Twentieth Century Moral/Character Education

Twentieth century moral education would signify a substantial change in
approaches and attitudes with regard to moral education. The first half of the century was characterized by the familiar remnants of the nineteenth century, however, America’s changing economy would demand more specialized course offerings, thereby lessening the role of moral education (Gutek, 1991; McClellan, 1999). By the middle of the century, moral education was somewhat infused with civics education in the Post-World War II/Cold War era. The 1960s and 1970s completely changed moral education. In the midst of cultural revolution, ethical dilemma, and numerous controversies, moral education took a back seat to individual rights, “personalism,” and relativism (Lickona, 1991; McClellan, 1999). The 1980s and 1990s would witness a revival under the name of character education.

Early Twentieth Century Character Education The early twentieth century brought new challenges to moral education. Due to increasing enrollments and a more industrial society, public school curricula had to be expanded. In addition, the modern society with its emphasis on productivity and the influence of technology allowed Americans more leisure time (McClellan, 1999).

However, many felt that there was an overemphasis on leisure and society was not
passing on “appropriate” values to the youth, especially during the 1920s. Thus, schools took a primary role in children’s character formation (Field & Nickell, 2000). Character education during this time period took the form of codes of conduct. Once city/state school officials developed suitable character traits, they then implemented various programs to pass them on to students (Field & Nickell, 2000). McClellan (1999) writes, “Educators expected moral codes to prompt teachers to attend to the development of character and to provide themes for instruction” (p. 51). In addition to curriculum, moral education took the form of after school clubs and interscholastic athletics (McClellan, 1999). As the 1920s drew to a close a significant research study would alter the course of character education.
The Hartshorne and May Study This major study was aimed at determining the “effects of moral education, both secular and religious, on students’ character-related behavior” between 1924 and 1929 (Mulkey, 1997, p. 35). This study was conducted by Hugh Hartshorne and Mark May with funds from the Institute of Social and Religious Research (Leming, 1997). Leming (1997) writes, “The sample, drawn from private and public schools situated in eastern metropolitan areas of the United States, consisted of 10,850 students in grades five through eight. Hartshorne and May attempted to use representative samples combining various levels of socioeconomic status (SES), ethnic groups, types of communities, and intelligence levels” (p. 33). The study basically concluded, “character education programs, religious instruction, and moral training had no effect on the moral conduct of the students as measured in this study” (Mulkey, 1997, p. 35). However, Leming (1997)notes the following:
May and Hartshorne themselves suggested that current practice simply needed to
be improved somewhat by focusing less on direct methods of instruction such as
lecture and exhortation and more on indirect methods of instruction such as the
creation of a positive school climate and service-oriented activities for students.
They did not seem to feel that the enterprise of character education should be
abandoned. (p. 35)Though many critics used the results to slow character education efforts, character education remained strong throughout the 1930s (McClellan, 1999; Leming 1997). The direction of character education would change as American dealt with World War II and the Cold War.

Teaching Moral Character: Two Strategies for Teacher Education

The importance of character education is gaining momentum among politicians and educators. Over a dozen states have mandated character education and hundreds of schools have incorporated it into their programming (e.g., L.A. Times, 2003). Moreover, in the last several years three top education periodicals (Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, Journal of Teacher Education) have stressed the importance of character, ethics, and spirituality in education.
The relative neglect of moral character education in the formal preservice teacher curriculum has at least two proximal causes. The first is the daunting surfeit of training objectives that already crowd the academic curriculum of teaching majors. When faced with the reality of finite credit hours available for teacher education, along with the demands of NCATE accreditation and state licensing requirements, many teacher educators assume that the preservice curriculum leaves little room for training in moral character education. The second cause is the puzzling phenomena whereby stakeholders---parents and school boards---expect schools to address the character of students, but nobody wants to be caught teaching values. The allergic fear of moral education is that one should be asked “whose values?” are being taught.
Yet values are embedded inextricably in school and classroom life (Campbell, 2003; Hansen, 1993; Fenstermacher, 1990; Tom, 1984). Teachers implicitly impart values when they select and exclude topics; when they insist on correct answers; when they encourage students to seek the truth of the matter; when they establish classroom routines, form groups, enforce discipline, encourage excellence. Teachers mold certain forms of social life within classrooms, and influence students’ experience of community and school membership. Moral values saturate the daily life of classrooms (Bryk, 1988; Goodlad, 1992; Hansen, 1993; Strike, 1996). Character formation is intrinsic to classrooms and schools and an inescapable part of the teacher’s craft (Campbell, 2005; Hansen, 1993; Jackson, Boostrom & Hansen, 1993; Lapsley & Narvaez, 2006).
The dilemma that faces teacher educators, then, is whether it is acceptable to allow character education to remain part of a school’s hidden curriculum, or whether advocacy for the value commitments immanent to education and teaching should be transparent, intentional, and public. Our sympathy is with the latter option, but how do teacher educators equip preservice teachers with the skills to take up their task as moral educators? What would training for character and ethical development look like?

Two alternative approaches are presented here. The first approach views character education as immanent to best practice instruction. This approach argues that there is little need for specialized instruction in ethics or in the design of distinctly moral education curriculum. Rather, character development is an outcome of effective teaching. It is a precipitate of best practice instruction. Hence, in order to be assured that the moral formation of students will be in good hands the teacher educator need only ensure that pre-service teachers are prepared to be outstanding teachers.

The second view is that best practice teaching is necessary but not sufficient for effective moral formation of pupils. Perhaps at some point in the halcyon past it was sufficient, but in the present cultural milieu children are reared increasingly in toxic environments that pose special challenges for their moral and social development (Garbarino, 2004; Quart, 2003). As a result teachers are called upon to offer a counterweight to the malformative elements permeating children’s lives, a responsibility that calls for a more intentional and deliberate approach. This intentional strategy is committed to the view that students flourish in classroom communities, and that children are best equipped to take on the challenges of development when they master the skill sets required for responsible membership in a democratic society (Guttman, 1987).
Option 1: Best Practice Instruction is Sufficient for Moral Character Formation


Effective teaching for moral character aligns with best practice instruction for academic achievement. The knowledge base that supports best practice instruction is coterminous with what is known to influence the moral formation of students. Making explicit this linkage should be a clear goal for teacher education. Preservice teachers should consider not only how instructional practice influences academic learning but also how it shapes student character development. As we will see, schooling and teacher practices that promote achievement overlap with practices that support student prosocial development (Sebring, 1996). Effective teaching promotes both moral and academic excellence (Solomon, Watson & Battistich, 2001). Here we will focus on two domains where best practice instruction pays dividends for moral character education: the importance of both socio-emotional skill development and caring classrooms and schools.

Option 2: Best Practice is Necessary but not Sufficient

The first option does not require significant revision of the standard teacher education curriculum. It requires no specialized curriculum, no tool box of specialized instructional strategies. It requires only reflective intentionality about the dual implications of best practice instruction—that it advances the cause of both academic achievement and moral character formation. The second view agrees that instructional best practice is necessary, but that it is not sufficient to equip student with the skills necessary to negotiate the demands of modern life. There is no guarantee that students will experience positive moral formation outside of school, let alone experience guidance broad or explicit enough to prepare them to be morally competent adults. For example, in poor urban neighborhoods, there are often few positive role models (Jargowsky & Sawhill, 2006) and young people receive very little coaching for moral citizenship. The task of preparing morally adept individuals requires, according to this view, a more intentional programmatic instructional focus (Lapsley & Narvaez, 2006). The framework presented here addresses specifically the issue of what and how to teach for positive character formation.1

Integrative Ethical Education. The Integrative Ethical Education (IEE) model blends several key findings from empirical science to provide a step-by-step framework for cultivating moral character (Narvaez, 2006; in press). The steps may be taken one by one or all at once. Within a context saturated with high expectations for behavior and achievement, educators deliberatively build the following within the classroom and school:

Step 1: Foster a supportive climate for moral behavior and high achievement.
Step 2: Cultivate ethical skills.
Step 3: Use an apprenticeship approach to instruction (novice-to-expert guided practice).
Step 4: Nurture self-regulation skills
Step 5: Build support structures with the community

The first step has been described as best practice above under Caring School Community, and so will not be addressed further. The second and third steps, discussed together, are rooted in an expansion of Rest’s Four Component Model (Narvaez & Rest, 1995; Rest 1983) and expertise development. The Four Component Model describes the psychological skills or processes that a person uses in order to complete a moral behavior: ethical sensitivity, ethical judgment, ethical focus, and ethical action. Ethical sensitivity refers to perceiving the moral issue cognitively and emotionally, identifying courses of action, affected parties and reactions. Ethical judgment entails applying a code of ethics to make a decision about the most moral choice. Ethical focus involves prioritizing the moral choice, and ethical action is the ability and strength to carry through on the ethical choice.

cara mengajar anak membaca

Mulailah dengan menunjukkan satu atau dua huruf yang berwarna cerah. Perangkat seperti ini banyak tersedia di toko mainan anak. Gunakan huruf-huruf ini sebagai mainan bagi sang bayi, namun Anda dapat sedikit menekankan kepada sang bayi dengan menyebutkan nama huruf tersebut kepadanya setiap kali ia mengamati huruf tersebut. Tambahlah satu huruf secara per lahan seraya ia semakin bertumbuh. Seraya waktu berjalan, ia akan mulai dapat mengidentifikasi banyak huruf meski belum mampu mengucapkannya.
Tiga Langkah Pertama Membaca

1. Perkenalkan dan sebutkan setiap huruf pada bayi Anda

2. Sebut nama huruf-huruf dengan urutan kiri ke kanan

3. Bantulah ia mengerti bahwa huruf tercetak menggambarkan suara yang diucapkan

Setelah sang anak mengetahui semua huruf, maka tahap selanjutnya adalah memperkenalkan huruf-huruf tersebut pada urutan yang tepat. Di Indonesia kebiasaan membaca adalah dari kiri ke kanan. Maka susunlah huruf-huruf tersebut dari kiri ke kanan. Ketika ia sudah mulai berbicara, mintalah ia menyebutkan huruf-huruf tersebut dengan urutan dari kiri ke kanan.

