This is the second in a three-part series in which Career & Education talks with educators about the importance of mathematics and getting students excited about the subject. Career & Education speaks this week with Kaye Brown, mathematics teacher at The Hampton School for eight years, and Cecil Ramsamugh, mathematics teacher at Black River High School.

C&E: Is the study of mathematics important to a child’s overall development?

BROWN: Yes, because it develops their mental capacity and is needed in every aspect of life. It influences logical thinking and aids in problem-solving. As a student learns to solve problems like integers, he/she will learn how to follow a natural sequence of instructions or real events. Mathematics can also assist in fine-tuning problem-solving skills, which are vital to a child’s existence as a functional adult, especially in the world of work. The subject can, too, open doors to many careers. With a degree in mathematics, the child may be able to turn his/her hand to finance, statistics, engineering, teaching or accountancy with success not possible for other graduates. This flexibility is even more important nowadays, with the considerable uncertainty about employment in future years.

RAMSAMUGH: Mathematics is important to a child’s overall development since it fosters good reasoning ability and a way to problem-solve, especially when it comes to everyday problems.

C&E: Why do you think children have a negative attitude to mathematics?

BROWN: One cannot refute the fact that the home is the first environment saturated with morals, values, and attitudes that will indubitably impact the learner’s psyche. A lack of encouragement at home, which can stem from paternal disinterest or lack of motivation, can warp the learner’s judgement of mathematics. Many parents “throw in the towel” when their child have arithmetic assignments, saying, ‘Mi cyaan do math’. The child will model these attitudes. Other reasons children have negative attitudes to math include:

. low self-esteem and a lack of mathematical stimuli like counting boards in the home;

. inadequate stimulation in the school environment;

. teachers’ failure/refusal to allow students to speak freely and to make mistakes while providing them the encouragement to persevere; and

. students’ failure to recognise the value of the subject to their future.

RAMSAMUGH: Too much emphasis is placed on finishing the syllabus in a given time. More time should be spent on the child’s acquisition of mathematical sense so that the child, over the long term, can develop the necessary skills.

C&E: Do you think the present methodology for teaching math is flawed?

BROWN: Unfortunately over the years the “chalk and talk” method has been employed in many mathematics classrooms. Many students enter the math world without a basic knowledge about its purpose to man. Too, it is often taught outside of the context of the students’ reality, hence one will concede that such a method does not cater to the varying abilities or interests of young computer-literate mathematicians. While the instructor may marvel at the performance of a student who might be labelled “brilliant” as he/she can complete tasks with 100 per cent accuracy quickly, he cannot overlook that other pupil who may very well be non-numerically inclined. More care should be taken to cater to the interest of the student who has difficulties.

RAMSAMUGH: If you look at it, it is getting stagnant.

C&E: What are some of the methods/approaches that you would suggest to teachers and parents to get children excited about mathematics?

BROWN: The math teacher, first and foremost, has the gargantuan task of obliterating the misconceptions and low self-esteem that students take to the classroom about mathematics, along with creating a learner-friendly and learning-rich psychosocial environment. Afterwards, he/she can seek to satisfy the needs of the mathematics learner by employing various approaches:

. relate the topics to real-life experiences;

. deliver topics/concepts at students’ level;

. use educational software, puzzles and/or games where possible;

. involve students in teaching activities; and

. let students practise questions dealing with related topics (provide material and equipment that will enhance/boost learning).

Mnemonics can also be used to enhance the learning process. One common construction is the use of the first letter to form words in remembering the units of measurement in their correct numerical order by making a particular sentence. In addition, the math teacher must recognise that classrooms are being infiltrated with technologically savvy learners. As a consequence of this, using his/her imagination to generate ideas and the use of various technological aids may assuage some of the monotony that exists in the learning environment.

RAMSAMUGH: I believe fun-filled activities, such as games and field trips outside of the classroom/campus would assist in increasing interest in the subject. Parents can play mathematical games with their kids even in the simplest way, for example, counting the number of oranges in the fruit basket.

C&E: Do you think the M&M competition has encouraged children to strive for excellence in Mathematics?

BROWN: Yes, because they all want to come first and to highlight their schools’ achievement.

RAMSAMUGH: It helps to sharpen focus and provide an incentive for developing the required mathematical skills for the future. It motivates students to do their best and the possibility exists where they can receive a prize.