There are two types of costs in education: direct and indirect costs. Direct costs comprise mainly of school fees, a one-time registration fee at the beginning of the school year, and a set of monthly fees. Average monthly spending is about Rp. 20,000.- (equivalent to approx. USD 2).- for primary school and Rp. 50,000.- (equivalent to approx. USD 5).- for junior secondary school students. The FBE did not mandate that all schools waive off these fees. Instead, it was an option for schools to waive off school fees in return for a ‘block grant’ as compensation for revenue loss. In addition, direct costs also include travelling and school supplies costs. Altogether, these costs pose a significant burden to low-income households. As in other countries, for education to be free, direct costs should be largely be waived off by the government.
However, as it is, Indonesia ranked the lowest among 47 countries (including more “backward” countries such as Uruguay, Kazakhstan and Laos) in its total education spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – measuring only at 1.5% of GDP. Although the budget for 2009 has been increased, there is still a loud cry for the involvement of non-profit organizations, international NGOs, individuals and the private sector to lessen the burden of low-income households to achieve ‘education for all’.
The barriers to free education, as gargantuan as they already are, do not stop there. The greater challenge to free education lies in the indirect costs, or the opportunity costs of putting a child into school. Opportunity costs are the forgone wages in the labor market or loss contributions to household activities. For example, the wages a child brings home from working in a factory, or the farm yield from his efforts. For low-income households, this cost is often higher than the costs of school fees and supplies. When the basic survival needs of a household are not met, families need as many pairs of hands possible to make day’s ends’ meet – they do not need brains.
This perception that short-term gains are more important than long-term investment through education of a child must be changed. Although understandable, this perception has created a reality for many low-income households, and worse, a future that is not any better for their children. On this view, the government and other organizations must do more than contribute money and waive off school fees. They must instead, spend time and effort to aggressively propagate a change of mindset among the poorest levels of society, to prevent the perpetuation of a vicious cycle of poverty.
Admittedly, the real solution of lowering opportunity costs to education is in improved economic conditions in the lower-income levels. However, that will take decades to achieve. Furthermore, we cannot expect better economic conditions in this level without first educating its people. There is no way out except through education.
In its 2009 Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report, UNESCO placed Indonesia 71st out of 129 countries surveyed, down from 62nd in 2007 and 58th in 2006. This shows that instead of progressing in enabling education for all, Indonesia has been slipping down the ladder. Because of the existence of high opportunity costs to education in this country, an ‘iron fist’ approach from the top might not necessarily work. Therefore, the challenge for Indonesia is how it will strategize and galvanize effort from all levels of society to approach this issue from a community-based approach.
The change in mindset towards education has to be generated from the top level but transmitted at the grass root level, with trained change agents including community leaders, principals, village heads, teachers, parents and volunteers.
If not, education in Indonesia will never be free, even if monetarily it is.
* Sapto Handoyo Sakti is Sampoerna Foundation’s Communication Director. He was formerly the Senior Manager of Communications and Outreach at a leading international non government organization in Indonesia.He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Communication Management from Massey University, New Zealand.
Source: www.vivanews.com
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Towards Free Education
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Teacher Education for 40.000 University Graduates
The government is making available 40.000 seats for university graduates of all kinds of degrees to enroll in a teacher education program. Upon program completion, these university graduates will be awarded certificates which will enable them to hold teaching positions in the public as well as private school system.
Teacher Reading a Book
“In the course of time, only those who possess Teacher Education certificates are able to practice the teaching profession.” said National Education Ministry's Director General for higher education, Fasli Jalal in Jakarta, Wednesday (22/10). The quota of 40,000 teacher candidates was set to approach the number required for the replacement of retiring teachers and meet demand for new teachers.
According to Fasli, non-education degree holders eligible to enroll are those wanting to teach at the Junior High School, Senior High School and Vocational School level. Those wanting to teach at the Kindergarten and Elementary School level, will be required to have a degree in Kindergarten and Elementary School education.
Teacher Education, Fasli added, for non-education degree holders constitutes a 6-months program, while the training for Kindergarten and Elementary School teacher candidates is a one-year program.
Before enrolling in the program, Fasli continued, candidates will go through a strict selection process. “Only those who have what it takes to become teachers and really have the desire are allowed to take part,” said Fasli.
According to him, these strict requirements are necessary to continually ensure better teacher quality. “said Fasli Jalal.
Sulistyo, Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) chairman said, the government’s initiative to set up teacher education programs, is a crucial step towards raising the quality of teachers. However, precise calculations are required to determine the quota for teachers, taking into account quantity as well as the distribution. This is to ensure that schools are no longer experiencing a shortage of educators, which encourages the hiring of unqualified individuals.
Sulistiyo said, the government should give priority to education degree holders in selecting candidates, since these individuals have been trained as educators for longer periods of time.
Subject content teachers who are non-education degree holders should be asked to teach less common subjects, such as those taught at vocational schools. These subjects usually require teachers with more specific skills,” he said.
On a separate occasion, the Minister for National Education, Bambang Sudibyo said the government has taken several measures to improve teacher quality and welfare and ensured a sufficient supply of teachers.
Up until 2015 it is estimated that 300,214 teachers will head into retirement. This gap will be filled by teachers that meet the current Law on teachers and university lecturers.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Challenges of Globalization for Indonesian Teachers
Nobel Prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, defines globalization as “the closer integration of the countries and peoples of the world ...brought about by... the breaking down of artificial barriers to the flows of goods, services, capital, knowledge, and people across borders." Thomas Friedman in his book, The World is Flat further emphasizes that the world is now a level playing field.
What does this mean in the education field? It simply means that countries which do not produce world-class graduates will fall behind in this flat competitive ground- because in a flat world, all competitors have equal opportunities. Those who fail to leverage on these opportunities will fall behind. More specifically, educational researchers have propounded that countries which fail to develop “international education”, will be negatively affected in terms of economical, political, and social issues in a mutually bounded world.
This calls for an urgent check on how “international” education standards are in Indonesia; and how teachers can better prepare Indonesian graduates to be more globally competitive.
