A Space of Learning and Thought

No longer post in Blogspot

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:02:11 PST

Dear Friends and all Readers of my blog everywhere you are, I have decided that I will no longer write or publish in this blog. I have written and published my writings in another blog entitled:
Link

Thank you!

Three Messages in "Legend of the Guardians"

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Sat, 28 May 2011 11:02:01 PDT

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Village Roadshow Pictures

Warner Home Video

2010 GOG Productions Pty Ltd

Distributed in Indonesia by PT. Vision Interprima Pictures.

No. IUP: 01/IMPOR/PP-FS.Rv/II/2010

Made in Indonesia

Remaja

No STLS: 5947/VCD/R/PA/2.2011/2010

Tanggal: 03/12/2010

____________________________________________

“to make strong the weak,

To mend the broken,

Vanquish the evil” – (Legend of the Guardians)

The movie entitled Legend of the Guardians mostly presents the story of the life of owls in their nature with heroic symbol but has moral messages to the viewers. In addition, a unique thing of this movie is that the owls are presented as if they are human as we are. Therefore, this movie is worth watching for children and family. In this case, after watching this movie, there are three messages that can be implicitly seen through the presentation of the characters and plot of the story. The messages are related to the power of family, controversies of reaching achievement thorugh high self-motivation versus jealousy, and betrayals as the portrait of lame characters.

The first message is related to family. The central figures of this movie in terms of family are Kludd, Soren, and Eglantine. In their family, Kludd is the elderly child followed by Soren and Eglantine. Soren but Kludd loves the story of the Kiel Knight from Guardians of Ga’Hoole and Eglantine loves the story as well. Kludd always believes in himself that the story of the guardians is just a tale and it never becomes real for him. Soren has a high motivation to be the guardian who always want to “make strong the weak, mend the broken, and vanquish the evil.” Besides, Soren is much loved in the family than Kludd as it is presented in the preceding scene of the movie. In this aspect, it can be seen that family is the first stage where all children, including the children of owls in this movie, will always feel secure and have love to share the happiness and togetherness. In Soren’s family, his parents always teach their children to reach their highest potential so that they can be the true owls in their lives. In this point, the meaning is that family is important in every kinds of lives of living creatures, especially us, as human. Family is always the first part of someone’s life before s/he reaches the real life out there. If a child is raised with love, then the child will find love in his or her society too.

The second message is mainly presenting the controversies of reaching achievement through self-motivation versus jealousy. When Kludd and Soren are growing as the teenagers-owls, they tend to have differences, especially in the form of personality. This can be seen after Soren and Kuldd are kidnapped by the Pure Ones ruled by the King High Tyto (Niddle Beak) and Nyra together with all other Tytos and bats. The stage where Soren wants to save his life and Gylfie at the time when they will be forced to be the “pickers”, Kludd refused Soren’s beg to join Soren and Gylfie. Kludd prefers to be with Nyra to join the army of the Pure Ones. As the story is presented, Kludd becomes the victim of the Niddle Beak and Soren joins with the Guardians after he finally realizes the dream to see and meet with the guardians companied by Gylfie, Digger, Miss P, and Twilight. In this separate stage, Kludd reaches his best potential and Soren as well. However, the main different thing is in the intention of how they could effort themselves to reach the achievement. Kludd is firstly motivated by his jealousy to Soren that he always thinks and considers Soren as a lame owl and too easy for kindness and softness. Meanwhile, Soren is soft in character and friendly to all his new friends. In reaching his achievement, Soren did all the best thing he could by driving himself through the self-motivation that he has inside himself. These two things reflect that reaching achievement through jealousy seems to bring the actor into negative condition in which s/he always feel insecure with the feeling of dislike and hate that lies in his or her mind. On the contrary, reaching achievement through self-motivation always brings better progress and result in which the actor could bring him or herself into such positive outcome that s/he can apply the outcome into the society.

