Mathematical Tree Media-Assisted Talking Stick Learning for Elementary Students

Rafiuddin

State University of Malang, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

A teacher should develop and possess professional, pedagogical, personal and social competence equally and wholly. The actual practice of the curriculum in the learning requires teacher’s activities, creativity, and prudence in engineering and orchestrating activities in accordance with the lesson plans created. This study is aimed to describe application of the Mathematical tree media-assisted talking stick learning to grade five of Negeri Kecil Palapi in the West Sulawesi province conducted in February 2017. The following were instructional steps carried out in the application of the talking stick: (1) Teacher prepared the sticks; (2) Teacher planned ahead the core content to be learned; (3) Teacher allowed groups of students to review the subject matter they had learned before; (4) Teacher assigned things to be discussed. The quick progressing students helped their peers to work on the questions together; (5) Students grabbed hold of the sticks after putting away the book; (6) While singing, students holding the sticks answered the written questions the teacher gave. Every student took turns getting each question; (7) Students and teacher made conclusion of the lesson; (8) Teacher asked students to make individual evaluation and wrapped up the lesson. This research employed descriptive research method. Based on the results, Students demonstrated critical thinking indicators during the lesson such as interpreting the problems, analyzing the facts, solving the problems, evaluating and making a conclusion. Based on the find, it is suggested that the application of the Mathematical tree media-assisted talking stick learningis necessary since it is instrumental in improving students’ critical thinking skills of grade five students at Negeri Kecil Palapi in the West Sulawesi province.

KEYWORDS

Talking stick, mathematical tree media, critical thinking