Discussion issuue on teaching approaches

Good morning,

Teaching is a systematic process of delivering knowledge and skills to the students Approaches gives the overall wisdom, it provides direction, and sets expectations to the entire spectrum of the teaching process. Furthermore, approach sets the general rule principle to make learning possible. Teaching approach is a set of principles, beliefs, or ideas about the nature of learning which is translated into the classroom.

            Before decide which type of teaching approach going to implement, teachers must consider few criteria such as students background, class level, nature of the subject, number of students in a class, size of the classroom, time available and resource available. For example, teachers must know the students before start teaching. For example, when choosing the teaching approach for students at rural area, teachers must give an example which nearest and closed to them which related to the topic. While, when choosing the teaching approach for students at urban or sub-urban area, teachers may give example which more advanced and latest, so they can understand the topic easily. No matter which approach teacher going to choose, we just hope the students able to achieve the objective and learn something based on the lesson.

            ‘A thousand teacher, a thousand method’ (Chinese proverb). It means that many approaches keep on created by educators. There have a lot of approaches such as teacher-centered approach, learner-centered approach, interactive approach etc. Teachers may apply one approach or combine few approaches in one lesson. Mathematics is a study about numbers, logic, algorithm, reasoning etc. It may boring when teaching unable to use the correct approach, so teachers should smart in choosing the approaches before start any lesson. For example, chapter which related to solid geometry, teacher must bring the model to show the shape of geometry and must let the student to involve by touching the model. Any lesson must combine teacher-centered approach and learner-centered approach to ensure the active learning in a classroom.

            Nowadays, information technology must implement together with teaching approach to ensure the effectiveness of learning. Teachers must get ready with the evolution of teaching from time to time. For example, learning not only occur in classroom anymore, the introduction of blended learning allow learner study at anywhere and anytime. Existing of new teaching approach do not mean we expel or refuse to use the traditional teaching approach, we can combine the approaches by targeting the students able to achieve the objective and learn something from the lesson.        

            As a conclusion, teacher have the responsibility to select the suitable teaching approach before start any lesson. Teachers must accommodate with latest approaches and integrate the traditional approaches in order to enhance the learning process.

Thank you.