Kartiko Rachman Yudha Prasetya
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International class level or many Indonesia people called it as SBI (Sekolah Bertaraf Internasional) or RSBI (Rintisan Sekolah Bertaraf Internasional) in lower level than SBI. In this discussion, I’d like to choose RSBI as topic and to substitute International class level term in Indonesia. This RSBI program, base on dikdas kemendikanas website, was started in 2007 with some requirements. So that, we know that not all school can be RSBI School. The government gives one of requirement that any school can be RSBI if and only if the school has ever been SSN (Sekolah Standart Nasional) and has been satisfy some requirements from government. RSBI schools not only must satisfy requirements from the government but also the students in current schools must be familiar with English, in their class communication or task. This English as a way in communication is problem for some students and teacher. Some students may be afraid of English as a subject, now they must face English as tool to do communication. Now, we move to the teacher as educator. Teachers need to be consistent in using English, but some teacher also have problem if they do discussion by using English.
Then I have question, whether RSBI schools must be consistent in using English?
Or if the use of English language is consistent, whether mathematical discussions can take place effectively?
Mathematics is important subject that all human need. There is no human that do not need mathematics. In all type of teaching, there is discussion. Indonesian language as mother language usually use to do the discussion, but now, in RSBI class both students and teacher must do the discussion by using English.
Now suppose we are in interactive teaching-learning class, we have a little discussion in group that consist of 4 students each group. In consistent RSBI, the students should use English in every discussion, so does the teacher. Then, the job for teacher is how to create effective discussion so that mathematics goal is reached. Depend on revision of Gloom Taxonomy, the goal of learning mathematics is creativity (repository.upi.edu), not getting job. Getting job is the effect of creativity. In the revision of Gloom Taxonomy, there are 6 level of studying mathematics and the level 6 is the goal: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and being creative. However, be creative alone is not the goal. Vygotsky with his ZPD (Wikipedia) have told us that study is not about individual system, study is about social system that needs others, teacher, and environment. So, there were born many interactive learning. Mathematics is not only about left brain again, but also mathematics is part of social system.
Focus on schools mathematics, depend on Ebbutt and Straker on Marsigit blog, schools mathematics is about finding pattern and relationship, mathematics is about intuition and invention, mathematics is a way to do communication, and mathematics is problem solving process. Again, we meet communication in mathematics.
The second problem (after first problem: communication in English) that RSBI schools must face is student must understand any paper that write in English. Base on Polya (1973) at Harman Hudojo (2003) paper, to solve any problem, students must understand the problem, know the data that can help solve the problem, and what are the requirements to solve the problem.
For easy example: what is area of triangle that given three coordinates of vertex: A (1,1); B (5,5); and C (3,1)?This problem is easy to understand, and then we have data of each vertex. Then, the last is about the concept of triangle that has requirement formula of triangle. This problem is also easy to discuss with student. Now, let me give you another problem: (from competition mathematics)
“three golfers names Tom, Dick, and Harry are walking towards their clubhouse. Tom, the best golfer of the three always tell the truth. Dick sometimes tell the truth, while Harry, the worst golfer, always lies. One of the golfers wears a red pullover, the other a green one, and the third a blue pullover. The golfer in the green pullover introduces himself as Dick, while the golfer wearing the blue pullover states that the wearer of the green pullover is tom. Who is who?”This problem needs discussion indeed, more than the first problem. This mathematics problem increase creativity. Now, as the teacher, how to communicate problem like this second problem?
Well, absolutely, RSBI schools need to be consistent in using English, but hopefully there is no student that can’t join in the discussion. English is not a problem. Teacher as facilitator must find the way to decrease English problem as way to communicate something.
references:
Wikipedia. Zone of Proximal Development.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development
NN. Meningkatkan Penguasaan Konsep Siswa dan Kemampuan Berkomunikasi Lisan Melalui Metode Demonstrasi. http://repository.upi.edu/operator/upload/s_pgsd_0806700_chapter2.pdf
Marsigit. 2008. Hakekat Matematika Sekolah dan Siswa Senang Belajar Matematika? http://marsigitpsiko.blogspot.com/2008/12/hakekat-matematika-sekolah-dan-siswa.html
Haese, R.C and Haese S.H. 1981. Competition Mathematics. Adelaide: HAESE PUBLICATIONS
Herman Hudojo. 2003. Pengembangan Kurikulum dan Pembelajaran Matematika. Universitas Neegeri Malang
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