Learning Beyond the Classroom: Teaching, Empathy, and Confidence

By Nida Hanifah

Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, was the day I had the opportunity to directly participate in community engagement at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri in Cilegon. This journey was not simply a change of location, but the beginning of a meaningful learning experience, both for us as students and for the students we would meet. Throughout the journey, my mind was filled with questions and anxieties. How to deliver the lesson to the students there? Would they be able to understand me? considering it had been quite some time since I had interacted directly with high school students. These concerns mingled in my mind, occasionally diverted by the background music playing on the bus.

Upon arrival at MAN 1 Cilegon, we were warmly greeted by the teachers and students. The welcome was sincere and full of enthusiasm. Our presence, consisting of students from diverse backgrounds, both Indonesian and international, seemed to bring a new dimension to the school. My enthusiasm was ignited. I felt impatient to greet, share stories and knowledge with them. I assured myself, “Bismillah, I can make it.”

The atmosphere reminded me of my past experiences as a volunteer teacher for Indonesian immigrant children in Malaysia. The smiles, curious gazes, and enthusiasm of the students at MAN 1 Cilegon brought back memories of my former students. They all showed an openness to new teachers, new knowledge, and new experiences. From that, I felt again that my presence as a teacher, even if only once, could be meaningful to them.

I was placed in one of the 11th grade classes with my teaching partner, Saidou. We began the session by introducing ourselves in English, both teachers and students. Initially, I expected the session to be short. However, in reality, the introduction process took quite long because most of the students had limited English proficiency. From their expressions and body language, I could sense fear, hesitation, and a lack of confidence when it came to answering our questions in English. At that moment, one thing that kept coming to my mind was that they needed encouragement and reassurance that it is okay to make mistakes and not give up. Learning is a journey, and it is never too late to start.

In the classroom, we focused on the importance of mastering English in education and the benefits of knowledge for the future. Considering they were in 11th grade and would graduate in the next one to two years, I felt it was important for them to start thinking about the direction and goals they wanted to achieve in life. Of the nine students in the class, three expressed their desire to continue their education abroad, to places like Egypt, Yemen, and England. This amazed me because at their age, I did not think of studying abroad. I believe these dreams will guide them towards a brighter future.

Throughout the learning process, we often translated explanations into Bahasa to ensure they understood the lesson. Nevertheless, I felt grateful that the hour and a half we had was worth it. Initially, some students seemed less enthusiastic, but this was more due to their limited English comprehension. After the material was explained again in Indonesian, they showed great enthusiasm and actively answered questions.

The game we played at the end of the class was super fun. It was a Snake Words game. From that game, I could see the competitiveness in the quiet children, this proves that we cannot judge people only by their appearance and visible habits. Everyone has a different way of learning and has different ambitions. I told them not to be discouraged even though their names are not the ones often called to receive awards during ceremonies, not the names that are always praised by teachers, not the names that are famous in school. They deserve to have a bright future, it does not mean that those who may seem invisible and unknown cannot prove that they can be successful in the future.

Through this experience, I realized that every student has a different background, way of thinking, and level of confidence. The biggest challenge for me is not only delivering the lesson, but also creating a safe and comfortable learning space, where students feel valued and are not afraid to make mistakes. Reflecting on this activity taught me that meaningful learning is born from empathy, effective communication, and a willingness to listen. Going forward, I hope this community engagement can continue to be implemented on an ongoing basis, so that the relationship between UIII and communities can grow stronger and have a positive impact on both sides.