“Research and education has shown that field trips are remembered long into adulthood.  Why? Because you’re experiencing something rather than simply reading it in a book…. To experience something has a far more profound effect on your ability to remember and influence you than if you simply read it in a book. So why not figure out a way to turn a lesson plan into a living expression of that content. A living expression, so that sparks can be ignited and flames can be fanned within the students. And at that point, it doesn’t matter what grade they get on the exam because they are stimulated to want to learn more. If they didn’t learn all the “A” stuff for that exam, they’re inspired enough to go out and buy a book or spend more time on the documentary that they saw on the Discovery Channel or on PBS. And there it is.  You’ve cast a learner into the world. And that’s the most powerful thing you can do as a teacher. The enthusiastic teacher is fundamental to igniting flames of interest in any student in any subject. So that’s not a special need within the call for science literacy. That’s a need for all teachers in all subjects.”

— Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Lab Out Loud®
Science for the classroom and beyond

They call these design principles “learner centered” for two reasons: first, because professional development should be driven by the needs of students and by what teachers need to know and be able to do to address specific learning needs of their students. Second, professional development should reflect what we know about how people learn. This means that the content and delivery of professional development should address learners’ beliefs and prior knowledge, motivation, capacity for strategic processing, individual differences, and situation or context.

Principle 1: Professional development should be based on collaborative analyses of the differences between (a) actual student performance and (b) goals and standards for student learning

Principle 2: Professional development should be primarily school based and built into the day-to-day work of teaching.

Principle 3: Professional development should involve teachers in the identification of what they need to learn and in the development of the learning experiences in which they will be involved.

Principle 4: The content should reflect the best research on the given topic (e.g., how to enhance the literacy of adolescents).

Principle 5: The content of professional development should focus on what students are to learn and how to address the different problems students may have in learning that material.

Principle 6: Professional development should provide experiential opportunities to gain an understanding of and reflect on the research and theory underlying the knowledge and skills being learned.

Principle 7: The way teacher learning is facilitated should mirror the instructional approaches they are expected to master and allow teachers to experience the consequences of newly learned capabilities.

Principle 8: Professional development should be continuous and ongoing, involving follow-up and support for further learning, including support from sources external to the school that can provide necessary resources and new perspectives.

Principle 9: Professional development should be connected to a comprehensive change process focused on specific goals for improving student learning.

Principle 10: Evaluation of professional development should incorporate multiple sources of information on (a) outcomes for students and (b) the instruction and other processes that are involved in implementing the lessons learned.

Salah seorang Guru Besar (SK Salarom) yang saya temui pada ketika itu ialah En. Anthony Amin. Beliau mempunyai dedikasi dan kecekalan yang tinggi.  Berdasarkan semangat dan sikap itulah juga beliau telah dianugerahkan ijazah sarjana muda pendidikan melalui Program Pensiswazahan Guru Besar oleh Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Program ini diuruskan oleh Institut Aminuddin Baki.

Klip video di bawah adalah sebahagian daripada rakaman pengalaman tersebut.

Abu Usman r.a berkata, “Pada suatu hari Salman r.a dan aku sedang duduk di bawah sepohon kayu. Beliau mengambil sebatang ranting kering dari pohon tersebut lalu menggoncang-goncangkannya hingga kesemua daunnya gugur.

Kemudian beliau bertanya, “Hai Abu Usman! Mengapa kamu tidak tanya aku kenapa aku berbuat sedemikian?” Sahutku, “Sila khabarkanlah padaku.”

Beliau berkata, “Beginilah Rasulullah s.a.w. lakukan di hadapanku semasa ku bersamanya di bawah sepohon kayu. Baginda ambil ranting kering pohon tersebut lalu menggoncang-goncangkannya hingga kesemua daunnya gugur seraya Baginda s.a.w bersabda, Wahai Salman! mengapa kamu tidak tanya kenapa aku buat demikian ini?” Sahutku, “Sila khabarkanlah padaku ya Rasulullah.”

Sabda Baginda s.a.w. “Bahawasanya apabila seorang Islam mengambil wudhu dengan sempurna, kemudian dia laksanakan solat lima kali sehari, maka dosa-dosanya gugur seperti mana daun-daun ini gugur.”

Lantas Baginda s.a.w membaca ayat Al-Quran (yang mafhumnya),”Dirikanlah solat pada kedua tepi siang (pagi dan petang) dan pada bahagian permulaan daripada malam, sesungguhnya perbuatan yang baik itu menghapuskan perbuatan-perbuatan yang buruk (dosa); itulah peringatan bagi orang-orang yang mahu ingat” (Surah Hud, Ayat 114)

Riwayat ini menunjukkan bagaimana Rasulullah s.a.w. juga menggunakan media fizikal yang dapat membantu memahamkan seseorang dengan konsep-konsep abstrak agar mudah difahami. Justeru, kenapakah kita sebagai pendidik tidak mengikut amalan Rasulullah s.a.w dalam mendidik para sahabatnya?

Tetapi yang paling dekat dengan kita ialah MATI. Sebab itu adalah janji Allah SWT bahwa setiap yang berjiwa pasti akan merasakan mati.

Tetapi yang paling benar adalah MASA LALU. Bagaimanapun kita, apapun kenderaan kita, tetap kita tidak akan dapat kembali ke masa yang lalu. Oleh sebab itu kita harus menjaga hari ini, hari esok dan hari-hari yang akan datang dengan perbuatan yang sesuai dengan ajaran Agama.

Tetapi yang besar sekali adalah HAWA NAFSU.

Tetapi yang paling berat adalah MEMEGANG AMANAH.

Tetapi yang paling ringan sekali di dunia ini adalah MENINGGALKAN SOLAT. Gara-gara pekerjaan kita atau urusan dunia, kita tinggalkan solat.

Tetapi yang paling tajam sekali didunia ini adalah LIDAH MANUSIA. Karena melalui lidah, manusia dengan mudahnya menyakiti hati dan melukai perasaan saudaranya sendiri.

Perhatikan, bagaimana Al-Ghazali menggunakan teknik teka teki untuk menarik perhatian anak murid terhadap perkara yang hendak disampaikan . . .

Apakah yang paling dekat dengan kita di dunia ini?

Apakah yang paling jauh dari kita di dunia ini?

Apakah yang paling besar di dunia ini?

Apakah yang paling berat di dunia ini?

Apakah yang paling ringan di dunia ini?

Apakah yang paling tajam sekali di dunia ini?