metanoia
A New Way of Seeing
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If lesson planning has taught me anything, it is that—much like life—the teaching-learning process can never be fully planned. Having a Plan B (and even a Plan C) is non-negotiable. I remember being asked by a learner which is more significant: a goal or a plan. I chose the former, reasoning that plans may fail, but as long as one remains anchored to a goal—one’s “north star”—direction is never lost. To me, this captures the essence of constructive alignment: while the initially designed Teaching-Learning Activities (TLAs) and Assessment Tasks (ATs) may not always achieve the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs), well-defined learning objectives allow for continuous adaptation and realignment of instructional strategies.
In this section, I present two learning plans: the first is one I designed for my final teaching evaluation under the SEA Teacher Project Batch 11, where I taught Senior High School Physics to Digital Class 11-5 of Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 1 Kendari (MAN 1). The second is the learning plan prepared by my Cooperating Teacher, Mr. Rahmat Fortuna Rasak, S.Pd., which I used as a reference in developing my own lesson plan and later co-implemented during my teaching assistantship.
This serves as proof of my ability to curate learning experiences grounded in outside-the-box thinking, innovative instructional strategies, adaptability within a previously unfamiliar curriculum and education system, progressive improvement of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK), and effective classroom management.
Beginning with perhaps the most extensive lesson plan I have ever compiled—a bilingual learning plan under the topic Heat and Thermodynamics (Kalor dan Termodinamika). I was entrusted with facilitating the final two subtopics: Temperature Scales (Skala Suhu) and Temperature Conversion (Konversi Suhu). This experience provided me with substantial exposure to the construction of instructional plans aligned with the Kurikulum Merdeka implemented by the Kementerian Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah (Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education). Through the mentorship provided by my cooperating teachers and the headmaster, I gradually learned how student learning outcomes within the recommended curriculum are translated into structured written instruction supported by readily-available learning resources and pedagogical materials.
The Kurikulum Merdeka is Indonesia’s national curriculum designed to champion a learner-centered and flexible educational system. Within this framework, teachers are repositioned from being primary sources of knowledge or "sages on the stage" to facilitators of learning or "guides on the side", thereby promoting an autonomous learning process. Implementation of the Kurikulum Merdeka may vary depending on each school’s readiness and institutional capacity. Educational institutions may adopt one of these three implementation pathways: Mandiri Belajar, Mandiri Berubah, and Mandiri Berbagi.
In Mandiri Belajar, schools continue using the 2013 Curriculum structure while gradually integrating selected principles of the Merdeka Curriculum, particularly in instructional strategies and assessment practices. In Mandiri Berubah, schools fully adopt the structure and core principles of the Merdeka Curriculum while relying on government-provided instructional resources, including lesson exemplars, assessment tools, and learning materials available through the Merdeka Mengajar platform. In Mandiri Berbagi, schools independently design and develop instructional materials and learning resources, while also actively sharing best practices with other institutions implementing the same curriculum. Based on my classroom observations, MAN 1 Kendari appears to be implementing the Mandiri Berubah pathway, as teachers predominantly utilize standardized instructional materials, lesson exemplars, and learning resources provided through the official government platform for curriculum implementation.
In terms of its broader educational goals, the Merdeka Curriculum seeks to address learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic by transforming traditional instructional practices toward more meaningful, student-centered, and flexible learning experiences. It emphasizes the development of essential competencies through adaptive and contextualized learning approaches.
Immersion within the practicum school also acquainted me with several foundational principles underpinning the Kurikulum Merdeka. Among these was the curriculum’s emphasis on flexible learning pathways, wherein learners are prompted to select elective subjects aligned with their interests, aptitudes, and prospective career trajectories rather than being confined within rigid academic streams. For instance, I exclusively underwent my class observations, teaching assistantship, and actual teaching assignments with engineering classes, as they were the only strands required to take physics. I also observed the curriculum’s prioritization of essential competencies over excessive rote memorization, allowing teachers to devote longer instructional time toward conceptual mastery, literacy and numeracy, and meaningful classroom management. Equally significant was the practice of differentiated instruction, wherein pedagogical strategies, instructional materials (IMs), teaching-learning activities (TLAs), and assessment tasks (ATs) are adjusted according to students' developmental readiness, pace, and individual learning needs.
Furthermore, the internship familiarized me with the integration of the Profil Pelajar Pancasila (Pancasila Student Profile), particularly through the implementation of Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila (P5), which allocates a considerable portion of instructional time to problem-based and contextualized learning experiences. Through my classroom observations and instructional planning, I learned how these initiatives aim to cultivate the six central learner characteristics promoted within the curriculum: faith and piety toward God Almighty, global diversity, mutual cooperation, independence, critical reasoning, and creativity. These principles reflect the broader philosophical foundations of Pancasila itself, namely: belief in one supreme God (Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa), just and civilized humanity, the unity of Indonesia, democracy guided by wisdom through deliberation and representation, and social justice for all Indonesian people.
Additionally, I grasped the structured implementation of the PBL framework utilized in classroom instruction. Based on the lesson plan format and classroom practices I observed at MAN 1, the approach employed was primarily Problem-Based Learning as the instructional sequence centered upon orienting students toward a problem, organizing learners for inquiry, guiding investigations, developing and presenting solutions, and evaluating the problem-solving process. Nevertheless, elements of project-oriented and collaborative learning were likewise integrated, particularly through the P5 activities embedded within the abovementioned framework.
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strengths
What went right?
The strengths my cooperating teachers, especially Mrs. Rizka Rahmawati, S.Pd., M.Pd., noted are as follows (communicated verbatim):
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The learning objectives are well-constructed in accordance with Bloom’s three domains of learning (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor). Moreover, they apply both the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) and ABCD (Audience, Behavior, Condition, Degree) frameworks, which are complementary approaches for writing actionable learning objectives.
