By: Anniltal Manzilah
Introduction
Since
1968/1969, a more systematic approach to develop education in Indonesia has
begun to be evident. Since that time up to the late of 1990, the approach to
develop education has designed under the assumption that curricular objectives
could be logically derived from national and system-wide goals and then broken
down into a precise hierarchy of instructional objectives, and that learning
could be made individualized and ‘teacher-proof’ so that students could learn
what they needed to learn with minimal assistance from teachers (Shaeffer,
1990, pp.22). However, in 1984, evidences indicated that the approach was
perceived not to able to mobilize resources and to embark the model to the
nationwide application.
Mathematics
teaching system is different in almost every countries or may be in every city.
It’s because every country have a different culture, so that they use or employ
a method, teaching aid, curriculum, etc which match with their culture. For
example in our country. Indonesia not only have a culture, but there are so
many culture in our country. That’s why the president make a KTSP curriculum.
By employ KTSP, our country just make one model or standard for all schools in
every grade. And that is the minimum standard, so that the favorite or
best-quality school can improve the curriculum to reach the best achievements.
The others countries is also have a foreigh to optimalize their Mathematics
teaching system to get the best achievements and to produce the best human
resources by give the best education. They optimalize their educational system
appropriate by their own culture so that they can get the best human resources
to develop their natural resources.
Mathematics Teaching
Across Multicultural Context
There are
some differences of mathematics teaching system in every country because of the
differences of their culture. For example, we can make a comparison of the
mathematics teaching system in some countries, such as Philippines, Thailand,
Japan, and our country, Indonesia. We will find a differences the teaching
system because of the culture differences, and the human resources quality.
First, we
will go to Japan. In this country, the
purpose of mathematics education in Japan is to study how to think, the point
of view of every thing, and better human being formation through learning of
mathematics; to study mathematical practical use, utility through learning of
mathematics; and to enjoy and develop the wonderful cultural heritage of
mathematics through learning of mathematics (Nishitani, 2002). Further he
stated that the characteristics of the new course of study in Japan consist of:
(a) reduction of the learning contents, (b) decrease of the number of classes,
(c) comprehensive five-day school week, (d) integrated study mathematical
activities, (e) practical and operational activities and problem-solving
activities and so on, (e) basis points of active learning, (f) have the purpose
of learning clearly, (g) have interest in the subject, (h) have an perspective
to solve the problem, (i) have a feeling of satisfaction and joy, and (j)
acquire the way of learning.
Beside that, the Japanese educational system is characterized as
centralized in which at the regional level, the prefectures or district has its
own board of education. Marsigit, in his article, Math Programs for
International Cooperation in Indonesia (2002) said
that generally, it’s like the KTSP in Indonesia, but we don’t bring about it
well yet. In Japan, the schools are established by the national government, a
local government or an educational cooperation. The board of education carries
out the educational functions of the local government. Teachers are encouraged
to be more flexible and to recognize that children need to be active. Teachers
encourage their students involving in classical discussion. It seems that
teachers more emphasize on teaching with understanding than stressing on
calculating. However, some teachers implement a series of drills to master the
skills.
In Japan, some of the students by their own
initiations , complete the books by buying from the bookstores. At our country,
we know it’s too impossible to act, because as we know, not of all students in
a school is from a good economical family.The teachers use the textbooks for
developing their mathematics problems. The students are instructed to bring the
textbook to their home. At class, the students use both textbooks and book of
collection of problems. Calculators are to be used but only a little; some of
the teachers perceive that calculator has a little value in education. However,
teachers introduce abacus for laying the basic skill of computation. Most of
primary schools employ worksheets in their teaching. Worksheets in Japanese
education is not like in our country. In Japan, worksheets contains anythings
the students have to do, not so many questions to do like we always found in
almost everyschool in our country.
To improve the quality of mathematics and sciences education, in a
certain occasion, Japanese educational expert suggested the followings: (a)
implementing open class teaching, (b) encouraging the teachers to make their
own teaching material (textbook), (c) evaluating teaching learning processes by
their students, (d) analyzing students’ mistakes and errors, (e) encouraging
the teachers to have good and strong will (spirit) to develop their
competences, (f) implementing good balance of old and new method in teaching,
(g) promoting good collaboration between university and school, (h) teachers
should have their own original method in teaching, (i) teachers should continue
to develop their teaching ability, (j) teachers always ask how to make their
own class better, and (k) the role of teacher is similar to doctor; rescue the
children.
Next, we will
go to Philippines and compare how far the differences of their mathematics
education system and ours. In Philippines, a students will pass six years in
elementary school, four years in second level, and four or five years in third
level. Its not like in our country or Japanese one. In Japan, the level
division is like in our country. The purpose of the Phillipines mathematics
education is almost same as the Japanese one. Both of them try to give the
students various experiences will increase their capability to thinking
logically and to be creative in using mathematics problems according to the
fact in their daily life.
