Camella Buddo, ContributorMany of the items that have appeared in the press suggest that teachers are to be blamed for the poor performance of students in mathematics; but, are they the only ones to be blamed?
Are teacher-training institutions preparing prospective teachers to face the harsh realities of the mathematics classroom? The medical practitioner is required to do two years internship yet the teacher trainee is allowed a maximum of three months of practicum in school. In such a short period of time, it is virtually impossible for the teacher trainee to develop all the relevant skills that are necessary to teach mathematics to students at the primary or secondary level. As mentorship programmes for beginning teachers are non-existent in schools, may I suggest to the relevant authority that the period of practicum be extended.
Emphasis on examination results has far-reaching negative effects on various aspects of the teaching and learning of school mathematics and schooling in general. If our goals, as stated in the Revised Primary Curriculum (1999) (RPC) and the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) curriculum, include developing independent learners with good problem-solving skills and reasoning abilities, then the focus in the classroom should be on engaging learners in mathematical thinking with a view to developing in them the various types of understanding, in particular, conceptual understanding.
problem-solving situations
Teaching for rote learning through drills and practices will not aid the creation of critical thinking skills in problem-solving situations and decision-making processes needed in society. By developing competencies in mathematics, such skills and more can be acquired by individuals.
One way, I think, of ensuring that equity is established throughout the schools is by developing standards and providing the necessary resources to all schools.
The practice of ranking secondary schools based on their students' performance on the CSEC General Mathematics examination is also something that I wish to see discontinued. Such a practice should only be done when schools operate on the 'same level playing field' in terms of availability of resources and placement of students. Students who do well in the GSAT examinations usually choose, and are placed in the traditional high schools.
The remainder of the students who are reading below their grade level or are weak in mathematics are placed in the non-traditional high schools. It is well known that all the high school teachers and students do not have access to the same types of resources at the schools. Many demands are placed on the teachers in the non-traditional high schools with large classes, as they are required to be innovative and creative.
Inappropriate use of examinations and their results can give false impressions of achievements, or lack thereof, within the schools. Such examinations do not necessarily show the improvements, no matter how small, in students' mathematical performance from the time they enter the school.
If the slogan "each child can learn, each child must" is to be manifested in the education system in general and applied to mathematics education in particular, then efforts must be made to motivate students and to raise their self-confidence and self-esteem in doing and learning mathematics. Mathematics is a subject that many persons find difficult to learn and for which they develop a phobia. When students are made to feel that they are placed at a particular school because they are 'dunces' in mathematics then this provides the gateway for them to develop a negative disposition towards the subject.
One may regard teaching and learning as enjoying a symbiotic relationship-each depends on the other. When teachers are unnoticed and made to feel unappreciated then they are not motivated to go the extra mile to facilitate student learning.
Most professional bodies provide further training for their members in one way or the other. They either host seminars or workshops or provide financial assistance for their members to upgrade their skills. Does the Jamaica Ministry of Education and Youth organise workshops for all teachers on a regular basis? Are teachers of mathematics encouraged to upgrade their skills?
further studies
Many teachers of mathematics have told me that they had to wait a long time before they were granted leave to pursue further studies in mathematics education. Also, these teachers spend much of their time worrying about how they will meet their financial obligations after their first year of study as in many cases, they are only granted leave with one year's pay. Is that one reason why the number of mathematics teachers who enrol in institutions of higher learning for further studies is so low?
My own findings of a research study that was done indicate that students develop a dislike for mathematics because of their early experiences in doing the subject. The teacher, relevance of the curricular content and level of mathematical achievement are just some of the factors that students consider to influence the attitude they develop towards the subject.
Camella Buddo is a lecturer in Mathematics Education in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of the West Indies, Mona. Email camella.buddo02@uwimona.edu.jm.
