SDN 017 Tanjung Selor state elementary school is located in Bulungan regency, North Kalimantan. This school is located on the banks of the Sungai Buaya (Crocodile River). Sungai Buaya is a tributary of the Kayan River. It’s called the Crocodile River because it’s inhabited by many crocodiles.
The school is led by Said Abdullah. In Said’s care, SDN 017 Tanjung Selor has been turned into a literate school. In addition, the classrooms have become more attractive and are filled with various learning resources and materials.
Looking in on a grade three classroom, the students appear to be excited about what they’re reading. Their eyes sparkle as they look at the books, and they appear to prefer being in the classroom rather than playing outside during recess. Rosdiana, a grade three teacher, says her classroom is filled with learning resources that make her students comfortable to be there.
Each object in the classroom is given a caption. The caption is placed where the students can see it. For example, the word “table” is placed on the table; the word “bench” is placed on the back of the bench. The students see these captions every day and become familiar with them.
Rosdiana said that the aim of the captions on the objects is to enrich the students’ vocabulary. She explained that the students recognize words more easily when they see the object directly. That way, the students know what the object is and how it is written, and then they can read it. The more vocabulary a student has, the more developed their reading skills are.
In addition to the captions in the classroom, there is a tree of knowledge. Here, the students can write about simple topics. The students are asked to write short sentences related to their daily activities. For example, they might be asked to write short sentences about what they had for breakfast. The goal is for the students to get used to writing.
Rosdiana said that all of the students have the same duties, including the slow-reading students. She explained that it doesn’t matter if a word is spelled incorrectly. The important thing is that the student is happy.
Reading Culture
While SDN 017 Tanjung Selor strengthens its literacy class, SDN 002 West Malinau state in Malinau regency, further develops a reading culture. This school has the advantage of a lush schoolyard. Several large trees are on the school grounds, so the school is always shaded, even on hot days.
The school is led by Enris T. Lawai. Under Enris’ leadership, the school conducts various reading activities. The activities include reading 15 minutes before class inside the classroom followed by reading together outside the classroom.
Reading together is conducted every two weeks. On Friday mornings, the students are instructed to find the most comfortable place to read on the school grounds. They can sit in the hallway, around a big tree, or on the grass lined with a tarp. For early grade students who cannot read, the teacher reads a story. Meanwhile, higher grade students are asked to retell what they’ve read to their fellow students.
The students love this activity and are very enthusiastic about it; likewise with the teachers who share their enthusiasm because they get to read the books too.
