Interdisciplinary Unit Between I&S (Social Studies) and Visual Arts [Part 2]

Cultural belonging is our first choice theme when we meet graduated primary students whose stepping teenager phases. The initial intention was to introduce the concept of the individual before venturing into the "another dimension" namely society. To overwhelm them with many definitions will certainly not make them familiar with what and how they have lived so far. From the closest environment; the families, friends, and schools, these newbie teenagers build an understanding of themselves. Then deliver them to the so-called identity conceptual. The works are made by Grade 7 students. 

Interdisciplinary Unit Between I&S (Social Studies) and Visual Arts [Part 1]

Interdisciplinary unit of "Who Am I" in the perspective of cultural belonging. The works have been done as an interdependence (mutual-collaboration) project between Individuals and Societies (Social Studies) and Visual Arts lessons in the year academic 2019 by Grade 7 students. 

Confessions (2010): Generasi Stroberi yang Lembek

Film thriller adapasi dari novel besutan Kanae Minato membuatku berefleksi tentang remaja, karena saya sendiri juga mengajar di bangku sekolah menengah ke atas. Bagi yang pernah menonton film ini, ada banyak pandangan yang bisa diulas dan masih relevan hingga saat ini. Semuanya menarik dan berkualitas bagus.

Siapapun yang nyoba jadi guru baik, pasti akan berusaha berpikir positif (dan objektif) jika suatu saat menemui kasus menimpa muridnya. Yaa, setuju, pun mengamini niatan baik itu. Dan itu memang menjadi keharusan, di tengah penyakit stereotip yang masih dilakukan kami, para guru. Satu hal yang juga tak boleh diabaikan. Benang pembatas hubungan guru-murid pun mesti tegas, agar kami tak mudah kena manipulasi. Inilah yang susah, karena di usia remaja, mereka sudah pandai bermain peran (George H. Mead).

Donnie Darko (2001): Tears of Fear

“And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad,
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had.”
--Gary Jules.


Those words are the saddest part of the Donnie Darko in the last scene where he died, as the song of Mad World played along. The best dreams, I believe, if I could have a chance to sense my dying in the future. Not really in the future, maybe soon enough I do not know, but for sure I am not a fan of suicidal. Certainly, Richard Kelly had brilliant writing that could drove an absurd, surreal, or maybe even insane story (as normal people would say) into something philosophical, deep, and of course, questioning the conformity of a society.

Evaluation Source for Middle-High Schooler (OPVL-Approach)

How could we ensure that our students can evaluate a source? That question is very essential if you work under international curricula such as IB and Cambridge since it is a required skill before they enter the uni education level. And there are some approaches we could refer to such as triangulation data, CRAAP Test, and OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab. But one thing you need to consider is how we also train them in using their critical thinking skill.

Ideologies For Middle Schooler

It is kind of boring to learn about a certain ideology to middle school students. What we could do, just please get rid of the difficult theories or concepts that are abstract. In my experience, I give them some example of countries which apply an ideology and how they operate it based on the basic characteristic of the ideology in some aspect of life such as economic, social-culture and the history. I would like to suggest that we should avoid the worksheet assignment, just let them create a product which triggered their creativity.

Pendidikan Timpang Dimulai dari Kurikulum

Produk infografik di atas ini, bukan dibuat oleh anak SMA melainkan anak SMP yang duduk di kelas 8. Apa yang membuatnya sedemikian maju? Satu diantaranya karena punya akses dengan kurikulum bagus yang mahal dan tidak semua orang mampu. Inilah contoh lain dari fenomena wide-nya gap antara yang have dan have not, seperti diungkapkan oleh menteri pendidikan lulusan Harvard itu. Tak usah muluk-muluk menyoal kesenjangan teknologi dan internet, bahkan perangkat pendidikan paling pokok, kurikulum, pun kita sdh terseok-seok jomplang!