“As good as curriculum, it is hard to success if is not walked with interesting learning strategy and gratify students”

Disteachia

Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D. can apply multiple intelligences strategy well in classroom. He got many unique students who got disability learning that were transferred from normal school. The unique students were considered challenge for Thomas Armstrong. Few months later, after the students learn with Multiple Intelligences strategy, the outcome was out of estimate of any people. They were creative and smart. Finally, Armstrong decided to observe “normal school” that ever sent the unique students to him. After he had observed them, he found the teachers got DISTEACHIA or something wrong in teaching. Disteachia has three virus, they are Teacher Talking Time, Talk Analysis, and Tracking.

Teacher Talking Time

Teacher who get this disease have an ability that easy to guess by the students. The teacher like to tell about her/his self, who is her/ his friend, then talk more much about material with boring intonation. She/he is like a mother who want make her/his baby going to sleep. Occasionally, those are some paragraphs which always repeated. Her/his eyes just look at one corner of class. Five minutes before the end of the class, the students get up from their sound asleep. She/he considers that teacher teaches and students learn is one process. She/he thinks her/his speech than spend 80 % from time to learn in class is intentioned or it is listened by her/his students. Whereas, the fact shows the opposite, many students sleep, talk with their friends, or pile up. In the contrary, this thing is felt enough by the teacher to fill their duty to teach. In learning strategy, teacher teaches and students learn is two process or different way. It is mean when teacher teaches, is not mean the students learn. When students do many activities, it is actually time to students learn.

Task Analysis

In a workshop which was presented by parents of students, the Trainer asked them about memories that they remembered when they were students. “Who still remember about pohon factor material?” asked the trainer. Almost all member of workshop raised their hand. Then, the trainer gave one number to be a parted became pohon factor. They were compact answered and it was true. The different situation happen when the trainer continued to ask, “What for actually we calculate that pohon factor?” The room became silent then, noisy sound was heard nd finally they compact answered “we do not know the purpose to learn pohon factor. The trainer repeated again the same question but, with different topic. Finally, just one member of workshop raised her hand and she was brave to answer, “Last time I can not do it, and now I forget.” Thin honest answer made audience laugh.

Why it happened? The answer is the form of giving material mostly using task analysis. It is mean the delivery of material to students directly enter to the material. Teacher is not usual to explain the use of material for application in daily activity of students. Properly, beneficiates in daily activity is explained in early teaching.

Tracking

What is tracking? Tracking is student grouping in some classes based on their cognitive. Output tracking is class division become class for smart students and stupid students. This virus is one of virus that happens almost in all school especially in favorite school. Other example of this concept is acceleration class. It is special class which has different servicing than regular class. It is usually has little students, the classroom is very comfortable, it is using AC, it has LCD projector, it is taught by special teacher, and other freshness that do not happen in regular class. The tuition of this class is also different. Thomas Armstrong in his book “Awakening Genius in the Classroom” had done deep observation about this special class. Actually, the development of psychology and competency of smart students who enter in acceleration class have risk n decrease their intelligences. Competitions in cognitive side that happen in this class can create tension and imprison students in dichotomy lose or win. Students who left one step by her/his friends can get frustration and depression. This negative risk is very bad for the development of education psychology of those students.

It is very different with the form of heterogenic class. That is class which consists of students who have different level in cognitive competence. Almost all students in heterogenic class have same style in learn, not in their intelligence. Students who have high cognitive competence, when they are in heterogenic class they can show their development that always increase. This class does not show indication of level tension and over competition which is like in acceleration class.

By: Zulfa Nabila