Many people think
mathematics is a difficult subject to study. Some of them fear it and a number
of them hate it. However, there are a few who like it and even create fun in it.
The good thing is that all of them accept that it is a very useful subject
because of its utilitarian nature especially in science and technology. A lot
of people talk about mathematics but very few do mathematics. You will hear
members of the public complaining about poor mathematics performance and even
blame teachers and the ministry responsible for education for not taking
appropriate measure to solve the problem.
Mathematics taught in
the classroom should set the pace in the right direction if we want to achieve
better results in terms of performance and application in related fields. Here,
we are more concerned with the ways in which our pupils learn the organization
of the teaching and the teaching aids available to teachers. One of the first
essentials is that everyone concerned (teachers and pupils) should so enjoy
their work that mathematics lessons become the centre of lively interest and
curiosity in the subject. They also need to extend it beyond the classroom so
that pupils get the opportunity to observe and appreciate the beauty of
mathematics in nature and patterns they encounter in their daily life. This can
only happen when they are able to work with confidence, feeling secure in their
ability to understand the ideas and methods used.
It is important for
the teacher to guard against demanding too much too soon. The teacher should
also remember that in learning mathematics, the pupils are at first wholly
absorbed in the new ideas and in the discoveries they make and have little
thought to spare for the methods employed. Many teachers jump into deduction
too early and some pupils fail to keep up the pace and lose concentration. At
this stage deduction should be used only where it is easily understood and likely
to stimulate the pupil. Acceptability should determine the choice of
presentation rather than the consistency of the development.
If a pupil is to like a subject at school it
must hold or create interest. The interest mentioned here is not superficial or
ephemeral, but one which is strong enough to call forth considerable
perseverance from the pupils and to the determination to master tasks which are
not immediately seen to be rewarding. In mathematics pupils interest is
sustained if the subject matter is not too easy or too difficult. The work they
do with respect to the subject should be relevant to their present life. In
order to create interest in mathematics, the pupils must be aware that they are
making progress. They must experience success which brings added confidence and
hence leads to greater effectiveness.
In a pre-pi day quiz conducted at the Tanzania
Institute of Education (TIE) in 2008 sponsored by Tanzania Standard Newspapers,
Kassim Samji of Azania Secondary School who emerged 1st
winner said after receiving his prize,
“Me Kassim Samji as I am student, I am better in
mathematics than in other subjects because of the efforts of my teacher and my
other students. My mathematics teacher Mrs.
Mabano, gives me the techniques of how to solve and tackle mathematics problems. My math teacher provides me with some past
mathematics papers and guides me in solving them. On the other hand, my fellow students help me
to perform well in my mathematics exams because whenever I need a help, they
help me to solve the problem by exchanging our ideas and opinions. So from the above reasons I can say that
without mathematics teacher and my fellow students, I could not perform well in
mathematics because they are beneficial to me.
In additional to that, my IQ helps in promoting my good performance. ”
It helps to learn about and make good use of the
interest of our pupils and to encourage them to ask questions by letting them
see that their questions are always taken seriously. The question that begins
“what happens if…” should be used as often as possible to promote thinking and
should never be ignored. Let them realize that besides the utilitarian and
social values, mathematics can give some of them early experience of
intellectual pleasure. Mathematics can also give the pupils the experience of
taking something they are interested, letting their minds play on it and
discovering new and unexpected interest.
If this lovely attitude to mathematics is to be achieved, the
teacher must have a genuine interest in what he/she is teaching. Flexibility,
both in the choice of topic and in the method of presentations is essential.
Rigid class teaching, with the teacher giving out all the necessary facts and
methods and the class silently accepting their role of learning and practicing
without question is out-dated. Today, we have a shift of paradigm where pupils’
interest and learning experience are emphasized.
Mathematics teachers and their supporters have an
association called Mathematics Association of Tanzania (MAT/CHAHITA) which
brings them together to share experiences regarding their interest in
mathematics. The association holds its general meeting annually usually in
September. In 2012 the annual general meeting
has been scheduled to take place at Makumira College of Tumaini
University, Arusha from 17th September to 22nd September
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