A 10-year old boy studying at grade 5 at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) Miftahul Huda Jakenan Subdistrict, Pati District is running around in his class. His friends come closer as he finishes and stands at a corner, and tell him that the activity is about to begin. His name is Arul. His round face and plum built does not bother his movement. Arul answers questions with ease. He is happy whenever he can play with his friends from Yayasan YAPHI. The by-monthly game during the visit brings him joy, because his friends stimulate into thinking, and the game is always appropriate for a child of his age.
“The game is really fun. Once, we played a game that taught us not to bully others,” says Ilham, a friend of Arul. Unlike Arul, Ilham is small and skinny but as quick as Arul. Arul is like a sheep that runs around on a meadow, while Ilham is like a deer that runs here and there in an open grassland, with all the freedom to learn from nature. This is not mere fable.
Arul and Ilham are two of the 40 students in grades 5 and 6 playing with Yayasan YAPHI (Dunung, Tina and Astuti) that morning. They play in classes larger than other classes. The classes on the second level of the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Miftahul Huda building is like a hall when all the chairs and tables are removed, and windows and doors are open.
Dunung Sukocowati works with students in grade 5 by introducing words about diversity, its social context and the five principles (Pancasila). The forty students listen enthusiastically. Fifteen minutes on, and student at the back are restless. They joke amongst themselves, and that distracts other students. With a louder voice, Dunung stops the joke that turns a little bit violent, with one student hitting another student.
The class turns quiet once again and the diversity lesson continues by introduction on ethnicity, religions and cultures, by showing them on the LCD screen, coupled with presentation and interactive discussion. The second activity is the ladder board game, with questions for five groups of students. In all, participants answer 30 questions enthusiastically about diversity. The third session is picture guess game: diversity displayed on LCD screed about traditional dress, houses, and musical instruments.
Not far from Grade 5 classroom is Grade 6 classroom in the corner of the second floor, where Aster and Yosi work with Grade 6 students.
Yosi explains that students are going to learn about diversity. Yosi asks students at least ten differences that Indonesian people have, and students mentions one-by-one. Initially, it takes an effort for student, but in the end students are able to name at least 10 differences.
Yosi then asks the students “what is the Indonesian motto and what it means?” Thry answer unanimoously “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” – united in diversity. Yosi then asks “what should Indonesians do to be or to keep united. A number of children have hard times understanding the difference between to be united and to one. Yosi explains that to be one means to be the same– regardless of ethnicity, religions and other differences, and refers to the ten differences that students mentioned before and written on the board. While to be united means that the differences and the unique characters of each remain present, but the people decide to be together and to have the same goal.
Yosi and Aster starts a game with the children. It is a Board Game about the adventure of colourful SuperDuHAM Indonesia from the Indonesian Human Rights Commission. The students divide into two groups of eight students – male and female. Aster explains the rules of the game. The colourful game is about a united Indonesia with all the diversity of ethnicity and cultures. The ‘colourful’ represents the five values of human rights - tolerance, love, friendship, justice, and peace.
The five are symbolised by the five mascot found in Indonesia. Unfortunately, all five are threatened by Choro the Monster. SuperDuHAM must collect all five mascots, as contained in shield of the Five Principles (Pancasila). But they must be careful because Choro the Monster and his goons are hiding behind the shield. The time alloted for the game is 15 minutes and students must work together to move the SuperDuHAM pion around the board, collect all tokens, and put them in their right place within the shield before the time is up or before Choro the Monster comes from behind the shield.
Students than start the game after they have all the necessary information – from game components, preparation, and rules of the game. Students are enthusiastic. When they play SuperDuHAM and they reach an island with a mascot token, they have to tell a story that matches the token. It can be an incident that they experience, or read, or watch, or other people’s experiences, and/or other moments. Students may also use Act card, to tell stories contained in the card.
During the first game, participants use Act card to tell stories, but participants find it difficult in the second round when Yosi and Aster ask them not to use the Act card to tell stories.
Another rule is that participants are allowed 15 minutes, which is different from the first round where participants have unlimited time. Participants in one team are allowed to help each other by giving directions in the first round, but they are not allowed to help each other in the second round. Students enjoy the game so much that they are asking for one more round to play and so they start the extra round, but this time the facilitator gives them only ten minutes.
After the game, Yosi asks how students feel. The students feel all happy. Yosi then asks what makes them win or lose when playing the game. All students win and what makes them win –collaboration, self-confidence and prayer. A few students says that they look at others. As a facilitator, Yosi explains that students are being dishonest when they take a peek at others and that is against one principle - justice. The student who is taking a peek has been unjust in the game.
Facilitator hopes that students not only get familiar with the human rights values and principles but also able to apply them on day-today basis. At the end of the activity, Yosi reiterates again the human rights values and principles in each token being played - tolerance, love, peace, friendship, justice.
In another classroom in the first floor, facilitator(s) ask(s) students from Grade 1, 2 and 3 to go outside. They go to the school open space to play games, to move from one designated spot to other designated spots. The first spot is clapping game for Indonesia. The second spot is about the map of Indonesia and introduction to the country’s islands. The third spot is about diversity in religion in Indonesia, by matching religious teachers and the venue for their religious prayer. The fourth spot is about drawing diversity in Indonesia - from traditional dress, musical instruments, and landmarks or iconic and/or culture-based spots in Indonesia. Then, the sixty students return to the classroom and watch a video about diversity in Indonesia.
After the activity (activities), Yayasan YAPHI facilitators do not immediately return to Surakarta. There is another activity organised by the school - evaluation of the activity (activities). The facilitator of Grades 1, 2 and 3, Adi says that students choose what they want. This shows interests and confidence about their individual choice. This is more manageable than in class, if one looks at past experiences. There is also evidence of willingness to help friends – there is mutual help and teamwork.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of Yayasan Madrasah Ibtidaiyah, Sunhadi says in front of the school principal and teachers that the class-activities are full of experiments and constitute new innovations. He thinks it is important to develop lessons plan that respect children’s rights. He cites a Grade 1 student who is able to answer questions, despite not having received any lesson about the question. This shows that students can learn both within the classroom and outside of the classroom.
Like Arul and Ilham, Nurul from Grade 1tells Renny (the facilitator) that she is happy playing together. She even tells her mother who picks her up at school about the activity that she does with friends at school. (Yosi Krisharyawan, Renny Talitha, Astuti)