Local graduates from every level are still a far cry from being competitive globally; even within Indonesia. Recent report has shown that as many as 4.5milliion educated graduates are “fully unemployed” . These are diploma or degree holders, and high school graduates who graduated from local institutions. Analysts attribute this national problem to low teaching and learning quality in Indonesia. This is not surprising, as among the 2.7 million teachers in the country, only 300,000 are certified teachers . Teachers in Indonesia have long been plagued by various problems including insufficient training, low education qualifications, meager salary and inadequate support and facilities. The government, realizing this issue, has declared to increase its teachers’ salary budget by Rp50 trillion in 2009; resulting in almost 100% increment in salary for some. However, monetary compensation alone is insufficient in raising the country’s teaching quality to match international standards.
Essential skills needed in Indonesia’s job market and the global economy are critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, big picture thinking, communication skills and an attitude for lifelong learning.
Educational researchers such as Bates (2002) and Martimore (2001) proposed several ways how teachers can prepare themselves and their students to face globalization. They found that active and project-based learning is vital in developing critical and independent thinkers with problem-solving skills. In advanced countries, these methods are rapidly replacing the traditional teacher-centric based education where only one-way communication takes place. Variety in teaching methods and techniques are increasing, and is coming to foreground in curriculums. For example, the use of computers and the ability to seek for information on the internet is indispensable in this information world. With the internet, the same information can now be accessed by a teacher New York or a teacher in Papua.
Teachers should use the internet to research, update their teaching materials, and find better teaching methods used by more advanced institutions worldwide. In this way, teachers do not need to only depend on the formal training from the state, but to be able to improve and upgrade themselves autonomously. Students must also be taught to seek knowledge independently and have an attitude for lifelong learning, whether through the internet or good old reliable sources like books, magazines and newspapers. Continuous learning is important because change is the only permanent force in a globalized world. Those who fail to keep up with the latest changes will only fall behind and be left out.
Indonesian teachers must soon realize that whether they like it or not, they are being judged by international standards and being compared to teachers from all over the world – by governments, multinational companies, investors, parents and students. If teachers in Indonesia fall short of world-class standards, multinational companies will choose to setup their offices elsewhere due to the lack of a competent workforce; investors will be doubtful of the nation’s future leaders; discerning parents and talented students will choose to study in foreign countries, potentially resulting in a phenomenon known as ‘brain drain’ in Indonesia. As Indonesia celebrate its National Teachers Day, the following quotation by Henry Brooks is recalled “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops”. In a globalized world, a teacher’s influence in Indonesia is almost immeasurable and infinite in defining the nation’s success.
Recognizing this fact, the Sampoerna Foundation Teacher Institute (SF TI) will be organizing the Indonesian Teachers Congress (Kongress Guru Indonesia: KGI) on November 27-28, 2008. This two-day congress focusing on international teaching quality for Indonesian teachers bears an appropriate theme - “Think Global, Act Local”. The congress will serve to enlighten 1,000 teachers across Indonesia on how they can upgrade their expertise and to boost their desire for continuous improvement and lifelong learning. SF TI’s Director, Kenneth Cock hopes that the KGI will inspire and motivate teachers in Indonesia to improve the quality of their work. “We really hope that through the improvement of the skills and professionalism of teachers in Indonesia, they will have the ability to compete globally without losing their identities as Indonesian teachers,” Ken added.
Hopefully, one day, Indonesians teachers and graduates will be a force to be reckoned with – in the globalized world.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Privatized Universities May Spark Classism
By Erwin Maulia
(The Jakarta Post: Jakarta, 09/18/2008) - A proposed bill to advance the privatization of top universities in the country may lead to classism and conflict, as higher tuition fees will prevent underprivileged students from undergoing higher education.
Education expert Darmaningtyas said tuition fees, especially at state universities, had rocketed since the government passed a regulation in 1999 that declared four top state universities legal entities.
Image
The four are the University of Indonesia (UI), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
Since the bill was passed, the government has gradually cut subsidies to the four and has encouraged other universities to raise their own funds.
"The consequence of this liberalization of education is that education is no longer a basic right of every citizen. Rather it is a commodity, which only the haves can afford to buy. "Education is getting costly," Darmaningtyas said in Jakarta on Tuesday during a discussion on legal entities organized by the Indonesia Corruption Watch.
The bill, which National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo earlier said would change "all state and private universities into corporate-like institutions", is currently being deliberated at the House of Representatives.
Jimmy Paat, an education sociology expert at Jakarta State University, said the essence of the bill was to privatize universities and that the proposal was "full of injustices". "Many students will be gotten rid of not because of their lack of intelligence, but simply because of economic reasons.
"I believe education has to create fairness, equal opportunities for every one; Now how can we expect fairness from privatization?" Jimmy said.
It costs up to Rp 750 million (approximately US$79,300) to put a student through medical school at UI. "With such high fees, it is no wonder why the poor cannot afford (tertiary) schooling and why medical treatment has become so costly; The medical students spend too much to graduate," ICW's Ade Irawan said.
Darmaningtyas said the liberalization procedure had caused pro-people universities to commit injustices. "When I was at UGM, it allocated 18 percent of its seats for students from West Nusa Tenggara, Papua and Maluku so that we could find students from those provinces in every faculty in the university. "However, they are no longer there now, and I'm suspicious that is a result of the high tuition fees," he said.
He said the fact that underprivileged students from eastern Indonesia could no longer enter top -- and therefore costly -- universities in Java could potentially trigger a culture of jealously and conflict for future generations.
"They can never compete in the job market even on their own home soil. Mining companies in Papua, for example, prefer graduates of UI or ITB to local university graduates," Darmaningtyas said.
"This can trigger jealousy, with top state university graduates deemed as colonizers. If the legal entities bill is finally passed into law, in 10 years we'll see social conflicts and disintegration prompted by jealousy," Darmaningtyas said.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Teacher Quality is A Must
(Jakarta, Kompas: 06/11/08) – The issue of upgrading teacher quality shouldn’t be debated any longer; it is something that needs to be done. Without a quality upgrade, efforts to increase the education quality and the education budget will be wasted.
teacher writing
World Teachers’ Day, which is celebrated on 5 October every year, served as an opportunity to introspect regarding the professionalism and quality of teachers.
This observation was made by the Chairman of the Board of PGRI or Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia, Sulistyo during a ceremony commemorating International Teacher’s Day, Sunday (5/10). Initiatives to upgrade the capacity and quality of teachers is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education, the Regional Government, schools and teachers themselves.
