REVITALISASI PENDIDIKAN MATEMATIKA

By : Dr. Marsigit M.A.

Reviewed by : Arlian Bety Anjaswari (Mathematics Education Reguler 2009 at http://arlianbety.blogspot.com )

Teach math is not easy because we find that students are also not easy to learn mathematics (Jaworski, 1994: 83). On the other side, we found the fact that it is not easy for teacher to change the style of teaching (Dean, 1982: 32). While we are required, as educators, toalways adapt our teaching methods in accordance with the demands of changing times (Alexander, 1994: 20). Revitalization of mathematics education trying to put the important role of teachers to make math education more appropriate with the (returned to) educate in the sense of meaning in truth and nature of science which is the object of learning itself. Until now there is not yet agreement on the best way how to teach mathematics.

Revitalization of mathematics education also implies the need to efforts to formulate a mathematical learning model that is considered in accordance with our conditions and accordance with the demands of changing times. If we accept the premise that mathematics education should more emphasis on serving the needs of students the following implications can only then may we understand. Ebbutt and Straker (1995: 10-63), based on the paradigm above, provide guidelines for the revitalization of mathematics education in the form of basic assumptions and their implications for learning mathematics as follows: mathematics is the search activity patterns and relationships, mathematics is the creativity that requires imagination, intuition and discovery, mathematics is problem solving and mathematical activity is a means of communicating.

On the other side, Ebbutt and Straker (1995: 60-75), gave his view that in order for the students' potential can be developed optimally, then the following assumptions and implications can be used as a reference that students will learn if given the motivation, students learn in his own way, students learn independently and through cooperation and needs students contexts and situations vary in their learning.

For teachers to be better able to realize the revitalization of education in mathematics learning that grows the creativity of students, referring to the recommendation Cockroft Report (1982) and elaboration of Ebbut, S and Straker, A (1995), then the teacher should step in organizing the learning of mathematics through the stages preparation, the learning stages, and the evaluation stage.