All about Numbers.

My Thoughts....

Session 2 was all about numbers. When we played the picking up the stick game in the group, I wondered, why I was losing throughout the game? I realised that all this while, I was picking up a bad number. After knowing the pattern of bad numbers , I was able to play the game.

In the lecture, Dr Yeap pointed out that we need to ask these key questions to ourself while planning lessons.

1. What is it,I want them to learn?
2. What if they cannot?
3. What if they already know?

When I reflected upon these questions,I realised that a teacher should plan according to the level of children. Teachers usually plan a general plan for all children. Does a pair of shoes fit all sizes? It varies according to the sizes. Planning lessons are also similar.  Educators should differentiate the lesson according to the different levels of the children. The tasks should be made simpler for the low level child, and more advanced for the high level child.

During lecture, when Dr Yeap talked about the traditional style of divisions, It brought unpleasent memories on my Math experience. I painstakenly memorized the times table and did divisons. When I saw simpler method of division, I was quite impressed by the simple way of divison which is easier for children to comprehend.

I think there is a need to cultivate the idea of self correcting in the classroom. This is will allow children to explore the different methods and aid comprehension. Giving children concrete experiences of counting allows children to build the foundations and help themto prepare for the next level

I believe that Mathematics is all about the different process standards like making connections, looking for patterns, reasoning and problem solving and etc. These process skills prepare children for life.