“It’s sad that there are still children who cannot read,” said Wariul Hasanah, S.Pd.I., a grade one teacher at SDN Repok Puyung state elementary school, Central Lombok, NTB. Wariul tries to give the best to her students, even though the surrounding conditions are not conducive to her goal.

The conditions of the classrooms are minimal and uncomfortable, but the lack of learning media has not prevented Wariul from striving for more for the sake of her students. With the creativity and support of the INOVASI program facilitators (fasilitator daerah, or Fasda), Wariul has created learning media, such as alphabet cards, Big Books, picture cards, and learning media made from local materials, such as seeds, which are being used to teach students how to count.

“The class management and design have been changed. Previously, the classroom was bare, but now it is equipped with learning media. There are word cards and picture cards. Everything has been made since the INOVASI program started,” explained Wariul. 

Realizing that the students tend to get bored quickly, Wariul also started using pictures to encourage her students to tell stories. Wariul now uses a lot of learning media.

Wariul said that the changes have occurred not only in her classroom but also when it comes to her students. They now have more courage to express their opinions.

“After participating in the INOVASI program, I thought of providing my students with picture media. My students now have the courage to speak up and express their opinions. For example, when I show them a picture of the beach, they ask me to read them a story about the beach. It’s obvious to me that the children’s interest in learning has improved; they seem to be more enthusiastic about it,” said Wariul.

Through the training facilitated by INOVASI, Wariul gained an understanding of how to manage a classroom and handle students. She also gained skills to produce learning media. The training was related to early grade literacy learning and the identification of Children with Special Needs (Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus, or ABK), which is part of the Inclusive Learning pilot program (also known as the SETARA program).

Wariul stated, “Through INOVASI’s training, I gained a better understanding about children who do not want to write or hang out with their friends. In particular, I learned about inclusive education. Now I know that there are children with this condition, so I don’t force them to do these things.”

Wariul also mentioned that there was one student in her class who had a learning disability. This student not only had difficulty socializing with peers but also was unable to read. However, Wariul patiently and painstakingly assisted the student, and her efforts made a difference. The student is now able to recognize letters.

In Wariul’s class, 8 out of the 22 students she teaches are now fluent in reading. Nine students fall into the slow reading category, and the rest are only able to read syllables. However, based on her experience so far, Wariul is optimistic that her students will be able to read fluently in the grade two.

During her 12 years of teaching grade one students, Wariul has never felt bored.  She likes teaching her students. Every year, she teaches different students. Her enthusiasm also comes from the fact that she wants to be someone who can guide the children in their environment so that they can read, write, and count. Wariul even helps her students after school, guiding the students who are still unable to read fluently.

In addition to gaining knowledge and skills from the INOVASI trainings, Wariul was able to connect with colleagues who shared their knowledge and experiences in teaching.

“Through the INOVASI training, we as teachers were able to exchange ideas. I wanted to try something new to improve the learning activities. My knowledge improved, and I also made many new friends,” explained Wariul.
Wariul hopes that the INOVASI training opportunities, along with the support of the local government, will continue. She feels that these trainings opportunities are beneficial to her and her fellow teachers.