Oditania Maharani – Secondary Subject Teacher (Social Science – Global Perspective)

The year 2025 marks my ninth year in formal education and my fourth year teaching at an international school. Since the beginning of my journey, I’ve taught both junior and senior high school students, each experience shaping how I see learning not just as the transfer of knowledge, but as the growth of empathy and character.

As Aristotle once said, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” I believe true education touches the heart. When students view global issues through empathy, imagining how those challenges might affect their own lives, they begin to think more deeply, act more wisely, and care more genuinely. That’s when learning becomes meaningful and education becomes a force for humanity.

In my Global Perspectives class, I start each lesson by asking what students already know about a topic and why it matters to learn it. When they see its relevance to their lives, engagement naturally follows. From there, we expand from local issues to global ones, connecting our discussions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Short videos and real-world examples often spark curiosity, helping students realize that many issues exist beyond what they see daily. Often, students aren’t unwilling to learn, they just need awareness to ignite their curiosity.

Beyond the classroom, I’ve served as a moderator for national teacher webinars and shared classroom practices through Temu Pendidik Nusantara, hoping to inspire and empower fellow educators across Indonesia.

Nine years in, my journey as a teacher continues to evolve. Each day brings new lessons, from my students, my peers, and the world around me. And through it all, one truth remains: education, at its heart, is about nurturing both the mind and the heart.