On Monday, February 4th, 2013, we are from International Class of Mathematics Education study program have an English class with Mr. Marsigit as the lecturer. Although RSBI and SBI have been deleted, but the main idea for RSBI and RSBI do not be deleted. The main idea for RSBI and SBI is not use English in their lesson or high cost but the content of RSBI or SBI. Because there are many problems in implementation of RSBI or SBI, then many people always ask and have some doubt with it. Finally, MA decided that RSBI and SBI might be deleted.
Then introduce himself to us by write in the white board. His name is Prof. Dr. Marsigit, M. A. marsigitina@yahoo.com is his email. Marsigitina means that Mr. Marsigit is from Ina, the abbreviation of Indonesia. He has a web blog. The address is http://powermathematics.blogspot.com. The end of line of his introduction, he writes the address of his home.
In this session, we also make a contract that is
1. Final Test : 20 %
2. Middle Test : 10 %
3. Assignment : 40 %
4. Quiz : 30 %
The method that will be used in this class is silaturahim or interaction method. In this class there are some important thing to participate in this lecturer, that is:
1. Short-response questions
This kind of test is used to measure how much word that we can remember and how much thing that we get from this lesson. The material of test is Grammar, Structure, Reading, Vocabulary, Verb, Adverb, Adjective, and Idiom. In this test, we as testee must be ready to be tested on Basic English, Mr. Marsigit perceive that basic English start form vocabulary from daily life.
Vocabulary is foundation and the important thing for communicate in English. Communicate of what? Communicate of mathematics education. Although we need to concrete in communicate mathematics education through English, we also must pay attention for English for daily life because directly or indirectly our understanding in daily life will support our English in mathematics education. Mr. Marsigit believe that learning English should be an activity. We try to reflect, to hear, to write, to listen, translate, to understand, to make a dialog between our classmate and us.
2. Reflection
Reflection is uncover and describe again more widely and detail. If we want to make reflection, we must read the article first. Then we must uncover it with a short word and the give our opinion. At the last, maybe we can give some question. There are two kinds of reflections, that is, classroom reflection and online reflection.
a. Classroom reflections
Classroom reflections means understand the lectures and rewrite with own word. Then we should type using computer and print out, then post or write in our blog. This kind of reflection is from something that happens in the class and Mr. Marsigit’s explanation.
b. Online reflection
Online reflection means we should read the article in website then we must analyze or make reflections from the article in the Mr. Marsigit’s web blog.
If the articles are written in English, then the reflections should be written in Indonesia. If the articles are written in Indonesia, then the reflections should be written in English. Then the reflections are written in comment column in web blog and we must post it in to our blog with the tittle of the article from Mr. Marsigit’s web blog. Firstly, we must make a blog and follow the Mr. Marsigit’s web blog.
c. Short-references reflection
The short-references that Mr. Marsigit indicates or Mr. Marsigit describes.
The strategy that is used in the class is not students centered but teacher centered. In teacher centered, Mr. Marsigit hopes that we can construct our knowledge by our self with active to find our knowledge because teacher is just as facilitator. In below there are some illustration of new and old paradigm.
Now, we use new paradigm so we build our English by our self. We must have curiosity and if we doing something, don’t worry to make mistake. It is better doing mistake than doing nothing.
In this lesson, Mr Marsigit do not want teach basic English but we must learn basic English by our self with looking for some related references. In Mr. Marsigit’s perception, language is life so in order to learn effectively, the best way is using life approach. The characteristic is life moving, thinking, writing talking, hearing discussing, understanding and whatever. Javanese people said that the nature of life is move. If someone do not move, it makes children afraid because not move is died. In the middle of the second meeting, we sing a song that the lyric is like in above.
Sluku-sluku bathokLanguage is consisting of two things that are form and substance. Substance of the English that Mr. Marsigit have to say is about Mathematics Education and it can be gotten if we are intensive read the Mr. Marsigit’s web blog.
Bathoke ela-elo
Si Rama menyang Solo
Oleh-olehe payung mutho
Mak jenthit lolo lo bah
Yen mati ora obah
Yen obah medeni bocah
The position of Mr. Marsigit is not giving us knowledge, but we must construct and learn English by our self and also we must indicate the number of vocabulary that we have. Without initiation, it is impossible for us to learn English. It is not enough just employee and get from the classroom, we can try to enter private English course. There are many private English courses with different style.
In below is the graph of psychological aspect of learning English.
We must have a good will, then we need to synchronize with attitude, then develop our knowledge, skill, and the last we have the experience. This is psychological aspect of learning English. The area of will is heart, feeling, positive thinking, and spirit. We need to feel happy to learn English. Motivation, vision, mission are including of the will. The foundation of will is religion. The high motivation is that the law of demand the knowledge is obligatory. The highest motivation to get the experience is believe in God, it is very important. Association, high spirit, positive thinking, collaborate, curiosity, after that we must have attitude. Will is not just a will, for example, I just want to learn English by Google Translate, but we want to sleep first, or eat first and then we forget. From the example, the attitude is not synchronizing. In order to be able to do something we must synchronize with the attitude, whatever who you are. Like international chef, to become it we must have a happy feeling to cook. Whatever the profession, we must happy to do our profession. Having our knowledge, we use silahturahmi or interaction method. Finally experience. The indicator of how long you can penetrate is TOEFL. If we want to study abroad, we must have high TOEFL. But in the case of your to develop mathematics education, we need to develop communicate mathematics in English. So again and again, Mr. Marsigit remind us that to always use English in mathematics education.