Creating Awareness
Sulistyo revealed that teachers need to be aware personally, about improvements and changes in performance. Teachers must have a thorough understanding regarding the specific qualifications and duties that are required of them.
In reality, as an illustration, Sulistyo revealed his dissertation findings on meta-cognitive abilities of teachers in preparing lessons, particularly the methods teachers applied in planning, thinking, and managing class material.
“The ability of teachers in preparing class material isn’t up to standards. Teachers have a vague picture of what their duties are in class,” said Sulistyo whose reserach included questionnaires, classroom observations, in-depth interviews as well as psychological testing.
Preparation is commonly done only by following the lesson planning guidebook collectively agreed in Teacher Meetings or Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran, usually printed by the local Education Office, however, not yet fully applied by teachers.
Not On Target
Sulistyo has also found that initiatives for professional development at the municipality or regency level often neglects the real needs. Teachers are still regarded from a bureaucratic perspective, rather than an academic one.
“Teachers should have access to information on education research and technology. However, this access is not given to them, thus teachers continue to miss out on information. It’s a classic problem in Indonesia,” he said.
“Sometimes only a representatives on behalf of the teachers is sent to training seminars. There are teachers who never experience improvement. Contrastingly, some teachers receive several opportunities for training,” Sulistyo added.
According to Sulistyo, the Ministry of National Education should re-evaluate the teacher quality improvement programs, because they have not been altered much. An assessment needs to be made to evaluate whether they are still “on target”.
Supriyono from the Jakarta Teachers Association or Serikat Guru Jakarta, and founder of the Indonesian Forum for Honorary Teachers, said during the ceremony commemorating World Teachers’ Day, that honorary teachers are demanding that the government take swift action to eliminate any form of discrimination against non-government teachers. “ The same demands are made of all teachers: To educate the nation’s students, “ he said.
He is asking the government provide regional or provincial minimum wage in addition to social security for employed teachers. Many foundation still do not pay adequate salaries, in particular those operating in the not-for-profit sector. “They provide honorary fees that are adjusted to match the economic condition of the communities. On average Rp 250.000 – Rp 500.000/month.” he said. (INE)
Sunday, November 02, 2008
PASCO’s New EcoZone System Gives Teachers and Students an Affordable and Accurate Way to Construct, Observe and Measure Ecosystems
Teachers and students of environmental sciences and ecology now have an affordable and accurate way to construct and study ecosystems with PASCO scientific’s new EcoZone(TM) System designed to help students model and understand the complex interactions within — and among — different ecosystems. The system sells for $99.
EcoZone allows students to move beyond traditional observation and qualitative measurement and engage in active, sensor-based measurement and modeling of ecosystems. Using PASCO’s line of PASPORT digital sensors,(1) students can predict, monitor and describe changes over time with greater accuracy. Specifically, environmental sensors let students evaluate water quality, quantify changes in carbon dioxide and oxygen, monitor temperature changes, measure the “weather” within an ecosystem and more.
“The interaction of organisms within their physical surroundings is one of the most important concepts within Environmental Science,” said Korey Champe, PASCO’s manager of earth and environmental science education. “By designing EcoZone System to support the use of PASPORT sensors, we’ve enhanced students’ ability to make qualitative observations. More importantly, students can now quantitatively measure a closed system. Forget about cutting up two liter soda bottles, poking holes and labeling them. EcoZone lets students get right to work on experiments.”
EcoZone gives students a range of options for constructing ecosystems. They can choose the traditional terrestrial, aquatic, and decomposition arrangement and measure the interaction of organisms in all three ecosystems; or they can create their own unique biomes like a tropical rainforest or desert ecosystem. Students also can decouple the system to conduct isolated investigations — such as how light affects the ecosystem; or they can construct two identical ecosystems, one to monitor light conditions and the other to monitor dark conditions.
EcoZone consists of three clear, acrylic EcoChambers. Each is a closed environment that is custom molded to use with sensors and take measurements that have minimal impact on the environment. Openings within each chamber allow air to circulate between each of the three chambers. A cotton cord efficiently “wicks” water between the chambers, so all three chambers have the necessary water to support biological activity.
Students can use a syringe to extract a small amount of water for chemical testing with the PASCO ezSample(TM) test kits. The syringe also can be used to replenish water if the levels are too low to sustain life, or if students want to inject a pollutant into the environment and monitor its effect.
EcoZone comes with everything teachers and students need to construct ecosystems(2):
— Individual EcoChambers, including lids
— Custom tray for holding EcoChambers in a connected ecosystem
— Stoppers
— Cotton wick
— Syringe and plastic tubing
For more information visit http://www.pasco.com or call 1-800-772-8700.
About PASCO scientific
PASCO scientific is a leading developer of innovative, technology-based solutions for hands-on science. PASCO’s team includes former and current teachers, educational researchers, engineers and many more. Throughout its more than 40-year history, PASCO has focused exclusively on science education — designing, developing and supporting better ways of teaching and learning science. Teachers and students in more than 100 countries throughout the world use PASCO solutions. For more information, visit http://www.pasco.com.
EcoZone is a trademark and PASCO is a registered trademark of PASCO scie
Microsoft Gives Out Free Software Starting September
(Kompas, Jakarta:27/08/08) – As it enters the 2008 fiscal year, Microsoft starts to target education as one of its main focuses. According to Tony Chen, President Director of Microsoft Indonesia, this is a part of Microsoft’s drive to make its business goal this year as “Dedication for the Country”.
“Education is very important. This country’s future relies on a sound education. Through education, we want to create new Bill Gates in Indonesia,” he said during dinner with the press in Rumah Daksa, Jakarta on Tuesday (26/8).
To support the cause of education, Microsoft will give out free software packages to a number of universities, under a program called Dream Spark. Dream Spark is a collection of softwares that can be used as tools to develop and design various applications, including the one used to create computer games.
“It’s called Dream Spark because the goal is to help (the students) realize their dreams,” said Tony Seno Hartono, National Technology Officer of Microsoft Indonesia. He said that by providing these softwares for free, it will be easier for student groups from various backgrounds to collaborate and create applications.
