My last but my first

This week is very sad to me, because i must to say good bye with my students. But actually i said “we will see in the sometime”, this school very exciting to me, because i can apply and improved the lesson from my college. And here dreams come true. Here the story of my school experiences.

In the October 17, if apply new my Classroom Action Research. It’s about reward. I want to prove that reward can increase the student’s motivation in mathematics. For do this research i buy a real reward that is a trophy as a medal in classroom tournament. This Tournament actually only a simple games, that consist of battle two big groups in the class. We will see how the champion groups eliminate member by member in that champion group.

When i start the class, i bring a trophy to the class i can see how my students in the class was so exciting about my lesson today. The first sentence that i said to all my students is “we will play a games of mathematics in quadratic function” an di heard all my students said horeeeeee!!!!!!

Before i start this game i doing reviews first to my student to know that the condition was ready. And I’m start the games i using fast and right question, the fastest group that can answer this question with correctly he will be going the champion. And the tournament starts!Both of the team, red and blue was very serious to answers my question faster.

But that is any trouble because the school inconsistent to make schedule, they push the bell in 12.00 actually the bell must be in 12.35, and I’m so very disappointed about that, But no problem my class still happy, fun and effective.

In the next meeting and also my last meeting my class so very very sad because it’s mean our tournament must be done and i must go back to my college. But i must professional, i doing my tournament fun and happy and i found some interesting in this session. I know that i found a student with high appreciated of mathematics, she cry when she cannot answer the question faster than the other friends and it’s make me so sad and happy because i feel mathematics was success to bring my class growing up with good motivation to be the best one.

Hmmmm, but the end was so dramatic. I give them a problem solving asa final test. But no one can answer my questions. I was given so many clue but they still cannot answer my question. So as my appreciation of this class i give this trophy as a class medal because i feel and think all of member this class is a champion.

I have special notice from this class, i never feel that this class not arrogant and can cooperative with nice, and i think this class can be develop very fast if they meet the right teacher hehe.

 

Learning by Doing

Like I already told before, the second meeting when I teaching experience, will I told in this reflection. Yeah in this meeting I am not really nervous like the first time. Based on the first meeting I try to conduct not really full activity, I just focus to achieve my goal. So, there is no game. Hmm,, even I try to make the activity not really full, there are only explanation time, group discussion, and quiz. But there is always need more time, because when I planning to do explanation in 20 minute, but I need 30 minute. Also at the beginning to start the class, actually need 10 minute to make my student ready and stay in their chair.

In the second meeting I try to apply STAD (Student Tim Achievement Division) method. Student will categorize as a fast and slow learner in sequence. After that I make a group that consists of fast learner and slow learner. I acknowledge the student about the rule of the group. Student should discuss and share knowledge in their group effectively, because the individual quiz result will be add with another member of group and the get the average group result. So the final result will be the average group result. That’s way the student should learn in group effectively and also share knowledge. The fastest learner student will be responsible to share knowledge to the slow learner and also slow learner should learn from their friend in group to contribute in giving the best average result. I consider this method will help student to learn effectively in group and motivated to get the best result. Yeah, I can get more experience about school condition and try to make it better.

After this section, I try to interview some student about this method. From the interview I conclude that this method effective to increase student motivation But some student still unhappy with this method. Actually they are the fastest learner student. That student feels this method will be loss their quiz result. They told me that grouping method is good for them to learn and share knowledge, but it is to risk for them because they afraid if some student who get a high result will be decrease when another member get the low result.

Actually the biggest problem in social class at Labschool is about increasing student motivation, because student social mindset is “anak buangan”. Social student feel castaway when they cannot enter the science class. My master teacher told me that the best way to increase student motivation in social class is giving praise. The mathematics teacher should be careful to give problem solving question to them, because if the student can’t answer the question the will under estimate to their ability. That’s way the teacher should make the question serially from the drill one until the problem one.

Teaching experience and conduct CAR (classroom action research) is really useful for me as a teacher candidate. I can practice my knowledge that I already learn and show the reality in the field. I can become more familiar with school condition and the problem in there.

