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TQI Newsletter March 2012
March 14th, 2012
PELAKSANAAN PELATIHAN TQI ANGKATAN 1 TAHUN KE 2
Dilihat dari jumlah peserta Pelatihan TQI Titian Foundation angkatan 1 tahun 2 kali ini sedikit berbeda dengan tahun sebelumnya. Jika selama tahun pertama jumlah peserta pelatihan TQI dibatasi maksimal 30 orang, maka di tahun kedua ini Titian memberikan kelonggaran jumlah peserta yaitu sebanyak 34 orang. Hal ini dikarenakan jumlah sekolah yang mendaftarkan gurunya untuk mengikuti pelatihan TQI pada tanggal 27 Februari sampai 9 Maret 2012 sangat banyak, sehingga Titian merasa perlu untuk mengakomodir jumlah peserta. Menurut Koordinator program TQI Yuliardi Swasono, meskipun jumlah peserta 34 orang, kualitas pelatihan masih bisa terjaga.
Pelatihan TQI angkatan 1 tahun ke 2 ini dilaksanakan di P4TK Matematika Yogyakarta. Peserta pelatihan merupakan guru-guru tingkat Sekolah Dasar (SD) di wilayah D.I Yogyakarta dan Klaten. Adapun sebaran 34 peserta pelatihan tersebut adalah terdiri dari kabupaten Bantul 5 guru, kabupaten Gunungkidul ada 2 guru, kabupaten Sleman 9 guru, kabupaten Kulonprogo 4 guru, Kota Yogyakarta 12 guru, dan kabupaten Klaten 2 guru. Dimana 7 orang peserta adalah guru laki-laki dan sisanya 27 orang peserta adalah guru perempuan.
Dalam pelaksanaannya untuk menjamin kualitas pelatihan yang berlangsung selama 2 minggu ini, Titian menghadirkan trainer-trainer professional seperti Prof. Dr. Djamaluddin Ancok (volunteer program TQI) , Yuli Fajar Susetyo, S,Psi.,M.Si., Dr. Neila Ramdhani, M.Si. M.Ed., Muhanna Sofiati Utami, M.S., Sri Koesrohmaniah, M.S., Iwan Pambudi, S.Psi., M.M., dan Dr. dr. Zaenal Muttaqien Sofro, AIFM.
Selama kegiatan pelatihan berlangsung, respon positif ditunjukan oleh guru peserta pelatihan. Hal ini ditunjukan dari antusiasme guru dalam mengikuti setiap sesi pelatihan, tekat kuat untuk berubah menjadi menjadi guru yang lebih baik dan disenangi siswa, hingga keinginan untuk segera mengimplementasikan pengetahuan yang didapat selama pelatihan dalam proses bpembelajaran di kelas ketika kembali ke sekolah. Semoga pelatihan TQI Titian Foundation ini, menjadi titik awal untuk mewujudkan masa depan Indonesia yang lebih baik.
FGD Program TQI
Sebelum mengikuti pelatihan Teacher Quality Improvement, guru atau calon peserta yang sudah mendaftar untuk mengikuti pelatihan diharapkan mengikuti Focus Group Discussion bersama fasilitator Titian Foundation. FGD dimaksudkan untuk mendapatkan gambaran persepsi calon peserta tentang paradigma baru dalam pembelajaran.
Mengawali pelaksanaan pelatihan TQI tahun kedua. Pada tanggal 24 Januari- 1 februari 2012, tim Titian melaksanakan FGD di 42 Sekolah dasar yang tersebar di wilayah Kabupaten Bantul, Sleman, Gunung Kidul, Kulonprogo, Kota Yogyakarta dan Klaten. Jumlah guru yang mendaftar sebanyak 289 orang. Jumlah guru yang mengikuti FGD sebanyak 263 orang. Adanya selisih ini dikarenakan pada saat pelaksanaan beberapa guru tidak bisa mengikuti karena Jadwal FGD yang berbenturan dengan mengajar di sekolah lain, ada keperluan mendadak, mengundurkan diri dan lain-lain. Beberapa peserta yang mengundurkan diri disebabkan oleh masalah kesehatan, memiliki anak yang masih kecil dan memberikan kesempatan kepada yang lain karena yang bersangkutan akan Pensiun.
Secara umum pelaksanaan FGD berhasil karena sudah melampaui target kuantitas yang diharapkan. Dari FGD juga terlihat bahwa masih banyak guru yang belum menerapkan paradigma baru dalam pembelajaran.
