Different Stages, Different Treatment

As a teacher candidate, I still never know who are going to be my students in the future. Although, I am prepared to teach senior high school students, but it does not a fix target. It could be I will teach elementary schools or junior high schools. That is why, it is important for me as teacher candidate to know the characteristics of each stages/grades.

Teaching elementary will be so different compared to teaching junior or senior high schools. I have to be so cheerful everyday and I have to be patient because elementary students mostly have high curiousity about something new. Their objectives in the schools are not only learning, but also playing with their peers. That becomes a key point for me to design many meaningful activities which integrated to playing.

When I teach junior high, of course the treatment will be different with elementary students. Junior high school students are going to be adult where the problems will be more complicated, not only problem from school, but also family and friends. In this case, I have double proffesion, as a teacher and also as conselor who have to be ready to help them in solving/giving suggestions toward their problems.

Based on my real experience in teaching practice, senior high school students like making a group/gap with their friends. They like sitting near their groups. They like going to cafetaria only with their groups, even in group assingment, they don’t want to be separated. It seems like they want to be exclusive or recognized by others. In Indonesian term, it is called as “Eksis” or “Exist”. So, as the teacher, as much as possible, I have to enables them to interact with others in order to get experience work with different people. It is important for them in the future because they are going to face different people, that’s why they have to familiarize at school. So, no gaps anymore 

Do not seed wrong values

In the classroom teacher is the leader and the manager. From what we have learnt in the last session, as a teacher we have to be able to handle our class when there are some management problems happen. Some strategies can be used to maintain the classroom management and avoid chaos.

I remember about my brother’s story about how his teacher handled the class when some of the students were fighting. It was when he was in the elementary school. As we know kids love to play each other. However sometimes after playing, they will pinch and punch each other. More or less the case was just the same, but the way teacher handled the case is unique, but it is not supposed to be imitated and followed by us.

Example of case:

In my brother’s class one kid (A) disturbed another kid (B) who was writing note. B did not like being disturbed; finally B hit A with ruler. A told the teacher that B had hit him. Then teacher asked both of them to in front of the class then asked A to hit B back with ruler. and ask them to go back to their seat.

Teacher told students, “if you are hit once, then hit back once. If you are pinched twice, then pinch back twice to the one who pinch you. So, it will be equal and fair.”

Maybe this strategy may make the situation of classroom become calmer for a while. However, after some time, it will be the opposite. The children will see that take revenge is something right and should be done. The impact is students will not be satisfy and hate each other before the revenge done. We have to be careful as a teacher. Do not seed wrong values to our students because the impact will be a lot bigger than we could think.

Nancy T

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Reflection in JAnuary 19th, 2012

In this session we have discussed a lot of things. One thing that I really remember is about bullying. It was a very interesting topic that we have discussed in the class. Jaya, Nunu and Faris has provided the slide about it. The last presentation was taking my attention succesfully because I like that topic. It was interesting for me because I have ever bullied my friend in my last experience when I was in senior high school.

I think the last presentation was good. They could make a very long discussion. Again and again my assumption is because of the topic. I am sure that most of us have ever been bullied or do bullying it self that is why the class was very hot when we were doing a discussion.

I could understand about the presentation given. They also provided some theories about bullying. One thing that I like from this presentation is I like the way they present, it seems good and easy to understand. Otherwise, I have feedback for them. My feedback is I think you have to make sure your self first before you answer the question and try to understand the sources it selves first and then say something. But totally, I like this topic and also the presentation. Thank You. 🙂

My Reflection in January 12th, 2012 by Cepooo

At the last MMSEL Session we got the guest lecturer. Honestly, I don’t really like the ecturer because she didn’t have a good impression. The word that came my mind when I saw her is “Unfriendly”. I do not know why but she didn’t give me any good impression at the first.

She gave a lot of explanation in her presentation and i felt a bit bored and not interested in joining her class. I think the material that she presented is too usual and she didn’t do her best. Perhaps she was nervous and also feel worry because she said that it was the first time that she came to Sampoerna School of Education and also the fisrt time for her to speak infront of the students in the college.