Dream Spark had been initiated in several countries since February 2008, but it will only start in Indonesia come September. In the beginning phase, distribution will start in ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology) and in universities under the Astikom network (Association of Computer Universities). Students studying at these institutions will be able to download the softwares for free. In the future, as well as expanding its network of distribution, Microsoft Indonesia will also provide Dream Spark in CD form or through local servers for easier access.
The following is the list of free softwares that are included in Dream Spark:
* Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 (Standard Edition and Standard x64 Edition)
* Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional
* Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (32 & 64-bit Developer and Standard Editions)
* Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007
* Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional
* Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Library
* Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007
* Microsoft Expression Web
* Microsoft Expression Blend 1.0
* Microsoft Expression Design 1.0 (contained in Expression Studio)
* Microsoft Expression Media 1.0 (contained in Expression Studio)
* Microsoft Expression Studio (contains Web, Design, Blend, Media)
* Microsoft Compute Cluster Pack
* Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Teacher Education for 40.000 University Graduates
(JAKARTA- KOMPAS: 23/10/08) – The government is making available 40.000 seats for university graduates of all kinds of degrees to enroll in a teacher education program. Upon program completion, these university graduates will be awarded certificates which will enable them to hold teaching positions in the public as well as private school system.
Teacher Reading a Book
“In the course of time, only those who possess Teacher Education certificates are able to practice the teaching profession.” said National Education Ministry's Director General for higher education, Fasli Jalal in Jakarta, Wednesday (22/10). The quota of 40,000 teacher candidates was set to approach the number required for the replacement of retiring teachers and meet demand for new teachers.
According to Fasli, non-education degree holders eligible to enroll are those wanting to teach at the Junior High School, Senior High School and Vocational School level. Those wanting to teach at the Kindergarten and Elementary School level, will be required to have a degree in Kindergarten and Elementary School education.
Teacher Education, Fasli added, for non-education degree holders constitutes a 6-months program, while the training for Kindergarten and Elementary School teacher candidates is a one-year program.
Before enrolling in the program, Fasli continued, candidates will go through a strict selection process. “Only those who have what it takes to become teachers and really have the desire are allowed to take part,” said Fasli.
According to him, these strict requirements are necessary to continually ensure better teacher quality. “said Fasli Jalal.
Sulistyo, Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) chairman said, the government’s initiative to set up teacher education programs, is a crucial step towards raising the quality of teachers. However, precise calculations are required to determine the quota for teachers, taking into account quantity as well as the distribution. This is to ensure that schools are no longer experiencing a shortage of educators, which encourages the hiring of unqualified individuals.
Sulistiyo said, the government should give priority to education degree holders in selecting candidates, since these individuals have been trained as educators for longer periods of time.
Subject content teachers who are non-education degree holders should be asked to teach less common subjects, such as those taught at vocational schools. These subjects usually require teachers with more specific skills,” he said.
On a separate occasion, the Minister for National Education, Bambang Sudibyo said the government has taken several measures to improve teacher quality and welfare and ensured a sufficient supply of teachers.
Up until 2015 it is estimated that 300,214 teachers will head into retirement. This gap will be filled by teachers that meet the current Law on teachers and university lecturers.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Majority of Principals Weak in Managerial Skills
Author : Sidik Pramono
(JAKARTA—Media Indonesia:12/08/08). The majority of school principals in Indonesia lack the necessary managerial and supervisory skills. The direct effect is lack of quality in the schools that depend on their leadership and guidance.
“Management and supervision, actually, constitutes one of the major powers that a school principals has in his arsenal to run a school,” said Director of Education Personnel, Directorate General of Quality Improvement of Teachers and Teaching Staff or Peningkatan Mutu Pendidik dan Tenaga Kependidikan (PMPTK), Ministry of National Education, Surya Dharma, during the press conference on the First Conference of The South East Asia School Principals Forum / SEA-SPF, at Depdiknas, Jakarta, Monday (11/8)."
To become a principal, said Mr. Surya, one must show competence in five skill areas at the very least, as set forth in the National Education Minister’s Regulation No. 13/2007. This skill set includes the following areas: character, social, managerial, supervisory and entrepreneurial.
Unfortunately, Mr. Surya added, an assessment done on 250 thousand principals from Kindergarten through to upper secondary and vocational school level, from both private and public institutions, turned up with results confirming that many principals do not meet the regulation’s requirement.
According to Mr. Surya, current methods for principal recruitment and appointment are have for the many principals do not satisfy the ministry’s regulation. Since regional autonomy laws have been in effect, the power to appoint school principals were handed over completely to the regent or mayor.
“Such authority allows the regents or mayors to freely appoint principals; perhaps these appointments are made to further other agendas, maybe support in the upcoming election for regional heads or governor (political interest),” Mr. Surya added.
Moreover, Mr. Surya stated, many principal appointment processes are carried out without the proper training. In fact, in a number of countries, a minimum of 6 months training is required to occupy the position of principal. In Malaysia, teachers who want to become school principals must receive around 300 hours of training at Institut Amiruddin Bakri.
Therefore, Mr. Surya hopes, regents and mayors will be conducting recruitment and appointment of school principals in accordance to the standard requirements. “Funds should also be made available for their training to ensure they are fully prepared to become principals,” he said.
Eleven countries are expected to participate at the SEA-SPF forum, to be held on 15-18 August. These are: Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Kamboja, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Timor Loro Sae. (Dik/OL-2)
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Classroom Respect, Behavior & Learning
Classroom Respect, Behavior & Learning adalah bagaimana anda sebagai pendidik di sekolah bisa menguasai jalannya pelajaran dan menguasai murid-murid anda agar tercipta suasana belajar mengajar yang kondusif. Tapi hal itu tentu akan sulit. Oleh karena itu semoga dengan membaca artikel dibawah ini anda bisa paham benar cara belajar dan menguasai classroom dengan benar.
Stand on the playground during recess or in the hall during lunch and you'll hear the usual conversations about boys, girls, sports, homework, teachers, and student life in general; but what you're also likely to hear are many disrespectful comments being made by one student to another. Generally these are not scathing comments that will scar an individual for life, but they are rude, disrespectful, sarcastic, and basically inappropriate comments for anyone to make to another.
Sometimes as teachers we forget that our job is not only to provide the opportunity and information to learn--it is also our job to provide a safe and positive school and learning environment where learning may take place. Most of us are quick to stop outright aggressive behavior or violent talk, but far too often the more mild disrespectful and sarcastic comments are allowed to go unchallenged.