 

Reflection of School Experience 2

This reflection is about the second week of teaching experience. it was the last week of our school experience. Actually, I did school experience at SMA Y and I got more experiences to study many things in the school, such as the characteristics of students, teachers and school environment.

The first was about school environment, I thought that the school was very unique. I know that the facility is adequate and comfortable in teaching-learning process. There are wi-fi, audiovisual room, lab-bahasa,and Fingerprint Machine that used by all students and teachers to fill the attendance (the first time I saw that). Unfortunately, based on my observation, there was a power outage (pemadaman listrik) in one day of the week (at 11.30). Then, teaching-learning process was stopped. Because the situation (AC and lamp did not turn on) were not conducive for teaching-learning process. Students also asked me to stop teaching because of that. This is the uniqueness for me. It become their culture if a power outage happen, then all students will go home although it is before 14.30.

The second is about the teachers, we know that the teachers have an important role in teaching-learning process. Teacher also is a model for students. Their appearance is important but it has not too flashy to get students’ attention. Teacher have to give a good example as an educator. Teacher is not only transfer their knowledge and experience but also teacher give motivate/support students in order to be better. It is very different with my experience in the school because there were some teachers who did not realize their role.

The third about students. In this class, students were diverse and I tried to manage all of them. I also tried to call the students’ names to know them and to get their attention. There were students who enthusiastic in participating of learning activities such as asking question, and follow the learning actively. Actually, There were also troublemakers in my class but I tried to handle because I wanted them to follow my learning activities. One of my way was asking them to do something for helping me. Hehe.. 🙂

On Wednesday, I had math class in X.4 Grade but as you have read above, there was a power outage. Suddenly, my class was not conducive to learn because of the power outage. I tried to stay at my class but in fact students did not want to learn until the school announced to repatriate students. So, I continued my teaching in the next day.

On Thursday, my master teacher asked me to pursue my material to the next topic in a meeting. It was about the formulas of math, my master teacher asked me to give the formulas directly, he said that students did not need the concept of its formulas, so I had to give the formulas directly and gave the examples. I thought that I was a teacher candidate, I don’t want my students were given formulas like that. Unfortunately, This was a command from my master teacher and I had to follow his rule. If I was allowed to teach the students step by step, I did not have enough time to teach them. Hufh….

Titiah Dewi Masitoh

2009110024

 

teaching experience week 2

This is the second reflection about teaching experience in week 2. It was great and fun because I met them 2 times. I really miss them and to be addicted to teach. They gave me spirit to show my best in teaching.

In the first meeting, I was observed all of them and tried to know them. I designed the activity for my class before I teach them. I learned from first meeting, when I divided class into some group randomly by the activity, it made groups not balanced.  So, in the second meeting I tried to divide group based on student’s ability. Ya, because in this teaching experience I also doing my CAR (classroom action research), I tried to use one of method to my class. My CAR is about “cooperative learning group increase student’s motivation in doing mathematics problem”. And the problem of my class is my students are individual. Therefore, I still used grouping based on student’s ability and used reward for groups. First, I gave them exercise that should be solved in groups and every question has different point, so they more motivated to collaborate with their groups to solve the problem. I saw they actively discuss about the question even though there are students in group don’t want give contribution. So, I tell them to give assessment to each member about their contribution. So they tried to actively in group and discuss about it. Surprisingly, when one a group finished they asked additional question so that they got more point, and was followed by another groups.

In the third meeting, I recall them about previous meeting, I’m happy because my student really understand about the material that I gave them. In the third meeting I still used grouping, I gave more motivation to them in group. I tried to monitor each group when solved problem. I encourage some students that passive in groups. And I realized when the teacher closed to students, they respect to their teacher.

in the second week, I learn about how gave feedback influence students motivation. Like I did, when I gave them feedback in their work. They happy when read it, and also want to improve their work.

Wow, teaching experience in this semester was great. I learn more from it.

Triana afriani

2009110010

 

Reflection week 5

The first time I was teaching here, I could not bear to be here for long. Pupils who are in my class are very difficult to do active learning. They tend to passive in the learning and busy doing other jobs. For example, HP’s playing, reading novels, chatting, doing other jobs. It made me continue to think the method of learning fun for them. Many books that I read about active learning methods are enjoyable, the book ice breaking, fun math game books, etc..

