TEACHER'S CREATIVITY IN TEACHING ENGLISH

1. Introduction

Nowadays, developments in all fields of life become the interesting topic talked about everywhere in Indonesia. How to estimate the condition of social economy in order to increase the standard of living is one of talking. The experts believe that the best way to solve this problem is through education. They assume that most countries have such a same outlook that education is the main key to achieve the objective.

The efforts to improve the quality of education needs a continuous effort which is based on the aims to achieve. It is, therefore, neccesary to do several changes in curricullum and teaching learning English process. One way of doing this, is the application of exact teaching methods and approaches.

In this process, the teacher has a great role in determining the students’ achievement in learning. Therefore the taeacher must be a facilitator, motivator, advisor  and manager in teaching and learning process. But the fact indicates that the teacher  is mostly the source of learning. Really, the teacher is not only acts as an informator by which the students may become passive but also should be a motivator or facilitator, so that what they are expected could be achieved.

In this modern era, there have appeared many talks and arguments about the English teaching in Indonesia. Most of people believe that the result of teaching is still poor. As the result, the students are not able to master the English well.  The senior high school accuse the junior high school as the place where the students get English firstly does not give  a good base of the knowledge. However, the junior high schools would say that it is not their mistakes.

I recognized that every teacher of English has tried to use good methods in teaching and learning process. They use their own way to achieve the objective of study. They accustomed to looking for the easy and suitable methods but sometimes it is not successful. I myself have an experience when I was teaching at the first class of SMA. At the moment, I asked the students to make a simple sentence, but I was upset, because they could not do it. So I wondered, what they have got from junior high school especially English lesson.

Actually, we can say that the schools are not wrong. The problem is laid on the way of teaching.  It means that the way of teacher in teaching English still indicates some weaknesses.

In order to guide the students on the right track to the target, teacher of English should first develop himself with  an analitycal strategy to the material and study the characteristics features of the language. He or she must be more creative in teaching.

2. The meaning of Creativity

            Creativity is the ability to or quality of producing new, unique, original, not before existent (William Burton). Torrance stated that cretive thinking as the process of sensing gaps or disturbing, missing element, forming idea or hypothesis and communicating the result to or quality possibly modifying and reterting hypothesis.

I may conclude that creativity is the ability in creating something new or combine the several things that have been exist to the new one. It is related to the behaviour or individual special talent. Related to the teaching English, a creative teacher will not use a menotonous method, because it can make the students boring in following the lesson, He will try to use a new method and combine several, explain the material by using medium and gives spirit and motivation to the students in learning.

Weinstein stated that creative activity is characterized by divergent thinking which is indicated by fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration and sensitivity.

1. Fluency

It is defined as  retrieval of information from memory or the ability to put forward the same ideas to overcome a problems.

1. Flexibility

It is the ability to transform information, to reinterpret or redefine and adapt it to new uses, or the ability to find out variety ideas in overcoming the problem.

1. Originality

It is the ability to express a unique response spontanously

1. Elaboration

It consists of producing implications of original ideas or the ability to express ideas systematically and elaborately.

1. Sensitivity

It is the ability to give response in overcoming the problem.

3. Teacher’s Creativity in Teaching English

There are some points that should be taken any attention by the teacher before starting learning, namely:

1. Learning can be done only by learner
2. The needs, interest, abilities, problems and purposes are the only fruitful starting point and continuing motivation for learning activity.
3. The less sensible interest, purpose and activities and of the learner, are to be made over through the symphatetic of the teacher.
4. Subject matter is useful and meaningful as it serves ame needs and purposes of the learner.
5. The teacher can help the students to learn, can aid them in overcoming difficulties, in overcoming undesirable habits and attitudes as she or he understands the mental and emotional processes of the individual.

The writer  may say that a teacher of English will be a creative one  if he or she shows the attitude and behaviour of creativity in teaching English. He or she will do some following steps:

1. Try not to limit what children can experience
2. Help the students to apply principles to new situations
3. Show that you respect unusual questions and ideas
4. Provide opportunities fdor self initiated learning and give credit
5. Reduce pressure, provide for periods of nonevaluated practice in learning
6. Allow time for students to reflect
7. Respect individual differences
8. Tolerate disorder during the creative process
9. Tell students that you want creative ideas
10. Show the model of creative behaviour
11. Using technique and material specifically designed to enhance creativity.
12. Conclusion

Teacher as the main component in a teaching process plays  an important role in guiding and rising up the motivation of the students. In order to transfer knowledge and skills to the students he or she should build up favorable climate for learning. This way only can be done by a creative teacher.

A creative teacher of English, through his own personality can help to encourage the students to be more interested and have integrated skills approach to reach the idea. He will use a new method and combine several, explain the material by using medium and gives spirit and motivation to the students in learning. (SR)

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