As you may have known my job includes administering study guidance to students and this does not limit to one or two subjects. Most of the students that I come to work with need help in Mathematics and other subject areas that deal with Maths. Because of this I came to realize that Maths is the hardest subject in school. Some students may have innate ability in Maths but the number is great for those who don’t have.
I must admit that Math was the subject I liked less when I was in school. In fact, I loathed it. But I tried so hard not to fail it either. It’s ironic that I’m helping students in Maths now when I didn’t even excel in this subject before. In the process of helping I also learn and understand more about it and now I feel that Math is easier than I thought. Although there are areas that I still find difficult but learning is not impossible.
When my headmaster asked me if I wanted to go on a course competency training in Math I didn’t think twice. I could see my need to learn how to teach the subject. Since I help students in different grade levels I thought the training might give me insights as to dealing Maths in other perspectives.
Math learning materials for elementary
The training did not fail my expectations. I enjoyed participating in the activities that the lecturer had prepared for us. It made teaching and learning Maths fun and meaningful. It wasn’t just about paper and pen solving problems but it was more about how and why combined with physical activities. I guess this kind of a method is what I miss in my early days of learning Mathematics.
More Maths teaching materials
The textbooks and materials presented on the training were impressive. But I was more interested in the different teaching materials and hands-on activities. It’s contrary to what I experienced when I was in school. I guess it was why I didn’t like the subject in the first place. It was more like staring at the paper of numbers from 1+1 to x+y without understanding the concept.
After the training I realized that Mathematics can be presented in many ways enjoyable and more likeable to students. Integrating materials and activities in the strategy or method will engage them into learning the subject meaningfully, thus, develop liking and treating it as easy as possible.
You make a great point. Math isn’t just about numbers on paper. I was great at math and science growing up and was put into chemistry at 13. I couldn’t grasp chemistry to save my life until they switched me to applied physical science, which was a mix of chem and physics but taught it in ways that was applicable to real life. After taking that I was able to continue with chemistry. IT is much easier to learn things when you are able to see and apply it.
Wow! I can tell you’re a Math wiz. Chemistry and Physics are really hard for me, let alone Physical Science. It’s sad that not all students who are capable of understanding the value of these subjects in real life.
I liked Math when I was younger, those that only involve basic computation from addition to division. In HS I started to dislike it with Algebra and Trigo. I didn’t like adding variables, x and y and what not into it. Basta pag Math na, nagsa-shutdown na isip ko hehe. I would choose any other subject but Math. In college, I didn’t expect Math is one of our major subjects. From Algebra, Trigo, to Calculus Derivatives,Integrals & Limits, etc.. I can’t believe I survived it. Narealize ko hindi naman pala ganun kahirap kung inintindi ko lang mabuti. Kung maibabalik ko lang. 🙂
I always thought na kapag magaling ka sa computer magaling ka rin sa math. Ikaw yun, hehee! Kalaban ko rin ang x at y noon, parang nakakabaliw. Minsan depende rin siguro sa pagtuturo kung bakit di natin maintindihan kaagad. Pero in fairness, magaling naman mga math teachers ako, ako lang ang hindi.