Do You Need Help, Sir?

It was more than 20 years ago. It was several minutes to seven in the morning. My teacher, going by 'becak', arrived at school. My friends and I ran to the teacher. We greeted her and competed to walk with her and help her bring her bag. Do we see such a scene around us now?


I remember one of my students asked me to help me carry the heavy drinking water that I was carrying. I think it was a miracle! Her parents must be great parents who teach her to care for others, especially her teacher. If there are five students from each class do this, I will be the happiest teacher in the world. (The student who is in Germany at present, I hope you read this!)

Are You Happy?

I think public transport drivers do not feel happy. Why? Because they always look for enemies on the road. We can see from their behaviour on the road.

Three Kind Girls

"Please learn only this part," I said desperately to those three boys. The boys were taking a remedial test of Music. I knew that the boys would fail in the test, but if I just asked them to follow my fingers playing, I was wrong since I didn't teach them anything. I asked them to learn the part of the song outside the music room although I thought they couldn't do better there. Fortunately, there were three girls outside, waiting their turn to take the test. I told the girls to show how to play a little part of the song. The girls were willing to do what I asked, and they 'taught' the boys sincerely and patiently. Finally, the boys could pass the test. How glad I was! I thanked the girls for helping the boys pass the test. I hope I have more than those three girls in my school.

Plan B

A few days ago, I was not in good health. When I slept at night, suddenly I felt I couldn't breathe since my nose was full of mucus. I woke up and felt I was dying. As soon as I opened my mouth,

The Beginning of Corruption

Some students are found to be lazy to attend some classes; Maths, Physics, English. They pretend to be sick and they sleep in the health centre.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Giving

It was Sunday. That day I was asked to be one of the judges for a choir competition in a church. I planned after doing the one-day-job as a judge, I would go to the house of a friend whose 4 years-old son was just came home from hospital. He was in hospital for a month because he had a trouble with his heart.

I had less than IDR 20,000 in my wallet, but I was sure that

Have I Taught Polite Words?

A few days ago I read my student's account. I found many impolite words in her statements or comments. I was shocked! This girl is usually very polite and kind before me, but I never know that she has an amount of 'dirty' vocabularies (even in several languages). Once I found her statement and I asked why she had written the words.

Children Learn What They Live

By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.

(Clarence Budinton Kelland)

I really agree.... 

Your children need your presence more than your presents. 

(Jesse Jackson)

One Student One Piece

When a student takes a piece of rubbish from the floor or ground and throws it into the rubbish bin everyday for a week. The next week, a student takes two pieces of rubbish from the floor or ground and

Change the way you think

It was Tuesday. I came into the 9th grade classes. Not teaching, but I only wanted them to share what they worried about their last year in the school. Most of them worried about being failed in the final exam. I was shocked since most of them - including the high-rank students - said that. The question is:

God has created children with their own talents

Just show your children the ways to get what they dream of. Be not disappointed when you find your children's dreams are not the same as what you dream of. That's God's work!

Do you teach HONESTY?

One day a woman sent me a letter. In the letter she asked me permit her daughter not to attend the choir rehearsal because her daughter was sick. The letter was brought given to me by the daughter. Before I opened the envelope, I asked the daughter what her problem was. She said she couldn't join the rehearsal because

Trust and Obey

The drivers of public transportation around Islamic Village are the kings of road. They drive as if they have the road. They have their own rule in driving. They stop anywhere they want. They do not queue when there is a traffic jam. They 'cut' another driver's way. They don't care about the traffic rule. But when there are some police officers there, they act as good and polite drivers. Uuuhhh....

At school, have you obeyed the rule of your school? Do you obey

Cruel Parents

It was Tuesday. I met one of my student's mom. I had to meet her because her son had made a 'dangerous' foul. She told me that she wanted her son to get very good scores in every lesson. To achieve it, she had sent her son to a 'school-like' course. Everyday--Monday to Friday, the son had to go to school from 7 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and then he had to attend the course - which has the same subjects and materials as the school has - from 3 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m.

He's a very very very unlucky student.

Response to Apology

It was Friday, the day I trained my children (later I call them 'glees') in the choir (Tarakanita Glee Club). It had been a beautiful day until I realized something wrong with my glees. During the rehearsal, I made two mistakes. I gave a wrong example; I sang alto's part for the soprano. Then when I accompanied the glees with my keyboards, I played the wrong part.

As I made the mistakes, I said,"Ups...Sorry, I AM wrong."

And this was the response: "Huuuuuu...!!!" (in a choir way).
At the end of the rehearsal I asked them,"Is this the appropriate response?"
I'm sure our children often give such a response. It's not too late to fix it. Fix it if you love your children.
So be the first to give positive response to others, even if we have to give response to other's mistake....