the entrance, garden and playground

After giving two 50-minute classes for Dyatmika Junior High School last month (that I shared my experience of being a writer to those 14-year olds), I took another challenge to teach primary school kids art. The summer program started earlier this week at My After School Club, with Master Art theme for the week. I taught 2-D and 3-D arts with other teachers in the first 2 days.

I was scared at first, knowing nothing to handle 6-12 year olds (that are not my cousins) but they gave all teachers small seminars of children psychology and the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. That, combined with my experiences with my younger siblings and cousins as I grew up--and my general knowledge of psychology--made me pretty much well-prepared for the teaching. The reason why I'm taking this freelance job is not about the money, but the idea of helping shape good characters for the kids through playing.

waiting area

The Club aims to bridge the problems that working parents have with their growing up kids. School usually ends at 11a.m. to 1p.m. and children wouldn't have adult supervisions until the parents go home, so they could come to the Club instead. It is not an extra-curricular or course program. It is a place where kids can have healthy lunch, get helped with their homework, and develop their art and nature skills with light practices. There will be no extra lessons for them, only creative and active ways to kill time and to get them away from gadgets.

kids are meant to play actively outdoor

The implementation of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People will also be applied here through daily and casual interactions, that we all aim to shape future leaders from their childhood moments. I think this is the main reason why I'm supporting this program, although I'm only active for their summer program for now. I want children to spend their time learning by playing, being active, proactive and creative, blend in with nature, before time will come and introduce them to the real world, technologies and problems.

the art room--they also have the music room

This is a CSR to me, as an act of giving back to the others of the blessings that I have for having happy childhood, although I didn't have all the facilities the children have today. Plus, I guess I'm doing pretty good with children, thanks to the experience I had with my younger cousins back then. Of course, being a teacher is never a one-way education. Being a teacher--next to being a parent--is a privilege to have us taught simple things from the kids.

explore new things and don't be afraid to get dirty

Through my 2-days experience I already witness the 7-8 kids play, get excited to some things, lost interest and tired of other things, get competitive, accusing the others to cheat, being accused of cheating, play fair, laugh, cry, get mad at each other, comforting the ones who cry, take sides, not taking sides, make up with each other, following instructions and requests, being responsible and other things.

library and indoor playroom

If there are things that I learn from these kids is how easy they are to let go of anger within half hour in order to be able to go play again. How they cherish the fun more than holding grudge, is one of the best things we can learn from them. Letting go, based on my own experience, is one of the hardest things any adult can do in life. I guess it's good to have interactions with kids from time to time, to rise our inner child and just let loose. Although being a regular teacher is never on my plan or intention, it is fun to do this once in a while.

Should you be interested to register your kids to the Club, contact them here, or visit them at Jl. Hayam Wuruk No. 93, Denpasar, Bali. Their Summer Program is still going for 2 more weeks before the Lebaran (Eid Al-Fitr) holiday and 3 weeks after. Then, they will begin the after school club for the new semester. Let's give children the childhood they deserve!