Planting Seeds

Of the 51 young people who passed the Indonesia Teaches program, Mutia Hapsari, 24, a former Tempo reporter, is one of them. She documents her experiences as a teacher in the interior of East Kalimantan.

February 23, 2011

BAREFOOT, the children sporting the white and red uniform sat on wooden chairs in the classroom. Before them were books and pencils. Looking at the board, one of the students shouted:

+ “Ibu Mutia, should we write it down?”

= I responded, “Yes, write it down.”

In less than five seconds, another child would shout, asking the same thing. I would give the same answer. If they asked the same question four times, I would usually say firmly

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