Teacher as researcher: the first step to becoming a research teacher

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Being a teacher is a noble job. Every day we face children with different characters. The teacher is very meritorious in shaping the personality of a child. Children will remember their teachers when they succeed. Because teachers play an important role in making them a scientist, researcher, politician, artist, businessman, lecturer, and others.

The task of teachers in the classroom is not only teaching and guiding children. Teachers are professions that require complexity. One of the tasks of teachers in a broad sense is to research. Teachers as researchers are teachers who act as researchers in the classroom. Perhaps a question arises in our minds, what should a teacher study? Should not the teacher just teach and guide the children in the classroom?

Of course not. When the teacher is teaching in the classroom, he (she) also performs the process of direct observation. This process is unconsciously included in qualitative research methods. Well, when these processes are recorded in the paper sheets, then analyzes and develops new methods, this is where the teacher gets the role of a researcher.

There are several steps that a teacher can take to develop his (her) interest as a researcher. These steps seem easy and simple, and may be applicable to every teacher. Here are the steps you can practice:

1. A detailed observation of the teaching and learning process in the classroom includes time efficiency, student response, explanation methods, and closing.
2. Meetings to present the teacher group observation results without being commented upon by the target teacher.
3. Discussion forums involving target teachers, observer groups, principals and vice principals to discuss the results of observation and provide feedback on improvements. This forum is sometimes attended by university lecturers as assessors.

Teachers who do research in the classroom will know the constraints faced during the teaching and learning process. For example, teachers can know the factors that cause low interest of the children in learning, or the teacher knows the extent of the effectiveness of methods used when teaching, or others.

Using a scientific approach, you can do simple research. You just need to understand some basic methods in scientific research. I'm sure you understand some of the methods in research because we've learned it when we go to college.

However, the average teacher complained about the difficulty of pouring their observations into written or scientific papers. This is what must be observed by teachers who want to research. A complex study should be written systematically. This should be! Teachers who want to develop their professionalism as research teachers are also required to write. So, here the teacher is not only labeled as a researcher, but also as a writer.

This is your first step to becoming a researcher and (at the same time) a writer. All you need to do is observe and follow the steps of scientific writing. Take your time to write. Pour your ideas into your paperwork. Get started now. Start from yourself!