Finally, I decided to use a method of learning with fun math games. It made me become more creative and continue to explore more about the learning fun, especially in learning mathematics. All this brings many benefits for me. I can learn new things that I had never known before, especially about learning math fun. Apparently a lot of math games and learning methods that can make learning math more enjoyable.

Games that I use is to play cards trigonometry, where the cards containing the results of special trigonometric angles. Play puzzel, they were asked to pair with the right formula and fast. Guess magic numbers by using the “feature number 9”. Playing horse whispers, where the message is a problem solving that will be completed by other groups. The most recent recipient of the message will be written in the paper and give it to other groups.

Not easy to be set up class. Actually, the students in my class, including a little, only 24 students but I still find it difficult to organize classes. With all of these activities students can engage in learning. Meeting of the 3rd and the 4th be more fun than the previous meeting. I’ve started to feel comfortable being there, whereas before I felt did not want to go back to school.

One lesson that I can conclude from the master teacher of mine was “mathematics is an art, the art of stringing words, in the creative arts, the art of motivation, the art of expression, so the teaching of mathematics is one work of art”. These words always remember and makes me more enthusiastic in teaching and continued to increase my curiosity in the “art of teaching”.

My dislike of school, now turned into a sense of gratitude to Allah for bringing me to the place that brought me to be better ….

How often do we regard something that befalls us to be a great misfortune, when in fact it is really Allah showing His mercy to us. The opposite is equally true. Allah says: “Perhaps you hate a thing that is best for you, and you love a thing that is bad for you. Allah knows, while you know not.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 216]

I never know what Allah has planned for me, which I know Allah always give the best to me …

Nia Salamah

2009110018

 

The Best School I Ever Met

Okay, the second week of my teaching experience was the most exciting part of the program. I got so many valuable things beside experience. They were excellent students, a kind cooperative teacher, and also school service.

The students that I taught were so marvelous. They were smart, although they didn’t like problem solving. Nevertheless, every time I asked them to do problem solving exercises either individually or in group, they did it as well as possible. Sometimes they got confused on what should they do toward the problems given. That made me laughed because their expression was so funny. They gave me so many comments and also gave me an epithet as MR. Problem (Mr. Soal). I thought it sounds silly, but I had to do it because it was for my action research task. Nonetheless, I also motivated them to never give up solving the problems. At the end of the class (and also my last time teaching there), I asked them to give me feedback toward my teaching method. Well, I guessed that they would complain to me about giving so many problems, and it was so, hahahhaha. But, in another side, they told me that they understood every material I taught to them and they said that my teaching skill was proficient. Well, their feedback really really motivated me to be better in teaching. I love and proud of them so much!!!

While my students gave me positive feedback, my cooperative teacher did so. He always supported me and never complained toward my teaching methods that would be carried out in the classroom. He always met me first before I started my teaching. He was really care to me, and my other 2 friends. He always observed me when I was teaching, and at the end he gave me positive feedback toward my teaching skill. It was very honorable getting compliment from a math teacher with years teaching experiences.

And the last was the school service. It was the best service I ever got as long as I followed teaching experience program in some schools. The school administrators warmly greeted us and warmly let us farewell. The atmosphere in the school was so comfortable and made me enjoy teaching there. The facilities were complete and usable. Well, the school was amazing for me. I hope I can get that school again on the next teaching experience program.

Faqih Al Adyan
2009110038

 

Reflection of Week 2 TE: Teacher’s Voice is Important!

On the second week, I have two meeting with X-2 at SMA Y. I made a video of quadratic function to help me explaining the materials, because my voice is too soft and could not cover the whole class. But, there was a problem when I play the video. The speaker was not loud enough so my students cannot hear the sound clearly. Finally, I decided to explain the material manually, by using power point.