The last message is in line with the betrayals. Through this movie, the viewers are presented with the power of betrayals. They often times have hidden mission that they want to reach although the way they realize it in a wrong one. Allomere, Grimble and Kludd are the characters of the betrayals. Kludd betrays his family and all the nice Tyto Owls by sacrificing Eglantine, his younger sister, as a victim for the Niddle Beak and Nyra in St Aegolius. Grimble, through he is a betrayal, he did that thing as a purpose to safe Soren and Gylfie from the dark power of Nyra and her troops. Grimble has finally freed Soren and Gylfie through the betrayal action but he could safe himself from Nyra’s attack. Allomere, is one of the selected guardians in the Ga’Hoole but he wanted the position of the king there. Despite his limitation in reaching the high position, he makes a political relationship with the Niddle Beak and Nyra until all the guardians who want to safe the kidnapped owls can be freed from St Aegolius. In fact, no matter how hard betrayals are conducted, the truth will always be the winner in life.

In summary, this movie, Legend of the Guardians – the Owls of Ga’Hoole, presents a symbolic story of three things. They are the cruelness of the betrayal to the truth, the vagueness of reaching best position through jealousy and hatred, and love in the family has always been a great part of children’s life when they want to face this life.

I personally like this movie and say thanks to Karthyrn Lasky for her great story. It inspires me a lot! J

The Story of Malin Kundang

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Wed, 11 May 2011 06:08:32 PDT

The Story of Malin Kundang

Since the text of Malin Kundang folktale is not easy to find, especially the one written in English; therefore, I want to share the following text to you all. Hope it is useful for you. This story is the most well-known folktale among Minangkabau people in West Sumatra province, and generally known in Indonesia.

This story has been published in:

Alibasah, Margaret Muth. 1975. Indonesian Folk Tales. Djakarta; Djambatan, pp. 11-17.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Malin Kundang

SUMATRA

Far, far away, on the coast of Western Sumatra near the mount of the Batang Arau River, there is a large gray rock. It looks like any rock anywhere, but the people in the nearby fishing villages approach it with great awe, and not a little fear, and they bring their children to it to tell them its story. For the rock was once a ship – the ship of fisherman’s son from their own neigbourhood, who sinned against his mother and was thus punished for his evil deed.

Most of the inhabitants of the village were poor. They made their living only fishing; farming they did not know. One of the families, poorer than the rest, had one boy named Malin Kundang. Because he was their only son, they loved him more than was good for him, and they spoiled him, and as is so often the case, instead of returning their love and goodness to him, he became lazy and selfish and naughty, and a burden to them.

One morning, as Malin Kundang’s mother set in their small cottage weaving cloth, Malin Kundang, as always looking for mischief, stole up quietly behind her and quickly grabbed her spool. He was about to run away with it when he fell, and the sharp point of the bobbin pierced his forehead just above the eyebrow. Weeping loudly, he ran back to his mother, who cleaned and bandaged his wound without delay and comforted her naughty child. The wound healed quickly, but it left a large scar.

One day Malin Kundang’s father heard that there was a ship at the delta whose captain was looking for additions to his screw. Malin Kundang was growing up, and his father, thinking only of his son’s good and his future, asked him whether he would like to sail. Yes, he would, said Malin Kundang. It seemed to him an excellent idea; he would go far awar, to distant lands, to all the world.

And so he left his parents, and the village where he had grown up, and joined the crew of the large ship his father had told him about. His parents took leave of him with great sadness. In spite of his bad behavior he was still their only son, and they would now be alone again.

As was to be expected, no news came to the parents of their sailor son. Years passed; the father died, and Malin Kundang’s mother lived by herself, poverty-stricken old woman, whose one hope in the miserable world in which she lived, was to have some word from her son before her own life-span was ended.