Whether we are conscious of it or not, we are behavioral models for all students. If we allow or ignore disrespectful comments between students, regardless of how mild, we are sending the message that these types of comments are acceptable. Our ignoring or refraining from commenting upon these comments actually reinforces this behavior, increasing the likelihood that such comments will continue to be made. As teachers, we can't control what happens in a student's life at home, at work, or even in the hallway--but we can control what happens in our classrooms (Beamon, 2001; Daniel and Benton, 1995).
As educators, it is our job to insure that all students are treated with basic respect while in our classroom and in our presence. According to Valerio (2001), a classroom is a "theatrical stage" that must be designed in advance to make students feel comfortable with their instructor, peers, and environment. How we structure our classrooms and what types of behaviors and conversations we allow has a significant impact on the perceived safety of our classroom.
It is important to keep in mind that safety and trust are determined individually by each student in the classroom. Although we may believe our classrooms are safe and each student feels he/she can take risks in the academic and social environment, this may not be the case. Our students may be physically safe, but if basic respect is not mandated in our classrooms, then many of our students will feel emotionally unsafe, which will negatively impact social and academic growth.
When students enter the classroom, they are bringing with them years of experiences and issues from the outside world. They have interacted with each other on many levels outside of school. Along with these outside interactions come deep-seated feelings about certain classmates. Regardless of whether these feelings are warranted, it is unlikely that we can change them. What we can change is the behaviors students change in response to those feelings. It is our responsibility to ensure that our students give one another basic respect.
Basic respect should be a bottom-line requirement for all individuals, adults and students alike, who enter our classroom. Students do not have to like everyone in the class, but they should be required to give basic respect to everyone. Let me say that one more time. You (students, teachers, aides, administrators, parents, etc.) don't have to like everyone in the classroom, but you will afford them basic respect at all times. This statement should be the mantra in all classroom settings nationwide.
It is always wise to begin each school year with a classroom discussion about the rules and rituals that will be followed for the year. Many of the classroom rules and rituals should be developed by and in cooperation with the students so there is a feeling of ownership, but not all rules should be negotiable. Classroom safety and basic respect should not be negotiated, and it should be made very clear that violation of these two bottom-line rules will not be tolerated. Students need to know that rude, sarcastic, threatening, mean-spirited, or negative comments, whether said in jest or not, will be met with consequences.
Due to today's media, many students have learned to use sarcasm as a form of communication and humor. Sarcastic humor is one of the most sophisticated forms of humor and most students and adults do have the social and emotional skills to use this form of humor correctly. Many individuals use sarcastic humor to veil threats, belittle others, point out flaws, or improve their position in a social group, all under the guise of humor. To allow such "humor" in our classroom sets a dangerous precedent. It sends students the message that they cannot be openly disrespectful, but they may be covertly disrespectful if they cloak their comments with sarcastic humor.
Since many of our students have never been taught what basic respect is and how to give it, how do we help them understand this concept? A simple method is to make this part of the rules and rituals discussion at the beginning of the school year (or each new term if classes change). Have the students name some of the individuals they admire and would treat with the utmost respect. Remind them that you are not asking them who they idolize (rock stars, sports figures, movie stars), but whom they admire and would give the utmost respect to in all situations. The list might include judges, grandparents, priests, bosses, and military personnel. Then tell the class that any comment not fit to be made to one of these respected individuals should not be made to another person in or out of the classroom.
There is a high likelihood that not all faculty will hold their students to this high standard, and this will make your job that much more difficult. Obviously, if this were a school-wide policy, students would learn to be respectful in all school situations. The fact that it will not be enforced by all faculty should not deter you from requiring basic respect in your classroom and in your presence. If as teachers we hold firm to the basic respect rule, our students will feel safer, and that feeling of physical and emotional safety will afford them the learning environment that will maximize learning and positive academic outcomes.
Mick Jackson is an Intervention Specialist with a Master's Degree in Special Education and Theory. Mr. Jackson has 15 years of combined experience in self-contained special education classrooms, resource rooms and hospital day treatment. He has developed and overseen mental health and intervention programs and directed staff in four different states. Currently his courses are being offered through distance education at over 100 sites in the United States and Canada. Mr. Jackson is President and CEO of Virtual Education Software, Inc. http://www.virtualeduc.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mick_Jackson
Sunday, March 02, 2008
AULA´08, The International Educational Opportunities Exhibition
Ifema has already set the dates for the staging of the sixteenth edition of the fair, AULA´08, the International Educational Opportunities Exhibition, which will take place at its usual venue, Feria de Madrid, between 2nd and 6th April 2008. Over a number of years this event has consolidated its position as the leading Spanish event of its kind and a valuable tool for all students, parents and educators.
In effect, AULA offers young people an opportunity to make decisions regarding their future in a responsible manner, evaluating their best options. Parents are offered useful career guidance advice in order to help them decide how to educate their children. Furthermore, the exhibition provides teachers, above all career advisors, with the widest possible overview of the options available.
AULA´s role was confirmed at its last edition, which took place in March 2007, bringing together more than 300 companies from 12 different companies, based on a net exhibition area measuring some 10,600 square metres. Furthermore, more than 130, 000 students and educators attended the fair in order to discover the latest products and services within the field of education. We might highlight the geographical origin of these visitors, who attended the event from practically every corner of Spain.
These excellent results are based on the high quality of the exhibition that is presented each year, which revolves around the following segments: university studies; studies abroad; post-graduate and master´s courses; other higher studies; language courses; vocational training; first job placements; e-learning; NGO´s; official bodies; student services; the specialised press and sporting activities. This wide-ranging layout provides visitors with a comprehensive perspective of the entire education industry.
The products and services on show at AULA are aimed at a target group consisting of teachers and trainers, school board representatives, career guidance counsellors, education professionals, members of government administration, secondary education students, university students, vocational training students, parents, job-seekers in search of complementary training, students seeking new skills and know-how, etc.
Furthermore, we might highlight the growing international dimension at AULA. Thus, the participation of foreign exhibitors at the fair has become increasingly significant. In this respect, in order to boost the incorporation of foreign products and services, successive editions of the fair designate a guest country, which at AULA´s 2008 edition will be China.
