EDU 330 Elementary Mathematics – Chapter 1 & 2

I have always thought that we learnt Mathematics for the purpose of being able to get a job done be it as an accountant in a bank or an architect doing design; and also mostly, to use in our daily life.

For the preschoolers, my objective is to make sure they are given the foundation of Mathematics to prepare them for primary school. However, little did I know that it requires the teacher to have extensive knowledge of the subject to ensure that we are better able to teach our students. Teachers need to be persistent and patient so that they will not be frustrated when the students are unable to comprehend certain concepts. The positive attitude of the teacher will help the students develop a love for Mathematics and prevent them from seeing it as something radically abstract. The readiness for change helps the teacher to adapt and find other strategies to teach when the students encounter difficulties in understanding. Having a reflective disposition is one great asset any teacher should develop; it may not just be applicable to Mathematics, it is a disposition that applies to everything in learning.

From the reading, I may say that understanding Mathematical concepts is not just about imitating what the teacher has taught, but by engaging the students in using their own knowledge and experience to solve problems through social interaction and reflection. Teachers need to design tasks to challenge student to think critically and creatively thus arriving at understanding.

There is much to learn and I hope that at the end of this course, I’ll develop a reflective disposition in my teaching journey.