Challenge OR Confidence: A Teaching Dilemma


If you are a teacher, which activity will you choose: an easy activity that you're sure your students will be able to do OR a rather harder one that you're sure your students will have to put more effort to do? 

That questions have come up in my mind because both activities can result in either good outcomes or bad ones. When a teacher chooses to do an easy activity, some students will get the benefit from finding themselves able to do it. This will increase their motivation to learn. However, some others may find this uninteresting since there is lack challenge. Of course this may lead to demotivation. 

Then, when a teacher chooses a rather harder activity, some students will be demotivated finding themselves not able to do it. On the other hand, some others will get the benefit from this since they may feel challenged and curious. This will lead to encouragement in learning. 


Isn't this a dilemma for teachers? I think so. I've had this kind of experience, teaching in a class where most of the girls are good while most of the boys are just average. Teaching in this class is a bit of my life dilemmas (I'm exaggerating a bit.. Hehe..). This happens because the girls demand challenging activities while the boys need an easy one just to get their confidence raised. Well, so far I've tried to hold activities that fits the girls' want in one time and different activities that fits the boys' need in another time. 

Is that a solution? Not exactly. World is never enough with only one thought. What's yours?
Challenge OR Confidence: A Teaching Dilemma Challenge OR Confidence: A Teaching Dilemma Reviewed by Paman Guru on Friday, January 20, 2012 Rating: 5

5 comments:

  1. saya lebih setuju yang mempermudah murid untuk melakukan sesuatu, daripada belajar keras tapi ga bisa maksimal, simple and aesy is ok.. :-D

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  2. Saya lebih suka memberikan tantangan. Bisa dari yang mudah, kemudian sesuatu yang lebih sulit. Karna belajar itu sendiri adalah aktifitas yang ditunjukkan oleh perubahan dari tidak bisa menjadi bisa.
    Sedangkan untuk memotivasi siswanya, bisa dilakukan dengan memberikan imbalan berupa pujian, rasa perhatian, dll. CMIIW

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  3. @Ummah: Masalahnya, untuk anak yang merasa sudah bisa, aktivitas yang mudah jadi tidak menarik. Mereka justru mencari yang sedikit di atas pengetahuan mereka.

    @Afief: Memotivasi itu kan sebenernya membangkitkan keinginan untuk belajar dari dalam diri. Kalo merasa terlalu tertnggal dalam pelajaran, mungkin anak akan merasa enggan untuk belajar dan akhirnya tidak mau belajar. Sudah menonton film India Taare Zameen Par? Film tentang anak disleksia yang tidak mau belajar karena dia merasa terlalu tertinggal di kelasnya. Bintangnya Aamir Khan..

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  4. A balance between both, with a leaning towards the more challenging activities.

    I think what you need to do is give them challenging activities with enough scaffolds to help the boys feel confident about their efforts while at the same time do not make the girls feel undermined.

    I know it's difficult. But the key word is 'scaffolds': how you structure your lessons and provide the necessary helps and tools in such a way that it works for both groups.

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  5. Umm.. *Correct me if I'm wrong* So, you mean I should help the boys with enough tools and assistance to do rather challenging activities that the girls will be able to do without any assistance, yet still challenging?

    If that's what you mean, I have to be more creative in handling my lessons.. :D

    ReplyDelete

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