The New Curriculum Needs to Prove Its Promises

            Finally the new curriculum 2013 has now applied. When it was still a curriculum plan (it was already created), it caused pros and cons from many scientist, about its lack in establishing students’ competence and creativity, its subject reduction, and the language that is used in it. Professor of mathematical sciences Institut Teknologi Bandung, Iwan Pranoto, said the curriculum is a legal document and manuscript culture of the nation. The reason is that the curriculum contains projections of future human that will be created through education. He regrets that after checking the curriculum documents, it will only produce the obedient students instead of the students who are innovative. He commented about the base competencies from math lessons for class I to VI. Everything is begun with the sentence "shows submissive behavior on the rules ..." which means that students have to obey orders. In fact, he said, Math allows students to find their own best way to answer the question. From what Iwan said, the new curriculum seems like bounding the students’ creativity, especially for math subject.

            On the other hand, education principle, Muhammad Nuh always tried to convince people to just believe in the new curiculum. He claimed that the new curriculum that is being ripped by his team is able to create the innovative, creative and tolerant student. "The design is made to create the generations who will be able to face the life that is getting hard. Also, their soul will be more tolerant because they used to know there is more than one answer for a problem. So when they get adult, they will not be easy fanatical toward the truth in mind, it is important for a diverse country like " Nuh said that to approximately 4.000 teachers of Muhammadiyah School from D.I Yogyakarta and west Java in Muhammadiyah University in Yogyakarta on last Wednesday, January 30 2013. That is surely right the students are going to be tolerant, but there is still no obvious indication that the students will be creative and innovative.

            In the new curriculum some of the objects are eliminated such as Science and Social subject for elementary school. There used to be 10 subjects, but now they are only six, PKN, PAI, Bahasa Indonesia, and Math for the main subject, and then Sport and Art. Nuh defended that the subject like science and social studies are not eliminated, but they are going to be attach in another subject as an integrative thematic. It means both subjects are not a separated subject, but merged into the Indonesian subjects. “For example, when discussing the river in Bahasa Indonesia, on science side there is material about rainfall, the environment, and so on. For the social studies is about the river in the form of benefits for the community, the need to preserve the environment, and so on” He said. For many people, this merging step leads to confusion. It is better if Bahasa Indonesia material enter into science and social studies subjects or all subjects. Bahasa Indonesia would be more flexible to be integrated into any theme. If Bahasa Indonesia was merged into other subjects, it would be wrong because it would be contrary to the Law of National Education System. In rule legislation was mentioned that Indonesian should stand as a separate subject in the curriculum. As a result, conceptual knowledge about science and social studies will not be understood maximally by most students. Bahasa Indonesia serves as a binder or a subject guide related subjects (language across the curriculum).

            There have been many articles that criticized about the previous curriculum (KTSP) about its lack in building the character of student. Those articles mostly stated that the students are academically matured, but mentally not. That might be the reason why the new curriculum tends to focus on moral values in order to build student’s character. Related to moral values, Iwan concerned language used in the 2013 curriculum as encountered in class XI economics lesson, the basic competencies 1 sounds "accounting activities based on the teachings of religious affiliation." Students even invited to make allegations with the possibility of a sentence like "what if ..." and "what if not ..." then he added “From this it can be seen, as if the kind of human who wants to be formed through 2013 Curriculum”. Iwan’s view actually has a point, since the aim of the new curriculum is on character building, but then it seems to have an aim to create students who are doubtful.

            Looking at the pros and cons, it is worth if the new curriculum was piloted in a number of schools before the implementation. It is to show people that the new curriculum is worth a trust.  However, it has been applied widely as the new curriculum in Indonesia. It seem like everyone should be just calm down, believe and wait to see the things that are promised by the government through the new curriculum. We hope one day at the time, we will see that it was wrong to have hesitation on it.

Recources:

Rahardjo, D. (2012). Kurikulum membentuk siswa patuh. Retrieved from http://edukasi.kompas.com/read/2013/03/13/21010261/Kurikulum.Membentuk.Siswa.Patuh

Pendapat para ilmuwan mengenai perubahan kurikulum. Retrieved from http://belajarmenjadilebih.wordpress.com/tag/pendapat-para-ilmuan-mengenai-perubahan-kurikulum/

Roszandi, D. (2013). Kurikulum 2013 diklaim bikin siswa kreatif. Retrieved from http://www.tempo.co/read/news/2013/02/01/079458352/Kurikulum-2013-Diklaim-Bikin-Siswa-Kreatif

Lukmansyah, O. (2013. Kurikulum 2013 akan berisi pendidikan anti narkoba. Retrieved from http://www.tempo.co/read/news/2013/02/01/173458367/Kurikulum-2013-Akan-Berisi-Pendidikan-Anti-Narkoba

Teacher: an individual, a Professional, a Community Member.

