* SKYPE *

Have you ever heard about Skype? or Have you ever use skype?. Well. I'll tell you, skype is free software that can enable you to chat with people around the world for free as long as they have internet connection and skype. And if both of you are have webcam you can use video as well.

Now, see this video about skype :)

What do you think after watch that video?

All right, I'll continue to write........

You can use your cell phone actually but you have to pay it, because skype is a software was design for communication between computer to computer.

Because of it is free; many people use this software not only for communication but also for business and learning. Yeah, you can speak or communicate with native speaker that you wish to learn that language. For example; you want to learn English, you just seeking out the ID user for native speaker that you want to chat. Then if your communicant also online you may chat and have fun learning. By this software you may ignore your anxiety because it is communication peer to peer and maximum chat only for five people. Interesting right !!!!

The feature also supports your needs those are:

• Calling: Between skype to skype, phones and mobile or conferences call.
• Messaging: You can send instant message, send files, text messaging, and Facebook news Feed.
• Video: You may use video calling or group video calling.
• Managing: Skype for business and skype for connect.

Skype is easy to use. I said that because after you downloaded the skype software, you may open skype and create account, after that you have to connect microphone and speaker also set a webcam* (optional). Then add a contact with whom you want to chat and the last is Let's take the interesting experience by calls or video calls. It is easy, isn't it?

I've mentioned that nowadays skype also use for learning. It is interesting for me because I learn L2 in the campus. I think by this software I can improve my English skills especially for speaking. I can communicate with native speaker, take online discussion with her/ him, of course I learn the right pronunciation, share information such as; docx, images, link, etc) and I think this is a learning tool for visual learner like me :)

This software also has advantage and limitation. Some advantages are; skype has high quality on voice, easy to use, free for PC, and by cell phone you can use skype anytime and anywhere. The limitation also happening in this software there are; You can not call emergency number (e.g. 911) because the setting for this software for PC. This software has high resolution and bandwidth, not all services for free for example; skype business and skype connect. If you want to use these feature you have to pay it. skype only can use if you are online (synchronous), skype is only for compatible mobile phone (Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson) and the last issue is deception of identity.

All right, now you know a lot about skype and hopefully this entry will be useful for you. For the issue in technology, Whatever it is Skype is a tool and you have to use it wisely!!!!!!

Grade in classroom is outdated !!!

www.edutopia.org

When I was in elementary school my teacher always make a rank in classroom. The group in the first rank up to ten mean they are smart, and the first rank is the smartest student. Is it still happen until now in Indonesia?
If yes, it's mean the system is outdated.

 I said that because the intelligences can not measure by a rank. Rank is a the smallest part of measuring intelligences and it just see one aspect of students intelligences. Whereas the intelligences every students are different. Students who doesn't get the highest rank doesn't mean she/ he is stupid. I have to highlight that every students are smart but they have some differences category in intelligences. Howard Gardner divided intelligences into eight categories. There are; verbal linguistics, logical mathematics, visual-spatial, musical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, bodily kinesthetic, and naturalist intelligences.
Let's take a look this video to make you realized about multiple intelligences.

I already said that every student is smart and student could be have two or more intelligences. The teacher's job is how to deliver the lesson for those intelligences? It's is hard and complex but nothing is impossible. Based on Gardner theory teacher can not judge student stupid or not, but teacher have to observe the intelligences of students and make it better or help them to find other intelligences. It's more useful than a judgment.

Video sources: www.youtube.com

My Multicultural Self

 By: Ovnica Nitasari

                                                            www.funkorchildart.com

My multicultural self is one of the topic in the Humanistic studies course. Before this meeting I never thought about my multicultural self. It is a good thing for me, and I can reflect myself deeper. Miss Nisa distribute a piece of paper. In that paper has five bubbles and I have put my identities. Whatever word that can describe your identity. I really enjoy with this meeting. In my paper I wrote; a moslem, an observer, a female, a college student, and a sister.

Something that is ordinary if you just read those words, but for me is one of the biggest thing in my life now, because I have reasons to wrote it.

I am a moslem, maybe for this bubble everybody already know I am a moslem because of my veil. But I want to express that I am a moslem who appreciate other religion, I am not an anarchist person, I build a relationship with other religion, I try to understand the rule of their religion.

I am an observer. I like speak but I am a good listener. When I am talking with my friend and I see her/ his gesture or his/ her answer, That is the moment I observe his/ her. Try to understand him/ her. Try to know his/ her habits and based on it I have many tolerance in many cases, because of I know him/ her.

