Teachers have an important role in helping students become sensitive and provide solutions to problems around them. This role was carried out well by Wardah Fepriyani, guru SD MHIS Bangka, Bangka Belitung Islands (Babel).
Since studying in the program Wardah Inspiring Teacher 2024 organized by ParagonCorp and Kampus Pemimpin Merdeka, he actively reflects on his students' learning process. Until one of his good teaching practices was published in a book Proud to be a Teacher, Dare to Inspire.
Through his writing, Fepriyani tells how he facilitates students to understand the environmental crisis in their area, Babel. Babylon is one of the largest contributing provinces of tin in Indonesia. The impact of economic improvement is accompanied by natural damage mainly due to the many illegal mines.
This moves Fepriyani to bring the issue of tin to his class.
"Changes in air and weather quality are very much felt by the people here. As a teacher, I feel responsible for building student awareness about this,he explained.
Local Issues Increase Students' Enthusiasm for Learning
Learning begins by showing data and photos of the mining area to students and then asking their opinions. Boisterous students express their feelings, Some claimed to be sad.
Previously students have learned about global warming. But they don't realize that their lives have been affected by this. Through this learning, only then can they connect the concept to local issues.
"Someone asked, This means that we are already feeling global warming here? It turns out that previously the students did not realize that the hot temperatures in Babylon were part of global warming due to the exploitation of nature,” explained Fepriyani.
Furthermore, students are challenged to formulate positive contributions to increase public awareness of this issue. Many ideas emerged, such as digital campaigns, distributing posters, plant Trees, and so on.
From student ideas, Fepriyani then proposed a miniature project for three conditions of the earth. Each miniature depicts the state of the earth full of arrow holes, the hot state of the earth due to the burning of tin, and the third is the ideal state of the earth with green trees. This was approved by the student.
Students return to collect data and then be creative in making a miniature. The results were presented at the end of the steam fair semester which invited many guests including parents of students and the surrounding community.
Feripriyani claimed to be emotional when there were students who loudly invited guests who were present to collaborate to stop illegal tin mining.
“As a teacher, That moment strengthens my belief that education is able to instill noble values that can bring positive changes to society,"Close Fepriyani.
(Yosi)