Setelah seorang anak mengenali semua huruf, mulailah dengan mulai mengajarkan mengenal kata. Salah satu cara terbaik adalah dengan memperkenalkan namanya. Misalnya dengan menyusun huruf-huruf yang membentuk namanya. Lalu orang tua mengucapkan susunan huruf-huruf tersebut serta namanya. Ketika ia mulai lancar mengucapkan namanya, tambahkan kata lain yang mudah dimengerti seperti papa, mama, atau kata lainnya. Lakukan semua hal tersebut dalam kondisi santai dan juga dalam suasana bermain.

Selain itu, Anda juga dapat membacakan sebuah cerita dalam buku yang memiliki gambar dengan warna yang cerah. Sang anak akan lebih terbiasa membaca jika Anda sering membacakan buku yang menarik kepada anak Anda yang masih kecil. Dengan demikian ia akan semakin mengerti bahwa huruf-huruf tersusun menjadi kata yang memiliki ucapan dan arti tersendiri.

Agar kegiatan ini tidak membosankan, hendaknya saat membacakan cerita dilakukan dengan seekspresif mungkin. Gunakan intonasi suara sesuai karakter tokoh yang ada. Anda juga dapat menggunakan bahasa tubuh yang sesuai aatau melakukan efek drama seperti tertawa, berbisik, menjerit atau merengek untuk membuat anak berimajinasi.

Karena selera anak bisa berbeda, maka bila Anda hendak membeli sebuah buku, libatkan anak untuk memilih buku yang disukainya. Ini tentu dapat dilakukan ketika anak Anda sudah mengerti dan cukup umur untuk menentukan pilihannya. Selanjutnya, tugas Anda sebagai orangtua adalah menyeleksi buku yang dipilih anak apakah sesuai dengan usianya.

Waktu yang paling baik untuk membacakan buku adalah saat anak menjelang tidur. Sisihkan 15 menit sampai 20 menit untuk mebacakannya karena pada saat inilah daya ingat anak semakin kuat.

Nutrisi dan Musik bagi otak

Agar si kecil tumbuh sehat juga cerdas maka Kebutuhan yang diperlukan antara lain Lemak Pembangunan Otak, Lemak, terutama asam lemak (DHA dan ARA), adalah salah satu nutrisi yang penting untuk pertumbuhan otak dan mata si kecil. Kekurangan kedua jenis asam lemak esensial itu saat lahir berkorelasi dengan berat badan yang rendah, lingkar kepala yang kecil, dan ukuran plasenta yang rendah. Akibatnya perkembangan sistem saraf pusat dan kemampuan kognitif di masa selanjutnya pun turut terpengaruh. menurut suatu penelitian yang dipublikasian dalam Brithis Medical Journal, Inggris, tahun 2001.

Untuk mencukupi kebutuhan tersebut, berikan ASI seoptimal mungkin untuk si kecil. Sebab ASI terbukti mengandung asam lemak yang dibutuhkan otak untuk bisa berkembang. Dari studi yang dilakukan di The University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, Amerika Serikat, terbukti IQ bayi yang diberi ASI jauh lebih tinggi dibanding dengan yang tidak diberi ASI. Dan, pada saat anak mulai diberikan makanan padat, kebutuhan asam lemak itu bisa Anda penuhi dengan memberikan ikan, telur bebek, susu yang diperkaya DHA dan ARA, atau minyak jagung.

Karbohidrat Bahan Bakar Otak Glukosa dari makanan yang kaya karbohidrat merupakan bahan bakar otak yang amat penting agar otak berfungsi optimal. Proses pengolahan informasi dan mengingat dapat berjalan dengan baik dengan terpenuhinya kebutuhan glukosa otak tersebut. Ini semua bisa didapatkan dengan memberikan anak berbagai jenis kacang-kacangan, kentang, buah-buahan seperti pisang, sawo, serta sayur-sayuran misalnya singkong dan daun ubi jalar.

Sedangkan untuk Protein Pembentukan Neurotransmiter adalah senyawa asam amino yang berperan terhadap proses pengolahan informasi di otak. Kadar ini sendiri amat berpengaruh terhadap seberapa banyak protein yang ada dalam makanan yang dikonsumsi sehari-hari Kebutuhan ini bisadidapat dari ikan, daging, keju, yogur dan kacang-kacangan Sedangkan kebutuhan Buah-buahan, Sayur-sayuran yang diperkaya antioksidan amat diperlukan untuk melindungi otak dari proses kerusakan sel-sel otak yang dapat menyebabkan kesulitan dalam mengingat, seperti proses belajarpun jadi lamban.

