During the first two-week of TLTCSP course, I learned
about how to handle the diversity in mathematics classroom. The diversity must
be overcome, which is by differentiating the instructions. Differentiating
instructions can be done by doing grouping, either a homogeneous groups, or a
heterogeneous groups. We can do a homogeneous or a heterogeneous groups in so
many ways. In example, for the homogeneous we can make a group to our students by their own interest,
their learning style (kinesthetic, visual, or auditory), their multiple intelligences (logic, visual, naturalist, interpersonal, intrapersonal,
kinesthetic, music, or verbal). Another way, we can make a group by their
achievement (low, medium, and high achiever). For the heterogeneous group, it’s
like the mixing the homogeneous group. For instance, a heterogeneous can be
consisted of a kinesthetic student, a visual student, and a logic student.
What’s the function of a homogeneous and a heterogeneous
grouping? For the homogeneous grouping, it’s better to use when we talk about
the content. When we have to deliver the material, we can make a homogeneous
grouping first, let’s say we have a low achiever group, a medium achiever, and
a high achiever group. We can differentiate the instruction for them. We can
let the low achiever to understand the easiest part, then we guide them to
learn the harder part, and for the high achiever we can let them to master the
hardest part of the material. After each-acheiever-group mastering their part,
we can mix them up in a heterogeneous group, so that each-acheiever can share
what have they mastered of the material given.
The interesting part of the course was when I had to design
a brief scenario of teaching mathematics Secondary High which assigns to make
grouping. It’s quite challenging because some materials were not easy to be
applied in grouping, so it challenged me to think creatively.
The method of the grouping made me wonder about students’
perception. For instance when I make homogeneous groups, will my student wonder
about why they are grouped with the same level of achievement? I guess, so many
low-achiever will disagree if they are grouped with the same level, meanwhile
there will be a group which consists of the-high-achiever students. Will they
feel jealous? Or will they work together cooperatively? Based on my experience,
the low-achiever students will directly lazy to work in group if there is no
“smart-student” in their group, his/her motivation will decline. However, it’s
our task to make them comfort in their own group, we do not necessarily explain
why they are group like that way. The important thing is we set the best method
for their learning because I learned a new thing from the lecturer, “our
teaching does not to be liked/loved by the students, but it does for their
best.”
