Teacher A: “I used to focus on preparing my media and strategy of learning activity, then I forgot to think about the impact on the students, forgot to help the student to reflect (reviewing), forgot the parallel learning outcomes, etc. So, I used to spend too much effort to prepare complicated tools, colorful papers, LCD, and so on. Yesterday, I only prepared some pieces of paper, then I relaxed. I formed connections with my students and enjoyed the learning activities with them. I focused more on the big, deep, and great impact on the learners, instead of being rushed in finishing content.”
Teacher B: “I am thinking, if millions of teachers in Indonesia apply FIRST-ADLX Framework, how many billions of students could be leaders in their era and build our country to be better?!”
Teacher C: “One of the major characteristics that I got from FIRST training, that besides mindset transformation, learners are also humans. Normally through their hearts and feelings, we as teachers can impress our students, so we can expect the students would save the beautiful memory about their learner experience…”
Teacher D: “FIRST principles’ application is simple, and the tools to apply is also simple.”
(Teachers’ insights after FIRST-ADLX Framework program)
That is my experience after my first time; I transferred FIRST-ADLX Framework after completing my FIRST-ADLX Facilitator certification program. I have a colleague in my old school; we had a bad experience with each other. When I was a teacher in the same school, in my opinion, he was a lousy teacher. He was shouting at the students and disrespect them. Yelling, snapping, cursing, disrespect students. I wouldn’t say I liked his way. Then one day, I resigned from that school to continue my studies. Today, he was a participant in my FIRST-ADLX Framework program.
On the 1st day, he didn’t even want to look at my face. For me, it was a psychological obstacle. But then, I decided to do my role as best as I could. I tried to be friendly with him as genuine as I can during the program.
On the fourth day of the transfer, I saw his reflection in the closure of day four, and he wrote that he would stop his ego, stop being arrogant, stop being stubborn. Something I had never heard from him when we were teachers in the same school. Anyway, at the end of the last day, I greeted him first and told him thank you for joining this trip. Surprisingly, our relationship has transformed and became much respectful.
Another insight from my FIRST-ADLX program is when I didn’t see all learners participating in the activities during the four days facilitation. Until day 3, only certain people talk in the big group and participate. The rest of the learners kept silent during the class discussion due to their anxiety to talk in front of a significant number of people. This reminded me of myself during ROOTS training in Malaysia. I was afraid and anxious to speak, even I wanted to participate. But then, SeGa mentor and facilitator kept encouraging me gently to engage all the time, in a non-pushing way. That “by design” encouragement matters a lot for me, and I never forget that experience.
Then I decided to share my experience with the teachers in FIRST-ADLX program in order to encourage them all to participate and highlight the importance of sharing their opinion to others. as I finally talked in front of the big circle in the last day after six days kept silent. I told them when I asked the mentor, “why do you keep encouraging me to talk? Many people already talked in the circle. Who would listen if everyone wants to talk?”
In my mind, I thought he just wanted to increase my self-confidence. Turned out, his answer beyond what was in my mind. He answered, “because we all want to learn from you.” I was shocked and impressed. Now I know, that was part of the I domain, Interacting, let the learners learn from each other. Based on that experience, I told the teachers, “opinions and experiences from EVERYONE here, matters.”
I shared it with the teachers, and they got my point. As a result, on the last day of my transfer, all learners participated in front of each other. They became more aware of participating for the sake of inspiring others and try to increase their self-confidence. Beyond my expectations, learners who always talk, now aware of giving space and chance to other learners who need the effort to speak up. I feel touched by this result of parallel learning outcomes.