The Ron Clark Story Movie Review

The Ron Clark Story movie is the movie that tells about teacher from a small town, who moves to New York City and tries to make a difference in the lives of his minority students to show their real potential. The character of Ron Clark in the movie is a person who has his own principle and passion of helping others. It can be seen when he decides to leave his comfort zone to try something new in helping people in need. Clark is a risk-taker and has confidence to make things work. He chooses the messy class with problematic students instead of the good one. It shows that Clark is a confident person and also a risk-taker. His confidence can be seen when the woman tell him that he will not be able to teach those kind of students, but he says “they are gonna love me”.

In doing his profession as a teacher he is a patient teacher and he is always ready to face any kind of condition. For example in the scene when the school head master offers him to start working in the next two days but he says “i’m ready now”. His patience can be seen from the scenes when he keeps trying to make the class more discipline by using many ways, even the way that force him to act like a kid. He is also a responsible person, shown when he gets sick and he cannot come to the class, but he records himself explaining the material through the video recording that can keep his students learning. He even comes to students’ house to find out about their problem and tries to help them.

As a community member, he is a very kind person. He is so helpful. I actually do not really know about how Ron Clark is as a community member, because the movie does not really shows how he is like as a community member. However, I think he is a kind person. I saw in the scene when he interacts with other people, he speaks or acts nicely. For example, when he meets the lady whe the rain falls, he tries to give her the umbrella. I honestly forgot about another scene tha shows him a good person as a community member, but I think from the way he treats his students, that is what he is in community too.

If I were him, I would probably not as patient as him in facing the students like in the movie. It is lucky for him because when he almost gives up, there is a push not to give up from someone whom he interest with. I would probably give up and nobody pushes me and gives me a spirit to do a bigger effort, then I would finally end up with nothing. So, in doing something, someone need a support from somebody else to prevent giving up. 

For me, to conquer someone, we have to win their heart first, and then they will follow our direction. If I were the main character in the movie, I would keep doing something nice that can win students’ heart first. One of the strategies that I would probably do is making the students believe in their capability. For example, price them if they do something positive to build their confidence and self esteem. It is because I believe that reinforcement as Skinner stated in his behaviorism theory is one of good ways to do in the class.

The main characteristic that the teacher should have for me is passion. By having passion someone will build his/her confidence, patience, and hard work to reach the goal, and that is for teacher too.

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Respon Terhadap Perkuliahan Bersama Ibu Saras Dewi dan Deskripsi Dari Keimanan Saya Kepada Tuhan

            Pada kuliah umum Humanistic Studies lalu, saya belajar mengenai hal-hal unik dan menarik bersama Ibu Saras Dewi mengenai filsafat dan agama serta bagaimana kedua hal tersebut berkaitan satu sama lainnya. Dari perkuliahan tersebut saya menangkap bahwa agama dan filsafat adalah dua hal yang berbeda namun sering disangkut pautkan. Agama atau religion berasal dari kata religionem dari bahasa Latin yang berarti suatu kepaTuhan atau ketundukan. Berarti agama lebih kepada hal-hal mengenai kepaTuhan dan ketundukan manusia terhadap sesuatu. Sedangkan filsafat yang berarti kecintaan terhadap kebijaksaan dimana lebih menekankan kepada kebebasan manusia untuk berfikir kritis dan bertanya. Ibu Saras Dewi juga menjelaskan tentang filsuf-filsuf terdahulu yang dikenal akan pemikiran-pemikirannya dalam dunia filsafat yang berkaitan dengan agama. Hasil pemikiran para filsuf tersebut justru memicu pertentangan dari para aktifis agama pada masa itu. Misalnnya pada abad pertengahan, Boethious, filsuf Romawi yang dihukum mati dikarenakan pemikiran filsafatnnya. Ia dianggap pengkhianat agama dan diasingkan ketempat pengasingan hingga akhirnya dihukum mati.

