This is the Time to Empower a Student as a Subject

Kompas, page 12, Saturday, April 15

Thirty teachers from Aceh who had just completed their master of education in Finland returned to their respective work places on Thursday (13/4). They were ready to develop a new learning pattern in their teaching locations: Yayasan Sukma at SD, SMP, and SMA level located in Pidie and Bireuen Regency as well as the city of Lhokseumawe.

They have adopted the paradigm from the University of Tampere (the university of their master degree) that students should be considered as autonomous and powered subjects. The long-favored common belief of the teacher standing in front of the class as the sole arbiter of knowledge was no longer considered the right way. Marthunis bin Bukhari, the English teacher in SMA Sukma Pidie, said that he and his colleagues would try to socialize the new pattern of learning to their colleagues who were teachers and demonstrate it practically in front of the class.

Meanwhile, Nailul Authar, the Social Science Teacher in SMA Sukma Pidie, added that Finland taught how the teachers educated the students in specific techniques: the teachers should modify the subject material based on the students’ needs and ages.

The Rector of the University of Tampere, Liisa Laakso, in a discussion in Helsinki, last week, underlined that the key to qualified learning hung on the teacher’s competence and insight. A good teacher was not only master of the subject material, but also understood the condition and capabilities of the students. Therefore, she affirmed it was necessary to change the way in which teachers thought of their roles.