Sunday 21 August 2011


EDU 330 Elementary Mathematics
Name : K.Laximi Kunalan
My Reflection (Chapters 1 & 2)
To be an effective teacher one should have knowledge of mathematics and know how children learn mathematics. Our decisions as an educarer will affect children’s understanding of mathematics.
There are six principles in mathematics and they are:
·      Equity Principle- All children should be given the opportunity to learn.
·      Curriculum Principle- Children will understand that mathematics stands as a whole.
·      Teaching Principle- Teachers share their experiences by understanding mathematics, knowing the children that they are teaching and using the various techniques where appropriate.
·      Learning Principle- Learning with thinking and reasoning ability.
·      Assessment Principle- There should be ongoing observation, evaluation, feedback, making connections and decisions.
·      Technology Principle- Enhances children’s learning. It gives new ideas and strategies.
Basically, sad to say mathematics has never been my favorite subject. Most, of the time I was always left to ponder on a problem all alone during my childhood days. Not much support as compared to the teaching principle. I feel that teachers should be flexible towards children’s needs and try to cater and make changes accordingly to each child. Children on the other hand should come to a term that mathematics is a connection of all other subject areas.
In a mathematics classroom environment not only there are resources but both the teacher and the children have made connections to produce answers to ideas they might have formulated.
Teachers should have passion towards mathematics and slowly build the same emotion in children.  There’s no one theory that can reflect mathematical learning. Piaget talks about taking in information and adopting it to make further relation. Vygotsky relates to approximate level of developing the children’s potential
Children must be encouraged to use multiple approaches, learn from mistake, try out new ideas and respect each and other’s decision.