KangGURU
Travels to Kediri and Probolinggo
written by Sue
Early in the morning on Tuesday the 21st November Alana and I flew to Surabaya. Pak Wawan patiently drove us to Kediri through the East Java countryside. I was expecting long traffic jams because of the mud-flow in Sidoarjo. The journey took about three and half hours and luckily there were no long queues. We checked into the lovely resort hotel called Bukit Daun a little outside the city. It was about 2:30 and Alana and I climbed the steep stairs to the hotel coffee shop for a late lunch. From there we could see lovely views across the countryside and over to Kediri. Early evening we met Ririen the interactive presenter from Bonasa FM and members of the committee. We went over to the LEC to check the venue for the workshop and then to Bonanza FM to meet listeners and members of Bonefo English club. The club members were excited to meet some of the Kang Guru team face to face and had lots of questions for us. Then at 8 o clock we went on-air for the interactive show. Ririen and Yulfa talked to the callers and Alana and I answered their questions. It was great to hear so many interested listeners in Kediri. What a great show you have Ririen and Yulfa. Thanks for inviting us.
Next day we were picked up at the hotel at 7am. and went to the LEC to prepare for the workshop. About 50 teachers from the Kediri area attended the workshop. The committee had invited the Rector of IKIP (now Universitas Nusantara) Pak Sarjono to open the workshop and he was instructed by Pak Agung to give a speech no longer than 5 minutes! As this was the second KGRE workshop these teachers had attended they were already familiar with KGRE materials and so the workshop began with a short reminder about all the things KGRE has to offer busy teachers.Two sessions then followed giving teachers ideas about how to use the competency based curriculum effectively and ways to motivate their students.
After the break the teachers split into two groups and before lunch they attended a session on effective ways to teach listening or reading. Lunch which was cooked on the premises was one of the most delicious lunches I have ever eaten when conducting workshops. Thanks to the chef and her staff for all the local food they cooked so well. After lunch more sessions were held on speaking and writing. The teachers were enthusiastic and asked many questions. Before the workshop was over we held some KGRE quizzes where teachers were jostling for a chance to take part. Everyone seemed to be having fun and went home with lots of new ideas to try in their English classrooms and some KGRE souvenirs.
On Thursday morning I returned to LEC to conduct another workshop, the first for all the very active 80 participants. Ibu Yulfa from Bonansa FM came along and during the break we held a live on air report from the workshop with Ririen at the radio station. That was the first time I had ever experienced an on air interview from separate locations using modern technology. How interesting! The workshop continued after another delicious lunch and after some very lively quizzes the participants went home full of enthusiasm and new ideas for their English classes.
That evening the committee came to my hotel and treated me to dinner and Pak Agus was determined to show us why he is an English teacher not a singer! His Karaoke was very entertaining and when I went to bed that night my cheeks were sore from laughing so much. A big thank you to all the committee in Kediri and especially Ibu Dhiany, Pak Agus, Pak Hartono and Mr Mark (especially for his assistance with photographs). I really enjoyed my stay in Kediri, thanks to their company and hard work organizing two successful workshops.
The next morning Ririen and I set off for Probolinggo. The journey took almost 5 hours as there were several traffic jams caused by the mud-flow in Sidoarjo. I feel very sorry for all the families who have been displaced and also worried about the enormous environmental problems it is already causing and will continue to cause. We arrived in Probolonggo at 2pm. At 3 o clock we met Ibu Titien, from the workshop committee, and I went with her to SMA N 1 Probolinggo to meet the committee and members of the English Club. I was very impressed with the students English and they asked me some questions and we played the game ‘Eleven’ suggested in the most recent pouch. The committee is made up of a group of students from SMAN 1 Probolinggo, headed by Fauzian, Yudi and Reny. The committee had spent almost one year organizing three different events to take place over the ‘English’ weekend. At six Ririen and I went along to Bromo FM to meet the presenters of the interactive English show, Agus and Veronica. The interactive show is quite new in Probolinggo and Ririen had some great ideas for the enthusiastic presenters to try.
| On Saturday the first event organized by the student committee was a workshop for about 60 teachers. This event was held from 8 till 2:30. The teachers became involved from the beginning with both the activities and asking questions. At the end of the workshop they went home with KGRE souvenirs and lots of ideas to try in their English classrooms. In the evening there was an English camp for almost 150 students from neighbouring schools. |
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During the afternoon the students erected tents on the school football field with the help of the local boy scouts where they were going to spend the night. They had arranged a program of events to take place in the evening which included an anti drug presentation from the local Police, a spelling bee run by Amanda an exchange teacher assistant from America and games and songs from KGRE. It was great. Before the KGRE activities the students changed into costumes and masks.
| It was hard to recognize who was who! KGRE divided the students into teams and each team participated in quizzes and had the chance to win lots of KGRE souvenirs. After the final quiz everyone sang G’day G’day in their best voices. It was great! The students then held a costume parade and we voted for the best costume. I left the students singing and dancing to their favourite music at about 11 o clock. The next day when I met the students at the debate competition they told me they had spent most of the night talking in their tents and had only had two or three hours sleep. But that didn’t stop them having some very lively debates. Congratulations to all the teams who participated and good luck with your debates in the future. |
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Directly after the debate I returned to Surabaya, arriving about 10 that evening and next morning flew back to Bali. What a great time I had in East Java! Thank you to all the organizing committees and participants.
Return to Past Travels of KGRE in Indonesia
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