An Indonesian High School
Graham Paterson, Australia
Graham Paterson is an Australian who took up teaching after retiring from a 40 year career in Mining and Exploration. During the time he worked in Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and in many different parts of Australia. Working in the various countries necessitated learning 4 different languages which proved an excellent foundation for teaching ESL. As a result, he has completed contracts in China and Indonesia, teaching English skills to University students and High School teachers. On returning to Australia, Graham Paterson has had two books published by Foreign Languages Press in China, "50 Current World Topics" and "Dialogues for Groups". Their aim is to assist students, and others, to improve their English speaking ability. E-mail: guggzie@yahoo.com.au
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SMAN 1 Bekasi
Batik Day
Study tours
Graduation
The volunteer assignment was to assist the Teachers at the SMAN 1 High School in Bekasi, Indonesia, improve their English language skills in preparation for the school being granted International status.
Each week commenced with a school assembly involving a formal flag raising ceremony, speeches from the Principal, prayers and singing the Indonesian National anthem.
The Monday morning Assembly
SMAN 1 is a Government school and, although the majority of students and teachers were of the Muslim faith, there were other faiths represented in the student body and the teaching staff. What was particularly noticeable was the respect shown to the teachers by the students. In turn, the teachers showed an obvious degree of care and consideration for their students. One aspect of this was illustrated with the routine inspection of students as they entered the school grounds. The students were asked to tidy up their appearance when deemed necessary even to the extent of being given a free hair trim if appropriate.
 
The inspection The free hair trim
Although the main priority of the assignment was to help the Teachers there were ongoing requests to speak to the students in their classroom. This was the first time the school had an "in-house" foreigner and the students were very keen to provide a warm welcome.
The obligatory class photo
Thursday each week is Batik Day where the students and teachers wear their colourful Batik uniforms and shirts.
The students and me in Batik
The school did several study tours during the assignment period which involved some 400 students being transported in a convoy of 10 or more buses. One tour took in the Botanical Gardens and Museum at Bogor and another, the University and Geological Museum at Bandung.
The Orchid House at the Bogor Botanical Gardens
 
A group photo Students and Teachers
 
The Convoy of Busses The Interactive Museum
At the end of the year, the school took all the graduating students and teachers for an overnight stay at a Hotel and Conference Centre in Lembang on the outskirts of Bandung. This was a very formal celebration with speeches, presentation of awards, a choir, performances from the teachers and from various student groups.
Some of the students in their formal dress
 
The assembly The Teacher's chorus
The Teachers
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