General News of Monday, 28 February 2011

Source: GNA

Teachers must adopt new methodologies in teaching Mathematics - Morrison

La(GAR), Feb. 28, GNA - An Author of books in South Africa, Karen Morrison has advised teachers of Mathematics to develop process skills in the classroom to enhance the understanding of learners in the subject. According to her, teachers of Mathematics the world over, have problems with their learners due to inconsistent methodologies used in teaching the subject.

Madam Morrison gave the reminder at the opening of a-two day Teacher Development workshop for 25 basic school teachers in the Greater Accra Region at La in Accra. It was organised by the EPP Books Services in conjunction with Nelson Thornes Mathematics International, a book publisher in the United Kingdom(UK).

Topics to be discussed are Ice-Breaker Activities, A View of Mathematics Teaching, Problem Solving, Representing Mathematical Ideas, Reasoning and Proof, Communication, Making Connections and Wrapping up. Madam Morrison reminded teachers that if learners are to excel in Mathematics they must be engaged in exercises such as exploring, conjecturing and thinking rather than rote learning of rules and procedures= .. She observed that wrong beliefs and negative attitudes of some teachers and learners impact negatively on the study of the subject and called for a reversal of the trend.

On the way forward, Madam Morrison urged educational institutions in the country, to provide learners with Mathematical tools, while teachers apply teaching and learning aids to demonstrate Mathematical lessons for effective teaching and learning.

Later in an interview, a cross-section of teachers who gave their impressions about the workshop to the Ghana News Agency, said they had really benefited from it and expressed the hope that it would impact positively on them as they adopt the new set of methodologies acquired during the workshop in the classroom.