SPEC Quick Response (13th Up Date)

Some new students were excited when we introduced SPEC and its blog. They wanted to know more about SPEC and the contents of the blog. They also said that they need the summary of articles that had been published.

By the way, visitors can see the list of articles in the left archieves panel (blog archieves menu). All articles are categorized based on the month they were published.
Then, we also want to say "Welcome to SMA N 1 Bukateja" to the new students. Hopefully, the new students will join us so that we can proudly say "Welcome to SPEC, and get involve in our blog!".

MAKE YOUR OWN BLOG

(Recommended For: Students)

There are so many reasons about why we need to have a blog nowadays. One of the reasons is through blog, means that we make a documentation. We can learn journalistic too. We can write whatever: news, free articles, tutorials, even literary such as poem or short story without any cencor so we can express ourselves. Blog is the way out if so many times we've tried to send articles or poem oe short story to magazine or newspaper but never been published. So, it's time to publish your work through blog now!

Blog is also a diary. Diary on cyber space. All things that can be added into blog: text, photographs, and video. Blog is totally free and an easy web site. You only have to post your work regularly. You do not need to know about the concept of a web site. Just post your work!

To make a blog, you just need to visit web blog provider such as www.blogger.com and follow the instructions. Usually, there will be 3 steps to have your own blog start from registering account until posting articles or photographs. But, after you have your own blog, please note that you must up date the contents to keep your blog visitors enjoy in visiting your blog. So, feed your blog with fresh news or articles. Minimally, you must up date your blog once a week. Or, if it's possible you can up date your blog everyday. Through blog, you can also get your own pocket money by enclosing Google Addsense. But, your blog must be in English. That's the fundamental requirement.

SPEC QUICK RESPONSE (12th Up Date)

Some students complained that they couldn’t visit the up dated pages of this blog. Why it could happen?

Actually, we have 2 log in pages in this blog. One page entitled A TRUE DEDICATION, and one page entitled LEARNING ENGLISH EASILY. Unfortunately, the last page never been up dated since March 2008 and we more focus in up dating A TRUE DEDICATION page, although, both of pages are the same. Some unlucky students only could visit LEARNING ENGLISH EASILY page. We couldn’t explain about it yet. Technically, we want to delete LEARNING ENGLISH EASILY page through “Dashboard Setting Menu” in our blog. But, we are afraid of deleting all articles, include A TRUE DEDICATION page. So, to prevent students visit “the wrong” page, later, we will up date the content of our 2 pages. Of course, so that the students who only can visit LEARNING ENGLISH EASILY page also can get the latest information from us.

Then, responding the comment about the schedule of up dating this blog that ever been said "inconsistent" (sometimes on Sunday, sometimes on Monday or Tuesday), we could explain it. In Purbalingga, there's a policy of "Pemadaman Bergilir" from PLN. So, when we want to up date this blog, sometimes we can't. Because, for several times, PLN change the schedule of "Pemadaman Bergilir" in our area. So, we are really sorry for the inconvenience.

NEW YEAR TERM BEGINS!

It's time for MOS (Masa Orientasi Siswa) or students orientation time again. Of course, for 3 days, start from Monday to Wednesday (July 14th-16th, 2008), and there will be so many reports about the activities. Moreover, there are still so many agendas in 2 weeks. Because, after MOS, students will hold MKO or Malam Keakraban OSIS and PTA or Penerimaan Tamu Ambalan in the weekend. Not only that, our school will be busier because we will take a part in Salam Ulang Janji in Indonesian Scouts Anniversary (August 14th) and carnival in Indonesian Independence Day (August 17th). What a busy school!

MOS AGAIN
A student orientation in every beginning of year term is obliged to be followed by new students. Orientation program is held to introduce the new students to their new environment at school (school building, teachers and staffs, the way of study, extracurricular), students ethics, and as a forum where they can develop their talent and interest.


Students guidance or orientation itself is a part of national education system in Indonesia. So, usually MOS is held at the same time in both of state and vocational school. Before reformation era, MOS called as Penataran that used Penataran P-4 system and held for 6 days. Then, hopefully, new students can be more discipline, creative, make good adaptation, and more confident.

STUDENT NIGHT
After 3 days MOS, in the weekend school will hold student night called Malam Keakraban OSIS (MKO). In this program, students will be asked to show their abilities on stage. They may perform a short drama, sing a song, read a poem, dance, even a speech.

Student night will be held for twice: by OSIS and Pramuka. Both of student nights are the same: there will be shows on stage and campfire. But, Pramuka has different purpose in handling that student night called PTA. In this program, new students will be established as Pramuka Penegak.

ANDA TAKUT?? ANDA BODOH!!