Meanwhile, what of the son? He was in luck, Malin Kundang, this son of poor fisherfolk. The days of his apprenticehip as a common sailor were far behind. Not only was he a captain of ship; he was the owner of a fleet of merchant ships; as well. Ships, houses, jewels, all the world’s goods he desired were his—and so he lived, adding to his possessions and to his wealth as he sailed from country to country, a prosperous, successful merchant and shipowner. Forgotten were the days of his youth, his parents, their love and kindness towards him. The traits of his boyhood, selfishness, indifference to the welfare of others, conceit—they were all emphasized as he had grown to man’s estate. Tall and straight he had grown – a handsome captain indeed – but the straightness was of pride and the bearing of the head showed conceit and superciliousness. This was Malin Kundang.

One day the villagers of the delta town of Batang Arau saw a large handsome ship, a foreign ship, in their small harbor. One whispered to another, and this one to again another, that the tall man standing on deck was noe other than Malin Kundang. It had been years and years since Malin Kundang had left the village as a young boy, and it was now a grown man they saw, a bold and dashing figure, elegantly dressed. But the older folk knew him by the scar above his eyebrow. They remembered.

The news spread fast. An old man hurried to the home of Malin Kundang’s mother, and panting in his state to tell her, he cried, “Old Mother, old Mother, your son has returned. He is the captain of a splendid ship that has dropped anchor in the harbor. He is a great man now – a rich man. They say it is own ship. Come, Old Mother, and see. Come and see!”

Malin Kundang’s mother could hardly believe the news. The tears rushed to her eyes and streamed down her wrinkled face. Quickly she fetched a basket, filled it with rice, and left the house with the old man.

The ship was splendid indeed. Never before had the village been privileged to receive such a ship in its humble harbor. The spectators were there in throngs, admiring the vessel from stem to stern: the wood of its main mast; its billowing white sails. It was a great event, a great day!

(Continue? Please click "Read More" below)

Coming to Indonesia: Seven Things Worth Knowing

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Tue, 10 May 2011 08:36:58 PDT

Coming to Indonesia: Seven Things Worth Knowing

A scenery of a mountain in West Sumatra, Indonesia

Are you a kind of person who feels worried when you want to come to Asia, especially Indonesia? Are you a person who comes from Europe, Australia, Africa, or the United States and you want to go to Indonesia but you might feel doubt to come to Indonesia? Then, this writing is worth reading for you. I myself write this post since I have met some foreigners who come to Indonesia to travel, do a business, voluntarily work, or teach in some schools and universities but they, in general, felt anxious when they would come to Indonesia for the first time. By knowing this, then, I intend to share my point of view to all people who come from countries above and want to come to Indonesia, especially for you. :)

Indonesian map as an archipelago country

What are the seven things?

Please click "Read More" to read the rest of the article.

Read more »

Quantum Teaching dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Fri, 06 May 2011 09:20:29 PDT

Ulasan Buku:

Quantum Teaching - Mempraktekkan Quantum Learning di Ruang-Ruang Kelas

Ditulis oleh: Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, dan Sarah Singer-Nourie, Penerjemah: Ary Wilandari

Sebuah buku Best Seller, Diterbikan oleh PT. Mizan Pustaka, 2000

ISBN. 978-979-1284-36-3, Harga: Rp.75.000,-

Ringkasan Isi Buku:

Memiliki pekerjaan sebagai seorang guru adalah sebuah pekerjaan yang tidak hanya menuntut penguasaan ilmu dari bidang studi yang diajar namun juga penguasaan keterampilan di dalam mengajar. Selain itu, aspek yang perlu juga diperhatikan adalah aspek mendidik. Pengajaran dan pendidikan adalah dua hal yang sangat mendasar harus ada di dalam sebuah jalinan kependidikan. Buku Quantum Teaching yang ditulis oleh Bobbi DePorter, Mark Reardon, dan Sarah Singer-Nourie di atas, sangat erat kaitannya dengan pola pengajaran dan pendidikan. Pola yang dijelaskan di dalam buku ini berkenaan dengan pola bagaimana guru bisa mempraktekkan quantum learning di ruang-ruang kelas dan, senada dengan yang disampaikan oleh Munif Chatib (Pakar Multiple Intelligences), buku ini juga sekaligus "penuh dengan teknik praktis dalam mengajar, menjadikan sosok guru sebagai seniman tingkat tinggi dan 'gurunya manusia'. Oleh sebab itu, wajar saja jika buku ini termasuk salah satu buku yang mendapat posisi sebagai buku best-seller yang ada di Indonesia, meskipun dalam bentuk terjemahan. Jika Anda ingin memiliki buku ini yang versi bahasa Inggris-nya, silahkan klik di sini.

