Math - How to teach problem sums

[atutor2001]

NIEtrainedTEACHER:

.....However, for the child who is lazy, what they need is to see the benefit of not being lazy. Hopefully that would create a realisation for them to snap out of it. But like what the cliche saying goes, you can bring the horse to the stream but you cant force the horse to drink....

There are many kids who become lazy only when it comes to math. Adults think that it is because they simply don't like numbers.

Is it true or does the real cause lies with the way math is thought in school?

It is a fact - kids hate to draw model. Yet model is presented to them as the generic method to solve problem sum. In the past, teachers even questioned the child if they don't use model to solve problem sum. (I used to meet math teachers over this silly issue)

Reasons on why kids hate model :

1. Drawing models is tedious

For example, given that 7/8 of A is equal to 8/9 of B, try using model to show that the ratio of A : B = 64 : 43. We would need to divide 7 and 8 units into 56 parts. (of course such extreme case won't come out but less extreme case did come out before)

2. Developing model need many different specific knowledge

For example, ratio of apples of A : B = 3U : 2U and after 4 more apples are given to A and 4 more apples are given to B, the ratio becomes 5V : 3V. To develop this model \"quickly\" we need to know and remember that the \"difference\" of the 2 ratios represent equal amount. Therefore, the model can only be easily understood if we develop it from \"differences are equal i.e. 1U = 2V\".

There are even kids trying to cut the model on \"ratio of the no. of stamps\" to get the model on \"ratio of the cost of the stamps\" - which is impossible.

Until the day where model is thought correctly, problem sum will remain a big problem for the average kid.

[NIEtrainedTEACHER]

Atutor,


Good point. I have that experience in my previous school. In fact, it turned out into an argument between me and a senior teacher during our Math Com meeting.

one of the things that lead to the argument was regarding the use of model. my take was that model is not the only way to solve problem sums and this has been agreed by the Curriculum Department Personnel. That discussion lead me to ask the MOE personnel why is it that the textbooks are advocating model drawing when Curriculum Department approved the whole range of heuristics. That will be another issue.

So, for me I believe that the child should be exposed to the whole range of heuristics. I even went to the extend of making my students solved one problem sums using various different heuristics. They were happy with it as they are able to see and experience that there are other ways beside model drawing.

I also agree that model drawing is a good preparation for secondary school as it is actually a simplified derivative of algebra.

But just like what you have said, until model drawing is being taught correctly in schools, the children will have problems using it.

Regards

[Guan Hui]

hmm… For me the reasons why a child do badly in section b and c is


1. they are very careless.
To improve on this I think we need to instill a habit of checking the workings immediately after finishing the question instead of finishing the whole paper and than go back and recheck it.

2. They have misconception
As a tutor most of the students cannot do well is not because they cannot add minus multiply or divide. Is because they DO NOT KNOW WHEN TO USE WHICH!!! Try to help them by getting rid of habit of "see more= add" "see less = minus" make them understand the whole sentence rather then recognize "key words"

3. They do not read the question.
This is the most wasted case. Why? They know how to the the entire question but they did not answer to what is ask.(simple example: tom has 2 times more sweet then jack. jack has 6 sweets. how many sweets they have altogether?) In this example they know tom has 12 sweets and THEY IMMEDIATELY USE IT AS THE ANSWER!! when they can get the full more by just reading and find out they are actually asking the TOTAL.
To improve on this just emphasize by telling your children to read the ENTIRE questions.

[angela]

Guan Hui:

hmm... For me the reasons why a child do badly in section b and c is


1. they are very careless.
To improve on this I think we need to instill a habit of checking the workings immediately after finishing the question instead of finishing the whole paper and than go back and recheck it.

But some children are very lazy to check their working, they just want to finish quickly their work and hand in. They do not care whether correct or wrong.

[jedamum]

angela:

But some children are very lazy to check their working, they just want to finish quickly their work and hand in. They do not care whether correct or wrong.

my boy's checking is often not thorough enough. checks of the same question can yield the same wrong answer!! :x

[Guan Hui]

sry i still do not how to quote in forum :oops:


angela: This children are more likely to have something to do after doing their work (example play game, watch tv or something they enjoy) therefore not checking their work.

It is not they are lazy, it is just because they are more intrested in what they can do after saying \"I AM FINISHED!\" So it is good to allocate time for them to do their work. Even if they are finish they can check or do some revision instead of just finishing their work means can do whatever they want.

Jedamum: hehe.. try to get your boy to \"redo\" the question while checking instead of looking through the working. Checking should be like re attempting the question and see if you are going to do the steps you taken previously. If yes check the calculation if ok move to the next step and continue.
some children just look at the working(for example 8 x7 =54(which is wrong))and they will then think it is correct. This is because they are simply looking and not really checking by doing it again.[/quote]

[angela]

Guan Hui:

sry i still do not how to quote in forum :oops:


angela: This children are more likely to have something to do after doing their work (example play game, watch tv or something they enjoy) therefore not checking their work.

It is not they are lazy, it is just because they are more intrested in what they can do after saying \"I AM FINISHED!\" So it is good to allocate time for them to do their work. Even if they are finish they can check or do some revision instead of just finishing their work means can do whatever they want.

Yes, they just want to watch tv program or play PSP after the homework. I have a student who is like that. His result is just average and he hates to do comprehension especially he needs to read the passage then can answer the question. So he usually anyhow does his work. He also hates Maths problem sums as require reading too. So sometimes, when his mother free to check his work, his mother almost faints. So the mother will erase off his answer and asks him to re-do until he gets the correct answer. But it is a waste of time and so he always does his work until 12am. So he hates to let his mother check his work. When his mother is busy with housework or office work,he will quickly complete his homework and does other things. When we ask him to revise or check his work, he will just stare blankly at the books. We really very headache. My nephew is also like that and that why his mother has given up on him.

[Guan Hui]

My nephew is also like that and that why his mother has given up on him.


sorry i still don’t know how to quote.
I hope its just she do not know what to do for him for the mean while. If the mother have given up on him… I don’t know who else will be there for him… god bless…

[Dharma]

Guan Hui:

sorry i still don't know how to quote.

Hi Guan Hui,

Just click on quote. You start your message after the last [/quote]. If u need to edit parts of the previous message you can do so by using the delete key but make sure you have this left in the previous posting .....[quote = \"Author\"] previous post [/quote]

Hope this helps.

[angela]

Guan Hui:

My nephew is also like that and that why his mother has given up on him.


sorry i still don't know how to quote.
I hope its just she do not know what to do for him for the mean while. If the mother have given up on him... I don't know who else will be there for him... god bless...

The reason why my nephew's mother (sister-in-law) had given up on him is because besides him, my sister-in-law still has two younger one who aged 4 and 5. She always tells us that she has no patient on the elder one and has no time on him as she prefers to coach the two younger kids. But I told her that she had to put in effort to help him. So sometimes we really dunno how to help the poor kid. But we can see that sometimes the elder one purposely does something to make his mother angry. Maybe the mother spends too much time on the younger one. The mother always says that very hard to coach the elder one with the two younger kids.