I've never been presented with a gold watch to celebrate fifty years in the same job. In fact, I seem to have flitted hither and yon depending on where I’m living, how old my children are or what’s on offer. My husband, Don, had retired from secondary teaching when he was asked to teach some Indonesian at the local primary school. It was a new initiative and he agreed to take it on if I would teach the younger classes.
At 56, this was a new experience for me, another for which I had no formal qualifications, so my class always included the class teacher. It turned out to be something I really loved.
No syllabus, few teaching materials – where to start? With singing of course. What better way to learn a new language? On the first day of Preps. we sang a song with just five new words:
Good morning teacher,
Good morning all,
Good morning. Freedom! (or Independence!)
A somewhat quaint word to finish with but one still very dear to Indonesian hearts.
There wasn’t any suitable source for songs so, just after a year, we made a tape of fourteen songs with singers from Grades 1 to 3 and the help of visiting keyboarder, university student Stephen Winkler. A huge success all round. Hundreds of tapes were sold before we turned it into a CD.
A book was needed to suggest learning ideas, a number using songs from that tape. That sold out. Later a book of folk stories and related activities.
Easy conversation, numbers, colours, always games, while learning about 17,000 islands, 240 million people, weather, food, animals, clothing, religion, customs. Of course, this was spread over several years with new words accompanying each topic.
At 56, this was a new experience for me, another for which I had no formal qualifications, so my class always included the class teacher. It turned out to be something I really loved.
No syllabus, few teaching materials – where to start? With singing of course. What better way to learn a new language? On the first day of Preps. we sang a song with just five new words:
Good morning teacher,
Good morning all,
Good morning. Freedom! (or Independence!)
A somewhat quaint word to finish with but one still very dear to Indonesian hearts.
There wasn’t any suitable source for songs so, just after a year, we made a tape of fourteen songs with singers from Grades 1 to 3 and the help of visiting keyboarder, university student Stephen Winkler. A huge success all round. Hundreds of tapes were sold before we turned it into a CD.
A book was needed to suggest learning ideas, a number using songs from that tape. That sold out. Later a book of folk stories and related activities.
Easy conversation, numbers, colours, always games, while learning about 17,000 islands, 240 million people, weather, food, animals, clothing, religion, customs. Of course, this was spread over several years with new words accompanying each topic.
At the end of each term we had a classroom concert with an invitation in Indonesian, songs, students showing their language skills and always finishing with a play based on an Indonesian folk story. Parents loved it as did the performers.
Meanwhile a number of other schools, mostly country, asked if Don and I could do a program - maybe six weeks – at their school. The last day of the program always consisted of having an Indonesian cooking day and finishing off with a concert.
Because the teaching materials produced became well known, I was invited to run some professional development days for teachers. Some were held in Tallangatta but others in a number of places including Benalla, Ballarat, Mildura and Canberra.
Keith Fletcher was the Language Coordinator for the Benalla region and ran an Indonesian video competition. That was our next challenge. There weren’t many schools competing but we won a number of times. The last video we made embraced the whole town with students visiting shops and other places saying Good Morning in Indonesian. That was great.
Because the teaching materials produced became well known, I was invited to run some professional development days for teachers. Some were held in Tallangatta but others in a number of places including Benalla, Ballarat, Mildura and Canberra.
Keith Fletcher was the Language Coordinator for the Benalla region and ran an Indonesian video competition. That was our next challenge. There weren’t many schools competing but we won a number of times. The last video we made embraced the whole town with students visiting shops and other places saying Good Morning in Indonesian. That was great.
Since my first book had sold out long ago, I decided to use my twenty five years of experience to write one last book called ‘Making Indonesian Fun’. It was launched not long before I came to Benalla. I was 83 at the time.
I’ve realised that basically I’ve spent my life talking, singing and writing.
What was that about retirement?
What’s next on the list?
Carmyl Winkler
August 2023
I’ve realised that basically I’ve spent my life talking, singing and writing.
What was that about retirement?
What’s next on the list?
Carmyl Winkler
August 2023
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