When I was a freshman, I realized that in the village where I live, not many high school students continue their education. There are so many reasons behind it, such as economic condition, lack of parental supports and so on. According to the District Government, the participation level of education in Sumedang is only 16.14% for children above 10 years old, and 86.82% people did not continue their studies after graduating from high school (http://bappeda.sumedangkab.go.id). I thought it was not a problem for me, but now it is. People commonly have a high expectation of university students. Apart from being busy doing the assignment, they hope we can make a great change for the future. There is nothing wrong with that, I am just questioning myself, what is a contribution I can give to society after living there for more than 20 years? 

Since that time, the question always appears in my mind before I go to sleep. It reminds me of my senior who is active being a volunteer in a remote village and also my cousin who has been teaching for years in a mosque that closes to my house. I wanted to make a change but I did not know what to do. Until finally I found the answer when my cousin carried out a month-long Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata) and I switched her as a teacher in the mosque for approximately a month. It was incredible! Now, almost all of her students are also mine.

The story began at the beginning of December 2018. I invited my cousin’s students to learn English for free at my house and they were delighted. I changed an empty room in my house became a class, I decorated it with flags bunting and paper frames. I prepared my laptop, speaker and some papers as media tools for teaching. I was fired up and ready to teach even though the lesson plans were not finished at that moment, their enthusiasm made me cannot wait any longer.

Finally, the day that they had been waiting for had come. About fifteen elementary school students came to my house on Sunday morning. In their excitements, the kids walked up to the stairs and entered the room, buzzing. I taught all of them to introduce themselves, then we watched some videos and sang English introduction songs together. Based on the kids’ stories, they never joined an English course before. It was their first time and they found it interesting. That was a great start and I was over the moon.

Until now on, I have twenty-five students on my list. Every Sunday, about 60% of them come to my house. “An-Nur English Learning Center for Kids” becomes their home, and also my source of energy. They are the light of my gloomy college’s life in the last semester. I think my decision to name the course “An-Nur” is a good choice, hopefully, they can be the light of everyone’s life in the future.

I am amazed by their enthusiasm in learning, and sometimes confused thinking how to give attractive teaching methods. I had ever talked to a friend who has graduated from the English Education Department and a lecturer who is quite understanding about learning tools for children, they are really helpful and I was enlightened. The kids have been learning enough English basic lessons through playing games, singing, coloring, and drawing, or watching movies. Besides that, I also give them a glimpse of environmental education. So that in the future I hope they not only have language foundations but also have environmental awareness. To be honest, I do not expect them to be excellent after having English course with me, because I realize that I am not a great one in this field. I am only a very small part of society who want to give them a full of learning childhood. However, in the next few years, the kids as the upcoming generation must be prepared.

When I was writing this text, I have been doing an internship for 4 weeks. That is the reason why I decided to stay in a boarding house and of course there is no Sunday that can be spent with the kids. At the end of June was our last meeting in the English class. They cried so hard and so did I. Seven months teaching is pretty enough to make me get closer with my students. There is an indescribable happiness every time I meet all of them. Playing and learning together is exhilarating! I had ever made some posts on social media about our activities, and many of my friends interested in joining it. I am sure it will be fun if I can share the teaching experience through a volunteering program. It becomes one of my goals that insya Allah will be held at the end of this year. Please to wait for the opportunity to be a part of a contribution to the society through being a volunteer of An-Nur English Learning Center. Thank you, readers!