Education System

Education System

-(Personal Notes)-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

An animation and lecture by Ken Robinson you should watch if you want to know about education system. Well, it's not an ordinary one. It's provocative and that's why I like it :)

Folding Paper

Folding Paper
-(Improve Listening and Observation, Facilitation Technique, Communications)-

This is a game that we can use to demonstrate that it easy for even simple instructions to be misinterpreted by the recipient, especially if ambigous words are used, or the recipient does not (or cannot) ask for clarification.

My friend Abdul Waheed Jamali from Pakistan used this method in a training held by ANGOC a year ago. My friend from Indonesia also used this method a couple years ago, so I think it is a universal game that has been played everywhere.

Needs
Several square / rectangle paper sheets

Method
- Give paper to all participants.
- Tell participants to obey these two rules: 1. each person must close their eyes during activity, and 2. they may not ask any questions
- Instruct them to fold their paper:

a. Fold in half and tear off the bottom right corner of the paper.
b. Fold the paper in half again, tear off the upper right hand corner.
c. Fold the paper in half again, tear off lower left hand corner.
d. Fold the paper in half again, tear off in the middle of paper.

- Instruct them to open their eyes and display the unfolded paper to each other and all the audience.

Discussion
There is a great probability that they will not all be the same. Use the following questions to start teh debriefing:
- What words in the instructions could be interpreted in different ways?
- How could the directions have been clearer to reduce the ambiguity?
- How can we encourage people ask for clarification when they do not understand something?
- Also relate this exercises with posibility that sometimes it is not instructor fault, but also depend with participants (community) ability to interprete instructions. Local knowledge, language barrier, experience also affect their action.

And hey, don't forget to clean all the paper after finish doin all this thing ^_^

Source : Participatory Learning and Action, A Trainer's Guide by Jules N Pretty, Irene Guijt, John Thompson, Ian Scoones - modified by Indra N Hatasura 

Knotty Problem

Knotty Problem
-(Enhancing Group Dynamics, Facilitation Techique, Communication)-

This game is a game to show that groups empowered to solve their own problems are much more succesful than if instructed by outsiders. I used this method when we had a meeting / training a couple days ago with woman group in Cimande - Bogor. This is a group that proclaimed itself as "CAHAYA" or "the light" in English and produce hand made bag to generate extra income for their family.

I used this game cos this group has a problem that sometimes they depend to much to outsider to solve their problem. And I think they must do something. I try to encourage this group to do internal communication and problem solving rather than ask somebody from outside to tell them what they must gonna do (I think they have learn before this and this exercise will refresh their memories and encourage them to do better).

Needs
Some ropes (I use simple plastic ropes, about 50 cm long and as much as participants).

Method
- Select one, two or three participants to act as managers. They are asked to leave the room while you instruct the rest of the group.
- Ask the remaining participants to make a circle and tie themselves into as entangled knot as possible by using plastic rope. Just tie each one hand into another participant hand sporadicly until it everybody get tied.
- They must not let go of each other's hands at any cost.
- Tell the participants to follow the manager's instruction literally and not make it easier for them by doing what they have not been told to do.
- Once the knot is complete, the managers are asked to return and to unravel the knot, using verbal instructions only.
- Instruct the managers to hold their hands behind their back. They are not allowed to touch the group, only instruct them verbally.
- The first attempt is generally not successful and sometimes even produce a more complex knot. After 5 minutes, repeat the exercise without the managers (insider). Tell the participants to "get out of the knot yourselves".

Hints
The second untying process is usually much easier and quicker. Ask participants to comment on what relevance this has to the real world. Some key questions that you can asked:
- What does the game tell us about the role of outsider/insider manager?
- What does the exercise tell us about the effectiveness of "outsider" and "manager" in organizing people?
- What does the game imply for facilitating participation in community development?

Source : Participatory Learning and Action, A Trainer's Guide by Jules N Pretty, Irene Guijt, John Thompson, Ian Scoones - modified by Indra N Hatasura  

Glass Marble Method

Glass Marble Method

-(Communication, Encourage Children, Nature Game)-

This is my personal experience using Glass Marble Method, to deal with children. Glass Marble Method is a reward and consequence technique that I learned from "Nanny 911" show. I modified some of this method to make it more interesting. Just enjoy your own modified method and make sure that it works. Play with peanut, bean, hazelnut rather than use marble, so you can explain more about environment.