Sekilas, isi buku ini dibagi menjadi beberapa bab, antara lain:

1. Mengorkestrasi Kesuksesan Melalui Konteks

Mengorkestrasi Suasana yang Menggairahkan
Mengorkestrasi Landasan yang Kukuh
Mengorkestrasi Lingkungan yang Mendukung
Mengorkestrasi Perancangan Pengajaran yang Dinamis

2. Mengorkestrasi Kesuksesan Melalui Isi

Mengorkestrasi Presentasi Prima
Mengorkestrasi Fasilitasi yang Luwes
Mengorkestrasi Keterampilan Belajar untuk Belajar
Mengorkestrasi Keterampilan Hidup
Mengorkestrasi Kesuksesan Melalui Praktik

Ulasan selanjutnya, silahkan klik Read More di bawah ini.

Untitle - Goresan Tinta Odessa

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:07:26 PDT

Meregang semua angan buat melayang

Meregang urat saraf hingga ke otak...

Kuat....

Letih hati buai nafsu angkara murka...

Segumpal egois menampik lara hati...

Luluh lantak dalam belaian menusuk hingga kalbu

Meregang tali-tali tak terkoyakkan...

Hening dalam satu nafas hingar bingar...

Buyar....Tepis...

Sampai mimpi hantui jiwa kosong...

Berat langkah menuju jalan terjal satu belokan tajam...

Hingga semua meregang....

(Ditulis oleh Odessa. One of my students.)

Merah Jingga - Goresan Tinta Odessa

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:03:53 PDT

Jingga dalam temaramnya cahaya..

Tersandar dalam panasnya perapian..

Beradu dalam keelokan emas yang bertahta...

Saat tuk lepas dalam kegalauan

Merah pun mengalir dalam setiap aliran darah...

Emosi penuh cinta tak terlepas bagai candu..

Terhenyak dalam sentuhan kemilau perak

Meraih mimpi penuh hasrat...

(puisi ini ditulis oleh Odessa, 2011)

Jingga tenggelam di telan malam

Takut hitam yang menyelimuti gelap...

Melebur dalam heningnya kesunyian

Endapkan kasih raih merah jiwa yang berkobar-kobar...

Jinggga.... jingga... jingga...

Hadapi mimpi dalam khayal...

Merah...merah...merah...

Menyala dalam seribu cita gapai cinta...

Nahkoda Ilmu - Goresan Tinta Jingga Odessa

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:01:32 PDT

Nahkoda Ilmu

Goresan Tinta Odessa

Ketika bintang tersenyum menatap pelabuhan kecil ku...
Engkaulah nahkoda pelayaran menuju setitik liang cahaya...
Nahkoda tanpa lelah, gundah dan selalu mengalah,
menahan terpaan badai dari segala penjuru arah.

Layar harapan yang kau kembangkan,
Tali temali yang kau simpulkan ,
Hanya demi aku anak-anak mu !!!

tik demi detik memang telah berujung dari mu...
Wasiat ilmu mu kau lempar dengan jangkar ke laut dalam ku..

Maaf guru ku...
kami yang tak mengerti akan biru ini..
Simpul jari jemari ini tertunduk dihadapanmu...

