Week Number 10

I continue to work with the module, but as usual, I would like to share something since there is not much to report. So, for this entry I would like to share about.........

HOW TEACHERS COULD MAKE PUPILS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX



Think outside the box is a usual and frequently used term in education. This term is usually mentioned by leaders to encourage their subordinates to come up with magnificient, practical and flexible ideas, and in classroom case, from teachers to her pupils. However, how we, as teachers can develop this mentality?

First of all, in my opinion, it is vital for teachers to create a classroom atmosphere that requires pupils to have frequent interaction with one another. For instance, the usage of group discussion, games, etc. for classroom activities. I do believe those methods would help children to think not just for themselves (egocentric), but for everyone. Discussion can help them exchanging and sharing ideas, therefore teaching them to be a rationale and considerable person when listening to others’ perspectives. Moreover, teachers should also take advantage of technology that we are having nowadays by using social networks or messengers for learning and educational purposes. Besides, the sense of competition within games particularly, would benefit children much because it would strengthen their cooperative spirit and prevent unselfishness. Apart from that, when we talk about games, it always associate with fun, so, without a doubt, it would create an enjoyable them environment thus effective learning as they are motivated to participate.

Next, it is also crucial for teachers to expose children with issues that are outside of their typical world, meaning that exposing them with current issues, for examples, environmental problems like global warming, poverty and so on. Therefore, pupils would create the ability of solving problems in a younger age. Though, teachers have to play their roles here as most pupils may not reach the level of thinking that help them to associate with the issues by simplifying, explaining the issues in a rather simpler way. Teachers may also introduce to them simple problems at first before moving on to a more difficult problems to avoid them from feeling isolated and lose interest if they were not able to think and solve the problems.

Thirdly,teachers should also introduce to their pupils other cultures. As a result, children will understand and recognise their friends from other races better thus helping our government's goal which is to create a harmony and united community, aside from helping the 1Malaysia concept to be successful. Then, teachers may also introduce cultures outside of our country. So, children can widen their perspective and knowledge aside from enjoy sharing with others their culture in terms of attire, food, games, etc. with their friends.

Last but not least, I think it would be helpful too for children by engaging them with a lot of self and independent learning. Maybe before this I had emphasized the need to engage them more with group activities, but I believe it is still important that we provide them with individual tasks By implementing this, children would become independent learner and their qualities as a good learner can be enhanced as well as they would look for information and new discoveries. Children are imaginative and have a sense of curiousity, so through this, those traits would be complimented. In conclusion, think outside the box is very important for not just kids, but everybody because without this way of thinking and mentality, we would be left further behind.