When I entered activity session, there were other problems happen. The activity has purpose to give them deep understanding about completing square method in quadratic equation. I gave them an A4 paper, origami paper, glue and cellophane tape. I asked them to do the activity in pairs. I have written the instruction in power point and explained what they should to do. But, when I asked them to do the activity, they do not want to follow my instruction. Some of them dabbed the glue into their friends’ chair, desk. Some others stick the cellophane tape from window to desk and from desk to desk. I was angry to them and asked them to collect the glue and cellophane tape then give it back to me. Unfortunately, my voice is too soft. They ignored me.

I need around 10 minutes to make them paid attention to me again. I was shocked. I did not predict the class became noisier and “wild” if I give them practical activities.

On the last meeting of my TE, I decided to do not use anything related with practical activities. I just show them simulation by using video, then give some examples of ABC formula and ask them to do exercises. I asked some students to give “thunder applause” to their friends who come to in front of the class and doing the exercise n the blackboard. I tried to give them motivation to do the exercise in front of the class.

I also use handclaps to get their attention. When I said “1”, “3”, and “5”, they should to clap their hand once. If I said “2” and “4”, they must be silent and do not claps their hands. Unfortunately, not all of the students want to follow my instruction. Some students do not want to claps their hand when I asked. When I asked them why they do not want to claps their hand, they said, “kayak anak SLB aja kak belajar tepuk tangan segala”.

(source)

In order to make the situation melted, I insert a game as group task for them. Based on my experience last week, I asked them to form their own group by themselves. I just gave the rules how many students are allowed in each group and what are the game rules.

The game was held in 15 minutes. There were not all students involve into the games. Some students who sit on the last row of seat did not interest to do the game.

On the last 20 minutes, I asked them to do an individual exercise. Some students who did not want to do the exercise on the last meeting want to do the exercise although they only can fill one number.

My reflections for all Teaching Experience (TE) at this semester are:

Students need motivation but the kind of motivation is different for every students

and

Teacher’s voice is important! Because motivation, instruction and explanation will be clear for students if a teacher has loud voice.

(source)

Shinta Puspita Kencanasari

2009110026

 

School Experience Week 2

In the second week, I felt so excited to came to school because I don’t want to missed my “extraordinary” class :p

Did you remember how “extra” my class that I’ve told you on previous reflection? Yes, I have to be extra power, extra voice, and extra teaching strategies if you want to teach extra noisy, extra, extra, and extra :p . But honestly, they motivated me to be better in managing class condition. My class is really challenging for me, in the first until fourth days I cannot really catch the class because some of students did not pay attention to the class and make class so noisy. My master teacher said that I have to be passion with that class, in every the end of my class, my master teacher always said “gimana? Masih sanggup?” oh God, I have to find the “extra” strategies that can be catch their attention. And…… tadaaaaa 😀  in the last meeting I can get all of their attention we we weeee.

How I can do that? The key is authority. In the previous meeting I said to them that we will doing games in class, but because of the time we arrange agenda together in class that tomorrow we have to do games in class and they felt so excited to this. The next day, some of them really remember about the agenda that we have discussed in the previous meeting and remind me (so excited for them yeah). The game is “BOOM 7”, all of you already know about that game, right?! After we find 7 students that must be given the punishment, other students want them to sing. I think they really enjoy at that time because the students that sing a song not only students that get punishment, but almost all of students in that class singing together. Then, we continue to the group assignment. I told them to choose, they want to divide class into some group based on my choice or themselves. All of them prefer to make a group by themselves. Then, they felt enjoy and focus (some of them) to their assignment. Huuuffttt, finally they can focus on their task. In the end of the session, one of students asks me for the next agenda (I still have 1hour in the next session) to watching movie. Honestly, it’s not in my plan. But, I try the strategies with giving them the authority. Some of students that really noisy in class can be so quiet and calm because of that movie. In the middle of that movie, I stop the movie and I ask them to finishing their task that I have given it to them. The movie can control their attention, they really excited when doing that task.

So guys, if we want to manage the class well, we have to catch all of students’ attention first. 🙂

Regards,

Mita Pustari

2009110040

 

Week Fifth: Last Week of Teaching Experience

This week is the last week we doing Teaching Experience and embedded course on it. In this week I taught my class twice. Besides teaching, I also did Classroom Action Research (CAR) that I have been prepared from previous week. Little explanation about my CAR, I decided Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) grouping as a method to increase students motivation to learn Mathematics. I prepared group distribution, materials, and worksheet.

