pra Observation1 (eng version)
Classroom Observation: First Observation of Instructional Process of Factor in
SDN 179 Grade 4 and measurement in MIN 1 Grade 2
Achmad Dhany Fachrudin1
International Master Program on Mathematics Education (Impome 2012), Sriwijaya University
Email: Dh4nyy@gmail.com
I.
Introduction
Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) is considered to be a promising approach
in teaching and learning Mathematics, especially for elementary school where a lot of
mathematical concept was firstly introduced. This led us (my friends, Ummy Salmah
and Sitti Busyrah, and I) to do some observations in Elementary School in order to
know and understand how the teaching and learning process is taking place where RME
is applied. Two of those schools are elementary school state of Palembang 179 (it is
called as SDN 179 in this paper) and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah State of Palembang 1 (it
called as MIN 1 in this paper) which has partnership with Sriwijaya University in
implementing RME. We will observe in a class of SDN 179 in certain grade also in
MIN 1. This is the first report of our first observation which is contained of brief
description about pre observation and observation process in our first visit in those
schools. Then, we will describe about how RME is aplied during teaching and learning
process in those class. Also we will disscuss about problems occur in the class.
II. Pre Observation
This is an activity that we have done before doing the observation in teaching and
learning process in 4th grade of SDN 179 and 2nd grade of MIN 1. This activity was
done on Tuesday, 23rd October 2012 with aims to introduce our self and explain about
the purpose of our observation, ask permission to headmaster and teacher whose class
will be observed, discuss briefly about RME and how it applied there, and make an
appointment related to schedule of our first observation.
SDN 179 which is located in Jalan Letnan Simanjuntak Kel. Pahlawan Km. 3,5
cooperate with Unsri to disseminate and implement RME. Bu Intan, the teacher of 4th
grade in SDN 179, who is our partner during the observation also vice headmaster of
this school. She has been implementing RME since four years ago, and she realized that
through RME, pupils become more active and enthusiastic in learning Mathematics.
However, there many difficulties are faced in implementing RME, for instance, lack of
resources or RME book for teacher that can help her in implement RME in her class she
said. Also, she acknowledges that she did not always use RME in Mathematics teaching
and learning process because of those difficulties while MIN 1 which is located on Jalan
Jend. Sudirman Km. 4 also has a corporation with Unsri in order to apply RME
approach there. Bu Tartilah is the teacher of 2nd grade and our partner during our
observation in MIN 1. She also said that RME is a good approach for better learning.
Almost of her opinion for RME is the same with Bu Intan.
Finally, we made an agreement that our observation would be conducted on the
next day, Wednesday, 24th of October, 2012 at 7.20 am in class 4D in SDN 179 while
on Wednesday, 31th of October, 2012 at 11.55 am in MIN 1.
III. Observation activity
Observation was done by Achmad Dhany Fachrudin, Ummy Salmah, and Sitti
Busyrah Muchsin on Wednesday, 24th of October in SDN 179 while on Wednesday
31st of October, 2012 in MIN 1. We did the observation in class 4D that contain of 28
pupils that is thought by Bu Intan and in class 2 that contain of 33 pupils which is
thought by Bu Tartilah. This activity’s purpose is to know pupils activity and problem
faced in learning process. In this first observation, generally, observers watched, took
some pictures and write down what happen which is important from beginning until end
of the teaching and learning process. In order to help observers’ activity, camera pocket
was used to take pictures and video during the learning process in class. Further, I will
describe the detail of teaching and learning process, findings and problems, and
conclusion.
1. Teaching and Learning in SDN 179 Palembang
Material that was going to be taught by teacher on that day was factor. Firstly,
teacher asked 12 of the pupils to come to in front of the class, while others were
still on their desk. Three of them became leader and every leader had three
members. Next, teacher asked them and asked them to distribute those candies to
their member. Then teacher gave to the leaders another amount of the candies and
asked them to distribute again. This activity was done in order to teach about
concept of factor to the pupils
Next, teacher divided the pupils into several groups and asked each groups to
do the same activity as before but with different amounts of candies, that was 20
candies for each groups and teacher gave guidance to the groups which met
difficulty. There were some group discussions occurred among pupils (Picture).
After finishing the task, each group was asked to write their answer in the
whiteboard (Picture). Teacher checked and ensured that pupils answered correctly
and guided the pupils to conclude the meaning of factor according to the activities
those they had done.
