Associate Projects
The Bandung Project in Indonesia
Other Projects
A teacher reading one of Pak Amalee's story books to a class of 5-year-old children at Smart Steps Preschool in Bandung.
Photo Gallery
Click the images below to see a larger version.
Mission
To provide multi-ethnic materials and activities for children aged 3 to 8 years in order to promote respect for ethnic diversity and inclusion in the formative early childhood years.
Background
Indonesian educators and families support the concept of ethnic diversity within a framework of national unity. In keeping with this goal, Peace Generation booklets and school activities have been widely disseminated and accepted by primary schools around Indonesia. Pak Irfan Amalee in collaboration with Mizan Publishing received national and international recognition for his 10 booklets addressing prejudice, discrimination and bullying among school children. In line with the government's national education plan to increase access to early education, we aim to provide and evaluate the benefits of similar materials for preschoolers. Early childhood educators have expressed a need for materials that will enhance literacy at the same time as they develop social-moral competencies regarding ethnic diversity.
The Project
After reviewing programs used around the world to enhance respect and inclusion of ethnic diversity, we found one approach that suited the Indonesian context. It entails story books about three close friends from different ethnic/religious groups. The friendship bond provides a warm, exciting and accepting relationship in which children can participate vicariously by identifying with one or more of the children. The main message concerns multi-ethnic friendship and how the bond of friendship (and unity of Indonesian nationality) introduces children to ethnic practices and differences in a positive light.
Partnership
The hub partnership started with Una, Peace Generation, and Irfan Amalee. The partnership broadened after a Mini-Conference entitled "Multicultural Lessons for Young Children" held on May 13, 2010 in Jakarta. Three preschool programmers were willing and interested in examining the literacy and social benefits of story books. Others attending the conference have also shown an interest in being part of the partnership.
Recent Activities
A Mini-Conference was held in Jakarta on May 13, 2010. It was attended by 27 people from government, universities, national and international non-governmental organizations, preschool principals, media enterprises, and international researchers and academics. Presentations were made on the role of direct contact and the media (television and books) in providing children with meaningful multicultural experiences. Three new illustrated story books about multi-ethnic friendships were unveiled and participants provided supportive and critical feedback. [see photos]
Visits to preschools in Jakarta and Bandung allowed us to see what teachers and children thought of the new storybooks. Teachers read the storybooks to children using appropriate animation. They gave us feedback regarding the format and use of such storybooks. We saw the need for revisions and for new stories. Also teachers and principals told us that there was a need for guidance for teachers on the main message, questions to ask children regarding their comprehension of the story and vocabulary, how to strengthen children's cognitive and social competencies, and open-ended discussion questions around issues of friendship, ethnic diversity and national unity. It should be made explicit that these are stories to be read by adults to children and not basic readers. From these visits we have clearer direction on how to proceed to make the Bandung Project a success. [see photos]
Current Activities
Our current activities are to encourage Pak Irfan Amalee to create more story books, and guide him on the suggested revisions for the four already created. We will identify the components required for stories, based on previous direct and indirect contact theory and research. These include clearly indicating parental support for the multi-ethnic friendships of the story children, indicating peer norms in favour of multi-ethnic friendships, making sure children are of equal status, having them work together to resolve a difficulty, providing opportunities for anxiety reduction and perspective taking. Learning about the children as individuals and learning about their culture in a non-stereotype form are additional components which are conventionally emphasized in messages to children; on its own without the former list, knowledge about a culture is insufficient to induce respect. Once more story books are created, we will be looking for preschools, teacher organizations and research partners to evaluate their use and effectiveness for young children.
Further Information
For further information on this project please contact Frances Aboud at