However, when I knew that I will have very “active” students in my class, I knew that my CAR plan is destroyed. It is impossible to directly apply grouping in the class that there is gap between male and female students, between high learning pace and low learning pace students, between active and inactive students. Start from that, I renewing my plan from STAD to pair group.

I confidently thought that pair method at least work in the class. However I was wrong, even not completely wrong. I assumed that by doing worksheet in pairs will calm them down a bit, but it was wrong.Another problem appears. It is true that they formed pairs, but they did not want to do the worksheet. In this emergency situation, I need to make a right decision. I do not know this decision is right or not, but I decided to use personal approach to each pair in the class. I came to their desk; ask is there any problem that they met in working on worksheet. Then, based on their problem I tried to give them suggestion, clue, probing, made analogy, use step by step in answer questions on worksheet, and if they done it wrong I tried to convince that it was not true. By using personal approach, I could lead students in the class who ignored me, very “active”, and talkative finished worksheet that I have prepared for them. It was a great moment for me; at least I could make them following one of my instructions, answering question on worksheet.

Source
Reflecting on previous week, I thought having class which contains of students who “active” in not the way I want them active will dragged me into sorrow. I confessed that I dragged into sorrow, but I saw a rare-golden-chance that maybe will not come to me again next time. Then, I took the positive side that this class is a challenge for me to improve my teaching skill and class management. I wonder how sorrowful I am now if I do not take the positive side of my class. That condition reminds me to a very wise sentence that I quote from a cartoon movie, Avatar the Legend of Aang. In that movie Prince Zuko said that “Sometimes clouds have two sides, a dark and light, and a silver lining in between. It’s like a silver sandwich! So when life seems hard, just take a bite out of the silver sandwich”.

In the end, that all lead me into a conclusion; teaching students who very “active” is not a disaster, it is a rare-golden-chance to be great teacher

Huda Marofiq
200911042

 

Unexpected Moments: Learn from it!

From my second week teaching experience, it was a bit different from previous week because unexpected moments happened on this week. However, I always ready for anything that would happen. On Monday, I had no class to teach but there was a consultation session with my master teacher. The first unexpected thing happened on that day, my master teacher said that I would have one last teaching and the last meeting would be test/quiz session. Actually, in first day, he said to me that I had four meetings for teaching. He also asked me to make question for this quiz and two lesson plans for next two meetings. Then, I prepared it after he asked me to do it.
Next day, my planning were interviewing my students for my CAR and consulting the quiz’s questions. I was interviewing some students to know their motivation on math as starting point of their motivation. Second unexpected thing happened, my master teacher wanted me to use questions just on students’ textbook, and he asked me to make the new one. I guess…that’s why my students have not motivation because their assessment was not really challenging them to learn more about the content. It’s also proven by result of my interview on one of my students. My master teacher was deeply textbook/handout oriented. However, as teacher candidate, I have to learn to be professional and I have to be good decision maker. I combined some question from my students’ textbook and internet because this quiz it also the media for motivating students to learn and instrument for my CAR.
My last teaching was applying cooperative learning, which is a student teams-achievement division (STAD) grouping methods. I combined STAD with games to increase my students’ motivation. It was going well; every member of the team could participate actively for winning the games and the discussion was happening. They seemed very interesting on doing the task in group and also they could have hard discussion on it. Some students who got confusion would initiatively ask their friends or me. However, they could not answer all questions because of the time and that ‘challenging’ question. I realized that they were not familiar with that kind of question. They were also sticked on the handout, they would open the handout to answer the given question even when they discussed. Actually, I didn’t give them the handout, but they printed my ppt to be their handout. (“—____—)
Last unexpected thing happened on my last meeting; I just had 40 minutes for teaching including for quiz and subtracted by teacher’s announcement. Huaaa!! It because there will be Edufair preparation. I didn’t have time for review or apply other game, I just went through the quiz. Luckily, my students could finish it on time and got nice scores. 🙂
From this situation, I learn to be a good decision maker, I must have plan B for anything and I should motivate students by using something new. 🙂

Ratih Anindiya