When you were asked about your school teacher, who do you still remember? What memory do you have about them?
As an Indonesian who
spent 2 years in pre-school, 12 years in primary, junior high, and high school,
i have been taught by probably more than 50 teachers. From all of them, i still
remember the names, the faces, including some of their teaching styles.
I try to find out why the memory of some are stronger than
the others. First, it might be they are funny. Yes, students like funny
teachers. Especially back then when schools consisted of students who listened
and took notes of what their teachers are saying.
Second, they are “killer” teachers, who are more than just
assertive that can make you sweat to death even before they get into your
classroom.
Third, they are different in a good way. I can say that
“creative” is the right term to describe that. Recalling my memory, creative
teacher is one out of ten at that time. I remember Bu Rini as one of them.
She’s my english teacher when i was in junior high school. She introduced me to
the concept of role play. So late, huh? When preschoolers nowadays learn that,
we –the older generation- had that years after we were born.
The role play was a mini drama that the students created
during the lesson, a week preparation before we presented that, and the final
one- involving costumes and setting. We really enjoyed the sessions.
And now i’m thinking again, who else taught differently?
My primary school teachers...mmm, no. My junior high
teachers...only Bu Rini. My high school teachers, maybe Pak Agus, who liked to
bring us studying outdoor and discussed in a circle. That’s all.
No games, as long as i remember.
So when i started to teach, and searched online for some
inspiration to live up the class, i got amazed! There are so many warm up
activities, icebreakers, games, even lesson plan that we can find and do in our
class. Sometimes i used exactly the same games, and i also like to combine it
with my ideas, or use my own ideas.
If our teachers long time ago knew about creative and fun
teaching, we would have enjoyed school more, right? ( Although i never felt
that bored to go to school with that teaching method)
Well, at least i know now how to teach in a more
fun-understandable-memorable way (inshaa Alloh). I still respect and be
thankful to all teachers who taught me, no matter what. They had their own
style and consideration of how to teach, and more importantly, they shared what
they had. I still remember multiplication, i know what natural resources found
in what province, I understand why Indonesian heroes seldom won the war against
the Dutch, and more... It means what
they shared are not forgotten, although
i might have forgotten their names and faces.
So, i think, the point of becoming a teacher is not how to
be remembered, but how they remember what you teach (and understand).