Eventhough I do not like that session too much but I got something new and aslo I have learned the new things from her. Firstly, I have learned about the dicipline and also the leadership. I think she has a good diciline and also leadership. She makes a rules in the class and also she disscus it to the students in the class too. I think it is a good point that she could compromise to the students. J

Secondly, I think she was a bit strict to the students. For me being a strict teacher sometimes is a good way. It is very often students do something whic is not allowed in the class and sometimes they do not even obey the rules. The last point that I have learned fro her is diligent. I think she is a diligent teacher because in the presentation she said that she always make the interesting worksheet for the students. It is not easy and it is also hard to find out the trusted and realted sources for our studnets’ level. J

Gradually, I think I have to be neutral. Do not ever do a bad thing for the teacher or lecturer eventhough we do not like him or her. I have to be friendly and welcome to everyone because what goes around comes around too. J

 

Planning for Effective Classroom, January 5th, 2012

This session is my group’s turn to present about the presentation in the class. We talked about Planning For Effective Classroom. In that session I was very happy and excited because actuaaly we have provided the material for presentation since the last year. Honestly, I was a bit afraid too because I didn’t remember the whole material that we have provided last year but a day before I also worl together in my group to share and disscuss about it again so fortunately from that disscussion I could remeber most of the material. 
We were explaining about the effective classroom. In the begining, I was showing the certain part from the movie “Beyond The Blackboard”. I was very happy because all my friend in the class included Bu Mima watched the movie. After showing the video we presented the presentation. In that session we talked about the priciple and also the plan fo making the effective classroom. I think my group was successful in making a disscussion and involving the whole class in to the explained topic. The other thing that makes me happy is we got a lot of question from friend and also from Bu Mima. When they are asking my group questions meaning that they payed attention to the whole activities that is smade by my group. They asked about different things which covered the whole activities and material that we have shown and expalined.
I think my group’s presentation was good and the feedback from me to my group personally is we have to increase and improve our group work and preparation about the resources. I think if the group work together and also has a lot of resources it would be strong and also would have a good result too. 

My Reflection in December, 8th, 2011 by Cepooo

In this session, I was very happy because we are doing the presentation again. Actually a little bit bored and sleepy but I am trying to enjoy the class. Today, we are given the presentation from Nancy, lala, Mbak Merry and Mas Dani. Now I am listening and also learning from their presentation. The presentation is about instructional variable. They divide their role fairly and all of the member talk, present and take their own role too. At the first the were doing the simulation and Mas Dani as the teacher. I like simulation and again because I will get involved in that activity.
In this material I am interested in knowing more about Improvement drills and also games. I have been thinking that drilling is important for learning in the school and also games. I think these two points are realted and support each other. When the teacher doing a drilling to the students, it makes them feel burdened and the teacher also need to make them happy too. They need a refreshment to make them feel fair. As a teacher we need to be strict and wise but we also need to be their friend in playing a games. In the future, I will do both of this activity but honestly I will reduce the drilling activity in my class.  hehehehe

Strategies to ‘Boost’ Students’ Interest and Motivation

When we set the objectives and activities of a lesson, as a teacher, we need to also think how the situation will be if we apply that in the classroom. A good atmosphere is needed in order to engage our students to the lesson we teach. To make an interesting and motivating teaching-learning situation, we need to consider some strategies. First, we need to find the ‘red string’ between the lesson that is taught and the students that will get that lesson. The teacher should use authentic materials that relate to their prior knowledge, so it will ring the students’ bell when they learn it.
Second, the teacher needs to involve the students to actively participate in teaching-learning process. Hands-on activities,games, individual and group work, improvement drills and question-answer session can be used as the strategies in terms of boosting students participation and motivation to learn. It will give them exposure and effective teaching-learning can be reached.
Third, the teacher should always give the students feedback once we give them assignment to do. It will help them to build their self-efficacy and the teacher can monitor the students’ improvement.