Kemampuan Profesional - Guru dan Tenaga Kependidikan

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 03:38:28 PDT

Ulasan buku kependidikan

Judul: Kemampuan Profesional Guru dan Tenaga Kependidikan - Pemberdayaan Guru, Tenaga Kependidikan dan Masyarakat dalam Manajemen Sekolah

Penulis: Dr. H. Syaiful Sagala, M.Pd

Penerbit: Alfabeta Bandung

Cetakan tahun 2009

ISBN: 978-602-8361-08-8
(Buku bisa dicari di Gramedia, dengan harga Rp. 42.000, 278 halaman)

Menjadi seorang guru adalah sebuah pilihan hidup yang membutuhkan proses pematangan pikiran dan keputusan. Selain itu, mendapat prediket sebagai guru adalah sebuah pekerjaan yang membutuhkan tanggung jawab dan dedikasi yang tinggi kepada upaya pencerdasan generasi bangsa. Melihat kepada fenomena sosial dasawarsa ini, banyak orang-orang yang ingin menjadi guru. Sebagian beranggapan bahwa menjadi guru, cukup dengan berbekal ijazah sarjana kependidikan, akta IV, dan beberapa pengalaman mengajar. Hal ini cukup diperparah dengan kondisi penerimaan PNS guru yang hanya dilakukan dengan tes tertulis. Sementara, metode classroom management, language testing, microteaching, dan pemahaman psikologi anak tidak terlalu diteskan.

Meskipun demikian, khusus bagi mahasiswa lulusan sekolah tinggi atau universitas yang memfokuskan studi ke ilmu kependidikan dan pengajaran, buku ini selayaknya dapat dibaca dan dimiliki. Pemahaman mendasar mengenai profesi guru sangat mutlak bagi segenap mahasiswa yang ingin menjadi guru selain penguasaan bidang studi yang telah dipelajari. Konsep-konsep mendasar yang sudah diajarkan di bangku kuliah, masih berupa konsep. Konsep ini perlu pengembangan dan penerapan sehingga pada tahap aplikasi, menjadi profesi guru memang sesuai dengan niat, kemampuan, dan kepribadian kita sendiri.

Mengulas sedikit isi buku, berikut susunan bab yang ada dilengkapi dengan sub-pokok bahasannya.

Meningkatkan Kualitas Layanan Belajar dengan Sentuhan Pendidik yang Profesional
Profesi Guru dan Kependidikan dalam Sistem Administrasi dan Manajemen Pendidikan
Kemampuan Profesional Pemimpin Pendidikan Menerapkan Model Manajemen Berbasis Sekolah
Guru Profesional Mempunyai Kemampuan Melakukan Pengembangan Kurikulum Mendukung Proses Pembelajaran
Pembelajaran Peserta Didik Aktif dan Bermakna
Menjamin Mutu melalui Supervisi Pembelajaran dan Manajemen Sekolah dalam Perspektif Profesi Pendidikan
Bimbingan dan Konseling sebagai Jabatan Profesional
Peranserta Masyarakat dalam Manajemen Sekolah

Lebih lanjut, hal mendasar mengenai profesi guru, yakni Profil dan Persyaratan Guru. Silahkan click Read More untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut.

Read more »

Jus Buah yang ada di Indonesia dan Khasiatnya

syayid@gmail.com (Syayid) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:43:45 PDT

Berbagi informasi mengenai jus buah yang menyehatkan jasmani.

Berikut ini beberapa jus buah dan khasiatnya:

Manfaat buah alpukat antara lain:
1. melembapkan dan mengencangkan kulit
2. membantu pembentukan sel darah merah
3. mencegah anemia

You may know from here (for cooking), here (sebagai hadiah), or here. Dalam bahasa Indonesia, silahkan klik di sini: here, here, and here.

Manfaat buah apel antara lain:
1. mengurangi nafsu makan
2. mengendalikan tekanan darah dan kadar gula darah
3. pembersihan racun dalam usus

For more information,
In English, you may click this, this, and this.
Dalam bahasa Indonesia, klik di sini, sini, dan sini.

Manfaat jus buah belimbing antara lain:

1. menurunkan tekanan darah

2. mencegah dan mengobati sariawan

3. mengencerkan dahak

Keterangan lebih lanjut dalam bahasa Indonesia, klik di sini, sini, dan sini.

Manfaat buah delima bila dikonsumsi dalam bentuk jus:

mengikis kanker dan membius cacing yang ada di dalam usus.