Strengthening the Character of “Transformer” Teacher through LKLB Upgrading Class

IL News 003/2022

Jakarta, March 7, 2022 – The capacity building program for madrasah and Islamic boarding school teachers in Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (LKLB) had come to the advanced stage in the form of an upgrading course specifically attended by alumni. The upgrading course was held in book review format with two sessions on December 13 and 15, 2021.

The program raised a theme “Being a ‘Transformer’ Teacher” presented by the Professor of Philosophy at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Prof. Dr. Amin Abdullah.

“Prof. Amin once conveyed emotionally arousing words for us teachers. He said that a teacher should transform life, not only transfer knowledge. Teachers are ‘transformer’ of students’ life,” said LKLB alumni batch 1 who is the Principal of Madrasah MI Muhammadiyah 25 Surabaya, Ferry Rismawan, a moderator of Session I upgrading class, Monday (12/13/2021).

Through the upgrading class, LKLB alumni has the opportunity to participate actively as either moderators or presenters. The participant of this class is limited to LKLB alumni who has registered and read Part V “Irfani Approach in Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Scientific Transdisciplinary” from the book by Prof. Dr. Amin Abdullah titled “Multidisiplin, Interdisiplin, dan Transdisiplin (Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary)”. Participants are also required to ask two questions related to the contents of the reading.

The upgrading class is an advanced course of LKLB training held by Leimena Institute with various partners, such as the Maarif Institute, Elementary and Secondary Education Council of Muhammadiyah Central Executive Board, Istiqlal Mosque, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, and Muslim University of Indonesia. The alumni number of the LKLB program for the training period of October-December 2021 is more than 1,200 from 8 batches.

Moderator of the upgrading class Session II, the vice principal of MTs Muhammadiyah Purbolinggo East Lampung as well as alumni of LKLB batch 2, Abdurrohman Sholeh, conveyed three cultures of thinking or reasoning in the intellectual treasures of Islam, al-‘aql bayany (textual-scriptural approach), al-‘aql al-burhany (reason-rational approach), and al-‘aql al-‘irfani (conscience approach).

“Of the three, Irfani approach has not been explored and developed compared to the other two logics. The fully integrated and connected approach between the three is the ideal approach to face the challenges of contemporary religious life,” said Abdurrohman.

Objective Realm

The speaker of the upgrading class, Prof. Amin Abdullah, realized there is concern when religion began to enter the objective realm (reality) whereas religion and objective realms, such as science, are supposed to go hand in hand.

According to Prof. Amin, education always needs to refresh the methodology along with scientific developments. Education should not be anti-reality, on the contrary, reality should be the subject of study.

“In religious education, we can’t be subjective. We need to go into the objective space. However, many are reluctant to go within. When we are reluctant to go in, we are crushed by the scientific journey whether we like it or not,” said Prof Amin who is also the chairman of the cultural commission at the Indonesian Academy of Sciences.

A number of alumni of the Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy Program (LKLB) who became presenters of the upgrading class.

Presenter of Session I, a teacher of MA Al Hikmah Demak, Central Java, Nur Hadi, perceived that Islamic education has so far experienced stagnation due to the lack of integration between Islamic knowledge and values. The purpose of Islamic education is to create religious and social individuals.

“The first two patterns of thought (bayany and burhany) are commonly practiced in the learning process. However, they are sometimes not completely applied, leading to rigid understanding. And, rigid understanding will lead to violence because the understanding is partial, no connection with irfani,” said Nur Hadi.

The other presenters of Session I upgrading class were teacher of MI Muhammadiyah 8 Bulu Balen Bojonegoro, East Java, Ika Ristiana (LKLB alumnus, batch 3), the head of Daarul Faalah Boarding School, Merden, Banjarnegara, Central Java, Agus Triawan (LKLB alumnus, batch 1), and an Education and Teaching Section of IMBS Miftahul Ulum Boarding School, Pekajang Pekalongan, Central Java, Novianto (LKLB alumnus, batch 4).

Meanwhile, the presenters of Session II were a principal of Madrasah MI Muhammadiyah 01 Watukebo Jember, East Java, Edi Hartono (LKLB alumnus, batch 1), a teacher of MAN 1 Medan North Sumatra, Khairun Nisa Br Manik (LKLB alumnus, batch 5), a teacher of Madrasah Aliyah Al-Munawwarah Mamuju, West Sulawesi, A. Misbariani (LKLB alumnus, batch 6), and a teacher of MAN East Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan, Alivermana Wiguna (LKLB alumnus, batch 5). (IL/Chr)