Musik

ANAK CERDAS DAN KREATIF BERKAT ALUNAN MUSIK Musik tidak cuma merupakan materi hiburan yang memanjakan telinga. Alunan suara yang berirama ini bisa dimanfaatkan untuk merangsang janin agar kelak menjadi anak cerdas dan kreatif. Bahkan musik bisa dipakai untuk memutar janin sungsang kembali ke posisi normal. Sumber : Majalah Intisari Dibandingkan dengan kemampuan rata-rata anak seusianya, anak dari Ny. Ir. Catharina (30) jauh lebih baik. Ketika berusia dua bulan, anaknya sudah bisa tertawa terbahak-bahak. Di usia 3,5 bulan, sudah bisa melepas kacamata kakeknya. Bahkan, ketika umurnya menginjak empat bulan, sudah bisa bersalaman. Semua itu bukan tanpa sebab. Ketika hamil, Ny. Catharina ingat cerita orang tuanya bahwa musik klasik karya Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart bisa membuat perkembangan otak belahan kanan janin dalam kandungan menjadi lebih baik sehingga meningkatkan kemampuan afektif si anak. Dari situlah ia lalu berusaha untuk selalu mendengarkan musik klasik. Dalam perjalanan ke kantornya, musik yang buat banyak orang terasa berat itu terus mengalun dari kaset di dalam mobilnya. Baginya mendengarkan musik klasik bukanlah kegiatan aneh apalagi membosankan karena kebetulan ia pencinta musik klasik. Ia justru terhibur di tengah-tengah kemacetan lalu lintas ibukota. Kedua belahan otak harus imbang
Mendengarkan musik klasik sebenarnya merupakan bagian dari beberapa stimulasi yang biasanya diberikan oleh ibu hamil kepada janin di dalam kandungannya. Demikian kata Prof. Dr. Utami Munandar dalam seminar "Pengaruh Mendengarkan Musik Klasik terhadap Janin dan Kehamilan", di Jakarta, November silam. Menurut guru besar Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Indonesia itu, stimulasi tersebut meliputi stimulasi fisik-motorik dengan "mengelus-elus" jabang bayi melalui kulit perut sang ibu, stimulasi kognitif dengan berbicara dan bercerita kepada janin, dan stimulasi afektif dengan menyentuh perasaan bayi. Makin sering dan teratur perangsangan diberikan, makin efektif pengaruhnya. Pada janin, musik akan merangsang perkembangan sel-sel otak. Perangsangan ini sangat penting karena masa tumbuh kembang otak yang paling pesat terjadi sejak awal kehamilan hingga bayi berusia tiga tahun. Namun, menurut dr. Jimmy Passat, ahli saraf dari FKUI-RSCM, dan Isye Widodo, S.Psi, koordinator Parent Education Program RSAB Harapan Kita, Jakarta, intervensi ini haruslah seimbang. Orang tua sebaiknya tidak hanya menstimulasi kemampuan otak kiri, tetapi juga otak kanannya. Oleh para pakar, organ pengontrol pikiran, ucapan, dan emosi ini memang dibedakan atas dua belahan, kiri dan kanan, dengan fungsi berbeda. Otak kanan berkaitan dengan perkembangan artistik dan kreatif, perasaan, gaya bahasa, irama musik, imajinasi, lamunan, warna, pengenalan diri dan orang lain, sosialisasi, serta pengembangan kepribadian. Sementara otak kiri merupakan tempat untuk melakukan fungsi akademik seperti baca-tulis-hitung, daya ingat (nama, waktu, dan peristiwa), logika, dan analisis. Oleh karena itu, bila stimulasi dilakukan secara seimbang, diharapkan anak yang dilahirkan kelak tidak cuma memiliki kemampuan akademik yang baik tetapi juga kreatif. Kalau dia pintar matematika, dia juga mampu berbahasa, menulis, dan mengarang dengan baik. Sementara itu bagi ibu hamil, musik - terutama yang klasik - bisa membebaskannya dari stres akibat kehamilan. Ini sangat baik sebab, menurut dr. Suharwan Hadisudarmo Sp.OG. MMR, stres yang tidak dikelola dengan baik, akan berdampak buruk bagi ibu yang bersangkutan dan perkembangan janin di rahimnya. Stres pada wanita hamil akan meningkatkan kadar renin angiotensin, yang memang sudah meningkat pada wanita hamil sehingga akan mengurangi sirkulasi rahim-plasenta-janin. Penurunan sirkulasi ini menyebabkan pasokan nutrisi dan oksigen kepada janin berkurang. Perkembangan janin pun terhambat. Hambatan macam ini bisa dihilangkan atau dikurangi bila si ibu mendengarkan musik klasik, terutama karya Mozart. Memang, tidak setiapibu hamil menyukai musik klasik. Namun, kalau didengarkan secara berulang-ulang hingga hafal, akan terasa letak indahnya musik klasik ini. Keindahan dan ketenangan inilah yang membuat musik klasik itu istimewa. Cukup 30 menit sehari
Mungkin semua jenis musik, dari yang tradisional hingga modern, bisa pula dimanfaatkan untuk hal yang sama. Namun, hingga saat ini yang sudah diteliti dan menunjukkan hasil positif baru musik klasik, terutama karya Mozart. Jenis musik ini terbukti efektif dalam menstimulasi perkembangan otak belahan kanan dari janin. Menurut Suzuki (1987), seperti dikutip Utami, bila anak dibesarkan dalam suasana musik Mozart sejak dini, jiwa Mozart yang penuh kasih sayang akan tumbuh juga dalam dirinya. Mendengar alunan musik yang tenang, jantung si janin berdenyut dengan tenang pula. Bahkan, setelah dilahirkan mendengarkan musik klasik juga memberi pengaruh baik bagi si bayi. Sekadar contoh, seperti diberikan Utami, seorang bayi berusia tiga bulan, yang sejak lahir sering diputarkan musik klasik, mampu menggerakkan badannya sesuai dengan iramanya. Jika irama makin cepat menuju klimaks, gerakan bayi lebih cepat dan aktif, dan ketika musik berhenti dia menunjukkan ketidaksenangan. Sementara untuk merangsang belahan otak kiri yang bertanggung jawab terhadap kemampuan akademik, tambah Isye, musik dengan syair yang mendidik terbukti memberi pengaruh baik. "Saya menggunakan lagu-lagu anak-anak Indonesia. Itu merupakan eksperimen saya sendiri. Nah, intervensi yang saya gunakan selama ini ternyata ada gunanya. Bayi yang dilahirkan, ketika berusia dua tahun ternyata memiliki kemampuan komunikasi pasif dan aktif seperti anak usia empat tahun. Contoh lainnya, bayi berusia tiga bulan umumnya belum ada tanda-tanda mengeluarkan kata-kata ''a-e-o''. Tapi bayi yang, ketika masih dalam kandungan, mendapat terapi musik sudah bisa mengeluarkan kata-kata itu, kemampuan berbahasanya lebih cepat," ungkapnya. Isye juga menyatakan, lagu anak-anak yang dipilih untuk terapi cukup dua tiga lagu. Musik bersyair itu misalnya lagu anak-anak ciptaan Ibu Sud atau Ibu Kasur. Menurut dia, Pelangi-Pelangi merupakan lagu paling disukai. "Pada akhir lagu itu ''kan ada syair ''... ciptaan Tuhan''. Jadi sejak janin, calon anak ini sudah mengenal kata Tuhan," jelasnya. Stimulasi perkembangan otak janin ini bisa dilakukan sejak usia kehamilan 18 - 20 minggu. Menurut Harold I. Kaplan, Benjamin J. Sadock, dan Jack A. Grebb, pada usia itu janin sudah dapat mendengar. Dia juga sudah bisa bereaksi terhadap suara dengan memberi respons berupa kontraksi otot, pergerakan, dan perubahan denyut jantung. Bahkan, pada usia itu perkembangan mental emosional janin sudah dapat dipengaruhi musik. Mendengarkannya bisa dilakukan di mana saja. Namun, untuk tujuan terapi sebaiknya dilakukan di tempat khusus untuk terapi dan dipandu oleh pakarnya. "Di tempat terapi ini akan tercipta suasana kebersamaan. Dengan kebersamaan itu, mereka bisa bertukar pengalaman dan sebagainya, sehingga saat menghadapi persalinan persiapan mental mereka sudah bagus dan rasa percaya dirinya juga bagus," jelas Isye. Di samping itu ibu hamil dianjurkan pula mendengarkan musik di rumah secara teratur. Dalam melakukan terapi musik, ibu hamil mesti melalui tahapan relaksasi fisik dan mental sebelum memasuki tahapan stimulasi terhadap janin. "Untuk mencapai rileks fisik saya memberikan relaksasi progresif di mana ibu-ibu mengendurkan dan mengencangkan otot-ototnya, mengatur pernapasan dan sebagainya. Setelah secara fisik rileks, baru memasuki relaksasi mental. Dalam relaksasi mental, saya mengucapkan kata-kata yang bersifat sugesti dan menguatkan. Jadi secara fisik mereka rileks, dan saya membawa mereka ke dalam suasana di mana mereka bisa melupakan semua konflik yang mereka rasakan sebelumnya. Mereka hanya berkonsentrasi untuk terapi. Pada saat diberi instruksi-instruksi untuk relaksasi, diperdengarkan alunan musik yang bisa membangkitkan perasaan rileks. Setela

guru profesional

Ada satu hal penting yang menjadi aspek bagi sebuah profesi, yaitu sikap profesional dan kualitas kerja. Profesional (dari bahasa Inggris) berarti ahli, pakar, mumpuni dalam bidang yang digeluti.

Menjadi profesional, berarti menjadi ahli dalam bidangnya. Dan seorang ahli, tentunya berkualitas dalam melaksanakan pekerjaannya. Akan tetapi tidak semua Ahli dapat menjadi berkualitas. Karena menjadi berkualitas bukan hanya persoalan ahli, tetapi juga menyangkut persoalan integritas dan personaliti. Dalam perspektif pengembangan sumber daya manusia, menjadi profesional adalah satu kesatuan antara konsep personaliti dan integritas yang dipadupadankan dengan skil atau keahliannya.

Menjadi profesional adalah tuntutan setiap profesi, seperti dokter, insinyur, pilot, ataupun profesi yang telah familiar ditengah masyarakat. Akan tetapi guru...? Sudahkan menjadi profesi dengan kriteria diatas. Guru jelas sebuah profesi. Akan tetapi sudahkah ada sebuah profesi yang profesional...? Minimal menjadi guru harus memiliki keahlian tertentu dan distandarkan secara kode keprofesian. Apabila keahlian tersebut tidak dimiliki, maka tidak dapat disebut guru. Artinya tidak sembarangan orang bisa menjadi guru.

Namun pada kenyataanya, banyak ditemui menjadi guru seperti pilihan profesi terakhir. Kurang bonafide, kalau sudah mentok tidak ada pekerjaan lain atau sebuah status sosial yang lekat dengan kemarginalan, gaji kecil, tidak sejahtera malah dibawah garis kemisikinan. Bahkan guru ada yang dipilih asal comot yang penting ada yang mengajar. Padahal guru adalah operator sebuah kurikulum pendidikan.Ujung tombak pejuang pengentas kebodohan. Bahkan guru adalah mata rantai dan pilar peradaban dan benang merah bagi proses perubahan dan kemajuan suatu masyarakat atau bangsa.

Mengingat guru adalah profesi yang sangat idealis, pertanyaannya adakah guru profesional itu...? Dan bagaimana melahirkan sosok guru yang profesional tersebut...?

Guru Profesional
Kalau mengacu pada konsep di atas, menjadi profesional adalah meramu kualitas dengan intergiritas, menjadi guru pforesional adalah keniscayaan. Namun demikian, profesi guru juga sangat lekat dengan peran yang psikologis, humannis bahkan identik dengan citra kemanusiaan. Karena ibarat sebuah laboratorium, seorang guru seperti ilmuwan yang sedang bereksperimen terhadap nasib anak manusia dan juga suatu bangsa.Ada beberapa kriteria untuk menjadi guru profesional.

