The first thing to be realized on developing the creative discipline models then we need to simplify the rules of a classroom by flexing the procedure unto it. Rules and discipline are two best friends that need to be clarifying their differences. Therefore, the importance of communication is and always be the key to success (Patricia Kaliska, 2002), especially on the very first day of teaching-learning on discussing those. Like, I have written in my reflection about discipline, in which discipline is action or inaction (Wikipedia, 2021), we found that sharing the lead on the known or unknown about my classroom rules should become like a friendly manual guide that helping us to go on smoothly in our life to live during the learning process, moreover with the connection to the wide school rules in which much concern to the effectiveness of a classroom, so the rules that can be observed, measure, have positively stated, be understandable, and be always applicable (Missouri School, 2016). In contrast to working hand-in-hand with our students (Linda Alber, 1996). Also, a classroom is a place for dual conversation. Even in the 21st century is not rare that in my journey of teaching-learning, I still can find a classroom that is not mine that constantly quiet because the students are being controlled through fear, intimidation, frequent appeals to competition, and public embarrassment (Barbara McEwan, Butchart, Ronald E., 1997), in which that contradict with the idea of learning itself where learning should be made where students dare to explain and defend their ideas (Jessica E. Rosevear, 2009), in order as a teacher that can help students on reaching their potential in either personally and/or academically (Harry and Rosemary Wong, 2014). So, to build this dual conversation, then students are involved to share their opinion and understanding in which teacher provides information about teaching rules, and encouraging their use (Missouri School, 2016). Furthermore, if rules can be in synergy with discipline, then the procedure of doing it will become natural. By simple rules and discussing it with a student in a real application way makes it likely that those rules as a living style since those rules are synergy with discipline and importantly those simplifying rules should be like being strict for undesirable behavior and permissive through a feeling (Haim Ginott, 2012). It would be better the smoothness and clearance on simple rules, creative discipline, and flexible procedure as one natural module that being apply without pressure to do it on our learners doing their learning.
Along with that, as much as we can see the size of space then we designed that standardization to become comfortable teaching-learning under the measurable time frame, and this leads me to simplification on designed my classroom rules. The simple rules but memorable and expandable with sense. In which, since 2008, a year after we begin my teaching career, we always like to make an illustration of the connection of these rules, discipline, and procedure by the game of international chess, in which many chess players have known about the rules on that game, only how each chess tokens make their movement on 8 times 8 squared board size, with the mission on making the opponent king being stayed still under monitored of our tokens under possibly a time of frame we have during the game but without forgetting to have fun as well. Now, from the illustration of the game of international chess for me to design the simplest rule in my classroom size then that rules should be as reachable as shown in the game of chess, have a consistent discipline, flexible procedure, and with fun in engagement. Also, with nothing much more simples than as many as 5 among groups of numbers, which indicate a total finger in most of one palm on a human hand. This inspired me on creating classroom rules that have been applied since 2008, in which the designed of my classroom rules based on my reflection on the game of international chess, and somehow in our reading we realize the rules that we have been using, it, it does fit with OMPUA Guidelines (Missouri School, 2016). These rules are:
Ask and Answers. Like in the game of international chess, each time one player making the move on the board, then the opponent player will also make their move and vice versa till the game comes to an end. Therefore, in my class during teaching-learning, there is a requirement for each student to send me an email once a week of their question and/or answering a question based on their doubt and analysis during teaching-learning, as been said by the great teacher we need to teach how doubt is not to be feared but welcomed (Richard P. Feynmann, 1988).
Time frame. Also, like in the game of international chess, in which each player has their clock on making their decision to moving their token on the board in regard responding to opponent movement, then it also has a time of frame once I handout the question or once student have to handout their question with the timely manner by writing when they responded to it and when did I send it to them, regarding on answering it periodically.
The Dot ( . ). It’s a dot, a point that indicates a sentence has been finished. In which a point where myself and my student need to reflect each other from what both of us has been doing and how can I able to develop to be better on helping them and how can my student able to responses positively in action regarding their learning.
Lifely live. Again, like in the game of international chess, on how each token does like building connections in those moments of the life of those tokens. Therefore, in process of my teaching and learning, not only about me on delivering the content in lively properly but I should also know about my student need to have their life to live in which lead them to know how synergy is their life to live with what they are learning in fun.
System of Self. Lastly, to illustrate from the game of international chess again, whenever we decide on our token to filing each square, that’s will always be reflecting our own decision, there are no other players who will influence you on making those moves, also even though each token have their unique movement but there is a connection. In addition to this, my student learning and I on teaching should be better of ourselves, in either they formed as a self-reflection or self-less, but my student does their learning not because they followed the order of parents or teacher say so, but because their self-understanding on learning, as well as me on delivering the material with the purpose of their learning, should be approachable and be flexible on the application as connecting one to another in myself and my students way to live, as been said everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not to his fact (Daniel Patrick Moynihan, 2003).
In short, the rules are often called AT.LS with a dot, a shortened name of myself. As well as that, related to the OMPUA Guidelines (Missouri School, 2016), without a doubt the rules that I have designed based on my inspiration throughout the game of international chess, those rules are observable as how I can observe and measure how my student making a question for me and answering my question by a certain amount of time that I have given to them during the process, this rules also giving a positive thought on the benefit of their analyzing, this rules also helping my students to know when to stop, to being self on their progress but also cooperate each other. To be noted, as in the reading, the ultimate goal of teaching is not enforcing rules and routines but teaching effectively (Rebecca Alber, 2017). It surely worthen to discuss these rules and let students bluntly involve in the discussion to blow their engagement and their self-efficiency (Missouri School, 2016) with the lead of being flexible on a procedure to do it in the classroom, as well as we being flexible on moving our tokens on the chessboard.
To summarize, the seriousness of rules in a light way and memoizable without being memorizing it. The game rules should be recognizable by most learners. For example, while I was in China, the most common game will be Chinese Chess instead of International Chess, so I need to use the Chinese Chess on the table to be illustrating the rules of my classroom to them. It’s very disrespectful on introducing the illustration of classroom rules without the known unknown what will be the most common thing in their life. Above all of that, an application of this rule to the subject that will be taught is necessary. The example, in my mathematics learning, the main rules of mathematics will be BEDMAS (Bracket, Exponent, Division-Multiplication, Addition-Subtraction) Guidelines, with numbers as a form of mathematical language and basic operation as tools (Wikipedia, 2021), then I like to take it from Dr. Taneja, as a specialist in number, that show us about the flexibility procedure on using the rules to reaching the same final value:
5 +{ [ (5 + 5)^(5 – (5/5)) + 55 ] / 5 } + 5
or
1+2*[3^4*(5+6)+7*(8+9)]
In those examples, my student and I can learn about we can always reach our purpose without worry the order of rules, in the idea of mathematics learning also taught us about either by singularity number or by combination number, the value can be approached as long as the rules can be applied properly. Which lead to one of my students from Indonesia in 2007 that now Has the habit to ask “WHY?” to any practices to find purpose in any tasks and come out with best practice that is both effective and efficient (Christopher Anthony). In the end, the introduction and demonstration with reminding of rules always need to be shown in the process of learning, like how I share the process on each equation can be formed and how it connected with the flexibility on procedures to run the rules.
Reference:
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