Dari Swedia Untuk Indonesia
Sesi malam pada pelatihan TQI (Teacher Quality Improvement) merupakan sesi pamungkas dalam rangkaian kegiatan pelatihan yang berlangsung sejak pagi hari. Meski berlangsung selama dua jam dimulai dari pukul 19.00 WIB dan berakhir pada pukul 21.00 WIB peserta masih tetap merasa nyaman dan senang, karena pelatihan yang efektif dan menyenangkan masih menjadi ruh dalam pelatihan TQI. Pada sesi ini peserta diajak untuk saling berbagi berbagai macam hal terkait tentang pendidikan, metode pembelajaran, menonton film dan tak jarang juga ada sesi bermain drama.
Memasuki sesi malam pada minggu kedua (Selasa,6/3/2012) pelatihan TQI Angkatan pertama tahun kedua ini TQI kedatangan tamu dari Swedia, Dr. Anna-Carin Jonsson. Beliau adalah salah satu staf pengajar di University of Borås. Dalam sesi ini, Dr. Anna-Carin Jonsson berbagi pengalaman tentang pendidikan yang berada di Swedia. Didampingi oleh Dr. Neila Ramdhani selaku Direktur TQI dan Endah Sri Wahyuni selaku Junior Trainer sesi malam tersebut berlangsung lancar dan sangat menarik.
Dalam penyampaiannya, Beliau menceritakan bahwa di Swedia umumnya sekolah banyak mendekatkan siswa dengan alam. Hal ini dilakukan karena dulu nenek moyang orang Swedia adalah orang yang sangat mencintai dan melestarikan alam Swedia sehingga dirasa penting untuk mengenalkan pendidikan berbasis alam kepada peserta didik sejak dini, agar peserta didik sadar bahwa alam perlu untuk dilestarikan.
Meskipun belajar di alam terbuka, tidak menutup kemungkinan untuk peserta didik belajar mata pelajaran lain. Karena kurikulum yang diterapkan bersifat integral maka peserta didik dapat belajar banyak hal dari alam. Seperti ketika peserta didik diminta untuk menghitung jumlah daun yang ada di pohon, peserta didik dapat menghitung jumlah daun dalam satu dahan setelah itu peserta didik diminta menghitung jumlah dahan yang ada dalam satu pohon, untuk mengetahui jumlah daun dalam satu pohon maka peserta didik tinggal mengkalikan jumlah pohon dan daun. Dari contoh ini dapat diketahui bahwa selain belajar biologi tentang pohon peserta didik juga dapat belajar perkalian dan penjumlahan.
Antusiasme dari peserta pelatihan begitu luar biasa dalam menanggapi cerita dari Dr. Anna-Carin Jonsson. Banyak pertanyaan muncul dari guru. Salah satunya adalah guru menganggap pendidikan seperti yang diterapkan di salah satu sekolah di Swedia tersebut sangat sulit untuk diterapkan di Indonesia dikarenakan kurikulum di Indonesia menuntut guru agar peserta didik dapat memenuhi target-target yang telah ditentukan oleh pemerintah. Dr. Anna-Carin Jonsson tampak tersenyum ketika mendengar pertanyaan tersebut. kemudian beliau menjelaskan bahwa hal tersebut juga berlaku di Swedia, kita hanya membutuhkan kemauan untuk berubah dan Indonesia pasti bisa.
CLC Newsletter January 2012
February 14th, 2012
Librarians Association of Klaten started in SMK 1 ROTA Bayat
Currently, Titian Foundation is facilitating five community-learning centers located in Padang, Cigalontang, Gemawang, and Bayat. The two CLCs in Bayat are school based that are run by the school management, SMK and SMP in Bayat, while the rest are run by the community in the village.
Last January 3rd, the CLC of SMK facilitated the establishment of Klaten’s Librarian Association (ATPUSI). The idea came from librarians in one of the SMKs in Klaten who think that as librarians they need to have an organization which is acknowledged by the government. The organization is hoped to be a vessel to voice their aspirations in the government.
Apparently the idea was very welcomed by many fellow librarians. As many as 185 librarians from all over Klaten are gathered in SMKN 1 ROTA Bayat to support and witness the formation of this association. The event invited representatives from local government and also from other ATPUSIs in Central Java to share their experiences of how such organization is significant for them.
In the meeting, it was agreed that ATPUSI will help advocating the needs and aspirations of librarians in Klaten and more importantly for their career development to the educational authorities in the region. It will also be the place where they share ideas and discuss challenges in improving the performance of their school libraries. In their testimonials many librarians said that they have been waiting for this time when they have representatives to speak their aspirations in the government.