AULA also presents a strong institutional dimension, which is to be expected within the field of education. In fact, the fair is promoted by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, MEC, and features the participation of the Education Departments of various Spanish Regional Governments, as well as that of other official bodies and organisations.
Other Government Ministries, such as Culture, Defence, Home Affairs and Employment, also play an active role at the event, as well as in AULA´s packed Programme of Specialised Conferences, which are designed to address some of the most topical issues within the industry. In this respect, the fair organisers are already preparing the Conference Programme for the next edition.
The involvement of all these participants, including both companies and government bodies, makes AULA an ideal event for all students to gain useful guidance regarding their educational future, without forgetting the considerable interest the fair has for all professionals working within the field of education.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
ITT Educational Services, Inc. Announces Availability of Additional Student Funding Options
Kevin M. Modany, Chief Executive Officer and President of ITT/ESI, said, “We are very pleased to be able to provide qualified ITT Technical Institute students and their parents additional options for available funding to help pay the cost of their ITT Technical Institute education. We strongly believe that no qualified individual should ever be denied access to the education of his or her choice due to a lack of funds. The financing that Bank of America, Chase Education Finance and Citibank, The Student Loan Corporation are offering will assist our students in obtaining the education that they desire.”
Modany concluded, “The education loan programs that these lenders are offering will provide us with the ability to continue executing on the mission of ITT Technical Institute to increase access to high-quality postsecondary education for all qualified Americans.”
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Forward-looking statements are made based upon the current expectations and beliefs of the company’s management concerning future developments and their potential effect on the company. The company cannot assure you that future developments affecting the company will be those anticipated by its management. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: business conditions and growth in the postsecondary education industry and in the general economy; changes in federal and state governmental regulations with respect to education and accreditation standards, or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, including, but not limited to, the level of government funding for, and the company’s eligibility to participate in, student financial aid programs utilized by the company’s students; the company’s failure to comply with the extensive education laws and regulations and accreditation standards that it is subject to; effects of any change in ownership of the company resulting in a change in control of the company, including, but not limited to, the consequences of such changes on the accreditation and federal and state regulation of its institutes; the company’s ability to implement its growth strategies; the company’s failure to maintain or renew required regulatory authorizations or accreditation of its institutes; receptivity of students and employers to the company’s existing program offerings and new curricula; loss of access by the company’s students to lenders for student loans; the company’s ability to successfully defend litigation and other claims brought against it; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
WEB SITE: www.ittesi.com
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Grant to Promote Economic Growth in College Station
“This is good news for the future of economic development in College Station,” Sen. Cornyn said. “The investment will boost local jobs and expand economic opportunities. I applaud area officials who worked to secure this funding.”
The grant was administered by EDA, a division of the Department of Commerce. It was established to work with states and localities to generate new jobs, retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas and regions of the United States.
Source
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Recruitment seen key to education
"Certification tests must be based on a balance between the written test that includes mastery of materials and teaching methods, because not all teachers who have mastered subjects are skilled enough to teach students." In some areas, he added, 'teachers were still recruited only on the basis of their subject and academic achievements.Anita Lie, a teaching methodology expert, said due to the lack of qualified teachers, Indonesia needed to work harder to ensure that all children completed primary education. "All teachers that pass the certification process need to master pedagogy to solve the problems that surface in the education sector," she said."In addition, policymakers should also check teachers' performances directly in order to make a clear direction for the purpose of this country's education sector," Anita added.
According to the Education Ministry, Indonesia has around 2.8 million teachers. This year's certification program covered 250,000 teachers. The minimal pass score for teachers this year was 850 in a test involving three components: academic qualifications and teaching experience; education, training and evaluations; and involvement in scientific forums and organizational experiences in education and sociology. According to Setiono Sugiharto, one of the test assessors, few teachers scored 850, meaning that most did not qualify. The lack of certified, experienced teachers has led the public to assume that only the country's best schools, both state and private, have certified teachers.
Theresia Seneng Rahayu, 39, said she preferred to send her children to a private school in the capital because she believed it would give them more advantages because they would have highly experienced teachers. "Teachers here often attend seminars that may improve their knowledge and experience," she said. Meanwhile, a 51 year-old working mother, who lives in Surabaya, said she preferred state-run schools to private ones. "But it should be the best state-run schools in town, because I think teachers there have proved to be the qualified ones," said Reni Ekawati.
36 Million Rupiah for Education from Plasa Senayan Visitors
Visitors were offered the opportunity to purchase attractive souvenirs, such as hats, t-shirts, agendas, bags, pencil holders and Idul Fitri (Lebaran) cards. These souvenirs sold for between Rp 10,000 – Rp 65,000. Those visitors who did not want to purchase anything, but still wanted to assist Indonesian school children with the cost of education, could fill out a direct commitment scholarship form at the booth. “All of the sales proceeds are going to provide Rp 30,000 per month each to elementary school students, Rp 45,000 for junior high students, and Rp 60,000 for high school students through the Sampoerna Foundation scholarship program.” said Hendri Satrio, Public Relations Officer from Sampoerna Foundation.
According to Department of National Education data for 2005/2006, more than 1 million Indonesian children are forced to drop out of school every year. This means that 2.5% of all school age children (7-18 years of age), with 35.78% of that number dropping out for economic/financial reasons, 23.56% entering the workforce, 15.77% getting married, and 24.89% leaving for other reasons.
Observing these conditions, Sampoerna Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on improving access to and quality of education in Indonesia, felt it necessary to undertake a public awareness campaign through education exhibition booths opened in malls and office buildings throughout Jakarta. This social welfare activity is expected to raise public awareness and concern for the education sector in Indonesia.
”Through the United for Education booths moved from mall to mall, we hope to explain the situation of education in Indonesia to the public and to get their support for improving conditions in schools across the country. We hope that this campaign set out in the midst of the busy daily activities of Jakartans will touch the hearts of those who can afford to give, so that they will become aware of the need and be concerned about improving conditions in the education sector across Indonesia,” Hendri said.
Throughout Social Week in Plasa Senayan, more than 75 people visited the booth every day, with total purchases and donations reaching between Rp 500,000 and Rp 1,500,000, for a total of Rp 36 million over the period of a week.
