mathematics in my life

            My experience in mathematics has been started since first grade elementary school. At the time I have mathematics teacher who very loudly and like shout. One day I can’t solve one question that he gave. So that, he has angry and shout out loud until my friends who has been writing shocked and tremble. It made my friends traumatized when he is writing his hand was tremble until now. It also made me afraid when learn math and I dislike math. It is made me study hard and do the exercise so as not yelled again from my math teacher. As never imaged before, when distribute the report, I got nine for my math score. I was happy when my teacher proud of me and he gave me smile. That was really surprised for me and from that time I believed the struggles never useless.

            When I accepted in junior high school, my school had a placement test to determine the class for each student. I could not join it because I got sick. So that, I had joined the test after that but I forgot to fill my identity in test sheet. So the result I got VII C Class, because even considered not takes the test. I was really sad and broken heart because I should be part with my elementary school friends, because all of them got VII A class. It is like a dream because I never imaged before so I was really upset. From that time too, I study hard to prove if I deserve in VII A class especially math lesson. I felt at the time math is the lesson that really complicated for all of students. It made me always struggle make my teacher math confused because I was able to answer the math problem that he show when he taught in Class C apparently all of my friends don’t understand about that. I should be helped my friends to understand the material. Sometimes some of my friends went to my home to do math homework. I didn’t know much more they did, I just able showed what the problem and they should solved that the problems. At the time I begin to like mathematics, because of math I can show who I am. I can show to my teacher if I can found higher score than students from Class A.

            Nice story in senior high school. I didn’t have problem in mathematics lesson, but I have problems in Physic lesson. I asked for help to the Physic Club in my school.  After three month has learned Physic there, my tutors suggest me to join in this Club as a member and learn more about Physic to prepare the competition. It was impossible. But because of the support from my physic teacher I can joined in competition, apparently not be came a winner but I have learned more than about Physic there. Another story, at the time also I have a friends who really love in math. Every day he always gave me one or more question about mathematics problems. That made me curious about it, but increasingly more exciting and I was enjoyed at the time. Sometime I asked him my problem about math and it was really help me.

            Passed from senior high school I can’t took university because my family problem and I got work become a cashier. Every day I have counted money in and out of my office. Actually my company was providing services and saving money in Denpasar. I think it was not really difficult to me and enjoyed in my work. My boss really liked of my work because I am very expert to counting money. After six month I works, my friends who was my tutor in physic club called me and suggest me to enroll in Sampoerna School of Education (SSE) if I want to continued my study. After I tried to enroll I confused to choose the major of study. My uncle really hopes I could learn about English there, but I don’t like English and I like math. After discuss with my family especially my uncle who always gave me support if I have problems. Finally I chosen Math Education major.

            After enter in the SSE first semester I don’t really learn about math but I have many English courses to improve my English I think. It was making my IP was small.  But in the second semester I got many math courses so that I become more spirit and study hard to increase my IP. It was my story about mathematics. Mathematics in my life was my hero and always follows me to find my identity. I am not looking for math but math looking for me.

Differences is Beautiful

Manusia diciptakan Tuhan dengan kelebihan dan kekurangannya masing – masing. Itulah yang membuat kita memiliki perbedaan, dan setiap perbedaan memiliki keunikan masing – masing. Bukan berarti perbedaan diantara kita itu tidak indah, bahkan dari perbedaan itu kita bisa berbagi kelebihan dan mengisi kekurangan kita. Seperti mahasiswa Sampoerna School of Education (SSE) yang berasal dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia. Kami berinteraksi seperti biasa satu sama lain dengan tetap memegang teguh kebiasaan masing – masing dan menghormati kebiasaan orang lain.

Mahasiswa yang berasal dari berbagai suku itu ada dari Sunda, Jawa, Bali, Batak, Pelembang hingga Kalimantan semua bersatu di SSE. Kita belajar untuk bisa menjadi guru professional yang berbeda dengan guru yang biasa kita kenal. Kita tidak hanya memilki perbedaan daerah asal tapi juga perbedaan agama dan kepercayaan. Itu bukan masalah besar buat kami, justru kehidupan beragama yang cukup akrab. Hal itu terlihat ketika acara halal bihalal yang setiap tahun dilakukan di kampus, semua mahasiswa mengikuti acara tersebut tanpa terkecuali umat Kristen, Katolik dan Hindu. Begitu sebaliknya bila Natal dan Nyepi tiba mahasiswa saling menghargai kebiasaan satu sama lain. Kita bisa melihat miniatur Indonesia di SSE, ada berbagai keunikan dari daerah masing – masing yang bisa menambah pengetahuan kita tentang daerah lain di Indonesia. Tak banyak di kampus lain di Indonesia, mahasiswa bisa menemukan keragaman dalam kebersamaan seperti di SSE.

Perbedaan itu pun berlangsung tidak hanya saat hari raya agama saja.  Setiap hari, saat keadaan  asyik mengerjakan tugas tiba waktu sholat, umat yang lain pun memepersilakan dan menunggu teman untuk sholat, setelah itu baru melanjutkan kegiatan kembali. Perbedaan yang begitu indah. Keselarasan dan keseimbangan antara hubungan kita dengan Tuhan dan sesama adalah kebahagian yang tak ternilai harganya. Bila keharmonisan dengan Tuhan dan Sesama telah tepelihara dengan baik maka keharmonisan dengan alam pun bisa kita wujudkan dengan baik pula. Hal ini sesuai dengan konsep Tri Hita Karana dalam ajaran agama Hindu yang selalu membina hubungan baik dengan Tuhan, Sesama dan Lingkungan.

Perbedaan yang indah ini makin saya sadari pada saat mata kuliah Humanistic Study beberapa hari yang lalu. Saat saya ditanya tentang identitas diri dan bagaimana identitas membawa kita pada sebuah perbedaan dengan orang lain. Saya menyadari ternyata setiap orang memiliki ciri khas dan keunikan masing – masing. Harapan terbesar yang ingin saya dapatkan dalam mata kuliah ini adalah saya bisa memahami identitas diri sendiri dan juga orang lain, kemudian menghargai setiap perbedaan kebiasaan yang ada sebagai tambahan pengetahuan dalaam memahami orang lain khususnya sebagai bekal nanti dalam mengajar. Tentu saat mengajar nanti kita akan bertemu dengan siswa dari berbagai latar belakang yang berbeda juga. 

By : Luh Putu Ariasih