Friday, April 09, 2010

Between the Educational Bourgeoisie and the Socially Aware

With Malik growing up in a very fast rate (faster than any parent's preference, really), lately I have been wondering about how we are going to raise him after his toddler years. I reflect this decision by observing some of my students and I must say, it's very difficult to do a cost and benefit assessment when the person taking in the consequences is not yourself, but a person you hope to better than you could ever be.

In terms of our children's education, do you school them in the best of the system (the educational and economical elite) or in public school (a person who is aware of class difference)?

I honestly have not found the answers and Arya and I are constantly going back and forth with the pros and cons, debating on whether, in a country like Indonesia, it's more possible to instill social awareness in a person who is intellectually, emotionally and spiritually sound (by having received the best of educational stimulation) or to intellectually stimulate a person who is socially aware (for being an active participant in a 'heterogeneous' environment).

Having said that, I am fully aware that being the secondary socialisation agents, the education system is only second to Arya and my nurture. The random moments where I read to him and converse with him and consciously answer his curious questions when he steps into childhood. According to the most recent (and consistent) findings in child development, parents remain the most important socialisation agents for children. So when I think about this notion, which school he goes to becomes less of an issue.

But, an issue nevertheless. Sigh.

5 comments:

rinaldi said...

Temen aku anak sosiologi neliti nasionalisme di sekolah internasional, hasilnya mereka perspektifnya internasional banget. Bahkan pake bahasa indonesia cuma sama mbaknya padahal mereka indonesia totok, hihihi ironis yak

Inaya Rakhmani said...

Argh. Masih lagi bikin list pro dan kontra... Bingung, bingung...

cydinn said...

mmmh, SD swasta, smp terserah, sma di negeri dan S1 dalam negeri (haaa, narsissss but look where it got us.. hehehehhehe...)

ps: been turning that question around friends.. satu jawaban bagus : menurut Uji, harus ada satu momen dimana si anak keluar dari selatan Jakarta dan ditaro di wilayah laen yang ga seglamor itu demi membangun social awareness mu itu..

Inaya Rakhmani said...

Hahaha... Very true. Tapi waktu SMA gue kehilangan motivasi belajar Cin, krn ngga biasa dengan sistem pengajarannya.

Kayanya ngga ada jawaban either or ya. Sejauh ini jawaban ini yg membuat gue puas: a combination of several, yang diindikasikan dengan perkembangan si anak. Let them choose and afterwards accept the choice with its pros and cons.

Jadi intinya ky saran lo hahaha. Come home please, a long talk awaits.

ika utami said...

Aku pernah baca kl g salah di Majalah Parenting, sekolah internasional sayangnya seringkali nggak memberlakukan penyeimbangan antara aspek internasional (mulai dr bahasa smpai hal yg lbih besar kyk nilai" dan perspektif yg kyk inal blg.
Sekolahin negeri ajaaa, biar liat real life dr kecil hehehe