The main problem of Teaching Learning Practice of Mathematics

The  problem of mathematics teaching is the teachers aren’t  able to innovate math. Currently, the mathod that applied is teacher centered method.  Based on the result of  Prof. Dr. Marsigit, M.A’s research, theory, and philosophy of teaching , this method reflects the traditional method of teaching learning of mathematics. We can identify the characteristic of students behavior and teacher behavior based on this traditional method. The students learn math passively . Usually when the teacher explains the subject matter, the students feel bored and sleepy.

There will different characteristics with the innovative teaching and learning of mathematics. That’s why our lecturer complete his lecture by asking us to reflect this class session. In this innovative method, there are more various  activities, various method,  resources, and experiment. An example from this innovative methods is  study from web blog and reflect it in other language (English or Indonesian). It can develop ourselves, especially to improve our English skills.

In traditional method of teaching and learning, teachers don’t trust the ability of their students. They always transfer of knowledge to their students. The teachers feel to have an obligation to deliver methods and to deliver his knowledge to their students. So students become like an empty vessel.

In the innovative methods, the teachers trust if their students not only wait for transfering of knowledge from him, but also they have an ability to study from anywhere and anytime. Here teachers just facilitate their students, not the centered of this teaching and learning process. The students are to be perceived as seed own knowledge.

In fact, it isn’t easy to implement this innovation method of teaching. Because, our culture actually reflect the traditional method. Began in colonial times to the kingdom still influence the behavior of teachers and parents. We should teach our younger to learn anything, but it should be adjusted when it is time to learn mathematics, religious, general knowledge, etc. The learning methods should also be variously, so the younger don’t  get bored.

Actually problems of education came from adults and not from the young.  If the student has a problem, it could be her teacher who has a problem. Teacher  forces the students to receive knowledge as it exists in his mind. Whereas in the present age, we can learn from anywhere, such as from internet. But why is our learning process so scary and stressful?

We must realize that not all knowledge comes from the teacher. So that, in the learning process , the situation is unpredictable. Students can ask anything outside what they learn in school.

From now on, we have to be prepared to be innovative people, start looking for a quality readings, kontenporer, and so on. It is impiortant for us to know, to read, to learn the nature of all aspect of teaching learning of mathematics. e.g:

1.      The nature of school mathematics

2.      The nature of students  learning of mathematics

3.      The nature of learning resources

4.      And so on

Mainly, there are two mathematics, formal mahematics and school mathematics. Formal mahematics can be said as axiomatic mathematics or pure mathematics. It is the mathematics for university level. School mathematics according to Ebbut and Staler (1995), indicated that (1) mathematics is a search of pattern and relationship, (2) mathematics is a problem solving activity, (3) mathematics is an investigation activity. (4) mathematics  is mean of communication. The school mathematics is for pre-elementary, for elementary school, and for junior high school. If in the  school there aren’t a search of pattern and relationship, problem solving activity, an investigation activity, and communication,it isn’t mathematics lesson.

Mathematics  is mean of communication, what does it mean? Supposed if the students study mathematics, they will be more intelligent to communicates, smart to lecturing, and so on. But the fact is not like that. For example is a student elementary school. When he was first class, he was very cheerful, happy, and a lot of talk. When the second grade, he was cheerful, happy and a bit of talking, until the sixth grade she was not cheerful, not happy, talk less and setres because facing the exam. It is the fault of the teachers and the system, because they apply axiomatic mathematics or pure mathematics  to elementary school students. So, it is very important to understang the kind of mathematics.

The ilustration of position of the different mathematics based of teaching the matter of pure mathematics is “Ice Berg of Mathematics”. Ice berg of mathematics according to prudential realistic mathematics, divided into four stages:

1.      Concret mathematics

It is the lowest position in Ice Berg of Mathematics. Concret mathematics describes a real object, such as a tree, a bottle, etc.

2.      Model Concret Mathematics

It discribes about a model of real object, such as a picture of a tree, a bottle, candy, etc. 

3.      Model formal

The model formal use picture or an ilustration to explain mathematics. 

4.      Formal Mathematics

Formal mathematics is the highest level of ice berg of mathematics. The mathematical calculations performed direct with numbers. for example:

3 + 2 = 5

School mathematics involves three steps school mathematics involves three steps, concret mathematics, model concret mathematics, and model formal. So the mathematics for pre-elementary children do not directly introduced to the formal mathematics. Number two concepts can be introduced by asking the number of hands, number of legs, etc.

The concept of big and small, love, empathy, and the two concepts in young children is an intuition. It cann’t all be explained by mathematics. The problem education now is the childrens have lost their intuition, as a result happened conflict between students, corruption, etc.