Teaching Young Learners: Crafts

Yesterday, I went to the Round Table Discussion in Balai Pustaka Building. Honestly, I came because I needed to refresh my mind and be a participant so I can have the fun I've had so little lately. The second reason is because I wanted to have more ideas on what I am going to share for my next sharing sessions and, if I'm lucky, I can come up with my own creation of activities.

The topic last time was about teaching young learners using crafts. The first time I arrived, I saw people were already busy cutting, glueing and folding paper. Origami paper, scissors, glue, beads, play dough were scattered on the two round tables. The instructor saw my surprise and she asked me to join in to make my own name tag. Labor at work already.... :-)


After the sharing of ideas from the instructor, we had an assignment to make mask for Halloween theme. My team came up with the idea of creating a mbak Kunti mask. At first, we all had the same notion. We can't draw! We can't be creative! But in the end? We got so absorbed with our project and it turned out that we did it!


RTD is always fun to enjoy. Unfortunately I won't be able to be there in the next two weeks. I plan to join the one on July 23. It's going to be a Kang Guru session then.

The Internet Line

Finally, we have our own internet connection at the office. This is the first line we've had so far from the moment we started our business more than ten years ago. What's so 'painful' for not having it? Well, for me, I had to check my emails from companies and clients through my cell phone. What does that mean??? I have to pay the airtime with my own pocket money!!!! :-))

There's another benefit for having this line....

I can post as many as I can ... :-D

Plan for Quiet Days

The bosses are leaving.... The managers, too. I'm going to have some quiet time in the next few days. Hopefully.

My trip to Kalimantan will be next week. It's training.Not a vacation. As usual....

What makes it different is the scope of the first event I'm presenting. It's in front of elementary school teachers from 5 different residencies. At a representative hotel (at least that's what the representative told me).

So far, I've had all the materials for the presentation except reading-writing. It's a kinda hard to find the materials. I'll have to survive anyway so I have to manage at any cost.

The next thing is the activities. The visual aids. The teaching aids. The crayon. The scissors. And others. All will have to fit into one luggage. I'm too lazy to deal with more than two.

Last but not least, the preparation for the workshop is always on my mind. It's going to be a new experience. Totally new. I haven't been to Banjarmasin before so that factor adds up to my shoulder as a rep of the headquarters people.

I try to stop worrying, work out some more activities and read more children books in my next few quiet days.

In Need of Cooling Down

This posting should have come after the report on my trip to PRJ. But after what happened today, I decided that it can wait.

The day started great. I went to the police headquarters to take care of my car documents.Everything was settled. I have to return next week. Though this process has been going on for almost 4 months, I don't mind.Dealing with the authorities is never easy. I've learned that by experience.

Squeezing my schedule with proposals, reports, and requests, I was suddenly at a meeting -- a meeting between my team and the union. They were invited to give input on the company regulation draft we've been working on since January. Sure.We did. We got the 'input',alright. So much 'input', eventhough they didn't even look at our work.

I was very angry. Eventually, my anger gave me a headache.

When I returned, there's another bad news. The prospective client didn't want to close a deal for 2 classes with us. It's a long story. In short, they wanted us to give them a result when they even hadn't made any payment. I had an instinct to insist on not giving them what they want. What happened proved me right. Though my premonition was right, I don't feel happy. I was hoping they would've proven me wrong.

I got more headaches. My face became 'hot'. I was worried that I might blow my own brain up. I cited 'astagfirullah' so many times. I whispered 'laa khaulaa walaa kuwwata illa billaah' countlessly.
Seeking for peace.

I had to cool down. I don't want to waste my time with anger.I'll deal with 'them' later.

Much later....

Life is too precious....