What is design?
Design conveys any
intended message to people.
Art is a creative
expression of an artist.
Unlike art, success of a design lies in, how easily it is
understood by a common man. This is the reason designs are the most popular
medium of communication.
A design encompasses different mediums, ideas, interactions,
information, objects, books, posters, products, packaging, places, signs,
systems, services, furniture, websites.
Every design involves a process, from research,
conceptualizing, prototype, testing, implement and evaluate.
What is designing in math teaching?
Math is a language with its own vocabulary. We say, or we
are aware of this… But never approach it that way.
Visualize the
following classroom scenarios.
English class
- Children we read the story of Rapunzel today.
I hope you all enjoyed it. Now let us try and understand the
difficult words in this lesson.
1. Tower - a tall building from where you can see far off
2. Tangled - something which has lot of knots in it, ex.
wire, rope or hair
Math class
- Children we learnt two digit addition today.
So tell me what is 20 + 5? (30 the teacher corrects by adding/counting after twenty 5 more so 25) Very good. What is 12+12?
(24) Excellent!.
Observe, in the English class, the focus is on understanding
the vocabulary.
Where in the math class the focus is on understanding the
technique.
Has any teacher asked, "children what is the meaning of
the word addition?” The problem starts from here.
What we do not understand, we do not enjoy. This lack of
understanding in math vocabulary keeps piling through the years of schooling.
Eventually even after 12 years of education, we do not understand math.
Some of my friends (age 40+) comments on math
"Till today I do
not know what a denominator means, except for it is written below the
numerator"
"Guess what,
tangent always went in a tangent. Could never place it in the right place"
"I always run in
the opposite direction when someone takes the name of LCM and HCF, never can
tell the difference..."
So is designing for
math just explaining the vocabulary?
No. It is just a part
My approach to designer math learning
1. Explain the need with a bit of history. (If I do not feel
the need for it, I am not going to be interested in it)
2. Conceptualize (can give perspectives, eg add is including, increasing, more than, etc)
3. Help the students visualize, it can be a story or an
experience
4. Teach the technique and allow discussion on the same
5. Practice (not like 100 sums to drive you insane)
6. List the vocabulary and give meanings (this can get
creative and funny)
7. Have a conclusion (mind map helps). It can also be a
connection to the next concept.
All this need a truck load of creativity, patience and the
luxury of time.
More successful in a 1-1 environment. (Will this improve
score/marks? I do not know)
Welcome home schooling :)
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