Initiative needed to train our teachers properly<\/p>\n
By Mochtar Buchori<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Specialized teachers in music, the visual arts
\nand physical education at the elementary school level are hard to
\nfind in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
These teachers have been specially trained and can
\nprofessionally educate children in these three areas. Many
\nparents and teachers do not realize that teaching music, visual
\narts and physical education at the elementary level needs special
\nknowledge and skills. Not just any teacher who plays music can
\nteach music, and there is no guarantee that a teacher proficient
\nin teaching music at the high school level can perform equally
\nwell with grade one to grade three pupils.<\/p>\n
At the high school level, music teachers can concentrate on
\nperformance. At this level a kind of natural selection process
\nhas already taken place. Students who have an aptitude for music
\ncan clearly be identified and separated from average students.
\nThe teacher's task is to develop two separate programs -- one so
\nthe musically gifted can master various forms of musical
\nexpression and the other for ordinary students to appreciate
\nmusical beauty.<\/p>\n
At the lower elementary levels there are no clear indicators
\nfor those with special musical talent. All children perform more
\nor less equally well at this stage, with the exception of those
\nchildren who have received private music instruction at home.
\nHere it is the task of the teacher to discover who has special
\ntalent, who has limited talent, who is musically ordinary, who is
\nmusically deft and who is musically barren. Special training is
\nneeded to do this. A good teacher can tell by the way a child
\ntalks if he or she has a gift to express things well musically.<\/p>\n
The same principle is true for teaching the visual arts and
\nphysical education. Again, teaching these subjects at the lower
\ngrades is different than teaching at the high school level or at
\nupper elementary school levels. Assigning teachers without
\nspecial training could harm the children and an inappropriate
\ncomment can kill a budding interest. At the same time, undue
\npraise can create false hope and a distorted image of one's
\ntalent.<\/p>\n
The harm most often brought about by unqualified teachers is
\nthat the potential of "normal children" is not actualized. This
\nmeans that those children who could have achieved something are
\nreduced to total ignorance or incompetence in these fields. This
\nis not only a loss to the student but also to the community and
\nthe nation.<\/p>\n
Children with real talent in these fields generally will not
\nexperience any significant loss due to unqualified teachers. It
\nis primarily "normal children" and those with limited talent who
\nare victimized by unprofessional practices.<\/p>\n
The number of children in these two categories is much bigger
\nthan the number of children with great talent. If our children in
\nthe past had been educated by teachers with professional
\nknowledge and skills, some might have become individuals of
\nappreciable achievement, or even outstanding achievement.<\/p>\n
How does one explain the current situation in our elementary
\nschools? Isn't there any special training in these fields?<\/p>\n
The main problem lies in our training system. Training for
\nspecialization in these three areas is available only at the S-1
\nlevel, the Sarjana level. This is considered a training level for
\nprospective high school teachers. Training for prospective
\nelementary school teachers is provided at the D-2 level, a level
\nconsidered lower than the S-level because it lasts for only two
\nyears, after senior high school.<\/p>\n
Only those who prepare themselves to become secondary school
\nteachers can specialize in teaching music, visual arts and
\nphysical education. Within the training program for elementary
\nschools there is no such opportunity. Students are trained to
\nteach everything at the elementary school level, except religion,
\nwhich can only be provided by teachers that have graduated from
\nIslamic teacher training institutions.<\/p>\n
The training of religion (Islam) teachers is done by
\ninstitutions under the Ministry of Religion, and not the Ministry
\nof Education and Culture. Though it may have changed, there used
\nto be a sharp distinction between the training for Islamic
\nelementary schools (the Ibtidaiyah) and Islamic secondary school
\nteachers (the Tsanawiyah and the Aliyah). Here, too, the training
\nfor elementary school teachers is considered much simpler than
\nthat for prospective secondary school teachers.<\/p>\n
The system for training teachers has become too complex. With
\nthis system we fail to provide our elementary schools with the
\nkind of teachers needed to carry out an educational program which
\ncan truly guide our children to develop their potential.<\/p>\n
The time has come for a careful review of our system and now
\nthe big question is: Who will take the initiative?<\/p>\n
The writer is an observer of social and cultural affairs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/initiative-needed-to-train-our-teachers-properly-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }