Letters / Claudya Stevany - Motivation Letter for Master Degree [2]

admission to MA in Development Studies

Dear Sir/Madam,

Since I was in Senior High School, I have always been interested in social issues, updated every issue happening in Indonesia. I can say that I have this passion for social fields, that is why I have completed my studies in a Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. I was granted a degree of Bachelor of Communication with GPA 3.94 and a fully-funded scholarship from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture. While I was in college, I was required to update social issues and conflicts happening in Indonesia. Unfortunately, from the occurred issues and conflicts, sometimes it is hard to find the best solutions to solve them. I have been wondering about why there is always inequality when my country has a clear human rights' law? Why the problems happened in the past, were difficult to overcome even until now? I believe there is always a solution when it comes to a problem.

In this letter, I am showing my personal interest to apply for the MA in Development Studies, with the specialization in XXX. At the XXX, I strongly believe that this program will be the best step to be a professional development practitioner.

Apart from studying, I was actively involved in the University Students' Association. From activities held by the association, I have given the trust to be the project officer, which has trained me to become a leader. I was also responsible to help students to solve problems. It means that I have to be able to analyze the problems and find the way out. I also underwent some social activities such as orphanage visits and fund raising with my team. By these, I could open my mind that there were so many social matters to be concerned especially in Indonesia. Moreover, I learned not only how to analyze problems but also how my presence can be beneficial to the environment. I believe that every big change starts with the small one. In addition, I was one of the Citizen Journalist Academy participants who has published two online articles and two video coverages in Indonesian national media. I was not only studying, but also able to express my ideas and creativity into real forms.

My ambition to study in the Netherlands is rooted from the scarcity of specific course regarding social justice perspective. Since the students of International Institute of Social Studies are coming from different countries, I believe that I will be able to discuss various development problems that occur in many countries. After taking this degree, I will work for the Indonesian National Commission on Violence Against Women and apply all global knowledge I have learned to be able to develop a conducive circumstances to the eradication of all forms of violence against women and the enforcement of women's human rights in Indonesia.

I want to study at the XXX for its high-quality development studies and multicultural background, proven by the XXX alumni that are now successful in their career. I am sure that your program will give a balanced and professional academic experience, both theoretically and practically. Based on the reasons I stated, I consider myself that I can hone my skills and competencies by joining the Master Degree's program offered in the International Institute of Social Studies. I believe that my spirit, vision, and hard work will give benefits to my country. Furthermore, I would broaden my perspective and have the opportunity to encourage critical understanding in a professional way.

Writing Feedback / What do you think the role of a parent should be in their child's education? [2]

Some children receive almost no encouragement from their parents regarding their performance, whle other children receive too much pressure from their over enthuastic parent which can have a negative impact on the child.

Why do you think some parent put too much pressure on their children to perform well at school?
What do you think the role of a parent should be in their child's education?

the pressure given by parents is for a child well-being

In life, parents are the people who have the responsibility to rise their children. Every parent has different approach to treat their son or daughter. I personally believe that the pressure for their children performance's at school happens of the family beliefs, and parents have to be strict in the right way.

First and foremost, everyone is raised in different ways. This have resulted in the approach used in a family. For instance, the parents were raised in a strict family, thus the parents will treat their children in the same way. Second, every parent expects the best for their children. Some children are sued to be success and change family fortunes. For example, say, a poor family will hope that their children can change their life. Hence, they push their children to receive a high score so that they will have a bright future and help family's financial. However, it is possible to happen that children will experience stress since their parents put too much pressure.

Expectations that parents put should be in line with their role. For me, one of the most important thing is their presence. Parents have to manage their time balanced, say, for work and for children. It is not only about presence, but also parents' involvement. It might be important to know what struggle their children face at school. In my opinion, parents have to teach their children about disciplinary and commitment. For example, their children should know how to balance between play and study time. This might be too simple but everything starts from the basic.

In conclusion, the pressure given by parents stems from their experiences when they were raised in the past. Therefore, it is indeed that parents' role is required. Parents should pay attention to what their children have been through to support their children's education.