Philippines
have give more times to the students to learn mathematics than Japan. For
example, in first grade, Philippines students learn mathematics more than the
students in Japan. And beside that, Pihilippines is also use English in
introduction, but Japan use their own language, Nihongo. In Phileppines, the
students textbooks should used and will be improved in every five years. That’s
not like in Japan, because in Japan, the textbooks will be improved in every
three or four years. The Philippines textbooks give many exercise to the
students to drill their ability in calculating. Philippines is looks not so
different with our country. They give too many lessons, so that the students
will forget the lesson quickly. Because it’s over than their capacity in
receiving knowledge. Japanese students try to enjoy their mathematics, not
coerced to learn over their capacity.
And then, we
will look at the mathematics teaching system in Singapore. In this country,
every subject will teached by three teachers, that is a master teacher, and
his/her two assistents. They said it’s just to make the students learn
mathematics easier. Further, in Singapore, the education system is based on the
thoughts that every students have a unique talent and interests. Singapore
employs a simple method and flexible one to develop the students capability.
Evaluation of the students did continuous, even since the students still in
elementary school. The students’s six years in elementary school divide to two
categories. For first four years, the students learn English, Malay language,
and mathematics. Singapore teach the students mathematics since elementary
school so that the students can develop their ability in thinking logically,
thinking critically, and be accustomed to solve any problem. But there are
other subjects to develop the students’s talent like music, art, sport, etc.
And then, the students’s two years will be used to prepare them to pass final
examination.
Singapore
curriculum has been international curriculum and has used to be a model to the
others, espescially in mathematics teaching.
In our
country, The current picture of teaching practice in Indonesia is
generally extensive teacher directed explaining and questioning in the context
of whole class instruction followed by students working on paper and pencil
assignments at their places. The teacher functions as the central figure in
determining activities and conducting instruction; and, the students rarely
actively engage in learning directly from one another or in initiating
processes of interaction with others. Most teachers observed spend most of the
time conveying information to children; the blackboard is by far the commonest
visual aid but was often used as the teachers' scribbling pad rather than for
presentation of a logical sequence of ideas. The challenge for educators in the
next decade is to improve students' learning of higher order skills in mathematics;
teachers should organize instruction to involve children so that they actively
construct their own knowledge with understanding (Peterson in Grouws, et al.,
1988).
The
condition of Mathematics education in Indonesia have the indication that
children’s achievement in the subjects of mathematics and Science is low, as
indicated by the result of the National Leaving Examination (EBTANAS) year by
year both in Primary and Secondary School. Children’s mastery on Mathematics
and Science concepts and Science process skills is still low. This fact may be
as the results of: (a) the shortage of laboratory activities; (b) lack of
teachers having mastered science process skill approach; (c) contents on
Mathematics and Science curriculum too crowded; (d) too many time consuming
administration stipulation for teachers; (e) lack of laboratory equipment and
laboratory human resource. The studies also indicates that mismatch among the
objectives education, curriculum, and evaluation system which can be identified
by the following: (a) National Leaving Examination assess the children’s
ability cognitively only; (b) Streaming in Senior Secondary School starting at
grade 3. It is argued that the implementation of this system is late and
consider individual differences inappropriately; (c) University Entrance
Examination (UMPTN) System is considered to trigger Elementary and Secondary
School teachers apply goal oriented rather than process oriented in teaching
Mathematics and Science.
Indonesia
have a curriculum called KTSP. KTSP is a minimum standard of Indonesia’s
curriculum for every school for each grade. This curriculum adapt to the school
of isolated regional, so that the good-quality school can make improvisation so
that the curriculum is match with the culture in every province in Indonesia.
Conclusion
There are
some differences of mathematics teaching system in every country because of the
differences of their culture. For example, we can make a comparison of the
mathematics teaching system in some countries, such as Philippines, Thailand,
Japan, and our country, Indonesia. We will find a differences the teaching
system because of the culture differences, and the human resources quality.
The
characteristics of the new course of study in Japan consist of: (a) reduction of
the learning contents, (b) decrease of the number of classes, (c) comprehensive
five-day school week, (d) integrated study mathematical activities, (e)
practical and operational activities and problem-solving activities and so on,
(e) basis points of active learning, (f) have the purpose of learning clearly,
(g) have interest in the subject, (h) have an perspective to solve the problem,
(i) have a feeling of satisfaction and joy, and (j) acquire the way of
learning.
In
Philippines, a students will pass six years in elementary school, four years in
second level, and four or five years in third level. The purpose of the
Phillipines mathematics education is almost same as the Japanese one. Both of
them try to give the students various experiences will increase their
capability to thinking logically and to be creative in using mathematics
problems according to the fact in their daily life.
In Singapore,
every subject will teached by three teachers, that is a master teacher, and
his/her two assistents. They said it’s just to make the students learn
mathematics easier. Further, in Singapore, the education system is based on the
thoughts that every students have a unique talent and interests. Singapore
employs a simple method and flexible one to develop the students capability.
In Indonesia, there are a curriculum
called KTSP. KTSP is a minimum standard of Indonesia’s curriculum for every
school for each grade. This curriculum adapt to the school of isolated
regional, so that the good-quality school can make improvisation so that the
curriculum is match with the culture in every province in Indonesia.
