Science in Islamic kindergarten in Indonesia: Content and methods

The purpose of this study was to examine science content and teaching methods at Islamic kindergarten or Raudlatul Athfal (Arabic: Garden of Children, abbreviation: RA) in Indonesia. This study used a qualitative approach, collecting data through a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and then had participants write reflective essays. The participants were 22 Raudhathul Athfal teachers from the provinces of South Sumatra and East Java, Indonesia. The study discovered that Islamic kindergarten teachers frequently teach the following science content: 1) a wide variety of topics, with the most frequently taught being plants, animals, taste recognition, and the universe; 2) the scope of the subjects, specifically the physical world, living things, nature, and the environment. The teacher taught science to young children in three ways: 1) by linking the explanation to the children’s daily lives; 2) by inviting the children to experiment; 3) by making learning fun. This study implies that, while the content taught was diversified and the methods used were numerous, the learning was perhaps not sufficiently in-depth. The researchers recommend that early childhood teacher education programs expose prospective teachers to many alternative techniques and themes for early childhood learning science, enticing and enabling them to develop more comprehensive and meaningful learning.