ENGLISH FOR YOUNG LEARNERS ASSIGNMENT

JOURNAL ENTRY
ADULT-CENTERED VS LEARNER-CENTERED

NOVIANI NURJANNAH
1907266

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
2019
 We are naturally as human beings have steps of life which must be passed sequencely,
from new born baby until adults age. Those steps assuredly has each certain difference in
personality, behavior and thinking. We can simplify those steps into only two step of ages namely
children (approximately ranged from new born baby up to junior high school level) and adults
level (should be from senior high school until the oldest age in this world), but it may depend on
each personal’s opinion about the range, some says senior high school level is included in adults
or children (learner). As the core from the discussion. The division has certain purpose definitely,
for example in course placement, an course will consider in relation to concise place or class to be
joined, it can be categorized in certain level (adults or children). For learner, there therefore are
some division such us the level of learner, from kindergarten until higher education level. Leaving
this example to further discussion, why we should have such kind of categories; learners and
adults. It may be important to take the categories especially in education affairs or discussions, or
it will make an ease for all people to say this is learner’s area, this is adult’s area. Since the term
of categories always be buzzed in our society, it seems that we are tended to have special treatment,
special discussion for both adults and learners, education term includes in.
In education and psychology we will be familiar with the term of adults centered and
learner centered. What is exactly the meaning of both? Adults centered first, we talk about the
authority of adults, power of adults, better than-thinking and feeling and many things can be
covered as the essence of these discussions. Starting from adults centered firstly, adults centered
means literally making adults become center. Center of anything, center of education, center of
ability, center of better personality, center of strength compared with children. Furthermore the
term of adults centered means adults are portrayed as someone who is caring, knowleadgeable,
superhuman and has authority to give punishment and reward in the right time. Then on other
hand, adults can be bad and wrong headed people. Adults centered can be adopted for such as
parenting and education.
Adults centered and learner centered have really different meaning but also have
similarity. It is rather hard to apply but by some approaches we can choose both adults or learner
centered. Adults and learners centered have their own weakness and strength in their application.
The consideration of taking them into learning and parenting is based on what people believe in.
Some people believe that by implementing adults centered, the learning or parenting process will
be better, because all rules, responsibilities and needs are handled by adults as the center of learning
or parenting. Children as the part of the processs, just become followers of all rules. Adults have
power to do all things related to the learning and parenting. Somehow without noticing children’s
needs and wants.
Based on my own experiences, paying attention in term of adults centered, as if it has
unconsciously been not strange for almost of Indonesian students, in this case about learning and
parenting. As son and daughter of our parents and ex students of kindergarten, elementary school
up to approximately junior high school. Indonesian students are likely provided and served
education and parenting implementing adults centered concept. In parenting style, we can find that
there are many parents adopt adults centered concept conscious or unconsciously. Parents usually
want the best for their children, somehow they are overprotective and overcaring. Over protective
can be described that parents do not give children opportunity and trust to do all things. They tend
to be insecure with children’s activities and sometimes will give more punishment when their
children do something dangerous in their perspective. On other case, overprotective becomes proof
that adults centered exist in parent’s way of thinking. Protective is suggested but not
overprotective. Something which excessively does will not create something good.
 If we as parents want to adopt the adult centered concept, we can make it “ more friendly”
concept by assimilating other concept which encourage more friendly ways for our children. We
can not enact as adults who have one and only power, but also we can combine it by paying
attention in children’s side too. What is bad and good in our version should be thought for
children’s. Overall about adults centered discussion, we can highlight that adults centered depends
on what we think and assume. Adults centered can be seen as the good thing, because adults will
give everything such as attention, rule, responsibility fully towards children or other adults. They
can be seen as caring, protective and strong people who can assist and distribute all things to
children. They have power to help and do everything to children. Adults character also can be
enacted in children’s selves because they have been close to adults, children has their own “adults”
as supervision even if there is no adult beside them. Children can decide whether it is forbidden or
allowed because of adults behave to them. Thus sometimes children also can treat themselves like
adults do.
Moreover by exposing adults centered parenting or learning, adults can act as “hero” for
children who has feeling and thinking towards children positively. They consider children are so
incredible to be paid attention and looked after. Adult centered concept construct children to be
what they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be it. Adults centered also can guide them
in whatever the condition because their habits to be assisted. Children as fragile creature as they
look will need extra assistance and help in their ways as they can. Adults centered also contains of
questions of self like how we (as adults) can protect them(children)? Children are naturally
innocent and happy and any deviation from that state must be remedied immediately. Children
must be interpellated and adults mut interpellate them. Children need independence and freedom