The basic idea of this method is by giving one marble after your children doing something right, not giving any marble if the situation is neutral, and take one marble if your children doing something wrong.

I have two transparent jar. One is bigger than the other one. I use the small one to collect marbles for one month, and then transfer it into the big one once a month (I assume that the big jar is enough to collect all marbles for 6-12 months).

I put all the jar in a place where they can see it, but having difficulty to touch it. Rule number 2: you must make this marbles is "sacred". It means that you should have discussion with your children how to treat this jar and marbles with respect.

What really happened in real situation when we start to do this activity?
- First, she start to complain about the number of the marble she think she deserved when she do "right" things, and said that she don't want to play this game if she only get one marble.
- After a conversation, she said "allright then..." where we must put this jar?
- Day one-three, I put a marble everyday, to encourage her to do right thing, and yes-she helped a friend, ask for apologize to her mom (cos she said something bad before)...
-Day four, no marble... cos she get angry in the night, although s he helped a friend in the school before.
- Day five, no marble... cos she play with pen in my T Shirt, talking bad with her mom. I think she start to wonder... why I don't get any marble this day. She start to be more careful...
-...and life goes on ^_^ , que sera sera...

Hints:
- Don't stick to much with the rule. You also should know your time when you put one extra marble, or to take two marble at once.
- Use silver, white marble; or replace normal size marble with a bigger one. Just like my first hint, you should know the time.
- Discuss with kids, in the night-why you put or take marble(s). It's an important stage that you should do in this activity. Sometimes you get new informations from your kids, and you will understand better about their behaviour.
- Discuss with your partner, about this game. (S)he can give you another perspective how to deal with your boy/girl.
-  IMPORTANT: don't threat - like say : "I will take your marbles if you don't say you're sorry!" Just be calm and take the marble in the night. You should explain to your kid nicely without shouting :)

Picture taken from http://mypassporttostyle.blogspot.com

Are Opossums Playing Dead?

Are Opossums Playing Dead?
-(Shocking Nature News)-

-http://juiciejulz.blogspot.com/2008/06/fun-nature-facts.html 

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opossum -

When opossums are playing opossum, they are not "playing." They actually pass out from sheer terror.

Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system, and show partial or total immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers.Opossums are about eight times less likely to carry rabies than wild dogs, and about one in eight hundred opossums are infected with this virus

Their unspecialized biology, flexible diet and reproductive strategy make them successful colonizers and survivors in diverse locations and conditions.

A baby opossum

When threatened or harmed, they will "play opossum", mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. When playing possum, the lips are drawn back, teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The physiological response is involuntary, rather than a conscious act. Their stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away. The animal will regain consciousness after a period of minutes or hours and escape.

Picture taken from http://thundafunda.com/393/?level=picture&id=2528 and http://hiox.org/3790-north-american.php

Clam Opener

Clam Opener

-(Encourage Children, Communication, Trust Building, Facilitation Technique)-

:) yes, I use "Clam Opener" term to describe the game we play in the night before sleep. The purpose of this game is to make children tell their story, opinion, experience, feeling in their daily life, to help us understand better about our kids. This activity also increase their writing ability and develop their imagination.

If you have same problem with us: come home late, limited time to communicate, or if your children have unique character to express their feeling, you should try this method.

We can play this game in the night, before sleep, or if you come home late everyday, at least you can play this game in the holiday. It only cost 15-30 minutes, and after that you can discuss more (I used to use before sleep time in the bed, to make conversation with them, and I think it's suite for you too ^_^).

Charmanta loves this game

Needs
Paper, pen, 2 or more person

Method
1. Find issues that is important (such as social relation with friends, teachers; feeling; attitude, etc)
2. Try to build and arrange questions that have direct / non-direct relation with that issues.
3. Ask the questions, tell them to write in the paper, and let them speak their answer after that.
4. Let somebody answer the questions too, so it just like a quiz that everybody participate.

