How to Improve My International Dimensional of Life

People will love something if they can enjoy it. Same condition with students, they will love Mathematics if they can enjoy it and can apply it in real life. Many people said that Mathematics is subject that terrify and make stress. They said like that because when they studied Mathematics, they were not enjoyed it, they said the teacher was fierce and also the material was hard. So, make them uncomfortable. By listening people answer about why they dislike Mathematics, we as the teacher in the next decade need method to minimize that problem and show that Mathematics is the universal science and it is the ground of other sciences. Teachers are required to have a learning method that varies and creative, because of the ways children think it is more logical, critical, and high curiosity.

Materially, mathematics can be concrete things, picture or model of 3D-shape, colorful symbol of number, the pool that shape is rectangular, the house roof that shape is pyramid, the wheel that shape is circle, etc. To develop mathematics in school we must understand about the nature of mathematics, the nature of mathematics education, and the nature of student learn mathematics. The nature of Mathematics ( Philosophers Mathematician ) are Mathematics is a search for pattern and relationship, Mathematics is problem solving activity, Mathematics is investigation activity, and Mathematics is a main of communication. Then the nature of Mathematics Education (Mathematics Educationists) to make students become like mathematics according to (Ebbut and Straker, 1995) teachers should not use axiomatic mathematical definition, but defines mathematics as school mathematics. Here is the essence of school mathematics according to their:  a) Mathematics is the search activity patterns and relationships. Give students the opportunity to conduct discovery and investigation to determine patterns of relationships. Provide an opportunity for students to perform experiments premises in various ways. Encourage students to discover the sequence, difference, comparison, grouping, and so on. Encourage students to draw general conclusions, and help students understand and find a relationship between understanding one another. b) Mathematics is the creativity that requires imagination, intuition and invention. Encourage the initiative and provide an opportunity to think differently. Encourage curiosity, the desire to ask, the ability to refute and ability estimates. Appreciate the unexpected discovery as beneficial rather than take it as a mistake. Encourage students to discover the structure and design of mathematics. Encourage students to appreciate the discovery of other students. Encourage students to think reflexive. Does not recommend the use of a particular method. c) Mathematics is problem solving activities. Provide an environment that stimulates learning math mathematical problem. Help students solving mathematical problem using their own way. Help students find the information needed to solve mathematical problems. Encourage students to think logically, consistently, systematically and develop a system of documentation / records. Develop the ability and skills to solve problems. Helps students learn how and when to use various visual aids / media math education such as: term, calculator, etc. d) Mathematics is a main of communicating. Encourage students to recognize the nature mathematics. Encourage students to make examples of the nature of mathematics.  Encourage students to explain the nature of mathematics. Encourage students to justify the need for math activities. Encourage students to discuss math problems. Encourage students to read and write mathematics. Respect the students' mother tongue in talking about mathematics. And about the nature of students learn Mathematics are : a) the student learn Mathematics effectively if they have good motivation and perception. Give the student motivation and always positive thinking, that all students have ability to solve the problem that we give with their own method, and give student opportunity to share their method / answer of the problem. b) The student will learn mathematics individually. c) The student can learn Mathematics in collaboration with others. The students not only doing by their self, but also by collaborate with others. d) The student learns Mathematics contextually. Contextually of time and space.

Learning to do is learning by doing something, learning to be is learning by to be itself. Learning to be can’t be translate with learning because follow other friends or to get point, but real learning. In our daily life, our parents not complete when prohibit us not to eat in front of door and other prohibition. When we doing it, our parents will said that it is not beautiful. It should explain by our parents the real reason that if we eat in front of door, will disturb other person who want to past in front of door and in order that we must wary. By giving real reason can make children think creative.

Mr. Marsigit said that scheme constructed by experiences, knowledge, observation, reading, and the self confident as the result. If we want to go to International level : 1) not in short time (we must think, know, develop) to built our experience, 2) not only in individual but also in group. How Mr. Margit can balancing Mr. Mohan in general lecture last 2 weeks, because he was studied in England, doing observation there, reading England books and pressing the qualitative process. Mr. Mohan used contact communication to construct the knowledge completely, by question-answer dialogue. From education side its really overbearingly, but outside it limited. Impossible to reach intensive. Mr. Marsigit’s philosophy said that knowledge inside heart, remember that all vision from God to prophet not through head but through heart. Religion (Hinduism , islam) knowledge of mathematics have applied into it. About pay the tithe in rice or money paid on last day of fasting month, that it is 2,5% from our income in islam. Mr. Marsigit understanding the nature of mathematics, so he can applied mathematics method into function material for example. He said if we can’t be grateful to God how we can enjoy our live, how we can be sincere person. We not only enough know the education with education. We speak to our self it is same with limited.

Next, Mr. Marsigit told about the form of international dimensional life, from above they are : individual, group, local, national, regional, international. Based dimension : scholarship, relationship with Mr. Mohan, and art. In aspect of life in case individual, we as the student in university is the example. In case group is the experience become moderator and master of ceremony of agenda in Yogyakarta State University. In case national is scholarship, in case regional are ASEAN, South Asia, East Asia, and APEC, and in case international there is UNESCO. In international, the people not interest in good and bad but interest between good and bad. Suppose in puppet philosophy, that the shape of eyes, nose, hands, foots, expression of face as the art, anthropology, sociology, and education. The relationship between components that connected with two cases can differ the category but can be connected. Example sleep and study (compare the position). Every people have different portion for both of them.

To develop the form and to fill the substance we need sincere inside our heart as requisite for our wits. Example by watch video in APEC. Here I will tell about the video.

1.  Multiplication Algorithm (Grade 3:Japan)

This video showed the students activity calculates the number of black circles in the array. The sum of the black circles is 69. The teacher asks the students to do the task and after finish he asks the students to explain their result. Almost the students calculate by subdivision of 23 into 20 plus 3 or 10 plus 10 plus 3. But there is one student who calculates 30+30+9, because he hasn’t finished yet. From this video we can conclude that some students have used the standard vertical form to solve the problem.

2. Quadrilaterals (Singapore)

As the opening, the teacher makes a game to review the properties of quadrilaterals. After game, the student determines the area of trapezium using the small square as the unit. Then a student explains his solution. Students forming trapezium from two, three, and four shape pieces and then determine the area of each. This video showed the clear communication of problem solving strategies in the context of finding areas of trapeziums without knowledge of the formula.

3. How Many Cards Do We Need to Display the Dates? (Grade 3 : U.S.A)

This video showed to help students think about how their previous learning of the 2 digit numbers can be used to solve problems in students’ daily life. Through problem solving, students are expected to understanding the concept of place value to develop problem-solving skills.

Based on video, the substances of the material that have been taught to the students were creative to construct not only the students’ knowledge but also their imagination. As Indonesian, the method of teaching can be applied on school in Indonesia. By using things and teaching aids that interest the student can automatically cause students ability to solve the problem in daily life. Maybe not all things or teaching aids can available in other countries. International comparison studies have found significantly different levels of achievement and practice in mathematics education in the East and West. In Asian educational systems generally produce students with a strong understanding of the content knowledge and Western systems have strengths in applying knowledge to real life situations. If both of them can combine will be good achievement in mathematics education.

Source:
Marsigit. 2006. Developing School-Based Curriculum For Junior High School Mathematics in Indonesia , (online), http://staff.uny.ac.id/dosen/marsigit-dr-ma , accessed on Saturday, March 24^th 2012, at 17.00.

___. Mathematics Education (Videos of Lesson Study Research Lessons) , (online),http://hrd.apec.org/index.php/Mathematics_Education , accessed on Saturday, March 24^th 2012, at 18.30.