            Setelah saya mendengarkan dan memahami apa itu filsafat dan filsuf-filsuf yang ada di dinia ini, timbul pertanyaan yakni, mungkinkan seseorang menjadi seorang filsuf dikarenakan keengganannya dalam melaksanakan ketentuan-ketentuan agama beserta ritual-ritual yang ada di dalamnya. Mereka para filsuf adalah orang-orang yang selalu berfikir kritis dan akhirnya bertanya tanya mengenai alam semesta, manusia, bahkan tentang keberadaan Tuhan. Apakah semua pemikirannya itu benar-benar berasal dari kekritisan dia dalam berfikir atau dari kemalasan yang pada akhirnnya ia ingin mencari pembenaran dengan terus mempertanyakan segalanya. Saya mendapat jawaban dari Ibu Saras bahwa memang kemungkinan seperti itu ada terutama dijaman sekarang. Namun ia pun menambahkan bahwa filsuf-filsuf terdahulu salah satunya Ibnu Arabi, adalah filsuf yang sangat taat menjalankan perintah agama.

            dari apa yang saya dapat dari perkuliahan bersama Ibu Saras tersebut, tersimpulkan bahwa tidak mudah bagi manusia untuk tunduk dan patuh begitu saja dengan ketentuan-ketentuan agama yang dipeluknya. Mempercayai keberadaan Tuhan pun belum tentu manusia mau melaksanakan perintahNya. Maka dari itu, cara manusia mengimani dan beribadah kepada Tuhanpun akan berbeda. Saya, percaya akan adanya Tuhan. Apa yang ada di alam semesta ini beserta yang terjadi di dalamnya, pastilah ada penciptanya, atau jika ini terjadi begitu saja, pasti ada yang mengkehendakinya untuk terjadi. Saya yakin dan percaya bahwa yang menciptakan dan menghendaki semua ini ada dan menghendaki semua ini terjadi adalah Tuhan. Serta yakin bahwa saya diciptakan untuk beribadah kepadaNya. Saya terlahir dari keluarga muslim. Hal tetsebut membuat saya mempercayai keberadaan Tuhan serta menyembahnya sebagaimana yang ditanamkan kedua orangtua sayakepada saya. Mengimani keberadaan Tuhan saya wujudkan dengan cara menjalankan perintah agama yang saya yakini sebagai perintah Tuhan. Saya senantiasa melaksanakan amalan-amalan wajib seperti Sholat, membayar zakat, berpuasa serta menjadikan Tuhan sebagai tempat berlindung, mengadu dan meminta.

            Selain amalan-amalan yang bersifat jasmani seperti yang telah saya ungkapkan tadi, saya pun mewujudkan keimanan saya terhadap keberadaan Tuhan secara rohani. saya meyakini bahwa segala hal yang telah terjadi dan yang akan terjadi semata-mata adalah kehendak Tuhan. Saya juga meyakini bahwa tuham dapat mendengar setiap doa yangdipanjatkan seluruh hambaNya serta dapat melihat apapun yang hambaNya lalukan.

            Saya meyakini bahwa Tuhan itu berada di atas. Bukan berarti di atas bumi, dan bukan juga di atas langit, tapi di atas segalanya. Itu berarti saya memposisikan Tuhan berada di atas apapun selainNya, karena bagi saya Tuhan itu maha tinggi dan tidak ada satu hal pun yang setara denganNya. Itulah sebabnya saya tidak setuju jika seseorang berkata bahwa Tuhan itu ada di mana-mana. Yang saya pahami dari “ada di mana-mana” adalah bisa di mana saja, bisa di jalan, di rumah, di kampus, bahkan di got, yaitu tempat-tempat spesifik yang bisa saja adalah tempat yang tidak pantas untuk memposisikan Tuhan. Maka saya lebih memilih mengatakan bahwa Tuhan itu berada di atas, yaitu di atas ArshNya. Dengan berada di atas (segalanya), saya meyakini bahwa Tuhan dapat mengetahui secara terperinci apa yang tengah terjadi di setiap bagian alam semesta termasuk segala yang dilakukan hamba-hambannya. Tentu saya memiliki banyak pertanyaan untuk semua itu, namun tidak ingin saya pertanyakan. Saya menyakini itu semua tanpa mengharuskan segalanya harus seiring dengan logika dan pemikiran saya. Itu semua dikarenakan saya  percaya bahwa logika manusia diciptakan terbatas oleh tuhan, yakni tidak dapat mencapai keagungan dan segala kemaha-annya Tuhan.

-Mamal-

Identity : The Meaning of My Name

Identity : The Meaning of My Name

            Human is human, the living creature with a lot of uniqueness that lives in society. However, there is something in human that becomes differentiator of a man to another. It is called identity. Every human being has the identity, name, address, age, ethnic, etc. From those, the identity that is often used and commonly important is name. Name is simply used to call someone for example. If we know the person that we going to call, we will call his or her name rather that we call them by using their adress, id number, etc.

