By Lira Fajarwati, primary school teacher Lumajang district
” I believe that being a teacher means committing to lifelong learning. As the world grows more complex, adapting our teaching methods becomes crucial. From my experience, the best way to learn is to share knowledge with others, empowering everyone in the process. We can start small, with peers in the school, or in the same cluster but together, we can make a huge difference.
From what I’ve observed, many teachers still hesitate to share their knowledge with others. They often say they’re not ready or are overwhelmed by administrative tasks, leaving them with little capacity to learn or contribute within their community. This reluctance to learn and share could cause us to fall behind and fail to meet our students’ current needs. That’s why I’m committed to continually learning and sharing what I know.
I’m grateful that through the internal selection by the team I have the opportunity to be part of the co-design team in Lumajang. This team is tasked with developing materials for our professional learning communities, where teachers gather to discuss and refine pedagogical strategies for the classroom. Before joining the co-design team, I had been learning independently through various online teacher communities and government platforms. Joining the co-design team feels truly special. I’ve had the chance to collaborate with inspiring school supervisors, principals, and teachers from diverse backgrounds. Although it’s common to encounter disagreements, the co-design team has encouraged me to voice my opinions and consider other perspectives, which has enriched my own thinking. We’ve worked on developing engaging materials, such as effective questioning techniques and appreciative inquiry. The team, along with the Bakti Barito-STIR Education Team, has consistently provided thought-provoking questions that push us to think critically and creatively, rather than simply following a set agenda.
A highlight of my time with the co-design team has been facilitating training sessions for school supervisors. It’s been humbling to witness their openness and willingness to learn from us and offer feedback. As a teacher involved in developing materials at the district level, I deeply appreciate this collaborative approach. Their receptiveness ensures our content is communicated effectively and meets our community’s needs.
Being part of this team has inspired me to keep learning and sharing, with the goal of planting seeds of positive change. I hope to nurture these seeds into lasting improvements for our district. I’m excited to continue contributing to the co-design team and developing materials that make a meaningful impact for teachers in Lumajang District.”