Memiliki skill/keahlian dalam mendidik atau mengajar

Menjadi guru mungkin semua orang bisa. Tetapi menjadi guru yang memiliki keahlian dalam mendidikan atau mengajar perlu pendidikan, pelatihan dan jam terbang yang memadai. Dalam kontek diatas, untuk menjadi guru seperti yang dimaksud standar minimal yang harus dimiliki adalah:

Memiliki kemampuan intelektual yang memadai
Kemampuan memahami visi dan misi pendidikan
Keahlian mentrasfer ilmu pengetahuan atau metodelogi pembelajaran
Memahami konsep perkembangan anak/psikologi perkembangan
Kemampuan mengorganisir dan problem solving
Kreatif dan memiliki seni dalam mendidik

Personaliti Guru

Profesi guru sangat identik dengan peran mendidik seperti membimbing, membina, mengasuh ataupun mengajar. Ibarat sebuah contoh lukisan yang akan ditiru oleh anak didiknya. Baik buruk hasil lukisan tersebut tergantung dari contonya. Guru (digugu dan ditiru) otomatis menjadi teladan. Melihat peran tersebut, sudah menjadi kemutlakan bahwa guru harus memiliki integritas dan personaliti yang baik dan benar. Hal ini sangat mendasar, karena tugas guru bukan hanya mengajar (transfer knowledge) tetapi juga menanamkan nilai - nilai dasar dari bangun karakter atau akhlak anak.

Memposisikan profesi guru sebagai The High Class Profesi

Di negeri ini sudah menjadi realitas umum guru bukan menjadi profesi yang berkelas baik secara sosial maupun ekonomi. Hal yang biasa, apabila menjadi Teller di sebuah Bank, lebih terlihat high class dibandingkan guru. jika ingin menposisikan profesi guru setara dengan profesi lainnya, mulai di blow up bahwa profesi guru strata atau derajat yang tinggi dan dihormati dalam masyarakat. Karena mengingat begitu fundamental peran guru bagi proses perubahan dan perbaikan di masyarakat.

Mungkin kita perlu berguru dari sebuah negara yang pernah porak poranda akibat perang. Namun kini telah menjelma menjadi negara maju yang memiliki tingkat kemajuan ekonomi dan teknologi yang sangat tinggi. Jepang merupakan contoh bijak untuk kita tiru. Setelah Jepang kalah dalam perang dunia kedua, dengan dibom atom dua kota besarnya, Hirohima dan Nagasaki, Jepang menghadapi masa krisis dan kritis kehidupan berbangsa dan bernegara yang sangat parah. Namun ditengah kehancuran akibat perang, ditengah ribuan orang tewas dan porandanya infrastruktur negaranya, Jepang berpikir cerdas untuk memulai dan keluar dari kehancuran perang. Jepang hanya butuh satu keyakinan, untuk bangkit. Berapa guru yang masih hidup...?

Hasilnya setelah berpuluh tahun berikut, semua orang terkesima dengan kemajuan yang dicapai Jepang. Dan tidak bisa dipungkiri, semua perubahan dan kemajuan yang dicapai, ada dibalik sosok Guru yang begitu dihormati dinegeri tersebut.

Kini, lihatlah Indonesia, negara yang sangat kurang respek dengan posisi guru. Negara yang kurang peduli dengan nasib guru. Kini lihatlah hasilnya. Apabila mengacu pada Human Index Development (HDI), Indonesia menjadi negara dengan kualias SDM yang memprihatinkan. Berdasarkan HDI tahun 2007, Indonesia berada diperingkat 107 dunia dari 177 negara. Bila dibandingkan dengan negara sekitar, tingkat HDI Indonesia jauh tertinggal.Contoh Malaysia berada diperingkat 63, Thailand 78, dan Singapura 25. Indonesia hanya lebih baik dari Papua Nugini dan Timor Leste yang berada diposisi 145 dan 150.

HDI merupakan potret tahunan untuk melihat perkembangan manusia di suatu negara. HDI adalah kumpulan penilaian dari 3 kategori, yakni kesehatan, pendidikan dan ekonomi. Menjadi jelaslah bahwa, sudah saatnya Indonesia menjadikan sektor pendidikan sebagai prioritas utama dalam program pembangunan. Apabilah hal ini tidak dibenahi, bukan hal mustahil daya saing dan kualitas manusia Indonesia akan lebih rendah dari negara yang baru saja merdeka seperti Vietnam atau Timor Leste.

Program Profesionalisme Guru

Pola rekruitmen yang berstandar dan selektif
Pelatihan yang terpadu, berjenjang dan berkesinambungan (long life eduction)
Penyetaraan pendidikan dan membuat standarisasi mimimum pendidikan
Pengembangan diri dan motivasi riset
Pengayaan kreatifitas untuk menjadi guru karya (Guru yang bisa menjadi guru)

Peran Manajeman Sekolah

Fasilitator program Pelatihan dan Pengembangan profesi
Menciptakan jenjang karir yang fair dan terbuka
Membangun manajemen dan sistem ketenagaan yang baku
Membangun sistem kesejahteraan guru berbasis prestasi

good teacher

There's always an interesting story, when he met an old friend.

The friend told me about his former elementary school teacher first. He recalled his childhood when it was like fun "steal" the property of a classmate. The goal is not to have the goods. "Just feel happy only when his friend looked hard" he continued. Because of that principal "mad", and decided he wanted expelled from school.

Pak teacher, class teacher, asked the school principal so that he would be forgiven and given the opportunity to correct his mistakes. The teacher said "mistakes are the fault of this child, I have failed to educate these children." Simple statement that the teacher has changed everything. Heart of the principal yield. Anger out. He was silent, not a word out of his mouth.

Tomorrow morning the next day, received the good news my friend. He "escaped" from the article of death expelled from school. Until finally, he also graduated from the elementary school. My friend that just can not imagine what she must do to "get" the teacher who had "saved" him. He was a lucky man.

One time when it has become a "people" - he is now a leader in one of the banks in the country - he visited the teacher. She brought you something as a sign of devotion. Before going home he intends to give some money that had prepared from home. "I do it when it was not for money sonny" he said as he dismissed the granting of money from him. For the second time made it embarrassed my friend.

I was stunned to hear his story. Mr. teachers, with white gray hair that has enveloped his head, the figure remains very special for my friend.

Each of us has a different impression and experience about the role and figure of the teacher. Had looked for a reference, perhaps hundreds of reference pu not quite able to describe this ideal teacher.

Teacher standards of "good"?

If the newspaper or television news busy talking about teacher certification, what does that program with a teacher a "good". Through the program would appreciate the teachers that have been deemed "good"? or standard teacher obsessed with looking "good"?

Teachers are "good" knows no bounds in which it is located. Teachers both private and public good teacher, what's the difference?. Quotas country more teacher certification. Why? Is it because the land as if the teacher is "good" seem more?. More complicated search for a teacher of "good" through this program, when the facts on the ground talking that this program was more "tempting" the teacher be not "good". Makes rollicking race to make the data "asphalt" for the items of certification documents - prortofolio completed. Or, let's get busy-busy exchanging answers while "post test" at the end of the training certification.

Carelessness teacher policies set a "good" easy to fall in the antithesis. Teachers are tempted, teachers are also human beings, be not good, though at first he was actually "good".

Unlike the structural approach, which appears clear and systematic as above, the cultural approach to postulate something even more personal and communal.

Hear the voice of a mother who is so proud of his teacher. "I used to feel stupid learn matetmatika". Maths was never interesting himself. "Often I feel scared every time you look at the schedule tomorrow morning for math subjects. Now things were different, I taught applied mathematics at one private university in Jakarta. " Different views on this subject.

His views on this subject to change. "I am grateful once in high school when my teacher taught incredible" he said with enthusiasm. In his view is not too pandailah real teacher. Which makes tersesan. The teacher said his students almost never stupid. She always smiled when his students do not really teach the exercises. His patience was felt. Teachers not only teach mathematics, but also makes it easy to understand lessons. He also teaches how students "love" mathematics, by the way of teaching.

Teachers are "good" as the teaching and seeing the students not only through the eyes of his mind. He is utilizing his pedagogical skills, and equip it with the heart. A sincere love for the child has been thrilling. The child feels safe, because the teacher is the light of the fire that lit the dark space and the uncertainty in him.

Teachers are "good" surfaced in a variety of faces. Remember our favorite teachers, perhaps because the skills of a teacher is able to make the children "laugh" in class? Or laugh at himself. With it they seemed to forget the tensions they experienced all day. Also perhaps, because of the enthusiasm that the teacher has time to teach. He seemed able to "hypnotize" the children become more enthusiastic about the lessons that are ditekuninnya.

Teachers face a "good" were more easily we encounter in ourselves his disciples. They become a mirror, it reflects the "face" real in front of him. Pupils who have become "people" will usually tell you about her teacher is proud, he would easily share the experience of how he had been "changed" by the teacher.

Teachers are "good" bowed sadly watched students fail to become "people" in his life. Failure of the student is part of the teacher as well. This is the relation "heart" teacher - pupil. Being a teacher, is different from "work" as a teacher. He was more than that. He is a "call".

Teachers are "good" is of paramount importance in life. He is more important than an army of war. No wonder how the Japanese put the teacher so special. We remember how the Emperor shortly after the destruction of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in World War II. Not the number of troops remaining war was asking. Instead he asked "how many teachers are still there (" good ") is left in there?".

