It has been a decade of journey for Joglo preschool , Peace Place Pati, in assisting children with varying special needs. The learning process is studied to create learning that is fun and meaningful for children. Joglo is a cool area with an open design, comfortable for children. This comes from practicing the Regenerative Peace & Justice Curriculum where assistance based on developmental stages is combined with Agreements and Permaculture Principles which contain life values to build a culture of peace with humans and nature. Close relationships, acceptance and support are felt by everyone in it. Here are some parent testimonials.
Tika, Mahija’s parents:
“The support that is most felt is self-empowerment through the tools for creating a culture of peace that we learned while attending training and parenting. As parents we cannot leave it entirely to school but also learn together and support ourselves to build active communication with children, the school and everyone in it. At Joglo, parents are given the opportunity to share their strengths and to support other parents based on their respective abilities and conditions.”Sisca, Kayana’s parents:
“When Kayana saw the atmosphere at Joglo, she immediately felt comfortable. The first thing we noticed is that because there are lots of toys, where she is allowed to choose the toy she likes, she is not required to immediately sit down and hold a pencil, but she can find ways to interact with other people. Kayana is a child who can speak but doesn’t yet have clear vocals. When she wants something, she points to what she wants rather than using words. Due to limited words, Kayana often gets emotional when she has difficulty expressing her wishes. After three to five months in Joglo, she started to express what she wanted.“Before entering school at Joglo, Kayana cried easily to express her emotions. She cried for 1-2 hours at a time. But after being in Joglo, she only cries when she feels tired or has unresolved emotions. And every morning she wakes up early and goes to school cheerfully. Her motor skills are well developed. I was surprised when Kayana knew letters, numbers and colors. I realized that learning through play is very effective.”
We learn together with children who need special attention. Children from different backgrounds and also different religions learn to support each other and collaborate. We practice the value of building a culture of peace which is translated into daily activities, trained and interpreted through the process of playing. The behavior of taking care of themselves, being willing to queue, taking turns, sharing, helping, preparing the playground, looking after friends and plants at school, empathizing and not discriminating can be seen in their daily behavior at school.
The following is a parent’s testimony when asked about what they feel when their child learns with a mixture of religion and development.
Sisca, Kayana’s parents:
“Before I got married and I was still young, I didn’t like schools that mix children with different developments. This happens because of a lack of understanding that humans are diverse. But as my awareness grows that we were created with different circumstances, I am happy to be able to hang out with people who are not as capable as me. Moreover, now Kayana goes to school in Joglo where she can meet friends who are not like her, can speak fluently, walk well or hold objects firmly, so Kayana knows that in life we have to share, we must not underestimate it but we must embrace it.When we walk around and see children with special needs, Kayana greets them naturally without pointing out their weaknesses like “He can’t walk or he can’t talk”. Likewise, when she is at home, Kayana never talks about her friends’ weaknesses. I think it’s because this doesn’t appear in everyday life at school. I feel that that is why there is bullying because things that are considered trivial are not noticed by the people around them. I like the Joglo concept in embracing children and families, because equality is better”
Ardi, Maxie’s parents:
“At first I was shocked, because this was the first time I had seen a school concept like this where children were mixed with those with special needs. I was shocked when I saw a child running or suddenly screaming. But the change I saw in Maxie was when we were at the mall, and when he saw a child who was crying, he said, “Crying Papa, he’s sad.” Or when he met a child who was dragging his feet while walking, Maxie didn’t point out the child’s weaknesses, but looked at him naturally.Likewise, it is good when children learn about religious differences from a young age. We are from a Catholic family, but when there is a call to prayer at the mosque, Maxie reminds me “Dad, there is a call to prayer” and he points to his friend who is going to the mosque. I told Maxie that his friend was going to the mosque and Maxie was going to church. So I felt that this way it was easier to convey the difference to Maxie.” Maxie also often reminds me to act politely, when he feels I do things that he thinks are impolite, such as when I burp, or when I sit with my legs up. He said “Papa, please be polite papa!”. He used words he often heard at school.
Tika, Mahija’s parents:
“Mixing children from all backgrounds grows children’s ability to socialize flexibly in a heterogeneous manner. This is very useful for their skills while in society. When socializing with all differences, children can see that differences are normal, not a problem. Children also know how to respond to friends who have special needs, different ages, and even different religions. This is where the important role of parents is to strengthen the child’s character and self-identity despite these differences.”
The situation of the children and family cannot be separated from the trauma experienced by their parents. The experiences of parents’ parenting patterns are often seen to be passed on to their children. And this is one of the challenges faced by Joglo. Therefore, it is important for Joglo to embrace parents and children to practice stopping (taking a moment to calm oneself), recognizing oneself, affirming, discharging emotions for healing.
Ardi, Maxie’s parents:
“Parental education is very important, because I don’t want to apply the bad things I got from my parents to my child, Maxie. I still remember what I got when I was little, especially the bad experiences. That’s why my wife and I enjoy reading about parenting patterns. Because we as parents need to learn and change.When I was little, I saw that my mother was very diligent. She likes cooking, farming, and growing flowers. Unfortunately I wasn’t involved at that time. But I applied it as an adult, such as washing, cooking, mopping became the jobs I usually do now. If my mother had involved me from a young age, maybe I would have had more skills. Like now I can plant and earn profits from selling flowers. I can also cook cakes and sell them. From this experience, I often involve Maxie in the activities I do such as cooking, introducing him to the ingredients and tools used for cooking. “Hopefully this will become capital for Maxie to live on.”
We realize how important parental education is. No matter how long children study at school, without changing the behavior of the adults around them, the results will be less than optimal. Children learn from what they hear and what they see around them.