            Sometimes a name is not only given as one of  identity for someone, but also as prayer of parents. Parents often put the name of their child with a set of hopes contained in a name. For example a girl names Nur or Nura, in arabic it means light. So the parents hope that their daughter will be a woman who brightens life. However, there are many of existing names that do not have meaning.

            My name, Rizki Amalia Witri, is contained hopes and prayers. Rizki Amalia Witri is taken from arabic words and my father’s last name. Rizki means rejeki or sustenance, and Amalia is from amalan means the deeds or practice. So, Rizki Amalia is the practiced sustenance, well, ya approximately it is. Then Witri was taken from my father’s last name, Witarsa, and Putri (a daughter of). So, witarsa Putri means the daughter of Witarsa. Yet, before my parents expected or hoped something from me, I am obviously the sustenance for them.

            Now, this name has been in me for 20 years. Well, yes Rizki sounds like a boy’s name but I feel comfort to bear it. I hope my parents’ hopes and expectation of me can be fulfilled and I can make them proud of me. If I had a chance to change my name, I would have to say that i do not want to change it, but if I had to, I would make it Lutfiana Witri almost the same with my sister’s name Yusiana Witri. I do not know the meaning of it,  but it sounds good. :D

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My Expectation of Humanistic Studies Course & The Reflection of “what do you think about ‘The other’?”

My Expectation

          I was always wondering about what Humanistic Studies (HS) course would be like. When I asked my seniors about this course, they told me like “that is a very unique course. You have to have a strong faith joining that”. That statement made me more curious about this course. Then finally we (me and this course) meet in this third semester. They are right; this course is very unique and interesting. I am going to learn about human, society, and else that related to that. I expect that I can follow the whole thing in this course and prevent not to be left behind. Also I hope that I will always have faith in learning so many things that I never learn before, for example the different culture, different language and even the different religion. I hope those will not make me lose my identity but make me to be multicultural.

My response toward “The Other”

          The first meeting of Humanistic Studies course was really impressive. We (the lecture, my class mates and I) discussed about what multicultural is and the character of person who is multicultural. Talking about multiculturalism we absolutely will find about the differences of human religion, background ethnic, language, skin tone, etc.

          Being multiculturalism is about having a tolerant toward “the other” people who have a different religion, different background ethnic, different language, and the other differences. What I think about “the other” is a really complex thought. I do give respect to those who have any difference with me and I do not treat them negatively because of it. I regard the difference as a natural, and one of the uniqueness of life. Even though the discomfort comes when (for example) I am in a situation that at that time there are only strangers around me with a different look or a different way of speaking, even skin tone. That is actually the time when my multiculturality is tested.

          In fact the differences often cause cleavage or split-up. It because each individual or one side feels better than others. The split-up can be from the small thing and simple until the big thing and complex. For example, the feud between friends due to differences of opinion, the nature and habits of life until inter-state wars because of religious differences. Again, this is where people tested how to live at peace with distinction.

          In my daily life, I admit that I prefer to get along with friends who are more alike with me (in appearance, taste, hobby, and attitude) than those who are totally different. That is because the comfort that I feel when I am hanging out and goofing with those who have hobby, taste of food and outfit, and sense of humor almost the same with me. That does not mean that I do not give respect to friends who come from different city, or friends who have different religion. I do not demand them to follow what I am or to be the same with me, but as long as they are fun, and give respect to me, I will always be good and nice to them. The only thing that can bother me is those who cannot give respect me and cannot accept who I am.

-Mamal-

         