Teachers are "good", according to Grosswith, R (2007), always learning by teaching (he taught through educating) the pupils, and by teaching the teachers have the opportunity to continue learning from his students, as written in a reflection entitled "Personal Reflections on Teaching ", published in the Kappa Delta Pi Record two years ago.

benefits of music on the brain

If you are a music lover, you are in for a treat. Did you know that you can use music to help improve your brain speed? Music can sharpen the brain and helps you stay fit. Keeping the brain in good condition to prevent dementia as you age. You will be amazed to know how it works.

Research continues to show that you can change your brain. This is the plasticity of the brain. Under certain conditions, you can make it easier to change your brain. You can train your brain to process information better and faster. You can even increase the speed of the brain.

Benefits of Music In Speed Thinking

The best activities for your brain will get more and more challenging. You need to challenge your brain to make changes. Activities that you choose should be mentally beneficial. You'll get more out of the game if you enjoy it. If exercise is new or surprising, it would make a big impact. The game also must demand your focus and attention.

Here are three ways you can use music to help increase the speed of the brain:

1. Learn the words to music.
Select a song you like but do not know the words to. Try to hear every word and write it down. Listen to the song as much as you need. Then learn to sing along with songs. Once you learn the song, switch to another song.

You need to focus when you try to hear every word in a song. You must pay attention. When you focus on something, releasing chemicals in the brain. This chemical allows plasticity and memory switch.

Repeating this exercise can help you get the habit of listening carefully. The more you listen carefully, the better the quality of information you can take in. With better quality information, you will be better able to understand it. You can then act on that information. In addition, you can remember better.

This will result in faster processing of information you hear. You will be able to react more quickly. Thus, it will increase the speed of the brain.

2. Learn to distinguish the different instruments in music.
Have you ever tried to dissect music into a tool that you hear? This will sharpen the neural pathways of the brain. Perhaps the most challenging classical music for some people. Try to determine when each instrument in and out.

This exercise helps you make a difference both in pitch and tone of voice. With this skill, you can increase the speed of the brain when understanding speech. It will also help you recognize the voices of family and friends.

3. Learning to play an instrument.
Playing a musical instrument is a fantastic exercise for your brain. If you already play an instrument, learn new and complex music will make you stay nimble. Learning to play the new instrument will help you become more nimble brain.

Just imagine how this can increase the speed of the brain when processing information. Many interrelated aspects of brain function is used. You'll hone your listening skills by determining if the sound of music as it should.

Think about translating written records of music. What you do is decoding the music notes you see into the movement and sound. This is a great way to increase the speed and accuracy of the brain. This gives your brain needs exercise. The same way a typist will need to practice to become more accurate and faster, so does your brain.

You will also get control of fine movements. This could be a big benefit for parents.

Research has shown that brain exercises can keep the brain sharp and agile. You can do this well into the twilight years. You may be able to delay or reverse some conditions. These conditions include age-related cognitive decay. You also can train your brain to increase the speed of the brain at any age!

10 Ways to stimulate your child's brain development to be optimal

10 Ways to stimulate your child's brain development to be optimal

healthy baby, healthy pregnancy and the environment is an important factor in educating and maximize the baby's brain function. In the first years of the baby's brain development systems is growing very fast. The first year is also the most important time in the maximization of infant brain development. Besides, note also the child's growth disorders.

Environmental influences dominate in infant brain development, for example by providing a real affection for infants will enhance the development of the baby's brain circuitry.

Then how do I maximize brain function on your baby to develop properly. The following tips:

1. Love. Love and attention are the real needs first. Baby you can never regulate or manipulate you. He desperately needed love you tenderly. Love your unlimited strengthen self-esteem and enhance the development of your baby's brain circuitry.

2. Talk to your baby as often, as gently as possible with kasanah word as much as possible, and various expressions. Your voice is the sound of your baby's favorite, because he's already heard it since there is in the womb.

3. Answer your baby's demand (for example, trying to understand your baby's crying) without hesitation. This will teach your baby to dare to communicate with others, and provide emotional stability and trust to him.

4. Touch your baby. The experts found that premature babies who stroked will grow faster, a little cry, and will soon be allowed home from hospital than those not stroked.

5. Positive expression. Your baby will know by heart and understand well the voice, facial expressions, and your movement. Then make him familiar expressions and sounds positive.

6. Let your baby experience different environments, take a walk, point out interesting things around your neighborhood.

7. Allow your baby to recognize the various textures and temperatures (certainly not too cold, hot, or hard). Provide a safe environment for exploration of the baby, because recognition does indeed take time.

8. Read the books. Although your baby can not follow or read, but the pictures and you sound good for him.

9. Play music or let your baby listen to music such as classical music (Mozart for example). Research shows that classical music can stimulate the development of the baby's brain neurons.

10. When you're frustrated because your baby's milk dropped to the floor, remember that he did it because it is trying to recognize the world.

Need to balance the left and right brain

Communities often assess IQ (intelligence quotient) is equated with intelligence or skill. In fact, IQ only measures a fraction of the skill.

"It was a bright child is a child who can react in a logical and useful to what is experienced in the neighborhood," said Eileen Rachman, a psychologist who is also Director of EXPERD, a human resources consultant at the seminar 10 Ways to Sharpen IQ and EQ (emotional quotient) Child Saturday (27 / 8) in Jakarta. At the same seminar also launched a book entitled Optimizing Intelligence Child.

Eileen explained that IQ is a number that is used to describe the thinking person's capacity as compared with the average of others. In general, the average IQ was 100.

"IQ is only used among others, imagined space, see the environment around coherently and find the relationship between one form and other forms. But IQ does not measure creativity, social skills, and wisdom, "he said.

Meanwhile, the intelligence of children seen from the understanding and awareness of what they experienced. Later on in his mind, the experience was transformed into words or numbers. Therefore, Eileen emphasizes the importance of understanding. "Because understanding is a combination of efforts to increase the input through the senses and the knowledge they have," explained Eileen.

How to optimize your child's intelligence? Eileen suggested that parents enhance learning, reading, and repeat. For example, to introduce how to read, the mother helps the child by making a line under words that are important, ask your child to read aloud and explain the meaning of reading.

In addition, parents are also introducing the strategy, making rational decisions, sparked the idea of surfing as possible, midmapping, increase vocabulary, thinking as he imagined, humor, critical thinking, and play. The goal to balance the left and right brain work, because the structure of the left and right brain hemispheres have different tasks.

Why need to balance the left and right brain work? Eileen said that the child can read fluently with full comprehension, creative writing, spelling, remembering, listening, thinking while at the same or become the champion in a particular sport. All it takes left and right brain coordination with both well trained.

But to balance the left and right brain work can also be through customs. Explains Eileen, for example, by enjoying the music and the arts, enjoying color, space and shape, value creativity and appreciate the sentiment.

Meanwhile, Dr. Andre Meaza said that during early childhood is the golden period to perform an active process through the process of sensory stimulation for the purpose of forming wiring system. "Stages of early life stages of the child are important because children are able to receive skills and teaching as a basis of knowledge and thought processes."

Andrew also explained, half the child's intellectual development took place prior to entering the age of 4 years. Precisely 17 years of age cognitive development is a cumulative development of the child is born.

According to Andre, 0-4 year olds have the cognitive development of 50%, 30% 4-8 years and 9-17 years at 20%. "It's brain development before age 1 year early, but the maturation of the brain take place after the child is born," he said.

He warned that the influence of early environment on brain development will impact long. Therefore, children who have good environmental stimulation, brain function will develop better.

TEACH DISCIPLINE IN CHILDREN.

When love with the child should be taught discipline. Advice my mother once. Actually apasih sense of discipline and how instill discipline on our children? Iqro presented to us.

Discipline is closely related to independence. Teach children discipline early on, to train children to be more independent in the future. because the child's independence key lies in the hands of parents. The principles of discipline which constantly inculcated in children will become part of him. Independence resulting from the presence and guidance of parents will be generating a whole personality.

Family is a mirror that will bounce on the children's personalities. Because in keluargalah children's education begins. A child learns to understand events in the environment by becoming an observer and imitator. He did a lot of environmental exploration and reactions received from the actions and the formation of habits by the parents.



Examples teach children discipline:

- When babies, children have an hour to drink milk or eat, his body seemed to have a biological clock for hungry

- Setting hours of sleep, this is good because it will affect children's health

- The age is greater (2 years and over), children will be more to explore. Recommend them about the dangers around him. Like electricity, the stagnant water so as not to slip, glass, sharp knife. This is certainly done with the language dimengeti by them.

- Parents should have a regular life patterns, such as waking up and worship, bathe in the morning, tidying the house, eating healthy foods, eat at the table and communicate with good language. By observing the regularities that exist every day, a child at this age will be easier to have self-discipline.

- Teach children about cleanliness and tidiness early. For example, take and put toys in place. If after playing the children get used to tidy up his toys, will establish itself in addition to discipline himself, it will teach him a sense of responsibility. Let them try to do everything themselves, while supervised by an adult.

- Teach hygiene when passing water (toilet training). Will educate children to have control to clean herself. And get used to changing clothes in place. Or in the Room. Pisahkaan dirty clothes with clean clothes. Put dirty clothes in the basket of its own.

