and asking question if he got confused. But it does not influence the graduation at all. He is also good in conversation in the real life; he had ever become a winner in English championship. After I asked why he got bad mark in English, he explained to me that he was sick quite seriously at that time, so that he could not prepare it well. He did not study at all for preparing the final examination and he also did the final examination in not good healthy condition.
On the other hand there were other students could filled up the minimum standard and passed the UAN, even though they were not good enough in English and did not face any problem in graduation. In the daily routine activity class, they often did not involve in the discussion, they were only passive students. Even, there were some students who only paid a few attentions and even there were some who skip the class, but as a result of their final examination; they could pass any courses.
Critical reflection
I strongly disagree with ability measurement only based on the final examination (UAN) which decides the graduation. I think it is kind of oppression, because sometime it does not reflect students’ ability at all. Sometime talented students will get a bad mark and also at the contrary, because many other factors outside ability will also influence the grade of final examination. On this case, talented students got a bad grade because he was sick and could not prepare for the test well; on the other hand actually he has higher ability than others who got good grade.


Other oppression is it also forces the students to learn more and memorize all the materials from the beginning till the end which is sometime it is not applicable into real life. In addition, sometime students who do not need to study particular course are still oblige to learn in order to fill up the minimum standard grade for graduation requirement. For example; students who will continue to study in English department also oblige to fill up standard grade for mathematic course. It seems like useless thing to do.
I hope miss-measurement will not occur anymore latter on; because it gives quite huge contribution toward students’ future destiny. I hope other performance like daily performance in class will take a part in ability measurement; so that it could really measure the students’ ability and decide whether the students are good enough or not to graduate. I think more applicable materials for students are very useful to fulfill the students necessary latter on.

Taken from Critical Pedagogy and Literacy Project