In a fast technologically evolving world, math is very important for people at all stages. It enables critical thinking and helps people to make sense out of their daily activities. For several decades, math has been a backbone and a compulsory subject in most societies. Unfortunately, this subject carries along with it a generational curse of fear transmitted by an older generation whose unexplained phobia for math finds reason in inappropriate pedagogical methods. Math is fun though! And it is part and parcel of everyday life. But the fun in math leaves to be replaced by fear when a solid foundation is not laid from the start. Math tutors at all levels have the responsibility of getting children to love math and they should always ask themselves the following questions:
• Are you an impatient teacher who tends to scold at your pupils when you teach and they don't understand?
• Do you integrate fun in your exercises to ease the tension or boredom tired pupils may be going through?
• Do you rush over some topics with the assumption that they are easy for children to understand?
• Do you give meaning to math by relating it to everyday activities for children to feel and understand it?
Answering no to any of these questions is a clear indication of why some teachers fail to get children love math. Adopting a new approach and novel strategies of teaching are important. The following suggestions should be considered by tutors, be they in a classroom or at home:
• Teachers must be patient and teach one math concept over and over again. This should be done by changing the teaching style each time. For example if you are teaching addition, you could start by explaining the concept over and over on the blackboard. The next step should be to create well animated PowerPoint lessons with very attractive and colorful graphics and let children watch as you explain along. Later, also get colorful math worksheets on addition for children to take back as homework and study at their free time. When they start understanding the concept, find links to interactive games and quizzes on the internet and send them to practice while having fun.
• Children easily get distracted, bored and tired when being taught. It is important to get them out of this stage by bringing in funny activities that make them laugh and which engage the whole class. Using math class games is a good way out. These could be board games, round table card games or interactive classroom games.
• Tutors should avoid rushing over topics. Missing out on any stage may affect future understanding. Since children forget easily, it is important to make constant revisions on lessons learnt earlier.
• Math can sound abstract some times. It is therefore important as a tutor to make children feel its importance as well as its implication in their daily activities. Take for example, if you are teaching children subtraction, do not just limit yourself to figures. Ask them about things they like e.g. if you had three apples and two were taken away from you, how many will be left? and so on. This will help them to tend to use math more often in their daily activities.
It is evident this far that children tend to fear and hate math because of the way tutors approach it. The concept parents have about math also has a bearing on how much children embrace the subject. It is important for tutors to change their teaching approaches if they don't work because they are in a better position to lay a solid foundation for this subject.
I am Mphoweh Jude, the author of this article and the content developer and webmaster of http://www.math4children.com and http://www.algebra4children.com. Math being a subject that has long been feared by children, developing new ideas of teaching it has always been my key objective. Through my websites, thousands of users across the world are benefiting from free worksheets, board games, quizzes, interactive games and powerpoints I create. Visit my websites lets exchange ideas around this topic. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mphoweh_Jude_Nzembayie |
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