- The father should be involved also in the case manage children. Because, in a household, what is needed is a partnership, and solidarity in every way. And in any activity, always invite them to communicate and give direction well

- When where the father and mother being disagree, try not to be disclosed in front of children. Children should see their parents are always compact. That way they will not feel worried and always felt safe near their parents.

- Both parents need to be assertive in guiding and teaching children. Be it in terms of courtesy, cleanliness and tidiness, and independence. Do not be quick 'lost' when the child began to cry when their wishes are not obeyed. Sometimes, let them like that to train their emotions. Thus, crying is not always bad.

sex education for children

Why Need Sex Education?

Children and adolescents are vulnerable to misinformation about sex. If you do not get proper sex education, they will be consumed myths about sex that is not true. Information on sex should be obtained directly from parents who have special attention to their children.

The survey results National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) shows that more than 60 percent of teens in Indonesia have premarital sex. The figures are quite alarming in the country upholding the moral values regarding sex. Why they could make pre-marital sex? The reason for the lack of sex education to children and adolescents. When did sex education can begin to do?


When to Start Sex Education?

When did sex education can begin to be given to children? Some parents often answering questions with short answers sex: "Wait you're great!". Actually the best time to give sex education is early! Sex education begins even since the child was a toddler.

If you delay giving sex education when your child enters adolescence, then it was too late. Because in an era where information is easily obtained from the Internet and peers, the teen-aged children when they have to know more about sex and most probably from the wrong perspective.


How Sex Education Provided?

How is the best way to provide sex education to your children? Here are some stages of life and how to provide sex education in accordance with the level of your child's age.

*
Toddlers (1-5 years)
At this age, you can begin to instill sex education. The way is easy, that is by starting to introduce to your baby sex organs of his brief. No need to give a detailed explanation because the attention span of children is usually short.

For example, when bathing your child, you can tell the various organs of the child's body, such as hair, head, hands, feet, stomach, and do not forget the penis and vagina or vulva. Then explain differences in genitalia of the opposite sex, for example, if your child has a younger brother of the opposite sex.

In addition, tandaskan also that the genitals should not be exhibited in vain, and also explain if there is a touch without known parents, the child must shout out loud and reports to parents. Thus, your children can be protected against the rampant cases of sexual violence and sexual abuse of children.
*
Age 3-10 years
At this age, children usually begin to actively ask about sex. For example, children will ask where it originated. Or general questions such as how the origin of the baby. The answers are simple and straightforward is usually effective.

Example # 1: "Babies come from?" You can answer the mother's abdomen. Or you can show me a mother who is pregnant and showing the location of the baby in the mother's abdomen.

Example # 2: "How's the baby out of the tummy?" You can answer the baby out of vagina or vulva hole to get out of the mother's abdomen.

Example # 3: "Why can there be a baby in the stomach?" You can answer that baby in the mother's abdomen because there are seeds given by the father to the mother. The trick is father to enter the seed using a penis and the vagina of the mother. It's called sexual intercourse, and it should only be done by men and women who have married.
*
Towards Age Youth
As the child grows, start time for you to explain about menstruation, wet dreams, and also the physical changes that happen to a teenager. You could explain that little girl will experience changes in breast shape, or explain the existence grow feathers around her genitals.
*
Age Youth
At this time, a teen will be sexually experienced many changes. You need more intensive instill good moral values to him. Give a description of the loss of free sex like a disease that is transmitted and the emotional consequences.

According to research, sex education early will avoid pregnancy outside of marriage when the children grow into adolescence and later adulthood. No need to be taboo to talk about sex in the family. Because your child needs to get the right information from their parents, not from other people about sex.

Because a great curiosity, if the child is not provided sex education, then they will seek answers from others, and would be more frightening if sex information obtained from peers or the Internet that their information could be wrong. Therefore, protect your children from an early age by equipping them with education about sex the right way.

Free Teens Lifestyle - Sex, Cigarettes, Consumerism

Once we enter the era of life with a global communications system, with the ease of accessing information through print media, TV, internet, comics, media, mobile, and pirated DVDs on the loose in society, certainly provide great benefits for our lives. Every phenomenon that exists and happens in the world, will certainly give a positive value and negative. Highly dependent on the mindset and the foundation of their personal lives.
Each individual of us will feel happy with the presence of the product or service that is more sophisticated and practical. No exception of Internet technology that has been pulling down the boundary and the medium of television that provides entertainment, information and actual news. Likewise, mobile phones have helped fellow human beings for communication at any time with one another despite being the world's North-South or the East - the Sea.
Technology + Freedom - Education = Destruction

Each technology has a positive effect and negative. The rise of mobile phone use has lowered the individual interactions directly. This would tend to make the pattern of human life becomes indivualistis. This negative impact would be reduced and even avoided if only the user has an understanding / knowledge, ethics and attitudes are strong (positive-wise) to harness something selective and effective.
This is the point of the problem for children and adolescents. Internal Filters (understanding, ethics and attitudes) of children and adolescents are still very fragile. In the current era of complexity of today's life, parents (especially in urban areas) have lost the power to educate and build families for their children. This is compounded by the rise of "toxins" are accepted by our children today. Violent scenes, sexual, mystical, and hedonism in the TV media, newspapers and the Internet, as well as school education system that fails to build character, has been attacking our children today.
On the other hand, low regulation and law inforcement from the government and its apparatus, has led to rogue elements of our young generation destroyer "breed: rapidly. CCN between the authorities and an entrepreneur in the regulation, publication and distribution of media caused millions of Indonesia's future leaders at the end of extinction. A series of concerns about children and young people today such as juvenile delinquency, consumerist-hedonistic lifestyle, promiscuity, smoking, drugs, and addiction to games on line almost to the culture of "lifestyle" today's teens.
Technology without filtration (necessary regulations for freedom is not broken) and the fragility of education / human characters lead to the destruction of the nation.
Cigarettes, Drugs, Sex, and AIDS

Amid news students to excel in the arena of research, science olympics, arts and sports, youth Indonesia is currently threatened in times of chaos. Millions of our youth become victims of corporate-nicotine cigarettes. More than 2 million Indonesian adolescents addicted to drugs (BNN 2004) and over 8000 young people diagnosed with AIDS (MOH 2008). In addition, the morals of children in sexual relations has entered a phase of mengawatirkan. More than 60% of junior and senior high youth of Indonesia, was not a virgin anymore. Smoking behavior has undermined the joints of our community life.
Based on survey results of the National Commission for Child Protection in collaboration with the Child Protection Agency (LPA) in 12 provinces in 2007 obtained recognition of adolescents that:
- A total of 93.7% and secondary school children had to do kissing, petting, and oral sex.
- As many as 62.7% of children in junior high school claimed to have no virgin.
- A total of 21.2% high school teenager claimed to have an abortion.
- Of the 2 million Indonesian women who had had abortions, 1 million are adolescent girls.
- As many as 97% of middle and high school students admitted like watching porn.
Recognition of High School Girls, Teens Is this Us?

"Now I'm back singles. It's been two years broke up. Pain too! After four years of courtship, and was like man and wife. In the past, each time met, sex turmoil just showed up. Continue ML (making love) deh. Usually we lakuin activity in the hotel. Sometimes at home, too, if people go home again all. If the house is not longer just a quiet yes most daring kiss and touch here and there. To me, all that unusual. Nglakuinnya because I feel confident I'm sure they'll be husband. I'm not afraid of sin. Kan we both want to, so there is no coercion. Sin occurs not when there is paksaaan. I think so! Time off, I do not regret it already nglakuin, exhausted, like how again! Relax! About sex education, I never received from parents. Most of the friends, magazines, books, or movies "
That narrative Neila (pseudonym), grade 3 a high school student in East Jakarta, who had just undergone UAN. Without load, this petite cute teen recounts. He and his girlfriend know what to do in order to premarital sex was not made her pregnant.
Until now, Neila sure her parents had no idea that his second daughter behavior. "I'm not going to Ceritalah, they can die suddenly. Friends who know even exist, of course who have similar experiences, "she said, twisting her hair.

According to him, ML among teenagers today is not that too familiar. In fact, there are deliberately seduce adult men who can be found in malls and other public places, to get money or valuables, such as the latest models of mobile phones, branded watches, clothes, shoes, bags, and so forth. "No profession really, just for fun. Calculated could create a style. Mending `I do, that's just the same nglakuinnya boyfriend and not for money," she said.
Allow or Acting?

We should go back to the roots of our national culture. Much earlier, the Indonesian nation is a nation that has a value of root (root value) culture that upholds the values of humanity and decency, as stated in the philosophy and values of Pancasila. Condition that afflicts young people today, must be fostered and educated so that they become leaders who have a high morality to build the nation and country.
All parties must feel responsible for this case. Besides the parents, the community role is essential. Our education system must also be changed. Do not raise the budget without increasing the real value of education. The government should strictly implement the laws, and the businessmen, merchants, and Internet web try to stop spreading things that are destructive (because our generation is still fragile.)
Things that should be done:
- The Government firmly filtration soap operas, movies or ads that contain sexual violence, promiscuity, mystical-religious, violence, religion, divination and gambling.
- Follow strict offenders Child Protection Act
- Menfilter porn sites in Indonesia. Until now only have 6 Porn Site of Indonesia's Most accessed
- Building Youth Centre, a center of education and creation for youth for positive activities.
- By actively controlling the promotion (advertising) and distribution of cigarettes.
- Prioritize prevention programs child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children, and drugs.
- Educate the public that do not alienate the children (who are victims), help them to get out of their problems (material or moral).

