A TWO-DAY INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP

Ibu Ema, ibu Eni, ibu Andjarwati, Prof Gebhard and Ibu Ria

By. Nani Cahyani

         
     Honestly, to write a story in English is not easy as I have to think hard about arranging the good sentences then try to minimize grammar mistakes and make the readers feel happy when they read it. I attended a two-day international workshop which was conducted by The International Office and Language Centre in cooperation with RELO Jakarta. Prof. Dr. Jerry G. Gebhard key speaker explained about “Gaining Awareness of Teaching and Making Informed Teaching Decisions” then we worked in a group and watched a video of a teacher’s way in teaching and made a list of things we observed.

Nani, Kak yusran and ibu Margaret

 

Joining the two day international workshop opened/broadened my view about accepting different ideas which came from different participants. In the workshop, Prof Gebhard highlighted Nonjudgmental Language. I got some points what is actually nonjudgmental language from his explanation and from many participants as Prof let us share as the whole class different perspectives of teaching ways and different ideas and to understand that all the differences are not something blocking us from seeing the uniqueness of being different as the barrier but rather we have to be open minded. Another idea of Nonjudgmental Language comes from Ibu Margaret as she texted me, “being neutral; being objective not subjective; looking at the positives and negatives”.

Kak yuri, Nani, mem Naya, Irha, Prof Gebhard, mem Karlina, mem Luana and Rahmat

 

     Actually, I did not want to join the workshop until my friends explained to me the importance of having knowledge to teach English well. Then I decided to register myself as a participant. From the English Language study program only seven out of nineteen students were involved in it. In the workshop we were all separated in a working group and for me that was interesting because I got many new friends and therefore new experiences.

       

Ibu Ria and me

 

     Many experiences make me rich with ideas and views. One interesting thing to be shared is when I got together in the same group with ibu Ria who is my lecturer in my postgraduate study at Unhas. I do really respect her a lot and I still remember the first impression of her when she taught in my class. She taught us about paraphrasing and being honest by not doing plagiarism which makes me aware of being a good teacher. Her statement “the quality for knowledge” still stays in my mind. Frankly speaking, I got nervous as you might imagine if you faced the same things as me, like working in one group with your lecturer but then all my nervousness disappeared as she asked our ideas one by one, patiently listening to our thoughts. Let me tell you that one of my dreams to take her picture with me came true on that day. God made it happen. I believe that God answers your wish and hope. It’s just a matter of time so never stop believing and try hard for your dream and your hope for a bright future.

      

     The two-day international workshop has given me some enlightenment in teaching English; acting like a child when taking pictures of my friends and laughing at my friend’s jokes about her new spoken language. I feel I will miss this story one day and so that is why I always take pictures to capture the moments with my friends in Hasanuddin University. Happiness, sadness, kindness and all things happen to us because it is already written, just create your own destiny then God creates yours.

Langit Makassar, 5^th of September 2013