Mathematics is vital more than ever before a fundamental and basic curriculum area. As advances, different technologies cause our world to change. Today’s students will find it important to understand how to use mathematics to cope with these changes. The mathematics curriculum has undergone comprehensive analysis, organization and modification to ensure that this instructional area reflects those changes as much as possible.
Mathematics is generally taught in sequential and cumulative manner. Understanding certain math concepts is often necessary before one can understand higher-order, more abstract concepts. The scope of mathematics for grades k through 10 incorporates a number patterns, arithmetic operations, involving addition, subtraction multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions and decimals, measurement using both standard and metric units, geometry, estimation and mental arithmetic, statistics, probability, integers, pre-algebra concepts and algebra.
Today, more emphasis than ever before is to put on teaching mathematics in a context of problem solving and its application to real world situation. There is also less emphasis on isolated computational skills, the use of hand-held calculators should be accepted as a legitimate method of computation. Many Middle-School and Junior- School students therefore are using calculators to do basic operation, allowing them more time to concentrate on the important aspects of problem solving and mathematical reasoning.
Today’s mathematics classroom is not always a place where students sit at their desk quietly doing pencil and paper activities. It is also frequently a place containing diverse materials that young learners can take in their hands, manipulate and explore. Especially in the early grades which in turn are highly effective. Especially in the early grade, math is becoming a hands-on subject. Younger children are not capable of understanding abstract mathematical concepts; they learn best by playing and experimenting with concrete materials that may included pattern blocks, an abacus, geo-boards, counting and sorting materials and measuring tools. Computers are often available to children of all ages to help them develop data bases of statistics, create geometrical displays, construct graphs and stimulates real-life situations.
Throughout the grades, students are sometimes given experiences in which problems are solved using a group approach. This process brings individuals together to work as a problem-solving team that develops strategies and achieve solutions. Students also learn in these situations, that is often more than one way to solve mathematical problem and that sometimes such problems may have more than right answers.
The goal of mathematical instructions is to help students achieve sufficient success in mathematics to have confidence in their ability to use both in school and in everyday world.
By: Mrs. Roxanne R. Aguilar | Teacher II | Pagalanggang National High School | Dinalupihan, Bataan
