I am Ardiani Gulo, a sixth-semester student of STIKES Senior, Medan. At first, I thought that being a student was difficult because I had big duties and responsibilities and only focused on my major. After becoming a student, it was different from what I thought, I felt happy and excited because my campus is a Merdeka campus (Merdeka is a name of curriculum), having various programs that students can take part in, one of which is the Teaching Campus Program.

With courage, I enlisted as a participant in the Teaching Campus by participating various selections that only open for 16 students. Even though it was not easy, finally I was selected from 30 students who registered at my campus. Nationally, there are more than 20.000 students selected from more than 40.000 students who have applied for batch 5 of the Teaching Campus. For me, the Teaching Campus is an education way to open access for those who face limitations to know the great things that belong to the nation.

I and three other students worked for ‘Taman Pendidikan Islam’ Junior High School (SMP) in Medan. We came from different universities and majors, I am from midwifery. I had doubts and fear when I was placed at that school because the students, teachers, and school administrators adhered to the Islamic religion, there were no other religions in it. Even during my observation at the school, I read a banner that reminds everyone who visited the school, have to wear Muslim clothing, while I did not. During dialogue with the school principal and religious teacher called ‘ustad’, they suggested that I had to wear Muslim clothing at school, so that it does not become a stumbling block. I did not mind wearing the headscarf, yet it did not change my faith.

At that school, we implemented a program of the Teaching Campus, namely literacy and numeracy. Literacy is the ability to reason using language which is not only the ability to read but the ability to analyze a reading and the ability to understand the concepts behind writing, and numeracy is the ability to analyze using numbers. This program responds to the reality that many schools are left behind in this ability and low interest in reading by school students.

There were various learning methods that we use, such as reading for 15 minutes and then students retell what they have read. Some students are difficult to manage or follow the lesson, we used learning strategies with games so that the atmosphere was not awkward. We were able to overcome these challenges even more familiar with them and there was an increase of student interest in learning. Apart from that, we also found that some of the students belonged to families with economic limitations, but in general, they were smart, especially in religion. It is necessary to acknowledge the differences in the way of teaching local teachers from the method we present. We invited them to study, to play, to sing, and even to watch movies together as a form of digital literacy. I felt grateful to be able to meet and have dialogues with students from different backgrounds besides teaching literacy and numeracy.

From this experience, I remember the Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta material that has equipped me with the courage to get out of my comfort zone and contribute to the world outside the campus, how to communicate in front of the class, make eye contact, build confidence and have the courage to socialize with people from different backgrounds, region, ethnicity, and religion. I am so thankful even though I studied midwifery, it did not block an opportunity for me to become a health worker, as well as an educator. To all friends wherever you are, never be afraid to try and do good things. Hopefully, this will be a blessing for others. ***