 I am a female. I remember when I was in elementary school, I am not comfortable to use skirt or long dress.  I have many friends and most of them are boys. In that time I never have a long hair. And until now, I don't like make up. Now it was changing.

I am a college student. I am happy with this label (college student). I learn more and I always meet inspire people in here. I like the atmosphere of campus. If I am not an SSE student, I don't know whether I can study in the campus or not. I am grateful to my god, thanks for the answered prayer :)

The last is I am a sister. I want to emphasized in this bubble because maybe people just think that sister is just a symbolize in the family. Unfortunately not in my life. I am a sister and I have three siblings. I am the first children and my mother passed a way two years ago. Because of the condition, subconsciously and gradually I become an instant mother for them. Even though I have a step mother now, but my siblings still need me more than the previous time. The condition is different, my life is changing. I love them so much, and I want to always with them everyday.

Both of the a college student (the forth bubble) and a sister (the last bubble) I face a conflict, because people just see me in one identity. For example, if we have a group work I want to finished the assignment before weekend  but my friends want to finished the assignment on weekend. I ask him/ her why you choose weekend to finished our assignment because I think we have time to finished it now. He/ her say " ya,, weekend aja lah, more relax then we are in the boarding house so not impossible to finished the assignment on weekend". And I think if I do the assignment on weekend, it's mean that I have to wait more to see my siblings. It is make me sad actually.

That is my multicultural self, something that maybe it is ordinary but extraordinary for me.

The last activity in this meeting (3rd meeting) is we have to make sentence(s) to express your self. Miss Nisa gave an example: Aku orang Indonesia tapi aku tidak suka ngaret (something like that, I'm sorry miss if I am wrong).

And my sentences are:

• I am female but I am not weak.
• I am a college student but I am not an ordinary.

:)

The Teacher

 By: Ovnica Nitasari

The teacher is a title of a lyrics. It's tell about teacher, the lyrics are based on the ideas in Ayers' book: Ayers, W. (2001). To teach: The journey of a teacher. New York: Teacher college press.

www.ibmb.uni.wroc.pl

Actually I don't know this song but I heard it in my class. When I get Principles of Effective Teaching and Assessment course on last Friday,  My lecturer (Pak Iwan) come into my class and he brought a guitar. He played it and sang "The Teacher's" song.

He distributed a lyrics for students. I read it and deep in my heart said "woow it so good, the lyrics is very touching for me".

Some of the phrases of sentences that I like are:

• 'cause teaching is never finished

Teaching is never finished as a key word for me as a teacher candidate. As a teacher we have to learn more, read more and do more than our students. Teaching and learning are interrelated. If teaching will never finished so learning do.

• A teacher invites you to a second chance

One of the biggest job for teacher is can deliver material well. Teacher always transfer his/ her knowledge and because of that students who don't know about something they will know. They will know because they learn and they read books. Teacher invites you to a second chance to make colors in your life.

•  As long as I live I am under construction

I am under construction because I am a teacher, and teaching my students. I am under construction because teaching is never finished. Everyday teacher learn about how to teach, how to understand all of students, how to manage a classroom as a playground for students, and more and more.......

Teacher's life is always under construction!!!!!!!!

• A teacher beckons you to change the world

This is the last phrases/ sentences that I like. This sentence in the last line of the lyrics and have a big meaning. Teacher invites a second chance and finally she/ he beckons you to change the world. Can you imagine change the world. Can students change the world?

Yes, they can. Every students whose teacher under construction can change the world. 

How great a profession of teacher?

Probably, without teacher we are NOTHING........

It's clear to me. My decision to be a teacher is not wrong even though many people around me are disagree with my decision.

If you want to read a lyrics please click here

Who am I?

My name is Ovnica Nitasari, my friends usually call me Ovnica.

I am an SSE (Sampoerna School of Education) student, intake 2009. My major is English department.

I make this blog as a journal for me in every courses that I take in SSE. This blog talk about teaching methodologies, technology in classroom, principles of effective teaching and assessment and a little bit about humanistics. It seems very complicated but actually each of them have a correlation.

Hopefully by this blog I can improve my English skills and  I have learn more and get more. This blog is a one way of learning process and build my personal development skills . So, if you read this blog, please give a comment or share something to me.

For the next purpose as a teacher candidate. I wanna be a good teacher, new generation of teacher and step by step I'll build my own school for Indonesian children.