Picture 1. Pupils worked togather with their group with teacher’s guidance
Picture 2. A pupil answer the questions in front of the class
For the last of teaching and learning process, teacher gave an individual
exercise. The time given was the rest of the mathematics learning time. However
not all of them could finish all of the questions. Even there was a pupil cried
because he could not finish his exercise.
2. Teaching and Learning in MIN 1 Palembang
Before teaching and learning process was strarted, teachers helped pupils to
prepare their desks, chairs and books would be used. Next teacher (Bu Tartilah)
and her partner (in MIN 1 there are two teachers who teach in 2nd grade) started
the class. The material was about measurement with non standard and standard
measuring tools.
Teaching and learning activity was begun with teachers’ explanation about
the material. Another teacher writes the explanation in the whiteboard. Then, one
pupil was asked to go to in front of the class to measure a chair and desk using his
foot and hand. Then teacher asked him to measure again using a ruler. By giving
some questions, teachers ensured pupils’ understanding. After that teachers
repeated this activity for another voluntary pupil.
Picture 3. Pupil measured using standard and standard measurement tool.
Finally, teachers asked pupils to do an exercise individually. In this activity,
we noticed that there were a lot of pupils were still confused about the material.
Consequently, most of pupils cannot finish their exercise.
Picture 4. Pupil was doing an exercise.
IV. Discussion and conclusion
In general, the teaching and learning process in SDN 179 had used RME
approach although this was not a perfect RME. We suppose that it was caused by
teacher did not well prepare the lesson plan and model used in the class. Despite
teacher’s class management was good enough; there were some pupils that did not
focus during teaching and learning process. They chatted with their friends instead
of listening to the teacher, but this was rarely occurred. On the other hand, in MIN
1 still used traditional method which is teacher give explanation, example and
exercise. Despite the example used is a contextual, after doing the observation and
discussion we conclude that the teacher did not use RME approach.
In conclusion, teaching and learning process in class 4D SDN 179 on
Wednesday, 23rd of October 2012, was good enough. However it still needed
some improvement especially related to model used and teacher’s attention to the
pupils because we found that some pupils still had problem while the learning
process in MIN 1 was not quite good and just used the traditional method. Also,
the teacher’s understanding in RME is needed to be improved.
SDN 179 Grade 4 and measurement in MIN 1 Grade 2
Achmad Dhany Fachrudin1
International Master Program on Mathematics Education (Impome 2012), Sriwijaya University
Email: Dh4nyy@gmail.com
I.
Introduction
Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) is considered to be a promising approach
in teaching and learning Mathematics, especially for elementary school where a lot of
mathematical concept was firstly introduced. This led us (my friends, Ummy Salmah
and Sitti Busyrah, and I) to do some observations in Elementary School in order to
know and understand how the teaching and learning process is taking place where RME
is applied. Two of those schools are elementary school state of Palembang 179 (it is
called as SDN 179 in this paper) and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah State of Palembang 1 (it
called as MIN 1 in this paper) which has partnership with Sriwijaya University in
implementing RME. We will observe in a class of SDN 179 in certain grade also in
MIN 1. This is the first report of our first observation which is contained of brief
description about pre observation and observation process in our first visit in those
schools. Then, we will describe about how RME is aplied during teaching and learning
process in those class. Also we will disscuss about problems occur in the class.
II. Pre Observation
This is an activity that we have done before doing the observation in teaching and
learning process in 4th grade of SDN 179 and 2nd grade of MIN 1. This activity was
done on Tuesday, 23rd October 2012 with aims to introduce our self and explain about
the purpose of our observation, ask permission to headmaster and teacher whose class
will be observed, discuss briefly about RME and how it applied there, and make an
appointment related to schedule of our first observation.
SDN 179 which is located in Jalan Letnan Simanjuntak Kel. Pahlawan Km. 3,5
cooperate with Unsri to disseminate and implement RME. Bu Intan, the teacher of 4th
grade in SDN 179, who is our partner during the observation also vice headmaster of
this school. She has been implementing RME since four years ago, and she realized that
through RME, pupils become more active and enthusiastic in learning Mathematics.
However, there many difficulties are faced in implementing RME, for instance, lack of
resources or RME book for teacher that can help her in implement RME in her class she
said. Also, she acknowledges that she did not always use RME in Mathematics teaching
and learning process because of those difficulties while MIN 1 which is located on Jalan
Jend. Sudirman Km. 4 also has a corporation with Unsri in order to apply RME
approach there. Bu Tartilah is the teacher of 2nd grade and our partner during our
observation in MIN 1. She also said that RME is a good approach for better learning.
Almost of her opinion for RME is the same with Bu Intan.
Finally, we made an agreement that our observation would be conducted on the
next day, Wednesday, 24th of October, 2012 at 7.20 am in class 4D in SDN 179 while
on Wednesday, 31th of October, 2012 at 11.55 am in MIN 1.
III. Observation activity
Observation was done by Achmad Dhany Fachrudin, Ummy Salmah, and Sitti
Busyrah Muchsin on Wednesday, 24th of October in SDN 179 while on Wednesday
31st of October, 2012 in MIN 1. We did the observation in class 4D that contain of 28
pupils that is thought by Bu Intan and in class 2 that contain of 33 pupils which is
thought by Bu Tartilah. This activity’s purpose is to know pupils activity and problem
faced in learning process. In this first observation, generally, observers watched, took
some pictures and write down what happen which is important from beginning until end
of the teaching and learning process. In order to help observers’ activity, camera pocket
was used to take pictures and video during the learning process in class. Further, I will
describe the detail of teaching and learning process, findings and problems, and
conclusion.
1. Teaching and Learning in SDN 179 Palembang
Material that was going to be taught by teacher on that day was factor. Firstly,
teacher asked 12 of the pupils to come to in front of the class, while others were
still on their desk. Three of them became leader and every leader had three
members. Next, teacher asked them and asked them to distribute those candies to
their member. Then teacher gave to the leaders another amount of the candies and
asked them to distribute again. This activity was done in order to teach about
concept of factor to the pupils
Next, teacher divided the pupils into several groups and asked each groups to
do the same activity as before but with different amounts of candies, that was 20
candies for each groups and teacher gave guidance to the groups which met
difficulty. There were some group discussions occurred among pupils (Picture).
After finishing the task, each group was asked to write their answer in the
whiteboard (Picture). Teacher checked and ensured that pupils answered correctly
and guided the pupils to conclude the meaning of factor according to the activities
those they had done.
Picture 1. Pupils worked togather with their group with teacher’s guidance
Picture 2. A pupil answer the questions in front of the class
For the last of teaching and learning process, teacher gave an individual
exercise. The time given was the rest of the mathematics learning time. However
not all of them could finish all of the questions. Even there was a pupil cried
because he could not finish his exercise.
2. Teaching and Learning in MIN 1 Palembang
Before teaching and learning process was strarted, teachers helped pupils to
prepare their desks, chairs and books would be used. Next teacher (Bu Tartilah)
and her partner (in MIN 1 there are two teachers who teach in 2nd grade) started
the class. The material was about measurement with non standard and standard
measuring tools.
Teaching and learning activity was begun with teachers’ explanation about
the material. Another teacher writes the explanation in the whiteboard. Then, one
pupil was asked to go to in front of the class to measure a chair and desk using his
foot and hand. Then teacher asked him to measure again using a ruler. By giving
some questions, teachers ensured pupils’ understanding. After that teachers
repeated this activity for another voluntary pupil.
Picture 3. Pupil measured using standard and standard measurement tool.
Finally, teachers asked pupils to do an exercise individually. In this activity,
we noticed that there were a lot of pupils were still confused about the material.
Consequently, most of pupils cannot finish their exercise.
Picture 4. Pupil was doing an exercise.
IV. Discussion and conclusion
In general, the teaching and learning process in SDN 179 had used RME
approach although this was not a perfect RME. We suppose that it was caused by
teacher did not well prepare the lesson plan and model used in the class. Despite
teacher’s class management was good enough; there were some pupils that did not
focus during teaching and learning process. They chatted with their friends instead
of listening to the teacher, but this was rarely occurred. On the other hand, in MIN
1 still used traditional method which is teacher give explanation, example and
exercise. Despite the example used is a contextual, after doing the observation and
discussion we conclude that the teacher did not use RME approach.
In conclusion, teaching and learning process in class 4D SDN 179 on
Wednesday, 23rd of October 2012, was good enough. However it still needed
some improvement especially related to model used and teacher’s attention to the
pupils because we found that some pupils still had problem while the learning
process in MIN 1 was not quite good and just used the traditional method. Also,
the teacher’s understanding in RME is needed to be improved.