Mastery Focused Goal as a Goal

You may ever hear this statement that one of your student once said, ‘I really need to understand math because i will need it when i go to college. I want to be an engineer.’
While another student said, ‘Ah, I do not need to expert on this subject. I just need to have high score on this. I don’t wanna be failed. my mom will be angry of me.’
If we look to those two statement, we can decide that the first student is focusing

In mastery goal while the other is focusing on performance goal. those two students had difference characteristic. the aim of first student may be mastery and self- improvement while the second one may be high score and performance. Those two different characters are only happened individually, and what about if we make it broader in context: characteristic of a classroom.
Sometimes it is hard to decided which goal should we take in terms of class structure; creating a mastery performance or focusing on performance. We need our students master in the material given and we expect them to have high score when they are tested. If i have to choose, I personally will choose focusing mastery goal as my strategy in the classroom. I want my students learn through the process and believe that if they do well their learning with their strategies and they really comprehend the material, they then will get high score. Understanding will produce high score.
I remember my story when I was a junior high student. My Bahasa Indonesia teacher always named and ashamed her students, included me, when we got wrong in the lesson. She always screamed to the student who got low score and compared him to the others. Almost all of my friends and I felt scared if she entered the class and taught us. The situation of my class at that time was always so silent; no one was brave to say anything except if she asked us to answer her question.
Now, I think that kind of story should not happen in nowadays classes. It will make students do everything just to get high score. They may be doing cheating in order to get high score because they are afraid of the teacher. So, it is reasonable if I say I will use mastery focused goal if I have to teach students in the classroom. I want my students see that failure is learning. I want to see they improve their ability and not just focus on how they get high score but more focus to the strategies that they need to have in achieving their goal.

Which One: Intrinsic or Extrinsic Motivation?

Basically, there are two kinds of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. I am sure you can guess what is the meaning or definition those two kind of motivation by looking at the words. Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is come from our self while extrinsic motivation refers to performance of an activity in order to attain outcome and it is usually rely on any external pressure (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

If somebody asks me from intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, which one will you choose? My answer will be: ideally, the two motivations should not be separated, they have to combine – one completes the other. It is the ideal condition. But, if I have to choose, I prefer to choose intrinsic motivation. I believe that intrinsic motivation more powerful than extrinsic motivation.

To ague why I choose intrinsic motivation, let me share you a story about Nick Vujicic (even though you probably have already knew who he is). Nick Vujicic is a disable person. he was born without arms and legs. Nevertheless, his disability does not stop him to continue his life. He is a scholar from Griffith University with double major, in accounting and financial planning. Moreover, he is also a writer of inspirational book titled “Life Without Limbs”. Recently, he is well known as world class motivator. You may check: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org

What I would like to emphasize here is what has make Nick survive. I am sure that it because his motivation within himself (intrinsic motivation). Perhaps, other factor such as the willingness to prove others who have bullied him when he was in school can give contribution (extrinsic motivation), but he will never survive until now if he only relies on that.

So, if Nick Vujicic, who has no arm and legs can pursue his dream and become meaningful for others, why we cannot?

“Something that is true always comes from within”.

– Suwandi –

Teachers’ Misconception toward Students’ Intelligence

I think there is fundamental misconception showed by several teachers I know when I was in elementary and secondary school. In my experience, the teachers used to think that intelligence is something that has already fixed, it is hard (if it is not possible) to changed or upgraded. In psychological terms, this view known as entity view where intelligence considered as something stable or static. If one performs badly in Mathematics, it means that he/she has low ability in Mathematics. And its opposite is incremental view where intelligence considers as something dynamic, possibly to be upgraded. The real example of the success of this view is people’s ability to master two or even more languages regardless their age.

Consequently, those teachers’ view imply to (at least) two points:
1. There is no willingness to use different instructional strategies in teaching and learning, unless the only teaching method they know is direct method, for instance, so the lesson being learned can be understood all learners whether they are fast, average, or slow learners.
2. The teaching only focuses to some students who are smart, mean while, the other only become “class cheerleaders”. Again, there are groups of students whose their potential and talent faded away, unexplored.

As the result, I think when the teachers do like this, they actually has discriminate their students in term of proving good teaching for all students whatever their level.

Once I have discussed with my friend. In the discussion we agree that every student has their special talent and skill. In other words, we are in line with the theory of multiple intelligences. And then, special ability perform by some children like being multi talent and multi tasking is a gift from God. In addition, we agree that genetic factor can be the cause as a proverb says: “fruits will fall not far from the tree”.

And as a teacher candidate, I have been trying to avoid what my teachers I mention above did.

– Suwandi –