Teachers travel to Bali, the entire students get days off
From Tempo observation, SMPN 1 Bekasi was quite yesterday. Only two school administration staff was seen in the school’s office. SMPN I Bekasi administration staff, Rusman, admitted that 1,240 students are not going to school because teachers are traveling to Bali for comparative study. "School will resume on Monday (October 29)," he said. According to him, the comparative study is part of the International – Standard School Pilot Program (RSBI) initiated by the Bekasi municipality administration. "Bali is chosen because there are many international schools there," Rusman explained.
Out-of-school competency improvement study, he added, has been carried out previously. One day before the teachers travel to Bali, 75 students from 3 international classes in the school were taken to visit Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Some parents complained about the comparative study program which seems to waste a lot of money. One of the parents who doesn’t want to be named said he believes that the fund used to cover the expenses of the comparative study come from student contribution for school budget and expenditure draft (RAPBS). He said the school asked each student of regular class to pay over Rp 2 million per year for RAPBS; while each student of international class has to pay at least Rp 5 million per year. The contribution should be settled by December 2007. “The comparative study should use the fund from APBD,” he said.
Speaker of Bekasi Education Agency, Wasis Priyono, acknowledged that his office has received report about the comparative study carried out by SMPN I Bekasi to Bali. He thinks that the program is necessary for school development. “This will broaden teachers view," he said. Asked about the expenses that might be covered by the fund raised from students’ contribution and fund from the agency, Wasis said, "As long as students can enjoy the result I don’t see any problem," he said.
According to Wasis, while teachers carry out the comparative study, students are given home assignments. “Even though they are not going to school, they are still studying at home,” he said. Independent learning is part of Education Unit Curriculum (KTSP). Meanwhile, member of the Commission C of Bekasi City Council, Wahyu Prihantono, said the schools should have discussed such an activity with parents and it could only be carried out after schools and parents reach agreement. “If there’s no agreement, education agency should take firm measure," said Wahyu who regretted the comparative study to Bali which is carried out after student get a long Lebaran vacation.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Current Education Trends
The goal of education is the transference of ideas and skills from one person to another, or from one person to a group. Current education issues include which teaching method(s) are most effective, how to determine what knowledge should be taught, which knowledge is most relevant, and how well the pupil will retain incoming knowledge. Educators such as George Counts and Paulo Freire identified education as an inherently political process with inherently political outcomes. The challenge of identifying whose ideas are transferred and what goals they serve has always stood in the face of formal and informal education. In addition to the "Three R's", reading, writing, and arithmetic, Western primary and secondary schools attempt to teach the basic knowledge of history, geography, mathematics (usually including calculus and algebra), physics, chemistry and sometimes politics, in the hope that students will retain and use this knowledge as they age or that the skills acquired will be transferrable. The current education system measures competency with tests and assignments and then assigns each student a corresponding grade. The grades usually come in the form of either a letter grade or a percentage, which are intended to represent the amount of all material presented in class that the student understood. Educational progressives or advocates of unschooling often believe that grades do not necessarily reveal the strengths and weaknesses of a student, and that there is an unfortunate lack of youth voice in the educative process. Some feel the current grading system risks lowering students' self-confidence, as students may receive poor marks due to factors outside their control. Such factors include poverty, child abuse, and prejudiced or incompetent teachers. By contrast, many advocates of a more traditional or "back to basics" approach believe that the direction of reform needs to be quite the opposite. Students are not sufficiently inspired or challenged to achieve success because of the dumbing down of the curriculum and the replacement of the "canon" with inferior material. Their view of self-confidence is that it arises not from removing hurdles such as grading, but by making them fair and encouraging students to gain pride from knowing they can jump over these hurdles. On the one hand, Albert Einstein, one of the most famous physicists of our time, credited with helping us understand the universe better, was not a model school student. He was uninterested in what was being taught, and he did not attend classes all the time. However, his gifts eventually shone through and added to the sum of human knowledge. On the other hand, for millenia those who have been challenged and well-educated in traditional schools have risen to great success and to a lifelong love of learning because their minds were made better and more powerful, as well as because of their mastery of a wide range of skills. There are a number of highly controversial issues in education. Should some knowledge be forgotten? What should be taught, are we better off knowing how to build nuclear bombs, or is it best to let such knowledge be forgotten? In developing countries In developing countries, the number and seriousness of the problems faced is naturally greater. People are sometimes unaware of the importance of education, and there is economic pressure from those parents who prioritize their children's making money in the short term over any long-term benefits of education. Recent studies on child labor and poverty have suggested, however, that when poor families reach a certain economic threshold where families are able to provide for their basic needs, parents return their children to school. This has been found to be true, once the threshold has been breached, even if the potential economic value of the children's work has increased since their return to school. Teachers are often paid less than other similar professions. A lack of good universities, and a low acceptance rate for good universities is evident in countries with a relatively high population density. In some countries there are uniform, overstructured, inflexible centralized programs from a central agency that regulates all aspects of education. Due to globalization, increased pressure on students in curricular activities Removal of a certain percentage of students for improvisation of academics (usually practised in schools, after 10th grade) India however is starting to develop technologies that will skip land based phone and internet lines. Instead, they have launched a special education satellite that can reach more of the country at a greatly reduced cost. There is also an initiative started by AMD and other corporations to develop the $100 dollar computer which should be ready by 2006. This computer will be sold in units of 1 million, and will be assembled in the country where the computer will be used. This apperas to be a different computer to that developed by MIt, with the same price tag, believed to be powered by clockwork and a generator. This will enable poorer countries to give their children a digital education and to close the digital divide across the world. In Africa, NEPAD has launched an "e-school programme" to provide all 600,000 primary and high schools with computer equipment, learning materials and internet access within 10 years.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Pittsburgh High School Reform Task Force
Superintendent Mark Roosevelt announced the creation of the Pittsburgh Public Schools High School Reform Task Force. The High School Reform Task Force, which consists of leaders of both secondary and higher education, private foundations and businesses, experts in workforce development, parents, and members of the community will carefully examine these principles and determine how best to implement an action plan for high school reform within the Pittsburgh Schools. The Task Force has been created to evaluate and reinvent Pittsburgh's high schools as part of the District's Excellence for All reform plan, which provides a roadmap for improving the academic performance of all students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
In an effort to make necessary educational reforms and improve the rate of Pittsburgh Public Schools graduates, Superintendent Mark Roosevelt commissioned a recent RAND Corporation study that revealed 64 percent of the district's high school students graduate. One of key measures in the Excellence for All reform plan is to increase the graduation rate by 10 percentage points by the end of the 2008-2009 school year.
