Transfering Knowledge at Tungkal Ulu, Jambi

Tanoto Foundation supports Teacher Working Group activities.

Written by Fahri Hidayat Lubis, Tanoto Foundation Jambi

It is quite a different morning at SD Negeri 139/V PKMT, Tungkal Ulu Sub District, Tanjung Jabung Barat District, Jambi. That morning, teachers are busy gathering in one class room and having lively discussions among themselves.
SD Negeri 139/V PKMT is one of the schools that took part in the area’s Teachers Working Group activities. Teachers Working Group is a professional organization which consists of teachers who work together in a cluster system. A cluster typically consists of four to six schools in one sub-district. In this forum, teachers can share relevant information and knowledge as well as get trained in various topics to improve their capacity.

Tanoto Foundation supports the Working Group through several steps. First, Tanoto Foundation selects teachers who take part in its teachers’ capacity improvement program and trains them in topics such as planning and implementing active, creative and collaborative teaching and learning process. Then, these teachers are selected as local facilitators. Finally, these facilitators are required to share the knowledge with others in the Working Group.
One of the collaborative teaching and learning process implemented in classroom is for students to learn a given subject using the “Snakes and Ladders” game. With this game, when the student provides the correct answer, he or she is then allowed to proceed further in the game. However, the student has to go backward if his or her answer is incorrect.

This model is also designed to introduce students’ sense of ownership toward his and her study process as well as others’. The student is not only involved in studying the given topic, but he or she will have to be ready to share and teach the same topic to other members of his or her group. With this exercise, cognitive and social skills of the students will be strengthened.

Elita, Head of SDN 92/V Gemuruh, expresses her happiness because of the Working Group activities. “When we share information and knowledge among ourselves, we are also inspired to continue to be creative in planning and implementing teaching and learning methodology that is attractive for our students in class. With the support from Tanoto Foundation, we are able to carry out different activities in the Teachers Working Group for the benefits of the students,” said the Elita concluding the discussion.