Community Development Newsletter January 2012
February 14th, 2012
The Feminine Power in Bayat
Titian’s community development program in Bayat Klaten has been running for almost one semester now. The people of Bayat are now familiar with FGDs and presenting their ideas of how to make their village a better place to live in. Everybody is actively participating in thinking for the betterness of their village and they gathered to develop the Village Development Plan.
As a village of migrant workers, not many men are seen in the process of development planning meetings. Most men leave their families at home to work in Jogja or other cities. These women are left to raise their children and at the same time run a household. These multi tasking women, not so surprisingly are smart and eager to participate in the development of their village.
One interesting story can be found in one of the dukuh (hamlet) named Purwo, where women run significant roles in domestic affairs, community affairs, also government affairs in the village. In most of the FGD meetings these women outnumber the men and always come up with bright ideas to improve the village.
Their ideas of development are not only limited to their daily concerns like starting a study center for their school aged children but also a reading class for the illiterates villagers and a sewing class for them. Furthermore they suggest that there should be a learning center somewhere accessible for them to study about parenting and skill development. However, these women do not seem to be aware of their capacity to develop their village therefore Titian Foundation will keep empowering and facilitating this feminine power to realize their dream village.
Entrepreneurship Newsletter January 2012
February 14th, 2012
SMKN 1 ROTA Bayat Entrepreneurship Program
Titian Foundation is commited to focus on instilling the sense of entrepreneurship to the students of SMKN 1 ROTA. Partnering with Prestasi Junior Indonesia (PJI), Titian Foundation tries to foster all elements of entrepreneurship into practice. Titian helps entrepreneurship teachers to modify classroom activities and lessons to be in line with what real entrepreneurs experience and do in real life, these classroom activities are called Economics For Life. Moreover, to give more experience of real business situation, students are encouraged to start a company of their own where they where practice to make business plan, collect shares, conduct market research, and market their products.
The school has one SC (Student Company) called Akira which represents the school in many competitions and has won few awards nationally and internationally. A new SC is started each year after the liquidation of the previous one. Students have to apply and pass the interview process by the teachers to be employed in the company.
Recently, Titian is trying to enforce more students to run their own business. The school and Titian suggest that each class should have their own company and run it as a class company. Their class-teacher will be the board member of the company accompanied by the entrepreneurship teacher.
Currently, there are five additional active companies from the current existing seven. They have developed many different kinds of products to market. These companies will then be assessed at the end of each semester to be chosen as the best company. From the students’ testimonials they admitted that running a company is a lot more challenging and allowing them to understand the lesson of entrepreneurship better. They believe that they will be more ready to be entrepreneurs later on if they are given more of similar opportunities.
Scholarship Newsletter January 2012
February 14th, 2012
It’s a new beginning
Last January, 28 2012 was a big day for Titian Foundation. It was when Bank Mandiri and Titian Foundation started a partnership to ensure the development of Education in Indonesia. Bank Mandiri dedicated as much as 546,480,000 IDR education fund through Titian Foundation to be distributed to some students so that they can continue their education to a higher degree. This partnership agreement was signed by both representatives of each institution. It was Mr. Brett Ginesky, as the Head of Investor Relations Group from Bank Mandiri and Ibu Lily Kasoem from Titian Foundation as Founder and Director.
Also, it was this time of the year last year when some batch 1 students were anxious about their future, mixed feelings between worried and enthusiast. They challenged themselves to go further in University education but were uncertain about their financial situation. At the end fortunately, 16 students were admitted in the university. Some are on full scholarship and the rest are with partial scholarship. It was a great ending for a new beginning.
These students have studied in university for one semester right now. During their semester break, they all gathered back in their village to give back to the younger generations. Some of them have excelled and become even more confident than before. They shared tips and experiences, what they had to do to win scholarship to the younger scholarship generations.
These students also had a great time in lunch gathering with Mr. Nick Cashmore, the scholarship program’s most anticipated donor who is now a board member of Titian Foundation. It was a warm meeting at which the students spoke about their experiences at universities. As always Mr Nick doubled the treat by taking them to a sweet trip to Monggo chocolate factory in Kotagede and ended the evening with movie viewing. Bank Mandiri and Titian Foundation’s other partners in scholarship are the cores behind the success stories of these young people in Bayat. Together we are facilitating the future leaders of Indonesia to get the quality education that they need.