Overcoming The Problem of Students Not Coming To Thomas Alva Edison Class Regularly When I Teach in Logic Learning Center.

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iii Maranatha Christian University

ABSTRACT

Dalam tugas akhir ini saya membahas masalah yang saya alami selama saya magang di Logic Learning Center (LLC). Di LLC saya

ditugaskan untuk mengajar bahasa Inggris pada anak SMP kelas 2. Pada awalnya saya ditugaskan untuk mengajar 15 anak. Namun kenyataannya jumlah murid tersebut sering berubah-ubah dikarenakan beberapa siswa sering tidak hadir di kelas saya.

Kehadiran setiap siswa yang tidak teratur di kelas saya ini terjadi karena dua hal: jadwal antara saya sebagai guru, guru lain (Ibu Aryanti), dan siswa tidak terorganisir dengan baik dan para siswa pun sudah lelah karena aktivitas mereka sebelum datang ke kelas saya. Ketidakhadiran beberapa siswa itu pun menyebabkan para siswa tersebut sulit mengikuti pelajaran yang saya ajarkan. Saya pun merasa kesulitan untuk mengajar siswa yang tidak secara teratur hadir di kelas. Kebiasaan mereka tidak hadir di kelas secara teratur itu pun akhirnya menyebabkan siswa lebih tidak berdisplin menghadiri kelas. Untuk menghadapi masalah yang saya hadapi, saya memiliki tiga solusi. Pertama, saya harus membuat pelajaran menjadi menarik sehingga siswa tertarik untuk terus datang ke kelas dan termotivasi untuk belajar. Kedua, saya harus memberikan hadiah pada siswa yang berdisiplin dan hukuman pada siswa yang tidak berdisiplin datang ke kelas sehingga dengan diberi hadiah anak merasa bangga pada dirinya sendiri dan dengan hukuman anak akan belajar untuk berdisiplin menghadiri kelas. Ketiga, saya harus bisa bekerja sama dengan Ibu Aryanti dan orang tua siswa untuk mengatur jadwal siswa sehingga dapat menciptakan hubungan yang baik antara saya sebagai guru, guru lain dan dengan orang tua murid dan dapat bekerjasama dalam membentuk anak menjadi disiplin dan bertanggung jawab dengan jadwal yang telah di tentukan.

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iv Maranatha Christian University

APPENDIX

FLOWCHART

Problem

When I teach in LLC, students do not come to

my class regularly.

Causes

1. The schedule for me as a teacher, another teacher (Mrs. Aryanti) and my students is not well-organized. 2. The students are already tired

because of their activities before coming to my class.

Effects

1. It is difficult for the students who do not attend the previous meetings to keep up with the lessons given. 2. It is difficult for me to teach

students who do not come to my class regularly. to make interesting materials to make students interested to come to class each meeting.

2. The students cannot adjust to the way I give the materials because what I think interesting is not always considered interesting by

I should hold a meeting with another teacher students can learn how to be disciplined.

Potential negative effects

1. With the cooperation between

students’ parents and me, I may

become stressed arranging the

students’ schedules based on

parents’ requests.

2. I may feel frustrated because I have to spend more time arranging

meetings with students’ parents

and Mrs. Aryanti.

3. The cooperation may create misunderstanding between

2. The parents, another teacher (Mrs. Aryanti), and I can work together to make the students disciplined and responsible for the schedule that has been set.

Potential negative effects

1. The students attend the class because they avoid being punished.

2. The students will come to my class only because they will be given a prize or a reward.

Chosen solution

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APPENDIX: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Name of interviewer : Novieta

Name of respondents : Vivi, Vera, Faya, Gracella, Sherly, Michelle, Gisel, Cindy, Nadia, Toni, Edwin, Ransen, Ratih, Martha, dan Amel

Day & date of interview : 27 September and 3 October, 2011 Place of interview : Logic Learning Center

Novieta : Cape engga les di kelas Miss Novi? Kenapa? Vivi, Vera, Faya, Gracella, Sherly, Michelle, Gisel, Cindy, Nadia,

Martha, dan Amel : Cape karena banyak aktivitas di sekolah. Emang dari sekolah udah banyak tugas di tempat les ada tugas lagi.

Toni : Cape, karena malas terus ngantuk atau karena daripulang sekolah sampai jam 15.00, kalau Sabtu dari jam 07.00 sampai 09.00.

Vera : Ada paint art hari Jumat dari jam 12.00 sampai 15.00 sama ada les Inggris di Holis hari Senin dan Rabu jam 15.00.

