Indonesia – Page 19 – Goducate … Go And Educate!

2010-07-19

Visit by students to Goducate learning center at Punggur Batam

On the 13 and 14 July we had 15 students and 3 teachers from Singapore Peicai Secondary School to visit our center.

They came as part of the school program to help their students be exposed to life outside their country and to do their part to help the less fortunate children.

On the first day we brought the students to tour the kampong and visit one family just to let them see the conditions of those who come to our learning center. They also brought some groceries to be given to the family.

Thereafter, they arrived at the center to a group of waiting kids. We sang our theme song, “Smile, smile, smile” for this is what the center is all about. English is our medium of instruction. The Singapore youth then entertained and taught the kids tricks like spinning the wheel, balancing the plate on pole, ball juggling and sculpturing balloons. It was an ice breaker as the kids got to open up to the Singapore youth and enjoy their presence.

On the second day, they taught computer skills on how to do power point presentation. An added blessing to their coming was the donation of 4 good used pcs, complete with tables by travel agency, “Take me to Asia“. How thrill the kids were to have a total 11 pcs to use. Now they have lesser waiting time to use the pcs because we 20 to 30 kids in the queue to use the pcs.

The following day I noticed the kids on the pcs doing their lesson and putting into practice the lesson taught the previous day.

Even though our center provides regular English and computer classes, we appreciate the extra help the Singapore youth gave to help and encourage the kids to learn .

2010-07-142010-07-14

Monthly Goducate English camps in Batam, Indonesia

Our English camps were held with students coming from Tunas Baru Secondary school in Batu Aji, Batam. We had over 45 students for each month of May and June. Their ages are from 14 to 16 years. The purpose was to teach them conversational English through games and drama. Some of these kids are presently attending our Goducate center in Batu Aji which is about 15 mins from the campsite.
On the first day, Saturday, we had 4 to 5 youth volunteers from Batam and Singapore to play games with them. The purpose was to use English as the medium in giving instruction so that they can practice speaking English. We had sack race, passing the rubber band through drinking straws, dog and the bone, tug-a-war, walking on clogs, etc.It was so much fun as they began to break from their shyness to speak English. Next we had about 4 to 5 adult volunteers to teach drama. You name it we have it. We made costumes and props from whatever we can lay our hands on, like trash bags, newspapers, cardboard, masking tape and marker pen.

It was so much fun to see all them participate and speaking and acting their part in English. They were tired out after the 2 days of activities but really enjoyed themselves.

Our English camps are monthly affairs and our helpers are all volunteers from Singapore and Batam.

2010-04-072010-04-08

Goducate’s first Indonesian camp

Last weekend, Goducate held its first International English Camp for the youth of Indonesia on the island of Batam.

On Friday at lunch time, 60 Indonesian teenagers gathered at the brand new HIM Community Center for their first camp experience. After a short opening ceremony, fun-time began. A games team (one guy and four ladies) from Goducate Singapore led the Indonesian teens in a seemingly never-ending series of about a dozen back-to-back games. The Indonesians seemed to have limitless energy.

All instructions were given in English (with translation from our Indonesian Goducate staff). This was probably the first time that the Indonesians had listened to instructions given to them in English.

That evening a group of Filipino teenagers (children of Filipino expatriates on Batam) entertained them to a mime on moral values. The almost “professional” quality of the miming was an encouragement to the Indonesians who were not much exposed to drama. After the mime, our Indonesian Director, Sam Quek, spoke to the campers.

The campers collapsed that night in the rooms of the community center (which was really a series of 6 terraced-houses).

On Saturday, it was Drama Time. The 60 campers were divided into three teams. The drama team from Goducate Singapore (one man and three ladies) trained their respective teams for that night’s drama competition. Each camper had to participate in the drama and had to speak at least one line in English. To help them overcome nervousness, their lines were projected on the back wall of the hall for them to read from. As it was the first time that they were speaking English before a crowd, this was a real challenge for most of them. Nonetheless, they bravely took up the challenge and got a breakthrough in overcoming their fear to speak in English!

The next day, they struggled to wake up for a early Sunday program. After breakfast that morning they returned home to catch up on 2 days sleep!

For most of the campers, it was an unforgettable camp experience. Hopefully, it will not only be their first camp but also their first little step to learning how to speak English.

After the success of this first camp, Goducate has decided to hold monthly International English Camps on the island of Batam – and then in other parts of Indonesia in the near future.