(Recommended For: Mostly Students)


Only four words, but it's stimulating enough our emotion, isn’t it? Yes! We feel that people uncertain with our capability. They despise us! But, stay calm guys! Don't need to be angry because actually it's only a motivating sentence. You must raise up to prove that you're not afraid, you're not stupid. Except you're true a fainthearted person. So you’ll response nothing.

I got this word from my English club (Siaga Yudha English Conversation Club, Batam). Usually, we use it before the class begin, after the class finish, and every my leader invites one of us to speak in front of the class. Therefore, there isn’t reason to be shy or say “not yet". Finding out reasons means that we’ll hear "Anda Takut??" and we'll be embarrassed because we'll hear "Anda Bodoh!!" then.

I think it's right. I'm joining an English club for 2 year here. If I’m still afraid and not motivated to try it means I get 2 years futile effort.

English is about quantity not quality. The fluency of speaking depends on our frequency to practice our English. If we often practice our English, in the end, we'll reach quality. Remember, English is spoken.

I like this slogan because now I’m encouraged to speak more in front of my friends although they always laugh on me. I get confidence from it. Until I write this article I don't know how many mistake I’ve done, but I think this is just my process. It's part of my improvement. My interlocutor is my teachers.

In addition, what about you? Do you still afraid practicing your English? If so, don't expect that you'll be fluent in English!
(sent by: Susliana, alumni who lives in Batam)

SPEC QUICK RESPONSE (11th Up Date)

The increasing of earth's average temperature called as global warming.

That sentence was written by Ovita, the vice president of SPEC, for her paper (makalah) that will be presented in Lomba Makalah in Semarang, August 10th-14th, 2008. And, for this week she wrote some paragraphs about global warming.

Then, we'd like to say thank you very much to alumni who sent e-mail contained advice, questions, and criticism. Their inputs are very useful for our betterment. Some questions and inputs from them are:

1. Why recently SPEC publish the articles irregularly. Sometimes on Sunday, sometimes on Monday, and sometimes on Tuesday.
2. Please be consistent.

For other readers / visitors, we still invite you to send or leave comments, criticism, advices, and suggestion. For the best (the most constructive) comments, criticism, advices, or suggestion, there will be gift for you. So, why should you just read? Leave your comments or send through our e-mail, specsmansabuk@gmail.com and get gift from us. You may ask questions about everything too. But, please note that the questions must be related with "Learning English".

LET'S SAVE THE PLANET!

(Recommended For: Mostly Students)

Generally, global warming is the increasing of average temperature on earth. It's happened because the increasing of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In fact, carbon dioxide has function too. It protects our earth from cold. Without carbon dioxide, earth can get cold until - 19 degree celcius. Together with water and metan, carbon dioxide keep earth warm.

But, there was something happened since people made Revolusi Industri in 1750. In 250 years, the amount of carbon dioxide increase quickly. Especially caused by the usage of goods that produce carbon dioxide. Finally, more sun heat saved by carbon dioxide. The increasing average temperature can cause global warming although just 1 degree celcius in 100 or 200 years!

Global warming has been happening. So, what can we do then? Save energy such as save electricity, go to school on foot or bike or by bus if usually we go to school by motorcycle, plant some trees around us or in pot, reduce-reuse-recycle things, etc. (By: Ovita Yanuar Lestari Putri, the vice president of SPEC 2007-2008).

LEARN AND LEARN

(Recommended For: Mostly Students)

As we know, learning make us smart. Why can we be clever? Actually, our brain is a superior thing. Even we learn everyday at school, then continued at home, our brain will never be exhausted. This small thing has a very big capacity of storage or memory. It's different with a rubbish bin that will be overflow if it's filled too much thing. Our brain won't!

Some experts said that human's brain has an ability to remember so many things even it's filled by information everyday, even every second! John Griffith, a mathematician said that a normal man could remember 1,000,000,000,000 bits of information. And John von Neumann, an expert of information theory said that a normal man could memorize information up to 280,000,000,000,000,000,000 bits of information! What a great capacity! So, actually, there's no reason to be lazy to keep learning and learning. But, please note that our brain also needs to be refreshed too. Don't force our brain to think and memorize something. Sometimes, we need to entertain ourselves to refresh our brain so that it can be used again later. So that why, we may not learn for along the night to face an exam. Because, in tired condition, our brain can't work well.

So, keep learning. The word "learning" here not always means learning lessons at school. "Learning" can be at school (of course) or get information from newspaper, magazine, radio, internet, etc. The point is keep filling our brain by information so that it won't stop working. You should know that our brain will not work well if it too often "empty" and rarely used to think! So, don't let your brain lack of "food" in three days. Imam Syafi'i, an expert in Muslim law who gives an independent interpretation of the Koran and Hadist said that we must find out more knowledge as hard as a mother who is looking for her missing daughter.