SEX THE NAME OF LOVE (Adolescent Sexual Behaviour in the Surakarta Indonesia)

The theme of love seemed never exhausted to talk, never cracked to narrated, never stale for discussion. Every person is different in the manifest love. For parents, love is happiness when the baby looks cute and clever or love is the protection and expression of love saying when her baby was sick so lost joy. The wise man said to the child's parents love is true love.

If he is an eroticism, then love for him is how many pieces he has vcd porn watch, how many women who have been dating and how much he teasing and abusing it. Maybe he was supporting the theory of Sigmund freud who believes that human life is driven by the id (libido) only. Love does not always bring pleasure but can also bring sadness, disappointment and even hatred. Between love and sexual freedom really different, love is love each other, watch each other, protect each other, give each other with firm boundaries syar'i.

Research Results

In 2005, the author conducted research on the sexual behavior of adolescent high school in Surakarta. The subject of this study amounted to 1250 persons, derived from 10 high school in Surakarta, which consisted of 611 male subjects and 639 female subjects.

Most subjects had used the media of pornography, the male subjects as many as 497 people (81.34%) and 181 female subjects (28.32%); subjects who claimed never to use the media of pornography on male subjects as many as 114 people ( 18.66%), female subjects 458 individuals (71.67%). Most of the subjects said they had watched pornographic movies, the male subjects as many as 403 people (28.54%) and 111 female subjects (34.91%), a small portion of pornography through the photos on male subjects 135 people (9, 56%) and female subjects 22 people (6.92%).

Some subjects 212 were male (34.69%) admitted that sometimes doing masturbation, female subjects 27 people (4.23%), and 77 people (12.60%) male subjects and 9 people (1, 41%) women admitted until now still active in masturbation.

Most of the subjects claimed to have been dating. Age of first dating mostly 15-17 years male subjects as many as 246 people (53.25%) and 272 female subjects (57.99%), aged 20-22 years by 1 person (0.22%) on the subject of women was not found. Most of the subjects claimed to have changed a girlfriend for 1-2 times, namely on the subject of male-lakisebanyak 194 people (41.99%) and in female subjects as many as 196 people (41.79%). Most of the subjects admitted undergo courtship activity 2 - 6 months, namely the male subjects 171 (37.01%) in female subjects as many as 153 people (32.62%), on the subject of male courtship activity less than 1 month as many as 81 people (17.53 %) in female subjects as many as 67 people (14.28%). Courtship activity subject mostly done at home itself is in the male subjects 164 people (23.33%), on the subject of women as much as 37 people (5.23%).

Subjects who had sexual intercourse of 462 male subjects of dating found in 139 people (30.09%), who claimed to have had sexual intercourse than women who are dating 469 subjects found 25 people (5.33%). The reason they have sex as a proof of love in the male subjects of 57 people (38.51%), whereas in female subjects 6 people (24%); by reason of being raped or forced the male subjects 4 people (2.70 %) in female subjects 2 people (8%).

Age of the subject was first sexual intercourse is 15-17 years which is in men by 60 people (43.16%) in female subjects 12 people (48%). Sexual intercourse is mostly conducted along with her boyfriend, the male subjects 105 (53.29%) while in female subjects 21 people (84%).

After having sexual relations most subjects were satisfied or pleasure, the male subjects 61 people (43.88%), whereas in female subjects of 3 people (12%). Most subjects believe sexual intercourse is sinful: in male subjects 329 individuals (34.52%), whereas in female subjects 417 individuals (42.12%).

Most of the reason teenagers have sex is due to environmental influences, vcd, books and pornographic movies that is: the male subjects as many as 389 people (29.07%), whereas in female subjects 444 individuals (31.11%). The reason for the progress of time and let slang, male subjects 113 people (8.44%), in female subjects 99 people (6.94%).

sex education in teens still it necessary?

During this time many people who question the usefulness of sex education for adolescents. Really there is no point? What is the status of sex education in foreign countries? Let us refer to the comparison!

ScienceDaily (Mar.20, 2008). Recent research shows that comprehensive sex education can reduce the likelihood of teenage pregnancy, and there is no indication that it is increasing the level of sexual activity or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). "There is absolutely no harm to teach teens about birth control, in addition to the denial of sexual relations, 'said study leader, Pamela Kohler, a program manager at the University of Washington in Seattle. Parents and educators have long argued, whether the student should get a teaching birth control, or easily just say no to free sex. Which option is better to postpone sex among adolescents.

Kohler and colleagues studied the results of national survey of the United States in 2002 and focused on heterosexual teens ages 15 to 19 years. These findings, based on responses from 1719 adolescents, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. After reviewing the results, researchers found that one in four teens received abstinence education only sex. Nine percent, particularly in poor and rural areas, do not receive sex education at all. Two-thirds of the remainder receive comprehensive instruction, with discussion of birth control and abstinence. Adolescents who received comprehensive sex education have 60 percent less likely to get pregnant, than who did not receive sex education at all. The possibility of pregnancy is 30 percent lower in those who received sex education abstinence only, than those who did not receive sex, but researchers assume that this number is statistically insignificant because few teens who fall into categories studied.

Although they did not reach statistical signifkansi, other surveys also suggest that comprehensive sex education, not the denial of sex alone, reduce the likelihood of teens engaging in vaginal intercourse. Both approaches reduce the likelihood of STDs are not reported, but the result is not statistically significant. However, these findings advocate comprehensive sex education, according to Kohler said. 'There is no evidence to support that denial of sex education course to reduce the likelihood of sexual intercourse, or pregnancy', Kohler said again.

Don Operario, PhD., A professor at Oxford University in England said that the study provides "further evidence ', to use comprehensive sex education and lack of effectiveness of the abstinence approach to sex alone. However, these studies do not show how educators should implement comprehensive sex education in the classroom, said Operario, who studies sex education. 'We need a better understanding of the most effective way to provide the type of education in order to maximize student understanding and acceptance of community', said Operario.

sex education for child

Sex Education In Early Childhood
Provide Sex Education in Early Childhood

Does your child begin to ask you about sex? If so, then baby is ready to be taught sex education right now. In addition to parents at home who can provide sex education to children, teachers at school also has a big share to equip students children about sex education. According A.T. Meilandari, S.sn, marketing communications Indonesian Carpediem School, said the introduction of inappropriate sex given to children aged under five as long as the content is not excessive, and still refers to the simple things.
Through sex education in schools, it supplies more mature children about sexuality and very useful in the future. Children also get the knowledge when the act, such as what should be done and that should not be done. Given several events irregularities frequently occur in society, sex education early in children to enable them to protect themselves from acts that are not good.
Teach the child to say NO in adults can be an unknown / foreign. It became one of effective prevention to prevent sexual harassment and other matters that are not desired.
Methods in schools to educate the students pre-school and kindergarten about sex education, it can be done by:

* 1 year
Introduce children to the parts of his body sendiri.Di this age, children need to be introduced to members of the body. Introduce the name of the body, as well as differences and functions, while you're bathing or shower with the children. You can also use books and props, human doll for example. Do not forget to remain calm when you have to be naked in front of the child while bathing or changing clothes.

* 2 years
Can recognize and name parts of the body At the age of 2 years, children generally can mention parts of his body smoothly, such as eyes, nose, ears, hands, and feet. To make it more familiar with other body parts, you can also make this activity more fun. Pack in the form of the game. Indicate the body (you just say it anyway), such as ear, then invite your child to be holding his ears. So also in other body parts you mentioned.

* 3 years
Know the difference if your child is able to recognize his own body parts, it's time to introduce the gender differences. Introduce the two categories of male and female sexes. Explain also male genitalia is a penis and women is the vagina, as well as differences of form and function. By introducing the parts of the body and the difference, the child will have a favorable view of the body.

* 4 years
Keeping yourself When children are getting bigger, teach that part of her genitals-not-be held by any person, except by the mother (while bathing) and doctors (when I'm sick). They must immediately report directly to parents or teachers when there are other people who touched her private parts. Aside from being a form of sex education to keep the private parts of her body, it can make a child protected from sexual violence.

* 5 years
Orderly and Caring Ourselves Along with the development of age, at this stage the child get used to urinating in the right place. Familiarize him urinate in the toilet, not in trees, bushes, or public places that are open. To change her clothes as well get used to looking for a room or toilet and not do it in public. Teach your children and get used to clean the genitals properly, especially after bladder / bowel movements. Do not forget to teach him always wash hands after bladder / bowel movement, and explain that the germs can enter through the vagina / penis and anal.