"Developing a comprehensive high school reform plan will be one of our most critical initiatives in the coming year," said Roosevelt. "With the changes in the economy, we must improve the academic rigor and preparation of our high school students so they have the best opportunity to succeed in the workforce and higher education." Superintendent Roosevelt is expected to present a comprehensive plan for high school reform to the Board by April 2007.
The Task Force will be led by Jan Ripper, Principal on Special Assignment for high school reform and Dr. Lynn Spampinato, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, Assessment, and Accountability. It will meet for the next six months to extensively study best practices from national experts on high school reform and receive input on workforce development issues from local and national corporate leaders, economists and job-force training experts. Task Force members will also visit nationally recognized highperforming high schools in urban systems throughout the country and determine which of the best practices studied are right for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The work of the High School Reform Task Force is being funded through a grant of $255,000 from The Fund in Excellence in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, a new fund established by the local foundation community to support the Superintendent's district reform agenda.
Excellence For All
A central principle of Excellence for All is that all children can learn at high levels, regardless of their age, experience, or background. The Task Force is charged with the creation and realization of a reform initiative that supports this standard and prepares Pittsburgh's high school students for the promise of post-secondary education and career and technical employment. Their evaluation will be guided by the following six core principles identified as necessary for transforming high schools by the National High School Alliance:
*Personalized learning environment *Academic engagement of all students *Empowered educators *Accountable leaders *Engaged communities and youth *Integrated system of curriculum, instruction, and assessment supports.
Geology Activities-Inspiring Life-long Learning with Fun
Do you need geology activities? For a classroom? Homeschooling? Something different for an after school program? Maybe you don't know how much you need them.
If you've ever taken a walk in the woods with a young child, you've probably observed a natural love of rocks and minerals. Shape, color, texture...any of these can warrant special notice, a quick pick-up and a drop in the pocket. Once home, those same rocks can spark a memory or an imagination of how it came to be there at just that spot in the path.
A love for the natural world is so universal that if you drop "rocks and minerals" into a Google search you'll find over 9 million websites from countries all around the world--and lots of these are directed to children or made by children. On a short search, I encountered sites by teachers for students, by avid rock hounds for aspiring rock hounds, by colleges, universities, and museums, and by folks who just LOVE rocks!
That's why we recommend starting a geology club.
Geology Club In Ohio Last year, Kathy Koenig of Cincinnati started a geology club for 7 and 8 year-olds. Being a teacher, she wanted to inspire kids in a subject she knew would be lots of fun. She also wanted to give the students plenty of opportunities for some genuine science work. She planned out a years worth of geology activities and lessons.
The Basic Plan The club met for eight sessions monthly throughout the school year. Students paid $25 for the year-long club, all of which was to be used to purchase specimens, experimental materials, and geology activities, that could then be owned by the students. Kathy searched hard to find resources who would give her a lot for her money. (That's how she found us at www.fossilicious.com!)
Attendance Would you be surprised if you found out that this geology club had nearly 100% attendance, even on Friday afternoons after school? That's what happened! Even on the last day of the week, kids were thrilled to spend time LEARNING!
The students worked with:
crystals and crystal growing classification of minerals the practical uses of minerals around the house the rock cycle and the events that lead to different formations how fossils are formed how to identify and dig for fossils and, of course, starting their own fossil,rock and mineral collections.
Careful Planning And a Little Help While Kathy planned the sessions and led the meetings, parent volunteers were there to support the students in their geology activities. Most of the meeting time was spent in hands on geology activities with real specimens. The extra adult support allowed more of the children to be engaged and successful.
The Results By the end of the year, students had not only learned a great deal, they had also begun personal collections, nicely labeled and ready for display. These budding paleontologists and geologists were becoming well-versed in the process of excavation and labeling...and they'd had a first-hand experience with creating good field notes.
School Fundraising Idea - Wheel of Misfortune
Many fundraising ideas involve the enjoyment people have in the misfortune of others, as long as it is safe and no one gets hurt. This is especially true if the person suffering the misfortune is someone like your principal, coach or teacher. That's why dunk tanks, head shaving and pie in the face remain popular fundraisers.
This school fundraising idea builds on that concept, adding to it the idea behind a popular TV show. Here's how it works:
Make a big wheel like the one used on a popular TV show that is divided in sections, spins on an axle and has flexible plastic dividers separating each section. If making a wheel like this is difficult in your circumstances, a large pair of dice made from foam or cardboard will work just as well. A different misfortune is written on each section of the wheel or each side of the dice. The examples used earlier could work, such as, head shaving, pie in the face, or getting doused with water. Other ideas are getting wrapped in toilet paper, covered with shaving cream, covered in slime, or eating something disgusting.
Celebrity participants agree to do or submit to, whatever misfortune turns up on the wheel or the dice. Your principal, coach or teachers are likely prospects. Other prospects may be the student council, team captains or other school officials. Parents may also participate. Depending on your location, other celebrities might include prominent business people, town council, mayor or police chief.
The celebrity participants should only agree to do what is on the wheel if a minimum amount of money is pledged. People can pledge towards each misfortune. The more popular misfortune will raise more money. When the participant celebrity spins the wheel or throws the dice and then does the misfortune they spin or roll, the people who have pledged towards that misfortune must pay up. If you are concerned about collecting pledge payments, you may want to collect the money in advance, and have someone trustworthy hold the funds, to be turned over to the school when the task is completed.
The fundraising event at which the wheel is spun and participants get sprayed, dunked, pied or whatever, should be organized so that there is a minimum of mess to clean up. You may have more options if the event is held outdoors, but indoors can be done with some planning and care. Make sure you work with school maintenance staff and get their ok before you start throwing water or pies around.
The fundraising idea should be organized and promoted like any other event. Organize volunteers to do specific jobs, publicize the event in school newspapers, local papers, and other media. Decide on what misfortunes and which celebrities will participate before you publicize the event. This will increase the amount of the pledges and funds raised.
This is a school fundraising idea that is unique, low cost and has the potential to raise a lot of money and be a lot of fun.
