(01/09/2021) Friday, August 27, 2021. The Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Department held a deployment activity for the 2019 cohort of students in the Teaching Assistant Program. Teaching Assistant is one of the MBKM (Merdeka Belajar – Kampus Merdeka) programs from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology that aims to provide opportunities for students to learn and develop themselves through activities outside of regular classroom lectures. In this program, students will conduct assistance activities as English language subject teachers in junior high schools and equivalent institutions, as well as senior high schools and vocational high schools that have been agreed upon by the schools and institution (Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Study Programme, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman) to be the venue for implementing the Teaching Assistant Program for 6 months. The purpose of this activity is to assist teachers and students at the schools where the Teaching Assistant activities are conducted to obtain optimal learning opportunities. Students can develop themselves, particularly in creativity, leadership, and other interpersonal abilities through this experience.
The deployment of the Teaching Assistant activity was carried out online and was attended by the Field Supervisor Lecturer (DPL), School Principals and Vice Principals, Teacher Supervisors, and students from the Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Department. The deployment event began with an opening greeting followed by a prayer from the master of ceremonies. It was then continued with the first remarks by Prayogo Hadi Sulistio, M.Pd who also formally handed over the students to SMPN 2 Banyumas. This was followed by the second remarks by Endah Kurniasih, S.Pd as Principal of SMPN 2 Banyumas who also received the students who would conduct the Teaching Assistant activity at SMPN 2 Banyumas. Further explanation regarding the deployment of the Teaching Assistant activity was delivered by the Field Supervisor Lecturer.
Moving into the main part of the event, Prayogo Hadi Sulistio, M.Pd as the Field Supervisor Lecturer (DPL) provided detailed information about teaching assistance to provide information regarding the understanding and purpose of the activities to be conducted at SMPN 2 Banyumas. He also explained that this activity will be converted into 20 credit hours or 10 courses so that students are prepared to become prospective educators in schools. Additionally, he also suggested that the teacher supervisors contribute to the teaching assistant activities conducted by students from the Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Department at SMPN 2 Banyumas. Subsequently, remarks were made by one of the Teacher Supervisors, Chatarina Cahyani Sunindyastuti, S.Pd. She is an English language teacher at SMPN 2 Banyumas and also serves as a Teacher Supervisor for students in the Teaching Assistant activity. Her remarks regarding the implementation of the teaching assistant activity are expected to enhance students’ abilities, creativity, and innovation to become educators who are competent in their field. She and the other teacher supervisors are also very enthusiastic about the teaching assistant activity and are ready to support and contribute in matters needed for the smooth implementation of this student activity. This Teaching Assistant activity is a manifestation of Unsoed’s Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris students who contribute to direct innovation in Indonesia’s education system. With this Teaching Assistant activity, students are expected to provide positive impact to the community and their surrounding environment. (keny & Yuda)