Schools must be able to stimulate their students to love learning<\/p>\n
Simon Marcus Gower, Executive Principal, High\/Scope School, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Classrooms in Indonesian schools can be sombre places. Heavy
\nbenches behind which students sit in regimented rows. Walls with
\nmeager decorations hardly portray any evidence of active use of
\nthe space, but funds may be a problem here.<\/p>\n
However, even slightly exuberant behavior from students may be
\nconstrued as unruly and is quickly put down by a dictatorial
\nteacher. Certainly this is not every classroom in Indonesia but
\nmany times this scene may be observed and how contrary to what a
\nclassroom could, and probably should, be it is.<\/p>\n
Sombre classrooms generate a negative environment that makes
\nthe teacher's job all the more difficult. It is one of the most
\nregrettable features of regimented and militaristic approaches to
\neducation, and in particular classroom management and control,
\nthat the natural youthful exuberance and playful and curious
\nactivity of school students can be quashed by a heavy handed
\ndictatorial teacher.<\/p>\n
All too often it is possible to observe highly active, (and
\neven well motivated to learn), students that are reprimanded for
\ntheir behavior. Too often such students are made to feel a sense
\nof shame or even guilt for being active in class.<\/p>\n
An example illustrates this -- one student of a south Jakarta
\nhigh school gained something of a reputation for "disturbing
\nother students". This reputation was such that he would be
\nregularly warned and admonished for his conduct and even sent to
\nthe headmaster's office.<\/p>\n
A little inspection of the circumstances here revealed that
\nthe student was hardly "disturbing" his fellow students. He was
\nin fact a highly capable student and so was well able to complete
\nhis tasks ahead of others. His apparent "disturbing" of others
\nwas more often than not an understandable curiosity in what
\nothers were doing.<\/p>\n
Often it seemed that his teachers were not well placed to
\ncontain and divert this student's behavior toward more favorable
\noutcomes. Instead his conduct was construed, and allowed to
\nbecome, an unwanted presence in the classroom.<\/p>\n
This strikes to the heart of what needs to happen in so very
\nmany of Indonesia's classrooms. A "presence" needs to be
\nnurtured; a presence that speaks to the hearts and minds of
\nstudents and says to them that the classroom is a place of
\nlearning and learning is a wonderful thing to possess.<\/p>\n
It is probably fair to say that all around the world students
\nat some time or other come to begrudge going to school or
\nattending certain classes, but creating a good atmosphere in the
\nclass goes a long way to ameliorating these negative feelings.<\/p>\n
Nurturing a conducive environment for learning does not
\nnecessarily mean that money needs to be spent or facilities
\ninstalled. The teacher alone can create an atmosphere that is
\npositive and appealing just by being receptive, responsive and
\nattentive to students' human needs.<\/p>\n
Still, too often within classrooms it is possible to observe
\nan overbearing and oppressive drive from teachers to pass on the
\nrequired knowledge and demand retention, (mostly in terms of
\nshort-term memory), and neglect any depth of understanding.<\/p>\n
Recent interviews with senior high students illustrated this
\ntype of experience. Asked how well they were handling concepts
\nand tasks in the subject of economics they consistently expressed
\nconfusion and lack of understanding.<\/p>\n
When asked why they did not ask their teacher to help them,
\nthey said they did ask for such help. So what was the problem?
\nThe teacher would, apparently, sideline such enquiries with curt
\nstatements like, "We don't have time for that now. We have too
\nmuch to get through. Let's continue!"<\/p>\n
Here, then, true understanding and learning was sadly
\nneglected. The teacher, perhaps understandably but not really
\nforgivably, was rushing through the material; no doubt to meet
\nthe targets identified in the syllabus.<\/p>\n
But simply ticking off topics or tasks on a list as having
\nbeen covered did nothing for his students. They were left
\nperplexed and far away from any good or positive learning
\nexperience.<\/p>\n
For them learning was not something that they were enjoying or
\nin anyway forming a sense of love for. Sadly for them learning
\nwas becoming a minefield of problems, confusions and lack of
\nunderstanding that only made their school life more of a chore
\nand more of a difficult encounter.<\/p>\n
It is probably an extremely simplistic notion but it is one
\nthat is worth remembering in the classroom -- namely that if we
\nenjoy doing something, it is quite likely that we will do a good
\njob or achieve reasonable success in doing the thing.<\/p>\n
If we can only construe what we do as a chore, as a bind that
\nis not at all pleasurable or easy for us to do, then what we do
\nis doubtless going to become more difficult.<\/p>\n
Obviously not all school learning experiences can be enjoyable
\nor pleasurable for all of the students all of the time but by
\nmaintaining a commitment to not unduly stressing students a
\ngreater sense of enjoyment and hence love of learning may be
\nnurtured. Some teachers have been encountered that actually take
\npleasure in burdening their students with negative notions.<\/p>\n
For example, a teacher of math consistently noted her pleasure
\nin welcoming new students with the line that the subject proves
\ndifficult for most students but she would "at least try to help
\nthem pass", a rather derogatory and harmful statement.<\/p>\n
Just by setting a different, more positive tone this teacher
\ncould always create a better learning environment that encourages
\nand motivates rather than instills fear and loathing for the
\nlearning ahead. Teachers are the leaders of the class and as such
\nhave to create a series of relationships that will help students
\nin their understanding and learning.<\/p>\n
The classroom is not an empty shell. It is not merely some
\nneutral space in which the mere gathering of knowledge happens to
\ntake place. It is, in fact, a venue for a near endless rendezvous
\nof hearts and minds that can open-up the wonderful world of
\nlearning for both teachers and students.<\/p>\n
The spirit of wonder and enjoyment of learning is something
\nthat good teachers can bring to the classroom. The barest and
\nmost rudimentary of classrooms can still be the venue for
\nexcellent learning experiences. Facilities help but without heart
\nand commitment, great facilities count for little. Schools that
\naddress the very human needs of their students are likely to
\nenjoy greater successes.<\/p>\n
Active students should be encouraged to actively learn and
\nlearning should be a life experience. Learning should be a
\nmemorable encounter. Boredom and dull experiences in school are
\ncounter-productive. Bringing life to the learning will foster a
\nlove of learning.<\/p>\n
It is said that a lesson lived is a lesson learned. Within
\nschools learning should be lived, should be alive and then
\nlearning may truly be effective.<\/p>\n
The opinions expressed above are personal.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/schools-must-be-able-to-stimulate-their-students-to-love-learning-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }