About School Mathematics

    Monday, march 4th, 2013 when English lesson came, as usual we do the test. The result of the test was very disappointing because the result was not better than before. But this will be a motivation for us to study hard.

   After the test and our lecturer, Prof. Dr. Marsigit, M. A. write our mark, he ask we to write some question. The questions are written in paper where we have written the reflection. The first question is, Why the sky is blue? And the answer, according to our grandmother or grandfather sky is ‘biru’, according to English sky is blue, then also different according to Chinese. So the opinion about sky is different according to different state. This question was in relation with Why you like writing? How the student study mathematics in order to they like mathematics, etc. So this question was relative because each people have different perception.

   Along time, when our lecturer was student, he thought that mathematics was only one. But something changed his perception about mathematics. It happened when he finished his study. Now his perception is mathematics is not only one, total of mathematics same as total people who think it. Perception of mathematics is only one is angle perception who was on the top of iceberg. But this perception was meaningless for people who study hard to study mathematics. This people is people who was on the valley of the iceberg. This people feel how difficult to climb the iceberg, so many obstacles that must be solved. This people were everywhere, we as students are belong to that people.  The  fact,  should we give more attention for the people who was in the valley. According to my lecturer , basicly, there are two categories of mathematics:

1.    Formal mathematics (axiomatic mathematics and pure mathematics)
2.    Down the iceberg(mountain) to help the people study mathematics.

    So, mathematics is adapt. There was stupid people if they not adapt. According to social science, the most clever people is people who can adapt. If we meet elementary students, and teach them use mathematics university, so we was the most stupid people. To teach elementary student we need various method. Method that make the student happy study mathematics. So live clever is we can solve the kind of problem with adjust the situation and condition. Javanese people was known as polite people, known as their polite. Politely was the highest science. To study mathematics, teacher must be polite to the students, and courteous towards mathematics. Likewise, parents should also be polite to the younger, rather than forcing them to follow the will of parents. It's called the power play and it will cause the pride of someone to others. Just as it says above that the definition of pure mathematics is not useful for small children. For them, mathematics is an activity, activity to looking for a relation, looking for pattern, solve the problem, activity to investigate, observation, etc. so can we said that mathematics is to communicate. That is cause we meet the curriculum where people who make it don’t understand about mathematics. They know mathematics is only one, so make many problem in education and this program will take many victims. Then there are rebellion to mathematics. People who study mathematics must not adjust the mathematical thinking scientists. Because mathematics is private property so that each person is free to learn mathematics as they wish and use their own way. So, once again mathematics is to communicate. Then the best method of study mathematics is like a plant. Plant study how the way in order they still alive when sunless, and water shortages. So the lesson is best to replicate what is created by God. Not just for learning mathematics but also learning English .Step by step people try to understand own feeling and own mind. They  must know because it is their live. No one can help except their own. This is live. This as problem day and night. Problem day and night are different like problem pure mathematics and mathematics education. In order to easy study mathematics, we must make a friendship. So that we must make a friendship with the books in order we can understand the lesson.

     Then the next question is why the teacher want to student give attention to the teacher?  This don’t mean that teacher attention less but all of this there time. When the teacher speak / explain the lesson, student must be silent. Then when student speak the teacher must listen. Sometimes students were pressured / forced so that they can know or understand. So the good students are students who can feel happy to their lesson. But if teacher ask the student to say that mathematics is beautiful, so this teacher was stupid teacher. then, my lecturer Mr. Marsigit say that be careful on speak. Sometimes we are not aware of the words that arrogant tone. That is human. He could not be separated from the bad things with him. Just as a hadith that says, if a nation does not change its attitude, God will not change. One example of the statement is ‘how to make student ….’ This belong to arrogant statement. That the polite is how to facilitate the student in order to student like mathematics. So arrogance exists anywhere, even without realizing we often say the words arrogant. Arrogant is a major problem and most enemies in learning. So we have to try to throw away the pride that is in us. It is the right of the students said that math was hard, the right pupil was easy math says that we should not force a student to say math is beautiful and easy. Most friendly method to learn is to imitate and learn from God's creation. Like a tree that has been discussed earlier.

Therefore, a good teacher is a teacher that is able to facilitate the student not the teacher who forced students. So that the learning needs patience to avoid feeling smug. This is a reflection that can me take.