but not too much and only if it is closely monitored by adults. If left on their own, children will
make terrible decisions. That’s why they need adult guidance.
On other hand, adults centered will bring some rather serious impacts for both children and
adults. Adults feel that they are in big power, they get used to having comfort zone as adults. They
regard children as just children, not more than that. They sometimes do not realize that they can
learn many things from children. We can learn about sincerity, innocence, purity of love and many
things. They should make children as an important part in their surroundings. In the reality, adults
also sometimes ignore some notion that children want to be treated as they want. They should
honor children’s ways in expressing their feelings and wants. They must notice that children also
have their own problem solving in their perspective. They seem to judging children wrong, you do
wrong thing; you must not do that and other judgement to what they have done. It seems hard to
apply and do in daily life, but we should get used to. To avoid something goes wrong, should we
combine with children (or as learner) centered as the second opinion of doing thing related to
children.
Instead of implementing adult centered, some of us also may get used to getting knowledge
and information about learner centered concept as other side of teaching style. Learner centered
emphasize on what learner have and what learner’s power is. Learning is about complexity about
the joys, fears and trials of being a learner. learner solve problem in their own, save them from
situations. On learner’s perspective, teacher may be portrayed as fallible, nuanced individuals with
rich lives of their own who are not perfect but who share, learn and grow. Teachers may even be
good friends because they are too, are complicated characters, not static sources of authority and
comfort. On learner centered side, there is personal assumption to what actually learner are. They
are portrayed as caring, loving, spoiled, smart, active and other stereotypical personality. It is
distinctively described that in teacher centered concepts, in which teachers set the rules and
learners are expected to follow the rules. In contrast, learner centered concepts are concepts
arranged based on learner’s needs and interests rather than teachers. In learner centered concept,
there will be plus and minus in accepting that concept. Learner centered is expected to be perfect
way for teacher to encourage students’ autonomy, initiative and creativity. Some of teachers let
their students discover all things in this world, but in reality there is still fear of what learners do.
They tend to be guidance beside learners, not as someone wise in learner’s side. Then, teachers as
adults want the best for students, they want all good things not bad things for them.
Learner centered seems like new perception on the ways of teaching. In the past,
traditionally many of cultures and customs perhaps including our custom are introduced
intensively by adult and teacher centered concept starting from learning, teaching and many kinds
of matters. As time goes, there are new knowledge should be tried and implemented by adults and
teachers to regarding children and learner centered concepts. Adults and teachers should realize
that they were in wrong ways of thinking. It is as result of experiment and research in observing
both adults and learners. Through many discussions of experts and scientists related to how should
people realize about learners and adults. It can not be in the same assumption and reaction after
observing all things related to learners’ personality and behavior and what should be done properly
toward the two types of individuals. Learner centered regard students in their own ways. It is
believed that students have their own problem solvings, ways of thinking, decisions, needs, wants
and everything. Moreover students usually take their own agency, wrestling it away from teachers,
or assert in compelling ways (which is much different than being a power).
I have experiences in elaborating learner centered especially in teaching process. I teach
my students who are in elementary grade. I usually look for information from internet how to teach
such kind of individuals because I have got used to experiencing in teaching adults. I try to do my
best to acquire creative and elaborative learning in my classroom. Unconsciously I realize that is
one of my way to create learner centered classroom. It is a proof that I always to try to look for
what students like, what they dislike. I try to masquerade as if I am a student. How I can be happy,
how I learn something. Is it boring classroom or not? I always have those kind of questions in my
mind. I want to be loved and liked by my students, so I must treat them as they ways. As far as I
teach them, I try to persuade them in my teaching style. I involve them in deciding how should the
teaching and learning flow. I design materials for them, based on book and I deliver it in my ways.
I use media to teach them, they welcome my style and media. I use games as a part of creating
them joy. I also give them reward and punishment. As result, they are triggered to be active and
involved in classroom discussion or Question and Answer session. I think it is my experience about
how I apply can be said as student or learner centered teaching and learning which finally bring
good impact to my students
As in my experiences, we also can apply learner centered at home in parenting style.
Eventhough, the discussion is limited, we can try to look for information about learner centered
knowledge from internet or government in education affairs. It is newly buzzed and published, but
is is appropriate to be applied. Learner centered such kind of knowledge which describe out of the
box information or unusual information about how we should notice learner centered. Since years
ago, almost all schools in America adopt learner centered in their teaching style with some reasons.
In the fact, they do some mistakes in doing learner centered approach resulting in risk of producing
entitled, narcissistic students who lack the capacity to preserve and cope with difficulty. Research
shows that there is paradox in implementing learner centered concept. This is because student
centered concept often follow predictable pattern of teaching learning process.