Thursday, June 10, 2010

NEW THINKING ABOUT MAKING CHILDREN LEARN MATH.

Unless children get themselves exposed to learning situations based on the level of the ability to sense and perceive the experience,learning the concepts of mathematics is not possible.Hence the thinking is to create leaning situations based on the developmental stage of the child. Thus both the child as an individual and the learning situations are in the domain of our thinking for making the child perceive the component of learning situations .This is a phenomenon which is unique and the process of learning should be individualistic.O ne gets a question as how this can be effective when one of the principle says that social constructivism is better than training the individual in groups. In structuring situation to get their own experience in the classroom ,the individual is in focus. Does the process of socialisation act as support system or come in the way of individual getting concepts of mathematics for life.

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Mathematics in Schools.

The introduction of new mathematics such as metrics, topology, calculus and secondary trigonometry have not given fruits to students who do not take further studies in science and maths and also for students who drop out of schooling and get into the world of work. Nor is it useful for daily calculations and transactions such as calculation of paints required for walls, drawing a family budget, maintaining a simple balance sheet of the family etc. Therefore it is advocated that topics are to be prescribes after making a sincere survey of requirement for chunk of students who do not specifically select science and ,mathematics for further studies or who get into job market.

Prescribing a curriculum for generality of students in a country, where the interests are divergent, backgrounds are unique and requirements vary, needs an investigation into not only the topics to be prescribed along with the ability that can be developed through them but also, the ratio of requirement of these abilities for life and for further education.

In a country like India, where a vast knowledge is available which is already amalgamated the western process of education of schooling in groups educationalist and administrators have no right to advocate for the prescription of a ready-made, westernised curriculum. History is to be taught, in a way that citizens are empowered with ability to resist the onslaught of other countries their philosophy on us, so that the originality and the sum mated positive qualities are maintained in the society.