Reflection 2

Problem of Mathematics Teaching

February 25th 2013, in English Lesson, Mr. Marsigit explained about the problem of mathematics teaching, mainly of  the teachers  mathematics teaching. Almost all teachers in Indonesia are still using method that made the teacher as centered and the student just listened. So in his perception in his result of the teacher based on the theory philosophy of lesson. That’s method of teaching reflect traditional method of teaching. In outline, there are two problem of mathematics teaching in Indonesia. First is using traditional method and second is innovative method.
In traditional method,  we can identify characteristic of the students behavior and the teacher behavior action.  There are indicating about characteristic of  this situation of learning mathematics in the class. The student learn mathematics passively,  sleepy, boring, etc.

There are many a lot of number of characteristics emerge in this method. The teacher didn’t believe with their students, so that they use transfer knowledge. the teacher  still to has an obigation to deliver method to deliver knowledge to his/her student and they perceived their students like as empty vessel.
Anywhere, anywhen, and anytime this is the principle. We always find problems associated with this matter.

In innovative method, the students are to be perceived as seed. Students will naturally grow into individuals who will grow into adulthood. No one who can develop ourselves if no effort. The methods develop naturally, but why the find method are western people not the people east?

Process of learning in an innovative method that is constructive teaching. The students started from experience, skill, knowledge, attitude, and will. They construct, invent, own life, and own knowledge to find substance of education. They need and trust with their teacher be able to facilitated themselves. The teacher must be able to using various method, resources, and equipment. In this case, information technology (e.g. web blog) as supporting media to develop the students.
In fact, this is not easy to implement this innovative teaching, because traditional teaching method have become our culture. Not easy for us to adjust (adapt) to use innovative method, it must be tailored to the circumstances of the various parties.

The problem of education is coming from adult not from the younger. Like a student who has difficulty in learning. Why did it happen? Because the problem come from the teacher who forced and  pressed to accept the knowledge in accordance with that given by the teacher, whereas we can learn everything, everywhere, everywhen. In present, that’s not appropriate for us to use stimulate – respon. If there is a stimulus then response should look like what is taught by teachers.  In this case,  students situation were unpredictable. The teacher must be ready to face the students, not all knowledge coming from the teacher.
He said that purposely he was content wiht content according to mathematics education  to prepare teachers innovative. So that were important for us to read to learn the nature of  all aspect of teaching learning of mathematics e.g.:
1.    Phylosophy of mathematics education,

2.    The ideology of mathematics education,
3.    Foundation of mathematics education,
4.    The nature of mathematics and school mathematics,
5.    The nature of students,
6.    The nature of teaching learning of mathematics,
7.    The nature of assessment,
8.    The nature of teaching learning resourcing,
9.    The relationship between mathematics education and society,
10.    The aim of mathematics education,
11.    The value of mathematics, etc

Principally there are two mathematics:
1.    Formal mathematics
•    Axiomatic mathematics
•    Pure mathematics
2.    School Mathematics (according to Ebbot and Staler, 1995):
•    Mathematics is a search for patterns a  relationship.
•    Mathematics is a problem solving activity..
•    Mathematics an investigation activity.
•    Mathematics the means of communication.

The nature of school mathematics belong to elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school, while formal mathematics belong to university level.
Approach iceberg of realistic mathematics recommends that mathematics has at least four dimensions of hierarchy, that are: concret mathematics, model concret mathematics, model formal mathematics, and formal mathematics.  Different dimensions will influence the style of mathematics teaching and learning mathematics. Concret mathematics, model concret mathematics, model formal mathematics belong to school mathematics and formal mathematics used at university level


The students learn mathematics should make them more intelligent, more skilled, more proficient, but not in reality. Why did it happen? Because that’s mistake on teachers, systems, and education. Most the teachers use learning materials that do not comply with the condition.
Fundamental problem in Indonesia like as corruption, injustice, conflict between students, caused loss of intuition of all parties either adults or adolescents.
He warned us about to understand the kind of mathematics, because we’re mathematics education students.