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The classroom procedures are context-specific (considering the learners' cultural background) and developmentally appropriate (since the learners are in the adolescent stage, socio-emotional learning and the establishment of pre-consulted classroom rules and a hand-signal system are applied). It is uncommon for science learning plans to incorporate affective wellness this effectively. The class motto also promotes growth mindset principles.
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The learning plan evidently reflects the learner-centered and problem-based approaches emphasized in Kurikulum Merdeka. Curriculum awareness and pedagogical coherence are observed since the PBL stages are explicitly embedded within the lesson structure, particularly through problem orientation, collaborative inquiry, scaffolded investigation, output presentation, and reflective evaluation of the problem-solving process.
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The content-integrated gamification activity (Thermal Chaos) shows a high degree of pedagogical innovation. The salient features of the game include embedding physics concepts directly into the mechanics, sharpening the learners' strategic and analytical thinking skills, incorporating competitive and active recall practices through the immediate application of formulas, and reinforcing learning through repetition, peer modeling, and peer feedback (adherent to Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory) .
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The learning plan employs a multimodal and differentiated approach by combining both conventional and technology-based instructional materials (IMs), game-based learning, movement-based activities, collaborative tasks, active recall exercises, and contextualized reinforcement strategies to accommodate diverse learner needs and preferences.
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The Pancasila Student Profile is seamlessly incorporated within the learning plan, and all its learner characteristics are intentionally targeted through the teaching-learning activities (TLAs).
areas for improvement
Next time, what can I do better?
On the other hand, I identified the following areas for improvement upon self-assessing my constructed learning plan:
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The lesson was overly ambitious and idealistic for a 90-minute session. It resulted in rushed instruction, reduced assessment validity, and incomplete execution of activities. Next time, I will simplify the transitions, reduce the gameplay complexity, and consider realistic pacing in designing the teaching-learning activities (TLAs).
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Due to time constraints, the formal assessment mainly focused on concept identification, with limited opportunities for contextualized problem-solving. In the future, I will incorporate more higher-order thinking tasks such as analysis of real-life scenarios, error evaluation, and justification questions (e.g., explaining why Kelvin is preferred in scientific contexts).
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The gameplay activity caused cognitive overload for some learners and temporary intellectual latency, which affected the effectiveness of my classroom management strategies. My proposed improvement is to design four separate card decks so that four groups can play simultaneously. Moreover, the Thermal Shock Cards should include a self-checking mechanism so that learners can immediately verify the correctness of their answers.
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The reinforcement strategies could have been more clearly defined. The criteria for rewards were stated in general terms, but the type of reward, fairness considerations, and pedagogical purpose were not fully specified. Next time, I will discuss in detail the reward system and guarantee that it promotes intrinsic motivation and equitable participation.
To synthesize my takeaways from this training activity, the table below presents five (5) aspects that differentiate lesson planning within the Indonesian and Philippine education systems. Furthermore, the salient features of the former that may be advantageous if adapted into the latter are likewise enumerated.
In comparison, the MATATAG Curriculum of the Philippines aims to decongest the K–12 curriculum by reducing overly extensive learning competencies and focusing instead on foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy, alongside character development. Its primary objective is to guarantee that learners master essential competencies within a more manageable and realistic instructional scope, thereby improving learning quality and retention.
Both curricula share notable similarities in their pedagogical orientation. They are grounded in student-centered learning approaches and prioritize the development of globally competitive learners. Both systems emphasize active and experiential learning strategies over rote memorization. Furthermore, they redefine the roles of teachers as facilitators of learning and position students as active participants in knowledge construction. Importantly, both curricula emerged as systemic responses to longstanding educational problems in their respective countries, reflecting a shared recognition of education as a transformative tool for national development.
However, a key distinction between the two lies in their underlying philosophical orientations. The Merdeka Curriculum is largely influenced by existentialist principles, emphasizing learner autonomy and personalized learning pathways that allow students sufficient time and space to achieve competencies. Contrastingly, the MATATAG Curriculum is grounded in essentialist philosophy, prioritizing structured learning, core competencies, and sustainability in curriculum design. While both aim to improve educational outcomes, they differ in the extent of flexibility and focus on foundational content versus learner autonomy.
Curriculum serves an integral role in honing learners into more productive individuals. It establishes learning goals and defines the competencies that learners are expected to achieve, thereby providing direction and purpose to the teaching and learning process. In addition, it guides the selection of appropriate pedagogical approaches and supplies essential instructional resources that aid teachers in facilitating meaningful learning experiences. Beyond classroom instruction, the curriculum also functions as a unifying framework for the broader educational community, cultivating alignment and collaboration among various stakeholders in the education system.
Learners are more likely to succeed when the curriculum is intentionally designed to equip both teachers and students with adequate resources for successful instruction and learning. Equally important is the curriculum’s responsiveness to diverse learner contexts and differentiated needs. In many classroom settings, students vary significantly in terms of readiness and learning pace. Some learners may experience difficulty keeping up with academically advanced peers, which may hinder their ability to fully master the required competencies within a fixed timeframe. Consequently, there is a risk that learners may progress to the next level without sufficient understanding of foundational concepts. However, when the curriculum provides flexibility, sufficient instructional time, and appropriate learning support aligned with their readiness, students are more likely to achieve the intended learning outcomes (ILOs).
Rather than expressing preference for one curriculum over another, I adopt an adaptive perspective toward different educational frameworks. Both curricula present distinct strengths and limitations depending on context and implementation. From a professional standpoint, the more critical consideration lies in how educators can effectively maximize the strengths of a given curriculum while strategically addressing its limitations to ensure that learning remains inclusive and equitable for all learners.
