Traditional Teaching and Progressive Teaching in Mathematics

We have get knowledge since we were child and we had already learned it indirectly. We began to study it formally started from kindergarten then elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, high school, graduate and maybe until post graduate. Mathematics education has some problems such as how to empower and developed student, and how to change traditional teaching into a progressive teaching. There are few levels on teaching and learning, which are:

1.  Material, in this level there are factors which support this level that are class, teaching, book, building and student.

2.  Formal, in this level there are factors which support this level that are curriculum, syllabi, and book.

3.  Normative, in this level there are factors which support this level that are law, educational system, paradigm of education, and theories of education.

4.  Spiritual, in this level there are factors which support this level that are spiritual, teacher vision, good or bad, and ways of life.

Traditional teaching and progressive teaching have big different. In traditional teaching, teaching has a different mean with teaching in progressive teaching. In traditional teaching, teaching means to give, transfer of knowledge directly. Student controlled by teacher and teacher is teaching. It makes student passive and between teacher and students have a passive interaction. In progressive teaching, teaching means develop, construct their own knowledge. Students don’t depend on teacher and teacher is facilitated. It makes students be an active learner and between teacher and students have an active interaction.

In view of traditional teaching, it have different student, but the traditional teaching give same time, same mathematics, same facilities, same objects, and same result. It makes student can construct and develop their own knowledge. But in view of progressive teaching, it has different student, different time, different mathematics, different facilities, different objects, and different result. It makes student can construct, build, and develop their own knowledge.

Traditional teaching has single method that is explain, give example, give rules and give task. The students just do what the teacher said and follow the instruction. So the students are controlled by teacher. But progressive teaching have no method because there is no the best way to educate. Students have variant method that they can create depend on their ability and their knowledge.

Students as younger learner don’t match with pure mathematics but match with school mathematics. Curriculum in traditional teaching is context and purpose but in progressive teaching is student’s competence. Traditional teaching make study as obligate or invest for the students, but progressive teaching make study as need for student. To make student as active learner we must motivate students. Motivation each student, collaboration between students and teacher make it fun to learn together and build every character that they have because every individual is unique and contextual which can learn everywhere as a group or individually.

  

Source : Lecture from Dr. Marsigit, M.A

Be A Good Mathematics Teacher From Ourself

As a student we learn many things and we get many information. However we need to empower ourself and to be better. There are many ways to empower ourself.

1. Don’t be hesitate
2. We must wake up
3. Make sure you in right way to approach our purpose

We need to understand ourself inside and outside. It means we have to know our ability. To be a better people don’t blind and don’t empty. Don’t blind it means we have to know our purpose and knowledge and don’t empty it means we have to means our life.

Besides, we have to transform from the younger student into the older student and aware of our characteristics. As the older student, we don’t depend on our lecture and don’t (terpengaruh) by another.

There are many ways to learn on the side as candidate of mathematics teacher. We can get it from books and our experiences. Further, mathematics problem is the different think between the older student and the younger student. The younger student think mathematics in concrete material from daily and the older student think mathematics in abstract materials (mind object) to look for values.

The older student always think to abstract the object from daily. It means that the older student taking certain properties which they want to learn. The older student think about the abstract materials or mind objects which consider all of the exist properties is perfect.

There is a big different between teach mathematics and learn mathematics. Teach mathematics by teacher and learn mathematics by student. To build mathematics, student must be active to learn mathematics. To be a teacher we need teacher’s preparation like lesson plan and student worksheet. Besides, we need to interaction and we need to guarantee our student to understand what we teach. 

Source : Lecture from Dr. Marsigit, M.A