Beyond all that, parents and teachers is the best place to ask for the child. Make sex as something natural and personal part of health. Sex is not something that is wrong, dirty, dirty, or shameful because it is part of normal growth, so no need to worry about. So it's not a day longer respond to early sex education is taboo for your baby.
Do and Do not
In providing sex education to children, do not match when you teach in adults. Need to be careful and simple language, the most important is a concrete example for baby's easy to understand for your explanation. Here are tips for you:

1. May
- Give a demonstration-a demonstration of interest in clarifying the notion of
sex.
- Use examples of people, like my mother / father, friends, or people
the nearest known and your child.
- Give an explanation with the words that are easy to understand / very simple.
- Emphasize the baby, though different gender but can not distinguish
each other.

2. No
- Never give an explanation with the new words children hear,
especially difficult terms.
- Do not give meaning to the very vulgar.
- Do not give an explanation with so seriously that make children
confused
Simak
Baca secara fonetik

sex education

Amid the rapid progress of construction of the city of Jakarta, turned out to deviant sexual behavior has become common knowledge. The phenomenon of lesbian, homosexual and even heterosexual can easily be found in various places. Lesbian phenomenon has occurred even since long Indeed, comparing the lesbian phenomenon that occurs first with the now, of course very different. Its growth is now more rapidly and tend to uncontrollably. In fact, it's a lifestyle most people capital. Therefore, parents should supervise teenage daughter in order to avoid the threat of viruses lesbian.

For example, one told by a lesbian, you name it Bebi (not her real name). According to him, thousands of teenage girls in Jakarta has become perpetrators of lesbianism. "The average age of 17-18 years of hell. There are indeed from the beginning has been turned, but most of them infected due to 'hanging out'," said Bebi, the Buchi another term lesbian.

There are several terms that they use in communication between their own communities, such as Buchi, the term for couples who act as men. The style they also tend to look like a man, with hair cut bondol and baggy clothes. While femm, the term for the couple who acted as women, they look like normal women in general, which is feminine. There is also andro, where people can play as well as male and female.

This phenomenon really is not hidden anymore. Not infrequently some of them show their deviant sexual behavior openly in society. As can be seen in one of the fast-food restaurants in the area of Grand Indonesia, South Jakarta, which is one of the lesbian community gathering place. Specifically, on every Saturday night, can be found lesbian couples to visit and act like people going out, holding hands, making out, even the occasional kiss her partner. Phenomena such as if it was not a taboo anymore for them.

"We're still cool wrote, which is important we feel comfortable with each partner. If anyone feel keganggu with our presence, so I do not care. Instead we think, the existence of lienes (lesbian) so it adds a colorful world. If you do not There we are, maybe the world feels very bland, yes, there's just a girl the same guy, not varied, "said Bebi.

Bebi is one among lesbians who have felt strange to him since he was sitting in sixth grade elementary school. As time went, he kept aware and determined to behave like men and like the same sex. Until today he kept his pledge to remain current. "Cave including pure Buchi, that is, the cave is really ngerasain from cave own self, not because of the association. But, now even girls lesbian nganggap nih lifestyle. She said it felt stale wrote that has never ngerasain 'turn'," he said.

When asked about the opinion of the people around him about the change that, he actually replied calmly that his family already knew it. "The family all knew the cave cave like this. Yes, his parents, certainly disappointed. Who also wants his son like this.

But, how else would. Cave also do not ask dilahirin like this, really. So, I run it as it is. In fact, once you know dating the same cave cave own cousin, "said Bebi again, who is currently studying in the second semester at one private university in Jakarta

THE EFFECTS OF A RURAL PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM ON PARENTING STRESS, PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, PARENTAL LOCUS OF CONTROL, AND PARENTAL EFFICACY

by Janie M. Cole

This project was a pilot study examining the effects of a rural parent education program on parenting stress, perceived social support, parental locus of control, and parental efficacy. The sample consisted of a group of six mothers in West Virginia. The variables were tested using the Parenting Stress Index, Perceived Social Support from Friends Index and two subscales, Parental Efficacy and Belief in Fate and Chance, from the Parental Locus of Control Scale. Using Cronbach’s alpha, the Parental Efficacy Subscale and all but one subscale of the Parenting Stress Index were found to be reliable with this small sample. Analysis was done using paired samples t tests to determine changes in pre- and posttest mean scores. A significant decrease in parent/child dysfunctional interaction, a subscale of the Parenting Stress Index, and a marginal decrease in the Parental Belief in Fate and Chance subcale of the Parental Locus of Control Scale were found.

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PARENTING SECOND FIRST CHILDREN: WHAT EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MOTHERS WHO HAVE RELINQUISHED A CHILD FOR ADOPTION

The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to examine the experiences of
birthmothers who relinquished a child for adoption and determine if this affected their subsequent parenting. The questions that guided the study were: (1.) How do birthmothers describe their experience of relinquishing a child for adoption?; (2.) How do birth mothers describe their experience of parenting subsequent children?; (3.) How do mothers who have relinquished a child for adoption perceive their parenting skills?; and (4.) What do mothers who have relinquished a child for adoption want early childhood professionals to know about their subsequent parenting experience?
Three birthmothers who put a child up for adoption and were parenting at least
one child within the early childhood age range volunteered to participate in the study. The researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews, observations, artifacts and follow-up interviews to determine how relinquishment of a child affects the ability to parent subsequent children.
Results of this study indicated that relinquishing a child for adoption is a life-
altering experience that has an impact on parenting of subsequent children. Participants in the study lacked confidence in their parenting and believed they overcompensated with subsequent children due to the loss they experienced. Although the birthmothers did not want to be treated differently from other families, specific themes were identified which reflected their experiences.
Understanding the experience of relinquishing a child for adoption and its impact
on subsequent parenting is critical in the field of early childhood education for several reasons. First, teachers must recognize that the contemporary family extends far beyond that of two parents, two children, and a dog living in a house with a white picket fence. Next, when creating classroom assignments that explore family histories, specific details that have not been shared with young children may arise when researching these types of projects. Modifications can be made to eliminate the possibility of causing angst and turmoil for the family. Being sensitive to the many types of families, including those where a mother has relinquished a child for adoption, is essential to successful partnerships with families in the field of early childhood education.

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INTEGRATED EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, PARENTING, AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES: THE TORONTO FIRST DUTY PROJECT

This study examined predictors of program participation and the potential effects of participation on child development in five school sites offering integrated preschool services as part of the Toronto First Duty (TFD) demonstration project. The TFD model offered a seamless, school-based ‘service community’ integrating childcare, kindergarten, family literacy, and other early childhood services.
Despite sound conceptual arguments for the utility of integrating early childhood services, no empirical studies have examined the relation between uptake of integrated preschool services and children’s developmental outcomes, within the ecological context of integrated services. This study examined program participation levels or ‘dosage’, while considering the social ecology of the child, including family and school level characteristics that may moderate or mediate the effectiveness of community-level service integration efforts to improve child outcomes during the transition to school.
The ecology of participation effects was examined through generalized linear modeling techniques analyzing a linked dataset (N=272) including: (1) systematic intake form and tracking data on hours of program use, (2) children’s school readiness or child development teacher-report ratings (Early Development Instrument) measured across five domains (physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, communication and general knowledge), and (3) a measure of service integration levels across sites.
The results provided evidence that TFD achieved its outreach aims in ensuring equitable access for all families; demographic risk factors did not predict less participation in TFD integrated services. In a parallel analysis of predictors of kindergarten absences, there was one difference; males were absent more in kindergarten, whereas there were no gender differences in integrated service participation. The results provided additional evidence that the TFD model has potential in reducing disparities in children’s developmental outcomes since participation dose predicted children’s physical health and well-being, language and cognitive development, and communication and general knowledge, after taking into account demographic, parenting and site factors. Further, parents' being less child-centred and less interested in parent participation, were significant risk factors associated with children's developmental outcomes. This study has implications for understanding the ecological complexities of school readiness, and the potential processes by which program participation affects children’s outcomes

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Exploring Reasons for the Low Number of Males in High School Parenting and Child Development Classes

The purpose ofthis study is to identify the reasons for the low number of males that enroll in Parenting and Child Development classes at the high school level. A survey was developed to examine the attitudes and perspectives of male students in regards to enrolling in Parenting and Child Development classes. Females also participated to see if they had the same attitudes and perspectives as the males. The subjects used to obtain the needed data were current freshmen during the 2007-2008 academic year. Each student in the freshman class was given a Consent to Participate in UW-Stout Approved Research form to be shared and signed by their parent or guardian and returned to the investigator. The students that returned the signed consent forms were then given the survey. Responses were categorized, analyzed and presented in tables and figures.

The results verify that there currently exists a significant low number ofmales enrolled in Parenting and Child Development classes as compared to females. The study offers reasons for this behavior and suggestions for equalizing the enrollment. While females and males generally agree that these types ofcourses offer benefits such as knowledge on the subject and preparedness for pregnancy and responsibility, they tend to disagree on the timing ofthese classes and which gender would benefit more from being enrolled in Parenting or Child Development classes.
By implementing changes in the way the Parenting and Child Development classes are promoted and by designing a class format that would appeal more toward males, it might be possible to achieve increased enrollment in these courses.


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