Teaching mathematics at Primary level

Purpose of mathematics at school level to children to develop their understanding and value
mathematics in their life through developing student skill as problem solver,
finding logic and reasons mathematically, communicate in mathematically and developing
confidence in their ability to use mathematics. (Purpose of Mathematics is do the
Mathematization)
 
Objective
Knowledge Objectives: 
 student leering fundamental mathematical ideas, process and rules and its relationship.
 To develop their logical thinking, reasoning power, analytical thinking, and critical
thinking.
 To develop the technique of problem solving.
 To develop their ability to analyze, to draw inferences and to generalize from the
collected data and evidence.
Skill Objectives: 
 Student develop ability to understand and interpret mathematically data and apply
in other situation
 To recognize the adequacy or inadequacy of given data in relation to any problem on
individual basis.
 To develop the mathematical skills like speed, accuracy, neatness, brevity, estimation,
among the students.
 To develop their heuristic attitude and to discover solutions and proofs with their own
independent efforts.
Appreciation Objectives: 
 understand math need/role in real life development 
 To develop their power of decision-making.
 To develop their mathematical perspective and outlook for observing the realm of nature
and society
Attitude Objectives:
 understand and approach problem to generalize mathematically
 To develop their scientific attitude i.e. to estimate, find and verify results.
 
 
Perspective: 
 Teaching and learning mathematics through exploration, investigation and inquiry way to
understand the nature of mathematics and procedural and conceptual knowledge.
 Using chars, games to develop numeracy skills at beginning level,
 Understanding that mathematics is all about learning and understanding Patterns and
connecting in real life and realize the same in our real life
 Using manipulatives and Mathematics laboratory to build mathematics knowledge for
children in early stages.
 
Teaching Pedagogy:
Laboratory Method:  All students do not just listen to the information given but do something
practically also. They learn through hands on experience. This way leads them to discover
mathematical facts. After discovering something by their own efforts, they start taking pride in
his achievement, it gives them in return happiness, mental satisfaction and encourages them
towards further achievements. Example: Making and observing models, paper folding, paper
cutting, and construction work in geometry.

Learning by doing:  This is very important and effective teaching method in learning process to
gain knowledge and understanding exactly because student most of the time they know either
process or concept, here in these methods they should know both.  In this methods teacher should
give project to learn the concept as NCF 2005 suggests and also it emphasis that children’s
experience of school education must be linked with the real life.  Through this methods student
get opportunities to construct their systematics knowledge by doing and engaging themselves in
activities, experiments and projects work and also this methods provoke and allow them to share
their learning in project model.

Using body moment / Arts: This method is about using body as tool to learn mathematics,
involving and games and activities to understand the concepts and using story, drawing methods
in classroom to learn mathematics.

Problem-Solving Method: This method aims at presenting the knowledge to be learnt in the

form of a problem. It begins with a problematic situation and consists of continuous meaningful
well-integrated activity. I choose a problem and give it to my students and engage them without
spending time in going over the things. As they struggle with the problem to get solution,
meanwhile it helps them in developing divergent thinking. Example: There is a problem of
finding the amount of water in a given container instead of deriving the formula of volume
(cylinder filled with water).
Play-Way Method: As the students don’t realize that they are learning but in a way they are
gaining knowledge through participating in different activities. This way helps to develop
interest in mathematics, motivates them to learn more and reduces the abstract nature of the
subject to some extent inherently. Example: Mathematical games and puzzles.

Discourse
The teacher of mathematics should orchestrate discourse by—
       •     Posing questions and tasks that elicit, engage, and challenge each student’s thinking;
       •     Listening carefully to students’ ideas and deciding what to pursue in depth from among
the ideas that students generate during a discussion;
       •     Asking students to clarify and justify their ideas orally and in writing and by accepting a
variety of presentation modes;
       •     Deciding when and how to attach mathematical notation and language to students’ ideas;
 Encouraging and accepting the use of multiple representations;
 Making available tools for exploration and analysis;
 Deciding when to provide information, when to clarify an issue, when to model, when to
lead, and when to let students wrestle with a difficulty; and
  Monitoring students’ participation in discussions and deciding when and how to
encourage each student to participate.

Game Based Learning

 Engaging mathematical games can also encourage students to explore number combinations,
place value, patterns, and other important mathematical concepts. Further, they provide
opportunities for students to deepen their mathematical understanding and reasoning.
 Games are an important tool for learning. Here are some advantages for integrating games
into elementary mathematics classrooms:
 Games, when played repeatedly, support students’ development of computational fluency.
Playing games encourages strategic mathematical thinking as students find different
strategies for solving problems and it deepens their understanding of numbers.
 Games provide opportunities for practice, often without the need for teachers to provide the
problems.
 Games have the potential to develop familiarity with the number system and with
“benchmark numbers” – such as 10s, 100s, and 1000s and provide engaging opportunities to
practice
computation, building a deeper understanding of operations.
 Games provide a school to home connection. Parents can learn about their children’s
mathematical
thinking by playing games with them at home.

Concrete Representational Abstract (CRA) is a three-step instructional approach that has been
found to be highly effective in teaching math concepts.  The first step is called the concrete
stage.  It is known as the “doing” stage and involves physically manipulating objects to solve a
math problem.  The representational (semi-concrete) stage is the next step.  It is known as the
“seeing” stage and involves using images to represent objects to solve a math problem.  The final
step in this approach is called the abstract stage.  It is known as the “symbolic” stage and
involves using only numbers and symbols to solve a math problem.  CRA is a gradual systematic
approach.  Each stage builds on to the previous stage and therefore must be taught in sequence.
This approach is most commonly used in elementary grades but can be found in some middle
and high school classrooms.
(Note: Although it is not widely used in Upper Elementary grades, this method is applicable even
at this level. There are studies which says Algebra can be taught using CRA.)

Reference:
NCF Position Paper on Mathematics
Today’s Mathematics- James William
http://www.ncert.nic.in/pdf_files/Pedagogy_of_Mathematics.pdf