This is an example to know social relation between your child and her/his friends:
1. What is your favorite food?
2. McD, Kentucky fried chicken, Gaya Tunggal Noodles, Klenger Burger. Which one do you choose as place to eat for dinner?
3. What is your favorite pet?
4. If you have money, where will you go with your family?What activity will be held?
5. Mention 3 names of your best friend.
6. Why do you pick them as your best friend?
7. Do you believe extra terestrial life? Why?
8. Honest, discipline, kind, funny, wise, friendly. Pick two character that can describe yourself? Why?
9. Writer, doctor, pilot, farmer, breeder, police, secretary. Pick two job that you love most? Why?
10. What is your favorite color?
11. Is there any friend that you don't like in the school? Why you don't like her/him/
12. You saw a kid cheating during an exam. What will you do then: tell the teacher, pretend that you don't see anything, make a talk with the student, or what?
13. Tell me about your dream when you grow older...
14. Who is your favorite teacher in the school? Why?
15. Animation character that describe you better: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck, Scrooge, Pluto, Sponge Bob, Patrick, etc. Why you choose them?

Hints
- Modify your own questions. Mix fun questions with "main issue" so you can create fun atmosphere
- You can play this game with a whole family too, and everybody can create his/her own question too
- Find any interesting fact? Use "before sleep" time to share and discuss with your kid. Hear more, rather than talk more.
- Modify this method for grown up. You can build trust among each other with this activity 

Do this activity again and again in comfortable condition. Maybe you will find that after this your kid will ask for this Clam Opener game for one more time, just like Charmanta... :)

Turtle Navigation for Nesting

How Do Marine Turtles Return to the Same Beach to Lay Their Eggs?
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/turtle-navigation.html#cr
-(Shocking Nature News)-

Marine turtles almost always return to the same beach to lay their eggs. The egg-laying sites are often far from the feeding areas and the females cross several hundred kilometres of ocean with no visual landmarks. How do they manage to return to the same spot? A new study shows that the marine turtles use a relatively simple navigation system involving the earth’s magnetic field, and this allows them to return to the same egg-laying site without having the ability to correct for the deflection of ocean currents. This work, published in Current Biology and Marine Ecology Progress Series, should allow better conservation strategies for this endangered species. Every 4 years, on average, Indian Ocean green turtles (Chelonia mydas) travel hundreds of kilometres to specific egg-laying areas, where they will lay 4 to 6 successive clutches. To better understand the navigation process and the sensory channels involved in this long-distance oceanic travel, the researchers have conducted a multidisciplinary study, involving biology and physical oceanography, in two series of experiments. In the Mozambique Channel, between the east coast of Africa and Madagascar, on the beaches of the French Islands of Europa and Mayotte, they caught turtles at the beginning of their egg-laying cycle, so that the animals were strongly impelled to return to this area to complete their cycle.

After having Argos transmitters fitted to their shells in order to satellite track their return journey to the beach, the animals were released in open sea, several hundred kilometres from the egg-laying site.

The first experiment was to study the navigation system of the marine turtles and discover how they detect the ocean currents: are the turtles’ movements controlled by the currents or can they use them to their benefit? The study has shown that the marine turtles’ navigation system allows them to maintain their course towards the egg-laying site wherever they find themselves. It is almost as if they were equipped with a compass pointing towards the beach in question. So they can correct any deflection they are subject to: transport by boat, ocean currents… But, unlike human navigators, they are not able to correct for ocean drift in plotting their course. So the movements recorded by the satellite are a combination of deliberate action by the turtles and the effect of currents. So it appears that the turtles’ navigation system is relatively simple and may cause them to be wander at sea for long periods during adverse ocean conditions. One turtle released 250 km from its egg-laying site on Europa travelled more than 3 500 km in two months before returning there!

Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

In the second experiment, the researchers have studied the effect of the earth’s magnetic field on the turtles’ navigation system. They have shown, for the first time in natura, that marine turtles use the magnetic field of the earth to orientate themselves. When this field is disturbed by placing a powerful magnet on their heads, turtle navigation is not as good. But the fact that they can still return to their original egg-laying site shows that the geomagnetic field is not the only information source that they use. Researchers think the turtles may also use their sense of smell like certain sea birds or homing pigeons. This hypothesis remains to be proven…

This work should improve conservation strategies for marine turtles, an endangered, officially protected species, by providing a better understanding of how they manage these long migrations between egg-laying and feeding areas.

The study was conducted by Simon Benhamou of the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology at Montpellier, France, together with other groups (CNRS, IRD, IFREMER, CEDTM2, University of Pisa).

Picture taken from www.seaturtlenet.com and http://anwo.com