Teaching Math Curriculum within the Context of Meaning and Application
Teaching Math Curriculum within the Context of Meaning and Application
According to Marilyn Burns, most teachers teach mathematics detached from meaning and application. However, Burns argue that teaching the why is as vital as teaching the what to do in mathematics. Integrating the why and the what to do when teaching mathematics involves integration of meaning and application. Integration of meaning and application in the teaching of mathematics guarantees that the students fully understand the mathematical concepts they are being taught (Burns, 2007). When a student fully understands a mathematical concept he can apply the skill in other non academic tasks beyond the class context. This is to say that if a student understands a concept and it application. The concept becomes a viable tool that he can use in the future.
Teaching mathematics in relation to meaning and application makes the learning process easy to recall. Most students have the perception that mathematics is complex and difficult to comprehend. Such a perception arises due to learning mathematical concepts simply as a compulsory subject i.e. the why, as opposed to understanding the application and meaning. Integration of application and meaning ensures that learners easily comprehend the arithmetic procedures. Once they comprehend the arithmetic procedures, then the concepts are entrenched into their mind (Pratt, 2006). The students will thus be able to recall and apply the taught mathematical concepts in subsequent classes and in the future. Integration of meaning and concept also encourages students to reason. Critical; thinking allows for a better understanding of a mathematical concept. The element of critical thinking when learning is vital as it enables the students to attain the overall academic objective in learning i.e. acquire knowledge.
Teaching only what to do is an easier option for teacher as compared to teaching what to do any why. Teaching only the concepts guarantee the teachers that their students will be able to provide accurate answers if an examination is set regarding a mathematical concept taught. Teaching only what to do is also easier as the teacher only have to follow the teaching procedures as provided in the class texts. Teachers also focus on what to do as they can easily determine whether their students have mastered the concepts (Burns, 2007). This is done through an assignment in which the students are required to duplicate what they have been taught in class. However, teaching formulas without emphasizing on reasons for learning the concept is an indicator of failure in the teaching of mathematics.
Teaching without emphasizing on meaning and concept is an ineffective instructional style that results to feeling of incompetence and lack of confidence in mathematics as a subject. According to Burns, (2007) students are hardly motivated to study mathematics if the instructional strategies only emphasize on what to do. The lack of motivation is attributed to the fact that the teacher simply comes to the classroom, introduce a new topic e.g. algebra and shows students how to calculate an algebra sum. After a series of lessons, beginning with the simplest calculations to the most complex, the teacher announces the lesson is complete. Teachings such as these are ineffective as the positive effects are short term. Students get to memorize how to do an algebra calculation. However, since the teacher used an instructional strategy that emphasized on what to do rather than why, the students gradually forget the concept. Integration of why in teaching mathematics ensures that the student appreciate what they are being taught (Pratt, 2006). It is by appreciating what they are being taught that students truly comprehend mathematical concepts.
Reference
Burns, M. (2007). About teaching mathematics.Math Solutions Publications
Pratt, N. (2006). Interactive math’s teaching in primary school. SAGE publishers
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