Reflective Essay (3)

MATH TEACHER GRUMPY?

At the first time I taught at SMA Negeri 1 Kakas. I am a new math teacher at this school. And soon I was also dealing with a class XII student. The event started with us face to face introductions.

The first meeting was not directly charged with the teaching and learning of mathematics. After the introductory activity, a little reflection on the characteristics of mathematics, then I want to see the descriptive perception of students towards mathematics and mathematics teachers' expectations of them. I give two open questions: 1) Write down what you think about math? 2) What do you expect from a math teacher? I accidentally gave questions answered by text because students usually prefer to disclose their off steam through writing and reckoning to develop their writing skills. I mean give open-ended questions, so that students are more easily found and more independent in opinion and provide richer information. I emphasize that they answer with all honesty that they have.

And predictably, the answer is quite diverse students with their positive or negative perceptions of mathematics. But one thing that caught my attention, the students' answers to the first question above. I do not think that the answer to number one is connected with the behavior of fierce math teacher.

More than half the students write down their experiences and expectations attributed to a math teacher who crabby or grumpy. I guess this only applies when the time we were in elementary school. I will show some information from them:

"... I do not like studying mathematics because teachers tantrums. During junior high, I honestly hate math, because the teacher likes grumble, grumpy and banging. Sometimes I fear that fit tutoring math, feels a sense of fear, anxiety and trembling and nervous. ... "Ivone

"... I want my math teacher did not like the angry person. Moreover, like banging and hate me even though I was less about the math. ... I do not want my math teacher slapping and hitting. Punish okay. ... "Jhoni

Being a teacher is indeed difficult. Angered that is the nature of every human being. And I am very sure, there are times when anger so good and true. But it would be cruel teacher when he became angry with joy, to play at being the only disciplinary action. Stop angry when anger is controlling. If not, students will stigmatize teachers stern teacher.

All people want to be loved, moreover learners. Teachers should always be alert when a loving heart becomes dry. The compassionate eyes began to close. If there is apathy toward student teacher, teacher of teachers of this kind is dead.

Especially for math teachers, we must always remember, not all students have the logical-mathematical intelligence as we expected.

The teacher must constantly learn. It seems true that the more we have to learn from the students than what we teach.