To strengthen the ways student involvement and motivation are promoted and supported in mathematics, class the teacher has to give students tasks that require them to think about mathematical relationships and çoncepts. The teacher also has to provide feedback to students that promotes further thinking and improved understanding. Finally, the teacher has to allow opportunities for students to be an authority in mathematics. Teachers need to_praise their students when they succeed in
challenging problems or projects. Teachers should not overemphasize testing or grades. Doing so can cause students to lose interest in the concepts they are learning and encourage them to focus only on their scores.
Grouping for Teaching and Learning
There are three basic patterns of grouping for teaching and
learning in a mathematics classroom. These are (i) Whole class with teacher guidance; (i) Small group, either with teacher guidance or with student leaders; and (Individuals working independently).
i. Mathematics teachers are advised to use large-pattern for teaching and learning if
a) the topic can be taught at approximately the same all students have the same pre-requisite understanding of the initial presentation.
b) pupils will need continuous guidance from the teacher to attain knowledge, skill, and understanding.
- Small-group work can mean that students work on content focused on their needs and at the same time learn to work together to solve problems. The Three-Part Lesson format and the Think-Pair-Share strategy are more often organized for small groups. Use small groups for teaching and learning if
a) students can benefit from student interaction with less teacher guidance
b) activities involve a few stude
c)they want to foster cooperative learning skills. - Mathematics teachers are advised to use individual teaching and learning approach if:
a) students can follow a sequence or conduct an activity on their own
b) the focus is on individual practice for mastery.