Toni : Ada; computer, badminton, dan basket. Ransen : Ada les lain di LLC hari Selasa jam 17.00

sampai malam.

Sherly : Ada. Hari Jumat dan Senin dari pulang sekolah sampai 13.30 atau 15.00.

Ratih : Ada. Tadinya hari Sabtu, tapi diganti jadi ga tentu seringnya hari Jumat sama suka ada kerja kelompok sampai jam17.00.

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Michelle : Ada. Hari Senin dari jam 14.00 sampai 15.00. Inggris) sebelum atau sesudah kelas Mrs. Aryanti? waktu masuk kelas Miss Novi.

Martha dan Faya : Pernah sebelum pernah sesudah kelas Mrs. ulangan jadi ga masuk kelas Miss Novi.

Toni : Karena cape, malas, terus ngantuk. Gracella : Karena tidak ada yang mengantar

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1 Maranatha Christian University

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Students’ attendance is an important thing in a learning process.

Raymond J. Green says “it seems almost self-evident that increased

attendance would positively impact learning” (par. 9). The more regularly

the students attend the class, the more the students will learn. Moreover,

students who attend classes regularly generally earn higher grades

because “the time spent in the classroom had the greatest positive impact

on overall student performance” (par. 3), as is stated by Ronald N. Cortright, et al.

Not only students’ attendance at school but students’ attendance at a

learning center is also important. Richard C. Schiming states that “the most productive time in any course is the time actually spent in the

classroom. That time has the greatest positive impact on overall student performance. The hour or two spent in class each day (for a particular course) does the most to improve the student's grade” (par. 1). Therefore,

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2 Maranatha Christian University helped in any subjects in which the children need help, as Sarah Barrett Jen Grady says: “It is important for students to find a way that they can be

helped whether in their own school or in an outside source. Learning

centers have become a popular venue for students to attend to receive

help in any subject area that they may need” (par. 1).Therefore, students’

attendance in the learning center is also important because it can help students in their lessons at school.

Amy Kestly says, “Students must understand that low attendance rates can have a negative impact on their grades and overall learning” (par. 1).

When students miss the class, it will be difficult for them to keep up with

the lessons given. As a result, it can make students get low grades in their lessons and hinder their academic success.

Teachers expect their students to achieve academic success, as Lisa Rosenthal states: “Great teachers set high expectations for all students. They expect that all students can and will achieve in their classroom” (par.

2). One of the ways to have academic success is to come to class regularly, as Colorin Colorado says: “One of the most important things

your child can do to achieve academic success is also one of the most basic: going to school every day. In fact, research has shown that your child's attendance record may be the biggest factor influencing her

academic success” (par. 2).

When I taught in Logic Learning Center (henceforth, LLC), I found a problem concerning students’ attendance in my class. I taught an English

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3 Maranatha Christian University years of age, but after that a different number of students each day, which could be between two to ten students. The students’ attendance in my class could not be predicted. Therefore, some students could not keep up

with the lessons because they were not present in the previous meetings, whereas students’ attendance in class is important to make students

understand the lessons given. Besides, this will influence their academic success. Because of that, in this term paper I would like to analyze the

problem concerning students’ attendance and find the best solution to solve it.

B. Identification of the Problem

Based on my experience during my internship program as a teacher at

LLC, I would like to analyze:

1. Why did the students in LLC not come to my class regularly?

2. How could I make the students in LLC come to my class regularly?

C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study

The objectives of the study are to analyze why the students in LLC did

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4 Maranatha Christian University By writing this term paper there are some benefits for me, for the

institution and for the readers. For me, I can share my experience to the readers and find the best solution to the problem I found during my

internship. I also expect this term paper can provide useful information for LLC and the teachers there. Moreover, I expect this term paper can make

the readers know that students’ attendance is a very important thing, and

thus give the readers information how to make students come regularly to

class.

D. Description of the Institution

LLC was founded at Kopo F8 Permai No. 7, Bandung on 22 July 2002.

The owners are Herry Gunawan, Kuncoro Hadinata, Elizabeth

Purawidjaya, and Santoso Tjahjadidjaja. LLC is a learning center that provides lessons for all subjects in schools, for example, Math, Science,

History, Geography, English, Mandarin. The lessons are aimed at kindergarten, primary school, junior high school, and senior high school

students.