Mengajar Bukan Berarti Menghajar

Rizki Amalia Witri |
FUNGSI guru kini bukan lagi untuk digugu dan ditiru melainkan untuk ditakuti. Para guru ringan tangan itulah yang berhasil menciptakan citra tersebut, dimana tangan dan penunjuk papan tulis bukan lagi alat untuk mengajar, melainkan untuk menghajar. Seperti banyak kasus penganiayaan yang dilakukan para guru terhadap muridnya yang masih sering hingga saat ini. Seperti yang terjadi di Banyumas, Jawa Tengah, Jumat, 24 Februari lalu, seorang guru diduga menendang dan memukul siswanya di kantin, dikarenakan siswa tersebut tidak mengikuti pelajaran tambahan. Kejadian itu menimpa Adam Bisno, murid kelas 9 di SMP Negeri 2 Baturraden Banyumas.
Alasannya guru menghukum dengan menyakiti murin secara fisik adalah agar memberi efek jera terhadap murid-murid yang melanggar tatatertib. Namun sangat disayangkan, hukuman fisik yang diberikan tidak hanya meninggalkan bekas luka ditubuh namun juga meninggalkan efek buruk secara psikologis. Pukulan, cambukan atau cubitan yang diberikan guru memicu anak untuk memberontak dan berbohong. Mengapa berbohong? Ya, si anak akan berbohong karena untuk menghindari hukuman berat yang akan menimpanya apabila diketahui telah melanggar peraturan. Selain itu, memberikan pukulan hingga meninggalkan bekas luka akan mengakibatkan si murid dendam terhadap gurunya. Sudah tentu secara psikologis itu adalah sebuah penyimpangan.
Sebuah studi berjudul Issue of Child Development yang dilakukan oleh Victoria Talwar dan Kang Lee pada bulan November 2011 lalu menjelaskan bahwa anak-anak usia 3-4 tahun yang tumbuh dalam lingkungan yang penuh dengan hukuman akan membuat mereka lebih sering berbohong. Studi ini disusun berdasarkan penelitian yang melibatkan murid sekolah di Afrika Barat, negara yang memiliki sejarah dimana para murid mengalami kekerasan dan hukuman fisik. Penelitian ini memilih sampel dari sekolah swasta yang masih menerapkan hukuman fisik, dan sekolah swasta lain yang tidak menggunakan hukuman fisik. Hasilnya, di sekolah swasta yang menerapkan sistem hukuman fisik, sekitar 90 % anak berbohong dan mengatakan bahwa mereka tidak melihat mainan tersebut. Sedangkan di sekolah yang tidak menggunakan hukuman fisik ini, hanya setengah dari mereka yang berbohong.
Memang benar apabila anak dianggap berperilaku buruk dan tidak mengindahkan larangan guru, hukuman pantas diberikan sebagai bagian dari pendidikan anak. Memberikan sangsi anak agar menjadi jera terhadap perilaku buruk mereka merupakan salah satu solusi yang bisa dilakukan para guru. Tetapi hukuman tidak harus bersifat fisik atau kekerasan seperti pukulan, cubitan, cambukan atau hal lain yang malah membuat anak bertindak lebih kasar dan berbohong untuk menghindari hukuman. Hukuman dapat kita berikan melalui penguatan negatif yang kita berikan. Teori bihaviorisme Skinner menyatakan bahwa di dalam pembelajaran terdapat pengkondisian operan. Pengkondisian operan adalah sebentuk pembelajaran dimana konsekuensi-konsekuensi dari prilaku menghasilkan perubahan dalam probabilitas prilaku itu akan diulangi (Margaret E. Bell Gredler, hlm 122). Teori tersebut juga menyatakan bahwa pembelajaran pada anak terdapat 2 unsur penting yaitu hukuman dan penguatan. Hukuman fisiklah yang sangat dihindari Skinner dalam metodenya. Sebagai pengganti untuk mengatasi siswa-siswa yaitu dengan penguatan, baik positif maupun negatif.
Penguatan positif betujuan meningkatkan sisi baik yang siswa berikan. Misalnya siswa tepat waktu atau dengan baik telah mengumpulkan tugas, maka bentuk-bentuk penguatan positif yang diberikan diantaranya berupa hadiah (permen, kado, makanan, dll), perilaku (senyum, menganggukkan kepala untuk menyetujui, bertepuk tangan, mengacungkan jempol), atau penghargaan (nilai A, Juara 1 dsb). Dengan begitu siswa akan terangsang untuk melakukannya lagi. Namun apabila siswa melanggar peraturan, bertindak nakal atau tidak mengerjakan tugas, para guru dapat memberikan penguatan negatif. Bentuk-bentuk penguatan negatif antara lain: menunda/tidak memberi penghargaan, memberikan tugas tambahan atau menunjukkan perilaku tidak senang (menggeleng, kening berkerut, muka kecewa dll). Dengan memberikan respon yang tidak menyenangkan tersebut akan menyadarkan siswa untuk tidak melakukan kenakalan atau pelanggaran lagi.
Kita para guru ingin menciptakan generasi pembangun yang jujur bukan generasi pemberontak dan pembohong. Maka cara kita menghakimi mereka pun haruslah benar-benar membuat mereka sadar akan kesalahan mereka dan ingin memperbaikinya. Sangatlah tidak tidak pantas  kalau perlakuan yang kita berikan hanyalah akan menyimpan dendam di dalam diri mereka dan mencetak mereka menjadi pemberontak sejati.
*Mahasiswa Sampoerna School of Education

Diambil dari :
SuaraJakarta.com

Mamal's ICT projeect - The Movie of The Movie

This is my ICT movie project everyone. Just enjoy it..... muah :*