LLC continues to develop over time to help students have good academic achievement at school. LLC has a vision to be a leading

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E. Method of the Study

In this term paper, I analyze the problem that I faced during my internship at LLC. I did an observation during my internship from 25 July

2011 until 20 September 2011 of the Thomas Alva Edison class, which has fifteen (15) junior high school students around 13 to 14 years of age. I

wrote down my observation notes in an internship journal. I collected the resources for solutions, theories that support my statement, and data from interviews, the Internet, and books.

F. Limitation of the Study

My term paper focuses on me, as a teacher of English language, who taught junior high school students in Thomas Alva Edison class at LLC.

I taught between two (2) and fifteen (15) students around 13 to 14 years of age. The observation was conducted during my internship from 25 July

2011 to 20 September 2011.

G. Organization of the Term Paper

This term paper starts with the Abstract. It is a summary of the analysis

of this term paper in Indonesian, which can help the readers know the contents of this term paper. The Abstract is followed by Declaration of Originality, which contains a statement of authenticity of this term paper.

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6 Maranatha Christian University people involved in the process of writing this term paper. Afterwards, there is Table of Contents, followed by four chapters; Chapter I contains the introduction of my problem, Chapter II is the problem analysis, which

covers the causes and effects of my problem, Chapter III contains three potential solutions, with two or three positive and negative effects for each

solution. Chapter IV is the conclusion, which states the best solution to my problem. After that, there is Bibliography, which contains information about

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CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION

In the previous chapters, I have analyzed the problem I found during my internship, the causes and the effects of the problem and three

potential solutions to solve my problem. The problem is that when I teach

in LLC, students do not come to my class regularly.

There are some causes and effects of this problem. The two causes of

my problem are that the schedule between me, another teacher (Mrs. Aryanti), and the students is not well-organized and the students are too tired because of their activities before coming to my class. The effects of

my problem are that it is difficult for the students who do not attend my class regularly to keep up with the lessons given, and it is also difficult for

me to teach students who do not come to my class regularly. Moreover, students who are used to not attending my class regularly become more undisciplined to attend my class.

To solve this problem, there are three potential solutions. First, I should make interesting lessons to attract students to keep coming to class.

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coming to my class regularly and give a penalty to the ones who are not. Third, I should hold a meeting with Mrs. Aryanti and each student’ parents

to arrange students’ schedules based on the schedule of Mrs. Aryanti’s

class and students’ activities.

Based on the analysis of all chapters, the best solutions to my problem

is the combination of all the three potential solutions. The first solution is that I should make interesting lessons to attract students to keep coming

to class. As a result, the students will be more interested to study and they will feel motivated to learn and keep coming regularly. The second solution is that I should give rewards to the students who are disciplined in coming

to my class regularly and give a penalty to the ones who are not. Consequently, the students will be proud of themselves when given

rewards and motivated to come to class, whereas, when given a penalty, students can learn how to be disciplined by coming to class regularly. After giving interesting lessons, it is important for me to provide rewards and

penalty. Therefore, I will not only make the students interested in the lessons but with rewards I will also be able to make them motivated to

come to class, whereas with a penalty I will be able to make the students disciplined to come to class regularly. The third solution is that I should

hold a meeting with Mrs. Aryanti and each student’s parents to arrange

students’ schedules based on the schedule of Mrs. Aryanti’s class and the

students’ activities. Consequently, it will create a good relationship

between students’ parents, other teacher (Mrs. Aryanti) and me.

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the students disciplined and responsible for the schedule that has been set. After I have given interesting lessons, given rewards and penalty, it will be complete if I hold a meeting with Mrs. Aryanti and each student’

parents to arrange schedules based on the schedule of Mrs. Aryanti’s class and students’ activities because when we meet to arrange students’

schedule, we can tell each other what is needed for the children’s better

achievement.

Thus, the combination of these three solutions is very useful to make the students come to class regularly because these three solutions support one another. When the students are given interesting lessons,

rewards, and penalty, the students are expected to be disciplined to come to class regularly. Furthermore, cooperating with students’ parents and

Mrs. Aryanti will help me make the students’ parents be involved in making the students disciplined and responsible for the schedule that has been set.

The conclusion is that I should give interesting lessons, give rewards to the students who are disciplined in coming to my class regularly and give

a penalty to the ones who are not, and hold a meeting with Mrs. Aryanti

and each student’s parents. With these three solutions, I believe that

students will be attracted to come to class and be disciplined to come to

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Maranatha Christian University

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Maranatha Christian University Interview

Ransen, Edwin, Vivi, Gracella, Toni, Ratih, Gisel, Martha, Michelle, Cindy,

and Sherly. Personal Interview. 27 September 2011